Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S2 E5 BONUS: The Tell – LIVE REDDIT TALK

Date: July 23, 2022
Host: Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard)
Special Guests: Episode 5 writers Rob Trboski and Matteo Borghese

Episode Overview

This energetic live Reddit talk dives into fan theories, hidden details, and behind-the-scenes insights about Season 2, Episode 5 ("The Tell") of Only Murders in the Building. Host Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard) and episode writers Rob Trboski and Matteo Borghese join fans to answer questions and engage in playful conspiracy-building, swapping theories about murder, hidden connections, and the show’s delight in misleading its audience. The tone is lively, clever, and conspiratorial, with both fans and creators enjoying the sleuthing process together.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Behind the Scenes in the Writers' Room

Timestamps: 01:12 – 02:58

• Rob and Matteo share about transitioning from remote (Zoom) writers’ rooms back to in-person, joking:
  "People always want to know what the difference is between in person and on Zoom. The main difference is ... you have access to different flavors of potato chips, which is how the magic happens." (Rob, 02:20)
• They’re often asked about snacks (notably, fans fixate on blueberry bagels and H & H bagels—New York references sprinkled as possible clues).

2. Fan Theories and Closely Watched Details

Timestamps: 03:31 – 21:21

• Fans’ attention to details like bagels (from “The Office” reference) and matchbooks impresses the writers.
  A: “This is the amount of sleuthing that you'll come to know and love on these talks.” (03:31)

• Bagel Clues:
  Fans ask: Is the H & H heart on the prison phone a clue?
  Response from writers: Lots of New York bagel shop love in the writers’ room, but “let us know if you see an H & C!” (04:12)

• “Where is Mabel’s Aunt?”
  Writers admit fans are eagle-eyed. The Aunt is “in our minds and hearts”—a mysterious, playful non-answer. (04:49 – 05:00)

• Favorite Characters to Write:

  • Marv and Oliver are highlights for the writers, but they also love writing Uma’s mean humor. (05:37 – 06:08)
  • "Oliver is always a pleasure to write insane long stuff for." (Rob, 05:47)

• Who Knows the Killer?

  • The writers try hard to keep the killer’s identity secret, even from much of the cast. "There definitely are people in the cast who don't know ... they’re in a lot of the show and they didn't know." (Rob, 06:43)

3. Fan Sleuthing: Card Tricks, Knife Mysteries, and Apartment Layouts

Timestamps: 08:08 – 11:51

• Card Trick in "Son of Sam" Game:
  Observant fans catch Oliver dealing from the bottom—“How does Alice get the blonde card?”
  "[Young] Oliver is quite good with the cards ... we don't want to, really—" (Matteo, 09:16-09:24) (suggesting more is to come).

• Bunny’s Stabbing & Apartment Secrets:

  • Was Bunny stabbed before or after reaching Mabel’s apartment?
    • "There's room for all these things to be explained ... How many episodes are left? I'm optimistic." (Rob, 10:16)
  • The question of whether the painting could be moved through secret passages stumps the writers, sparking more fan speculation.

4. Symbolism, New York, and Writer Process

Timestamps: 12:13 – 17:55

• The Pug Symbolism:
  Fans ask: Who/what does Bunny’s pug represent?
  Jokingly:
  "In Greek mythology, we all know what the pug symbolizes ... And of course, pug backwards is ‘gup’. That should really lead us to—" [laughter]. (Rob/Matteo, 12:45–13:11)

• New York Research in the Writers’ Room:

  • Many on the writing staff are New Yorkers; they draw from real-life experiences.
    "It just comes second nature ... we run through all our favorite things about the city." (Matteo, 13:53)

• Seeing Episodes Come to Life:

  • The writers see early cuts multiple times, getting excited as the episodes near completion.
    "It's a long journey ... as it gets closer you get excited ... when your friends see it. It's always fun, like when your parents see it." (Rob, 15:37)
  • Amusingly, arguments over tiny details may never make it on screen:
    "You'll see the final cut ... and you'll be like, oh, I guess we didn't need that at all." (Matteo, 16:12)

5. First Season Easter Eggs & Interseason Connections

Timestamps: 17:16 – 18:46

• Should Viewers Re-Watch Season One?
  • Asked directly if clues from Season 1 connect to Season 2:
    "I'm gonna just say yes." (Matteo, 17:34)
    "There is stuff in there." (Rob, 17:35)
  • Showrunner John Hoffman sees Seasons 1 and 2 as “paired.”

6. Big Bunny’s Fate & the Decision to Kill Her

Timestamps: 18:46 – 19:17

• When Did the Writers Decide to Murder Bunny?
  • It came up “towards the end, but not as late as you might think”—not planned from the beginning. (Rob/Matteo, 18:31)
  • Other contenders for the victim included various secondary characters—jokingly even “Sting” and “Stuart Copeland.” (18:58)

7. Anagram Clues and Fan Theories

Timestamps: 19:26 – 21:19

• Fans point out that "Teddy Bemis" is an anagram for "It's Me, Daddy."
  "The Reddit board loves an anagram. We have a lot of fun with that thought ... Sometimes you surprise yourself." (Matteo, 19:55–20:46)

• Persistent fan theory: Mabel being “blamed” for something—possibly a meta joke about her involvement.

The Whodunit Summit: Hosts Reveal Their Murder Suspect Picks

Timestamps: 22:22 – 24:39

• Michael Cyril Creighton (Keener):

  • Doubles down on Howard as his pick:
    "He's like on the edge ... the nicest guy and yet not so much, you know? And he sneezes because probably his cats." (22:43-23:20)

• KK (co-host):

  • Picks Alice, citing Jan’s “artist/storyteller” analysis and Alice’s suspicious lies and the Son of Sam card game:
    "She checks all those boxes ... definitely a lot of fingers pointing at Alice ... She could either be a giant red herring, or she's the killer—or maybe she's just a liar." (23:25-24:17)

8. Fan Theories: “TLDR” Reddit Roundup

Timestamps: 24:40 – 45:13

• Marv–Alice Connection:

  • Redditors theorize Marv is Alice’s father, referencing her dad being a plumber and similarities in their backgrounds.

• Matchbook Clues:

  • Multiple call-ins dissect whether the bloody/ketchup-y matchbook was really a clue or a plant. Fan Goldie K4 asks: should it be “paint” since Alice is an artist?
    "No one says, do we think it's paint?" (Goldie K4, 32:14)
    This gets enthusiastic agreement—a detail both hosts and writers love.

• Rose Cooper & Lenora:

  • Speculation that Shirley MacLaine’s “Lenora” is actually Rose Cooper or perhaps Rose and Lenora are twins, with complex motives around the painting’s forgery.

• Secret Passageways & Building Mysteries:

  • Fans keep circling back to how Bunny got into Mabel’s apartment, theorizing about passageways, two intruders, and whether someone came through the front door.

• Brady Bunch “Theory”:

  • Multiple new characters have Brady Bunch names (Jan, Cinda, Alice, cousin Oliver). Fans wonder if this is a meaningful pattern, given dialogue about “sisters” and “cousin Oliver.”
  • "Brady Bunch ... that just threw me ... that definitely adds to the Brady Bunch kind of ... Charles has a sign like the Brady Bunch chalkboard ... pork chops and applesauce." (39:27 – 40:26)

9. Theories About the Murder, Finale, and “Who Did It?”

Timestamps: 41:25 – 45:13

• Jan’s Accomplice?

  • Is there a second accomplice? Was last season’s self-stabbing a misdirection?
  • "Jan said in the season one finale that there were two more she needed to take care of ... maybe she couldn’t track them down ... the killers are using the secret passageways." (Pyramid Black, 43:54)

• Lucy’s Knowledge:

  • Lucy warned Charles about “a lot going on in the building”; is she in on more than it seems?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On in-person vs. Zoom writing:
  "The main difference is ... different flavors of potato chips, which is how the magic happens." (Rob, 02:20)

• On clues and fan theories:
  "You don't have to feel guilty about enjoying the show. It can just be a pleasure." (Rob, 09:26)

• On hiding the killer’s identity:
  "There are people in the cast who don't know ... they're in a lot of the show and they didn't know." (Rob, 06:43)

• On fan sleuthing:
  "The Reddit board loves an anagram ... Sometimes you surprise yourself." (Matteo, 19:55)

• On montage of possible passageways:
  "There has to be more passageways that we're not aware of." (B, 44:46)

• On writing for supporting characters:
  "Uma is a lot of fun too because she's so mean to Charles." (Rob, 05:47)

Additional Fan Theories Highlighted

• Alice is a red herring (too obvious)
• Shirley MacLaine’s character is the real Rose Cooper or her twin
• The matchbook’s “blood” might actually be paint—a subtle art clue
• Brady Bunch names as clues for family ties among suspects
• Secret passageways, two-man jobs, Lucy’s mysterious knowledge all in play

Community Spirit & Closing Remarks

Timestamps: 45:13 – End

• The exchange ends on mutual appreciation and excitement:
  "Thank you for caring about the show. It means the world to all of us." (Matteo, 22:08)

• Fans are encouraged to keep sharing, as the writers are actively following fan threads.

Summary Table of Timestamps

| Segment | Topic | Key Timestamps | |---|---|---| | 1 | Writers' Room Banter, Snacks, Working Styles | 01:12–02:58 | | 2 | Easter Eggs, Detail Sleuthing, Where is Mabel's Aunt | 03:31–05:00 | | 3 | Favorite Characters to Write, Who Knows the Killer | 05:37–06:43 | | 4 | Card Trick Observations, Bunny's Stabbing Timeline | 08:08–10:25 | | 5 | Apartment Passageways, Fan Theories | 10:25–12:09 | | 6 | Pug Symbolism, New York Research | 12:13–14:28 | | 7 | Process of Seeing Scripts Turn into Episodes | 15:17–16:40 | | 8 | S1-S2 Connections, Bunny’s Fate, Alternate Victims | 17:16–19:17 | | 9 | Anagram Clues, Meta-Jokes | 19:26–21:19 | | 10 | Whodunit Picks, Reddit Roundup | 22:22–24:39 | | 11 | Fan Q&A: New Theories: Alice, Painting, Secret Doors, Paint Matchbook | 24:40–45:13 | | 12 | Closing Thoughts & Community | 45:13–End |

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode delivers a lively, witty, and clue-saturated behind-the-scenes exploration, with plenty of fan engagement, red herrings, and meta-humor. Writers Rob and Matteo play along with the fandom’s theories, delighting in both confirming deep-cut references and slyly dodging spoiler-baiting. Whether you're after new sleuthing angles, hidden New York-isms, or just want to bask in sharp comedic banter, this episode is a must for Only Murders superfans.

Relevant Links:

• Submit future questions: onlymurders@strawhutmedia.com
• Join next week’s live Reddit talk via the show notes link

End of Summary