Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast: S3 E5 “Ah, Love! (Part 2)”
September 1, 2023
Hosted by Maggie Bowles and Ryan Tillotson

Episode Overview

This episode pulls back the curtain on "Only Murders in the Building" Episode 5, focusing on costume design with Emmy-nominated Dana Covarrubias, a behind-the-scenes chat with showrunner John Hoffman about character returns (including Saz Pataki), and a deep dive into fan theories from the Only Murders subreddit and listener emails. The episode blends witty banter, heartfelt on-set stories, and some serious sleuthing, all delivered in the podcast’s signature playful and insightful tone.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Dressing Loretta: The Art & Process (00:36–08:34)

Guest: Dana Covarrubias, Costume Designer

• Inside the Process with Meryl Streep:

  • Dana describes her first Zoom call with Meryl Streep and John Hoffman, sharing preparation tips and the balance between her own creative ideas and Meryl’s actor-driven input.
    • “You want to kind of hear what the actor has to say and their input first... what if they say something totally different than what I was thinking?” (01:11, Dana)
  • They bonded emotionally watching Sara Bareilles perform "The Nanny's Lullaby" together.
    • “We cried. We all cried. Like, we all just started tearing up. And I was like, oh, my god, I'm on a zoom right now with Meryl Streep, and we're all crying.” (02:54, Dana)

• Building Loretta’s Look:

  • Loretta’s aesthetic is inspired by “a sliding doors version of Meryl Streep”—what if she’d never gotten her big break and was still “pounding the pavement in New York?”
    • “We started with images of what Meryl actually wore in the 60s and early 70s... people when they're in their heyday... their clothing gets arrested in that time.” (04:00, Dana)
  • Loretta’s wardrobe alternates between plain, transformable pieces and more character-driven garments (each with a “story” or origin from her acting career).
    • “Everything she buys herself is very plain and simple so that she can transform into all these different characters... Anything with color or pattern is a piece she ‘took’ from a show.” (06:30, Dana)

• Favorite Pieces:

  • Dana’s favorite is a “silly little hat” Loretta wears on the ferry in episode 5.
    • “It’s just the strangest little hat... the combination of the hat with the coat and everything in that scene was so cute.” (08:20, Dana)

2. Saz Is Back! Deciding Which Characters Return (10:06–13:49)

Guest: John Hoffman, Showrunner & Co-Creator

• What Drives Character Recurrence?
  • The show balances its rich pool of talent and narrative needs; logistical and storytelling reasons sometimes limit who can return (e.g., Nathan Lane’s absence due to Broadway commitments).
    • “It always is guided by the narrative we’re telling... there’s nobody in our show I wouldn’t want to have back. That’s the truth.” (11:20, John)
  • Some returns are perfect for the story (e.g., Tina Fey for “Mabel’s journey”), while others (like Saz and Jan) bring “pure gold” chemistry.
  • Sometimes, the absence of a character also fits the story—Nathan Lane’s character is “paying for the actions of season one and is in prison.”

3. Accusation Station: Fan Theories and Sleuthing (14:16–27:12)

Hosts’ Observations:

• Joy’s Suspicious Glass-Breaking:
  • Joy breaking glass for the aquarium sounded dubious and left unresolved in the episode (14:21).
• Tobert’s Big Wad of Cash:
  • Why does Tobert have so much cash at the jazz club? The hosts are increasingly suspicious—“That makes me very suspicious.” (15:44, Maggie).

Top Reddit Theories (16:27–21:15):

1. Lester the Doorman Did It (16:29)

   • Theory: Lester’s control of the elevator implicates him, plus he has a theatrical background and potential prior relationship with Loretta.
   • “The elevator is crucial to the murder, and Lester was the one controlling it.” (16:48, Reddit theory)

2. Charles Is More Involved (17:24)

   • Theory: Charles was initially a red herring, but now seems more suspicious. Maybe he tried to derail Ben, not kill him.
   • “What if the song is hinting that the killer is one of the trio?” (18:07, Reddit theory)

3. Bobo the Boatman Did It (20:08)

   • Theory: Nautical flags in Ben’s room spell out Bobo’s last name backwards, tying clues to his role.
   • “That’s some serious digging. Some really good puzzling.” (20:51, Ryan & Maggie)

Listener Emails & Voice Notes (21:12–25:20):

• Who Wrote "Fucking Pig" on the Mirror?

  • Multiple listeners suggest Ben wrote it himself out of self-loathing after eating cookies he was supposed to avoid (22:05).
    • “I think Ben was there alone by himself... he eats the cookies... and he writes the message on the mirror himself.” (22:39, Simon from Belgium)
  • Some suggest Tobert or Dickie’s involvement; suspicion toward Tobert is growing.

• Twin & Stunt Double Speculation:

  • The presence of twins, stunt doubles, and Saz’s return (Jane Lynch) feed more wild guesses about “hidden” characters.

• More Suspects:

  • Cliff (the producer’s son), Cinda's blonde minion, or someone yet unseen.

• International Listeners Represent!

  • PK from Australia shares theories and love for the pod.
    • “I totally think Ben's brother is sus. I don't think it's Joy. I definitely think that's a red herring… Maybe it's a whole new story we haven't even seen yet.” (24:31, PK)

4. Meta & Community Notes

• Writer/Actor Strike:
  The hosts reaffirm their support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, emphasizing their intent to “make lemonade with lemons” and support the creative unions fully (25:27).

• Theory Timeline:
  The hosts remind listeners that fan theories discussed may lag one episode behind, due to production schedules (26:11). Fans should keep writing in!

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We all just started tearing up. And I was like, oh, my God, I’m on a zoom right now with Meryl Streep, and we’re all crying.”
  –Dana Covarrubias on meeting Meryl Streep (02:54)

• “Everything she buys herself is very plain and simple so that she can transform into all these different characters.”
  –Dana Covarrubias on Loretta’s “transformative” wardrobe (06:30)

• “There’s nobody in our show I wouldn’t want to have back. That’s the truth.”
  –John Hoffman on the ensemble (11:26)

• “That makes me very suspicious.”
  –Maggie, on Tobert’s cash at the jazz club (15:44)

• “Nautical flags are for 1L and M, which backwards is ML1 or Malone, which is Bobo's last name.”
  –Subreddit theory on Bobo (20:20)

• “He writes the message on the mirror himself. That was my theory.”
  –Simon (voice memo), on Ben as the mirror message writer (22:39)

Time-stamped Content Highlights

• 00:41–08:34: Costuming Loretta & working with Meryl Streep (Dana Covarrubias)
• 10:06–13:49: How characters are chosen to return (John Hoffman)
• 14:16–21:12: Accusation Station – subreddit theories (Lester, Charles, Bobo)
• 21:12–25:20: Listener emails and voice notes (self-written mirror message, Tobert, Dickie, new suspects)
• 25:27–26:11: Community & strike acknowledgment
• 26:11–End: Reminders, episode timeline, and wrap-up

Conclusion

From the vivid account of designing Loretta’s “alternative-universe Meryl” wardrobe to detangling which Arconia resident could be Ben’s killer, this episode celebrates both the craft of storytelling and the obsessive joy of mystery fandom. Listener theories—some elaborate, some wild—are given thoughtful airtime. The love for cast, crew, and fans is evident in every moment, making this episode a must-listen for anyone wanting a peek behind the Arconia’s doors.