Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S3 E6: Ghost Light (Part 2)

Date: September 8, 2023
Hosts: Maggie Bowles & Ryan Tillotson
Guests: Patrick Howe (Production Designer), John Hoffman (Showrunner & Co-Creator)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the making of “Ghost Light” (Season 3, Episode 6) of Only Murders in the Building. Hosts Maggie and Ryan explore the behind-the-scenes world with:

• Production Designer Patrick Howe, who reveals set secrets and hidden Easter eggs.
• Showrunner and co-creator John Hoffman, who discusses authenticity, theater rituals, and emotional moments on set.
• Fan theories from listeners and Reddit, dissected with humor and detail.

The episode celebrates the interplay of mystery, comedy, and the unique theater lore that defines the Arconia—and this season’s enigmatic murder.

Production Design Deep Dive with Patrick Howe

[00:47 - 13:34]

Creating Authentic Spaces

• Cinda’s Podcast Studio:
  • Design driven by photo references, lookbooks, and mood boards for approval by Showrunner John Hoffman.
  • On-set microphones are not functional but serve as set dressing. Prop masters and decorators collaborate for authenticity.
  • Patrick Howe:

    “None of it’s practical. It’s just all there for dressing... The sound designers do their own body miking and room miking as they would for any other set.” (01:59)

Gooseberry Theater & Jerry’s Lair

• The fictitious Gooseberry Theater was filmed at the United Palace Theater—a much larger venue than the average Broadway house, used for its grandeur.
• Jerry’s Lair (the squatter’s hideaway):
  • Built entirely onstage, designed as a tiny, awkward crawlspace accessed through a spiral staircase and a small utility door.
  • Includes leftover wallpaper rolls and set-building materials as subtle nods to backstage life, but fewer direct Easter eggs than some other sets.
  • Patrick Howe:

    "I wanted it to be awkward to get into...I had put in the spiral staircase with the hopes that could be how you got to Jerry's lair." (06:13)

Easter Eggs in Loretta’s & Ben’s Apartments

• Loretta’s Apartment:

  • Crafted to reflect 40 years of modest bohemian life—organized, saturated with curated items but not cluttered.
  • Elevated character backstory through set design conversations with John.
  • Patrick Howe:

    “It was...packed and saturated with things, but in a very curated and tidy and organized way.” (08:45)

• Ben Glenroy’s Apartment:

  • Previously sublet by Amy Schumer’s character; redecorated to reflect Ben’s movie-star ego and memorabilia obsession.
  • Decor includes a giant gold cobra, fake “Hard Rock Cafe” style memorabilia, and many Paul Rudd Easter eggs.
  • Notable Easter eggs: Candy from Paul Rudd’s real-life candy store, a "Bat Mitzvah DJ" Ken doll, sequin pillows with Paul’s face, and a rhinestone bust inspired by Damien Hirst.
  • Patrick Howe:

    “It was really about researching Paul Rudd in terms of Easter eggs and, you know, making a nod to things in his career.” (11:55)

Theater Lore & Emotional Beats with John Hoffman

[14:26 - 25:43]

Theater Rituals and the “Ghost Light”

• The episode—and the season—draw inspiration from real Broadway rituals: ghost lights, sign-in sheets, “half-hour” calls, and the superstitious atmosphere.

• The “ghost” Gideon is inspired by real theater ghost stories.

  • John Hoffman:

    “The thing about theater...the rituals and the patterns of behavior and the traditions—they’re really adhered to.” (16:48) “The theater itself built on all of these rituals... the ghost light that must go out at the end.” (18:20)

• Personal ghost stories: Hoffman recalls Ohio theater lore and describes his reverence for the theatrical space as a “church”—a transformative place since childhood.

Key Scene: Howard & KT’s Collaboration

• Howard and KT’s on-stage moment reflects growth from contention to mutual emotional support.
  • John Hoffman:

    “...Being able to sort of solve each other’s emotional distress in this episode felt just like a lovely little potential arc for them.” (14:51)

Trio Blow-Up: First Big Fight

[22:09 - 25:43]

• Maggie and Ryan note this is the first time the main trio (Mabel, Charles, Oliver) explodes in such a raw, painful way.

  • John Hoffman:

    “It’s upsetting... I think there’s something so heartbreaking about it because you love them and you’ve seen in this season the disconnects that have occurred... And they take it out on each other.” (23:04) “Selena [Gomez] in that scene just kills it and breaks my heart...they really cut loose and they didn’t color it in certain ways.” (25:02)

• Memorable Quote:

  “A man is dead. A man who actually meant something to me. And I’m going to figure out who did it, whether the two of you give a shit or not. I’m done.” — Mabel (Selena Gomez), recited by Maggie and the team, (25:44)

Hidden Details and Easter Eggs Exchange

[26:05 - 28:55]

Naming The Gideon Ghost — Inside Joke?

• Maggie proposes a potential "inside joke" Easter egg: the ghost's name "Gideon" could reference a viral interview with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, where they joked about an imaginary friend named Gideon—connecting both actors to the show.
  • Maggie:

    “That feels like it’s too coincidental for that not to be related to the naming of Gideon.” (28:39)

Listener Theories and Fan Speculation (“Accusation Station”)

[28:54 - 43:48]

Competing Theories

• Donna Did It (Ken A.): The lipstick-in-the-mirror flashback may be misdirection; perhaps it was Donna, not Loretta.
• Lipstick Poison Theory (Mike T.): The red mark on Ben’s face was lipstick, and the attempt was sabotage, not murder—possibly to get Howard’s boyfriend the lead.
• Poison Pen Critic (Hillary from London): Critic Maxine accidentally left her pen at the scene and may have tried to sabotage Ben.
• Donna Sabotage Again (Nick C.): Donna sent the cookies only to keep Ben offstage, not to kill him.
• Saz as the Attacker (Nick C.): Saz, not Charles, pushed Ben to impress Jan.
• Tolbert’s Complicity: Tolbert may have witnessed the murder but didn’t intervene for his own true-crime ambitions.
• Loretta Is Dickie’s Mom (Vinya B., Anna B.): The scrapbook is about Dickie, not Ben—suggesting a deeper family drama.

The Fish Metaphor (Mark & Kathleen, Calgary)

• Discussion about goldfish President McKinley as a metaphor for Charles—themes of not being understood, not fitting in, and perhaps even memory.
  • Maggie:

    “What if that’s like a metaphor, a parallel, for President McKinley is Charles, right?...She thinks she understands men...but she's got him in the complete wrong environment." (35:44)

Top Theories from Reddit

[36:51 - 43:11]

• Oliver as Killer: The poisoning was a publicity stunt; a rage-induced fight at the party led to Ben's death (User149833, 6).
• Charles as Killer: Blackouts would make Charles unaware he committed murder, possibly mimicking words/narratives subconsciously.
• Mabel as Killer: Her desire to keep the core group and podcast going may have driven her.
  • Hosts dissect plausibility and narrative hooks, leaning against the trio as suspects based on character and scene logic.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s really about researching Paul Rudd in terms of Easter eggs...” — Patrick Howe (11:55)
• “It felt like church. And I preferred that to real church. I made it my own church, really.” — John Hoffman (20:14)
• “A man is dead. A man who actually meant something to me, and I’m going to figure out who did it, whether the two of you give a shit or not. I’m done.” — Mabel, paraphrased by Maggie (25:44)
• “Charles is a goldfish theory!” — Ryan & Maggie (43:43)
• “Hashtag, Charles is a goldfish.” — Maggie (43:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:47 – 13:34: Patrick Howe details theater set design and Easter eggs
• 14:26 – 25:43: John Hoffman discusses theater rituals, ghost lore, and the trio's big fight
• 26:05 – 28:55: Easter egg speculations on the ghost's name
• 28:54 – 36:48: Listener theories and Accusation Station
• 36:51 – 43:11: Reddit’s top murder suspect theories
• 43:43 – 43:48: Goldfish/Charles metaphor

Summary Takeaways

• The production team crafts every detail—from microphone props to backstory-driven apartment decor—to enhance both realism and comic-mystery depth.
• The show's core thrives on theater tradition and ritual, deeply influencing plot, structure, and visual tone.
• Emotional stakes rise as the trio faces its first true crisis, culminating in a powerful, genuine confrontation.
• Fans are as much detectives as the characters—spotting hidden references, paralleling real-life, and wildly speculating about the killer (with humor and insight).
• The “Charles is a goldfish” metaphor and Easter egg banter exemplify the podcast’s playful, fan-centric tone.

For New Listeners

This episode is a must for those who love:

• Deep dives into set and character design
• The lore and quirks of theater life
• Observant, conspiracy-rich fandom
• The heart and humor behind Only Murders in the Building

Skip to 00:47 for content-rich discussions and behind-the-scenes revelations. The episode avoids spoilers for future episodes and sticks closely to episode six context.