Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S2 E3: “The Last Day of Bunny Folger”

Date: July 6, 2022
Host: Michael Cyril Creighton on behalf of Hulu
Guests: Ben Smith (Episode Writer), Jane Houdyshell (Bunny Folger/Mrs. Gambalini), John Hoffman (Showrunner/Co-Creator), Jackie Hoffman (Uma Heller)

Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, in-depth exploration of “The Last Day of Bunny Folger,” the third episode of Only Murders in the Building’s second season. Hosts Elizabeth Keener and Kevin Lon, along with special guests from the cast and creative team, go behind the scenes to discuss character development, writing challenges, the humanity behind Bunny’s tough exterior, and the episode’s emotional core. Through candid conversations, notable quotes, and spirited fan theories, this podcast deepens the viewer’s connection to the show and provides fresh insight into the Arconia’s secrets.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Perspective Shift: Humanizing Bunny

• Purpose of Episode 3:
  The episode seeks to shift the audience’s understanding of Bunny from a gruff antagonist to a nuanced, sympathetic character.

  “The overarching idea of the episode was to dimensionalize and humanize Bunny…so that both the audience and our trio see her in a new light.”
  —Ben Smith (05:52)

• Original Plan vs. Final Story:
  The writers first conceived a more ‘investigative’ episode, but realized the need to focus on Bunny's life and relationships.

  "We’re three episodes into a season with a new murder victim that we don’t know very well.”
  —Ben Smith (07:31)

• Showrunner’s Vision:
  John Hoffman explains the drive to let viewers brush closely against clues while inviting empathy for Bunny.

  "To invest our trio in a sort of new take on Bunny…to realize a certain humanity and kinship with Bunny and appreciation for what she'd been trying to do."
  —John Hoffman (08:10)

2. Building Bunny: Details and Layered Performance

• Creating Bunny’s Day:
  Writers collaboratively built Bunny’s daily rituals—her Knicks fandom, go-to diner, and connections to New York life.

  “We kind of all just spitballed—this is the diner she always goes to, what are all these specific New York things that we see…”
  —Ben Smith (10:22)

• Jane Houdyshell on Being Cast:
  Jane recounts her unique casting story, rooted in a personal friendship with John Hoffman.

  “It was much easier than that for me…[John] called me out of the blue and said, ‘I hope you'll be interested when it happens.’”
  —Jane Houdyshell (12:18)

• Acting Challenge:
  Jane relished the opportunity to play someone as singular as Bunny:

  “The character of Bunny…was a huge gift for me as an actor…I’ve never played anyone exactly like Bunny Folger before.”
  —Jane Houdyshell (12:55)

3. Relationships that Reveal Bunny’s Heart

• Ivan the Waiter:
  Bunny’s affectionate, almost maternal relationship with Ivan is highlighted.

  “She’s fond of Ivan…Being treated with deference and respect and sometimes genuine affection by this waiter has been a meaningful moment in her days for a lot of years.”
  —Jane Houdyshell (13:35)

• The Envelope of Cash:
  The hosts theorize about Bunny’s motives for giving Ivan money. Is it pure generosity, or something suspicious involving the painting?

  “Isn't it to support his dreams?”
  —Ben Smith (14:32)
  “I will say that…it's not the last time we've seen that character.”
  —Ben Smith (14:43)

• Bunny & Uma: A True Friendship:
  Bunny’s long-standing bond with Uma is depicted through their banter.

  “Uma is definitely kind of the key friend in her life in the building…They’ve probably been dear, dear friends for perhaps since childhood.”
  —Jane Houdyshell (15:56)

  “Their version of being sweet is like, you know, fuck you. Fuck you…That's how they say they love each other.”
  —Ben Smith (17:29, 17:42)

4. Themes of Change: Old vs. New

• Bunny and Nina Lin:
  The episode spotlights the generational/ideological clash between Bunny and her successor, Nina, over the Arconia’s future.

  “We wanted to have this tension about the idea of—is Bunny holding the building back?...She has all this history and knowledge, and we want to create this understanding that she's the only one who knows these things.”
  —Ben Smith (21:23)

  “The old and the new are very much a part of Season Two…the old and the new board presidents.”
  —John Hoffman (22:23)

• Would Bunny Really Move Away?
  Ben and Jane debate whether Bunny would have left for Boca Raton.

  “I think it would have been something where she left, and one week later she’s back in the building and acting like nothing happened.”
  —Ben Smith (19:16)

  “I think that Bunny would have gone ahead and taken a place there and split her time…But…I think she would have continued to fight to stay on as board president…”
  —Jane Houdyshell (19:35)

5. Mrs. Gambalini: The Parrot and the Voice

• Bunny’s Pet as a Window into Her Soul:
  Bunny’s long-lived parrot symbolizes her capacity for long commitments and softens her image.

  “It added all sorts of dimension…learning that she was a pet owner…It told me a great deal about a more human side of Bunny than we were allowed to see in the first season.”
  —Jane Houdyshell (24:16)

• Mrs. Gambalini’s Voice:
  The writers had fun with how sentient and plot-critical the parrot could be.

  “There was a big internal debate in the writers’ room about Mrs. Gambalini and…the degree to her sentience.”
  —Ben Smith (24:59)

  “I'd never played a parrot before…It was very complex and understandably so…”
  —Jane Houdyshell (25:28)

• Crafting the Parrot’s Dialogue:
  Writers carefully justify every phrase Mrs. Gambalini utters so it makes sense in-world.

  “Constraints of, these are things…the bird has heard Bunny say, and what are the fun, vulgar things…But there were other things…like ‘I know who did it’…we have to contextualize that later.”
  —Ben Smith (26:52)

6. Fact vs. Fiction: How Much Is Real?

• Is Bunny’s Last Day 100% Accurate?
  The group explores the reliability of the trio’s reconstruction.

  “Maybe not everything we’ve seen is true…What was important to us when writing it is that by the end of the episode, the most important things the audience and the characters know.”
  —Ben Smith (28:05)

7. Poignant Moments and Regret

• The Trio’s Missed Opportunity:
  The central regret—had they invited Bunny in, would she have lived?

  “It’s a vulnerable moment. They don’t invite her in, and they could have saved her life.”
  —Elizabeth Keener (03:19)

  “Certainly, had she been invited in…I think she would have been so relieved to have been accepted by them…I think sharing that bottle of champagne would have been terribly meaningful for her and a lot of fun.”
  —Jane Houdyshell (31:50)

• The Show’s Emotional Balance:
  John Hoffman praises the show’s ability to walk the line between comedy and deep emotion.

  “It’s my favorite way to write—right on the edge of ‘Oh my God, I’m crying—and I’m laughing and I’m crying and I’m laughing.’ That’s the part of the show I hope we can do in a unique way…”
  —John Hoffman (32:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Old Arconia Rules:

  “And some of those Arconia rules include public flogging.”
  —Elizabeth Keener (07:07)

• On Bunny and Uma’s Friendship:

  “Their version of being sweet is like, ‘fuck you. Fuck you.’”
  —Ben Smith (17:29)

• How Bunny Got the Role:

  “John called me out of the blue and said…‘there’s a character in it that I would love for you to play’…That’s how Bunny Folger came into my life.”
  —Jane Houdyshell (12:18)

• On the Sentient Parrot:

  “Could you do it more like a parrot who’s grieving?…Okay, now could you add a little more of a human voice to that?”
  —Jane Houdyshell (25:28)

• On Regret:

  “It’s a vulnerable moment. They don’t invite her in, and they could have saved her life.”
  —Elizabeth Keener (03:19)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:06] – Recap of Bunny’s last day and the clues
• [04:01] – Ben Smith on writing challenges in Season 2
• [07:31] – Decision to focus the episode on Bunny’s humanity
• [08:10] – John Hoffman on the episode’s intent
• [10:22] – Building Bunny’s character from scratch
• [12:18] – Jane Houdyshell’s casting story
• [13:35] – Jane on Bunny’s fondness for Ivan the waiter
• [15:56] – Jane on Bunny and Uma’s friendship
• [17:29] – The meaning behind Bunny/Uma’s “fuck you” exchanges
• [19:09] – Debating whether Bunny would have moved to Boca Raton
• [21:23] – Thematic tension: holding on to the past vs. moving forward
• [22:23] – John Hoffman on “the old and the new”
• [24:16] – Mrs. Gambalini as a window to Bunny’s heart
• [25:28] – Jane on the joys and complexity of voicing the parrot
• [26:52] – The writing process for Mrs. Gambalini’s lines
• [28:05] – Reliability of the episode’s portrayal of Bunny’s day
• [31:50] – Jane on the chance for Bunny to connect with the trio
• [32:27] – John Hoffman on the show’s balance of humor and poignancy
• [34:00–36:40] – Whodunit Summit: The hosts’ murder theories
• [38:11] – International fan theories and listener mail

The Whodunit Summit: Theories Abound

• Kevin's guess: Alice, the gallery owner—possibly an ambitious new love interest for Mabel? (34:32)
• Elizabeth's guess: Ivan, the waiter—maybe he learned too much about Bunny's valuables? (35:56)
• Listener theories:
  • Howard, the cat guy, due to his unexplained black eye
  • Ursula, the gut milk lady
  • The murderer may have been present at Bunny’s wake

Episode Tone & Style

• The pod has a witty, earnest, sometimes irreverent tone. Banter between hosts and guests underscores the comedic-but-emotional DNA of the show itself.
• Reflects both the show's humor (“public flogging!”) and its poignant moments (Bunny’s vulnerability).
• Genuine love for the characters and story shines through.

Conclusion

This episode re-centers Bunny as a complex, sympathetic figure, while thoughtfully interrogating themes of memory, regret, and change. Insightful behind-the-scenes stories and fun speculation give fans deeper appreciation for one of the show’s best episodes. Listeners come away feeling like they know Bunny—and the Arconia itself—in a whole new way.

Notable Closing Quote

"If she went in a sad way, I do think she would have lived."
—Ben Smith (29:29)

For fans eager for more mysteries, emotional depth, or just a good laugh, this episode delivers a perfect blend of all three.