Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S3 E3: Grab Your Hankies (Part 2)

Release Date: August 18, 2023
Host(s): Maggie Bowles & Ryan Tillotson
Featured Guests: Shelley Westerman & Peyton Koch (Editors)

Episode Overview

In this behind-the-scenes deep dive, Maggie and Ryan continue their exploration of "Grab Your Hankies" (S3 Ep3) by talking with “Only Murders in the Building” editors Shelley Westerman and Peyton Koch. The episode unpacks the craft of making people look suspicious, the musical “Frankenstein method” of song editing, the intricacies of recaps, and fan theories from email and Reddit. There’s lots of playful insider insight into the on-set atmosphere and production challenges unique to the murder-mystery-musical format.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Editorial Collaboration & Division of Labor ([01:00]–[03:41])

• Team Dynamics:
  • Peyton was mentored by Shelley and they've worked together for 5 years ([01:18]).
  • Editing assignments are typically divided in rotation; for S3, Shelley, Peyton, and Peggy each had their own episodes but shared a strong working relationship:

    “In television editing, you’ll be assigned a rotation. But because all of us had worked together on season two, we came back for season three. We knew each other. We had a shorthand.” — Shelley ([03:01])

  • All editors work remotely, making communication and bonding even more important.

2. Outtakes, Gag Reels, and Stars’ Approach ([04:03]–[07:52])

• On-set Fun:
  • Editors enjoy unseen hilarious moments from A-list cast dailies:

    “…there isn’t like a published gag reel, but we did put something together for the cast and crew…for the wrap party.” — Peyton ([04:20])

  • Cast sticks closely to the script, minimal ad-libbing, which surprised editors.
  • Steve Martin is hard on himself, Martin Short cracks him and others up:

    “Marty said, ‘Steve, just use some of your improvisational skills—of which you have none!’” — Shelley ([06:10])

• Panic Moments:
  • Editors worry about set leaks via social media:

    “We panic when there are little clips or photos on Instagram from the set… Someone zooms in and sees a clue.” — Shelley ([06:51])

3. Making Characters Appear Suspicious Through Editing ([08:17]-[10:35])

• Visual Storytelling Techniques:
  • Editors use specific shots/takes and hold on certain faces to direct suspicion.
  • Example: Episode 3 focuses on Kimber, so editors highlighted her reactions to make her the audience’s main suspect for the week:

    "I would intentionally want to show shots of her... looking a little suspicious, just so we remind the audience, this is Kimber's interrogation episode." — Peyton ([08:47])

  • Sometimes the scene is reviewed without sound to ensure visual storytelling is on point:

    “We’ll edit a scene...then play it without any sound, silence it, mute it, and see where your eyes are going and see what story you’re telling.” — Shelley ([10:02])

4. Editing the Musical Numbers – The “Frankenstein” Method ([11:24]–[16:47])

• Song Syncing Complexity:
  • Meryl Streep’s “Look for the Light” was fully pre-recorded; later episodes mix live and pre-recorded vocals.
  • Editors and music team had to match mouth movements meticulously:

    "There was a whole process... matching her mouth to the word. We had a lot of sync work to do." — Peyton ([11:40])

  • Final mixes are pieced together with syllable-level precision—sometimes a single sung word will splice together a live take and pre-recorded audio.
  • Editors occasionally “speed warp” video to improve sync; music editors do the same to audio:

    "In some of the numbers, we would speed warp... I might make it to 98 or 97 or 102% to get something in sync... It's a dance you play back and forth." — Shelley ([14:58])

  • The goal: keep the music diegetic and realistic, with atmospherics like on-stage reverb or crowd noise baked in.

5. Crafting the “Previously On” Recaps ([17:28]–[19:32])

• Recap Process:
  • Editors, often with help from assistants, assemble recaps that set up crucial info and clues for the episode.
  • Showrunner John Hoffman gives occasional notes about must-include details.

    “You can puzzle out and story wise say, oh, I need these 10 things. And you cut them together and you watch it, you're like, oh, I only need about five of those things.” — Shelley ([19:32])

• Clue Placement:
  • Fans scrutinize recaps for hidden clues—editors are aware and intentionally make them tight and purposeful.

6. Runtime Constraints and Editing Choices ([20:24]–[22:49])

• Runtime Discipline:
  • Even with streaming freedom, episodes have a max runtime (~37 minutes) due to contracts/money.
  • Musical episodes especially had long initial edits; painful cuts had to be made.
  • Examples of “killing your darlings,” such as a cut Steve Martin moment:

    “There’s a scene... where Steve goes up to the cast and he is just ridiculous trying... and he, like, invites them up for drinks and a cheese board. It was just hysterical dialogue.” — Peyton ([21:34])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Marty said, ‘Steve, just use some of your improvisational skills—of which you have none!’” – Shelley ([06:10])
• “When I saw it, I died and was like, that has to be in the cut...when she [Meryl Streep] bangs her head...” – Peyton, about Streep’s on-set gag ([07:13])
• “There’s a ton of funny stuff that goes on before and after cut...” – Peyton ([04:20])
• “I would intentionally want to show shots of her... looking a little suspicious...” – Peyton on editing Kimber as a suspect ([08:47])
• “We’ll edit a scene...then play it without any sound, silence it...see what story you’re telling.” – Shelley ([10:02])
• “Even our music mixer... there’s like one syllable of pre-record, one syllable live.” – Shelley ([13:15])
• “You only need about five of those things (in the recap).” – Shelley ([19:32])

Fan Theories & Listener Interaction ([23:06]–[32:44])

"Accusation Station" Segment (originally considered "Theory Airy"):

• Multiple Attempts Theory: What if Ben’s poisoner and murderer are two different people? (Kate McManus, [24:02])
• Kimber Suspicion: Kimber seems frightened by Ben—more than scorned ([24:52]).
• Dickie as Prime Suspect: Multiple listeners/redditors point to Ben’s brother as suspicious (“no reasons, just vibes”).
• Loretta as Ben’s Nanny or Mom: Recurring speculation, debated as possibly too obvious ([25:49], [28:55]).
• Production Details as Clues: Discussion around Ben’s tattoos, possible makeup inconsistency, and camera-leaked details ([27:28]).
• Chekhov’s Gun – Oliver’s Heart Monitor: Could foreshadow a dramatic moment ([27:01]).
• Podcast Self-Awareness: Hosts note the show’s meta-humor about "another female killer" ([30:53]).

Noted Timestamps for Important Segments

• Editorial Workflow and Mentorship: [01:00]–[03:41]
• Gag Reels & Star Outtakes: [04:03]–[07:52]
• Editing Suspicion: [08:17]–[10:35]
• Editing Musical Numbers: [11:24]–[16:47]
• Editing Recaps & Clue Crafting: [17:28]–[19:32]
• Runtime Constraints & Deleted Scenes: [20:24]–[22:49]
• Fan Theory Segment: [23:06]–[32:44]
• Noticing Show’s Metacommentary: [30:53]

Summary Takeaways

• Editing on "Only Murders" is a collaborative, detail-obsessed craft, with editors pulling literal syllables or frames to create seamless performances and suspense.
• Much of the cast’s brilliance appears in precise, rather than ad-libbed, performances, with the comedic chemistry happening both before and after “cut.”
• Fandom engagement is a driving force, with listeners' and Redditors' theories actively shaping the podcast and show discourse—no clue is too minor!
• The creative team’s discipline in tailoring episodes to contractual runtimes leads to “painful” but thoughtful deletions—even at the expense of classic Steve Martin bits.
• The show’s self-referential humor and musical ambitions set it apart, and the editorial department approaches both with both craft and a sense of play.