S3 E9: Thirty (Part 1)

Summary

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Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S3 E9: Thirty (Part 1) – September 27, 2023

Hosted by: Maggie Bowles & Ryan Tillotson
Guests: Shariin Dabis (Director), Becky Chin & Cedric Vara (First ADs), Kyle Wolshlager (Director of Photography)

Overview

This episode offers a deep, playful, and insightful look behind the scenes of Only Murders in the Building’s penultimate Season 3 episode, “Thirty (Part 1).” Hosts Maggie and Ryan talk with the director, first assistant directors, and cinematographer about the episode's inventive storytelling, emotional beats, and on-set madness—especially the chaos of filming in New York City. Fans get juicy production stories and reflections on key twists, character dynamics, and the collaborative chaos that brings the mystery to life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Episode 9 Quick Recap (01:13)

• The trio (Mabel, Charles, Oliver) gather to piece together events leading to Ben Glenroy’s murder, focusing on reconstructing the critical thirty minutes.
• Discoveries: Dickie’s false confession, Ben’s relationship with his “five whores” (revealed to be seamstresses), and clues about the poisoned cookie/schmackery’s cookie from Donna.
• Climax: The group rushes to court in wedding attire to stop Loretta from pleading guilty, while Donna lurks in the background.

2. Dreamy Opening & Directing Choices (04:05)

• The episode begins with Mabel’s surreal dream of giving birth to podcasting “triplets”—a comical, meta scene reflecting the creativity of the show.

Quote:

“I laughed so much when I first read that. I was like, okay, I’m in. This is really fun. And I related just as a filmmaker... these are your babies. Like, you make movies, they’re your babies.”
— Shariin Dabis (Director), [04:20]

• Shariin shares anecdotes about directing Steve Martin and Martin Short as “babies” on a green screen, with funny improvisational moments that had the crew in stitches.

Quote:

“It was one of the funniest things to just stand there and watch these guys be a baby for 20 minutes until somebody said cut.”
— Kyle Wolshlager (DP), [05:00]

• Selena Gomez gamely handled the physical comedy of “giving birth” and wrangling baby dolls, supported by the director’s goofy sound effects on set.

3. Flashbacks and Timeline Puzzle (08:22)

• The structure required a seamless blend between present-day detective work and flashbacks. Shariin explains how the episode’s flashbacks dovetail into previous episodes and were even repurposed in the edit to seed clues without spoiling the reveal.

Quote:

“These are all kinds of the moments between the moments that we saw in previous episodes. But now you’re telling me that we actually see some of these moments in previous episodes. That’s so cool.”
— Shariin Dabis, [09:55]

• Editors dealt with the challenge of threading these scenes throughout the season while maintaining suspense.

4. The Poisoned Cookie Scene—Ben’s Emotional Depth (11:22)

• Discussion focuses on the pivotal dressing room scene, where Ben confronts himself in the mirror and binges the poisoned cookie, revealing his self-destructive tendencies.

Quote:

“What I love so much about what he did in that scene is... it's really funny, but at the same time it’s actually really moving... something so raw and so real but so funny at the same time.”
— Shariin Dabis, [12:44]

• Paul Rudd delivered a raw, visceral performance in one take, balancing humor and pain.

• This episode is highlighted as the turning point humanizing Ben, moving him from a comedic antagonist to a complex, sympathetic figure.

Quote:

“That was the first time I ever actually liked Ben.”
— Maggie Bowles, [15:40]

5. Reconstructing Reality: Trio’s Theories and Flashbacks (16:25)

• The style of flashbacks is intentionally subjective—showing what the trio thinks happened, not necessarily what actually took place.

Quote:

“...it’s not really reality. It’s a heightened reality that is their theory on what took place.”
— Shariin Dabis, [17:12]

• Shariin employed visual cues inspired by “Birdman”—using Steadicam, constant movement, and tight backstage spaces to amplify the chaotic energy leading up to Ben’s death.

6. On-Set Comedy: Michael Cyril Creighton, Howard and the Shredder (21:03)

• Spontaneous moments (like Howard bumping into a wall while “blind”) were happy accidents discovered during rehearsal. The hosts and Shariin adore Michael Cyril Creighton’s improvisational comedy.

Quote:

“He’s really so funny... we just kind of found it on accident. It was just, like, through the sheer fun of blocking the scene and... the happy accidents that happen.”
— Shariin Dabis, [21:23]

• Howard’s puzzle-solving hero moment with the shredder is celebrated as a highlight.

7. Wild Streets: Filming in NYC with Paparazzi Panic (24:01)

• First ADs Becky Chin and Cedric Vara recount the pandemonium of shooting wedding-dress and tuxedo scenes on the streets of NYC, leading to crowd surges and paparazzi madness.

Quote:

“The amount of chaos, it was literally we were being suffocated.”
— Becky Chin, [24:35]

• Selena Gomez managed the crowd with grace, suggesting, “Let them take the shot,” to placate fans and photographers before scenes resumed ([26:35]).

• Chaos aside, the crew found it exhilarating:

“It was chaotic, but I thrive in that chaos... just being on the streets of New York is always really fun.”
— Shariin Dabis, [29:44]

8. Behind the Courtroom: New York History with Meryl Streep (33:18)

• The final courtroom scene was filmed in an infamous real-life courtroom known for notorious 1960s bank robbery trials. Cast and crew were regaled by the presiding judge—Meryl Streep impressed everyone with her true crime knowledge.

Quote:

“Meryl actually had some—she knew the names of the robbers... It was pretty awesome, actually.”
— Shariin Dabis, [34:05]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “And he just brought something so raw and so real but so funny at the same time. I mean, what a combination.”
  — Shariin Dabis on Paul Rudd as Ben Glenroy ([12:44])

• “Nobody stops a man with a ladder.”
  — Running gag from the show, recapped by hosts ([02:15])

• “Selena goes, ‘Becky?’ and I go, ‘What?’ She goes, ‘You’re dying.’ I said, ‘I’m so dying here.’ And she said, ‘Tell them they can take the shot.’”
  — Becky Chin describing Selena Gomez’s poise with fans ([26:35])

• “I just was kind of looking for, how can we make this really fun? How can we heighten the comedy and the subjectivity and the drama of these moments?”
  — Shariin Dabis on directing reconstructions and flashbacks ([18:29])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:13 — Episode 9 recap: Key plot points, the evolving murder theory.
• 04:05 — Interview with director Shariin Dabis begins; dream birth scene.
• 05:00 — Kyle Wolshlager describes filming Steve and Marty as babies.
• 11:22 — Deep dive into Ben’s mirror/cookie scene, performance analysis.
• 16:25 — Trio’s flashbacks, subjective storytelling, “Birdman” inspiration.
• 21:03 — Howard’s shredder scene and comedic improvisation.
• 24:01 — Filming chaos with fans, paparazzi, and wedding attire in NYC (with Becky Chin & Cedric Vara).
• 33:18 — Shooting in a famous New York courtroom, history lessons with Meryl Streep.

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Tone & Vibe

The episode brims with warmth, wit, and an infectious love of collaboration. Both cast and crew reveal themselves as whip-smart, self-deprecating, and improvisational—delighting in absurdities and challenges alike. The hosts and guests celebrate both the emotional complexity and the slapstick zaniness that define Only Murders in the Building and its fan community.

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Summary

“Thirty (Part 1)” is a rollicking deep-dive into an episode where the show’s trademark blend of meta-humor, heartfelt character moments, and intricate storytelling comes to a head. Highlights include Paul Rudd’s vulnerable-yet-hilarious performance, the wild logistics of filming in New York, and intimate peeks into collaborative decisions that elevate the material. Fans learn fun trivia (like the infamous New York courtroom and Selena’s crowd-calming superpowers) and get excited for the grand finale, with even the director eager to binge the season herself.

Next episode: Part 2 continues the behind-the-scenes journey with co-creator John Hoffman and more inside scoop on the season’s climax.

Transcript

[A]

Straw Hut Media.

[B]

You know what we want? I want those fun behind the scenes moments that only you've got.

[A]

He's very thirsty about the behind the scenes moments. You know what I mean?

[B]

These are great.

[A]

He's always a little bit too thirsty.

[B]

No, Stop it. Hello and welcome to Only Murders in the Pot. I'm Ryan Tillotson.

[A]

I'm Maggie Bowles. And this season is a little different because we're not talking to the writers or the actors, but we're still mining for clues and trying to figure out who the killer is. Before all is revealed in the season

[B]

finale, we'll be talking to directors, editors and other key members of the production team and piecing it all together.

[A]

Today on the show, we speak with the director of episode nine, Shereen Davis. And you might remember her from episode seven.

[B]

We'll also hear from the first ADs, Becky Chin and Cedric Vara. And briefly from DP Kyle Woolshager.

[A]

We'll talk about the chaos of shooting on the streets of New York, Ben Glenroy's low moment in the dressing room, and how reliable the flashbacks the trio witnessed really are.

[B]

First, a quick recap.

[A]

Episode 9:30.

[B]

We open up with Mabel's voiceover. She's in the hospital giving birth to triplets Charles, Oliver and a microphone.

[C]

Congratulations.

[A]

It's a podcast. It's a dream. And when she wakes up, she and Charles are with Oliver in the hospital and they're ready to discharge him after his heart attack.

[B]

Soon the trio is back at the murder board and they're ready to work together on the podcast again. They think Loretta lied to protect Dickie and they're raising to prove it wasn't her before she pleads guilty.

[A]

At the courthouse, a couple deliveries arrive. Candies for Oliver from Donna and Joy's wedding dress.

[B]

The trio talks to Dickie and they learn that he did cover up Ben's blood work which showed the poison because he was trying to keep the leading man cocktail a secret.

[A]

We also learned that on the night of the murder, Dickie put on Ben's cobra suit and went in search of Ben's five whores. And they tell him that they don't think Loretta is actually the killer.

[B]

Charles, Oliver and Mabel head to the address of the five whores with a

[A]

ladder because no one stops a man with a ladder.

[B]

And they discovered that it's actually a fabric store snitches good stitches that Ben went to every Thursday. His five whores are actually his sewing circle.

[A]

They're five little old seamstresses that helped him with the Hankies and kept him off drugs. And he left them a desperate sounding voicemail on opening night.

[C]

Are you guys coming to the show? I really need you to be here. I've never felt so alone.

[B]

The trio starts watching the GoPro footage and piece together a timeline of opening night. Through the interviews, they learn that Ben was fasting before the show. Loretta was encouraging Dickie to leave Ben. Ben and Dickie got in a huge fight about it and that's what prompted Loretta and Ben's big fight.

[A]

Yeah, we're really starting to feel for Ben.

[B]

Definitely.

[A]

Meanwhile, it's Mabel's 30th birthday. Howard solves the puzzle of the paper shredder and it's Max. Bad review. Mabel realizes that Ben was talking to a cookie in the footage and he's the one that wrote fucking pig on the mirror.

[C]

You're a fucking pig. Fucking pig.

[B]

Maxine calls Ben Wooden as a lighthouse in her review. And that's how they know Donna read it.

[A]

She said that too.

[B]

They come to the conclusion that Donna sprinkled rat poison on a schmackery's cookie and then left it for Ben in his dressing room.

[A]

With this information, the trio rushes to the courthouse. Mabel puts on Joy's wedding dress because

[B]

nobody stops a bride.

[A]

And they make it just in time to keep Loretta from pleading guilty. But Donna is in the courtroom too.

[B]

Dun dun.

[A]

Big episode.

[C]

Big, um, Oliver. Fuckity fuck.

[B]

Welcome back. Here is director of episode nine, Shireen Davis.

[A]

Episode nine opens with probably the most ridiculous scene of the season, I would say, which is where Mabel's giving birth to triplets. And I'm wondering, what were you, what were your thoughts when you first read that scene in the script?

[C]

I laughed so much when I first read that. I was like, okay, I'm in. This is really fun. And I related just as a filmmaker, I was like, yes, you give birth to your. These are your babies. Like, you make movies, they're your babies. You make a show, it's your baby. You know, I gave birth to the episode. Like, I just really related. I was like, I totally get it feels like a dream that I would have. And one of my favorite parts was just putting Steve and Marty against the green screen and having them make baby sounds like having them pretend to be newborns.

[A]

Kyle Wolschlager, the director of photography, helped put that together.

[B]

Here he is.

[C]

So to shoot a baby Marty and a baby Steve, we got to put Steve Martin and Martin Shore in green screen up to their necks on a green screen. So we just had their Heads. And to have them come in and say, now what do you need the baby to do? Goo goo, gah, ga, whatever, you know, like, and have them go through on a green screen. It's not the most exciting thing I've shot, but it was one of the funniest things to just stand there and watch these guys be a baby for 20 minutes until somebody said cut. Because it was just like, who's going to tell them to stop? It was. I mean, I didn't want to call cut. It was so funny. They just. I was like, I don't know when to cut. They're just. I just want to see what they're going to do next. You know, it was like, went on for, like, ridiculously long periods of time, and the entire crew was, like, rolling on the floor, baby.

[A]

3.

[D]

But here's the thing about childhood fantasies.

[A]

They almost never come true.

[D]

Congratulations.

[A]

It's a podcast.

[C]

And one of the funniest moments for me was when I was directing Mabel in the scene, and she's carrying the two baby dummies, like, you know, the little dolls, like, one in each arm. And, you know, she has to look at them and pretend like they're Marty and Steve. And I started making the sounds for her because I wanted her to have something to react on. So then I was the one making the ridiculous sounds on set. And I didn't think twice about it. Like, I just did it to help the actor. But when I called cut, like, the crew died laughing. And I. I was so embarrassed because I didn't even realize what I'd done, but I was like, wah, wah. You know, like, me. Like, it was just. It was me trying to imitate them, and it was ridiculous and hilarious.

[B]

I'm sure it helped her.

[C]

I'm sure it did.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But no, she was great. Like, Selena's awesome. She was such a trooper in that scene, too, because I was like, all right, so, you know, you're going to be sitting here with your legs and stirrups, and you're like, oh, I don't care. I pretended to give birth before.

[B]

She's like, what a trooper.

[A]

Not my first rodeo.

[C]

Totally, totally. Such a trooper, that one.

[B]

What was she holding? Were they, like, dolls or what?

[C]

They were dolls.

[B]

They were dolls.

[C]

Okay. They were these really creepy little dolls.

[A]

Do they have, like, green faces? Like, green screen faces, or what are they?

[C]

I think that we did end up putting green. Like, we covered them in green cloth, so. Making them even creepier. Yeah. And we wrapped them tightly so we swaddled them yeah. You know, using. I think the rattle. It was like. The rattle.

[A]

Yeah, the. The hanky cloth.

[C]

Yes, I noticed the hanky rattle cloth. We swaddled them in that.

[B]

Didn't even catch that.

[C]

Oh, it's so fun. Like, it's really, you know, it's a really. Just such a fun show. Like, I. I can't remember whose idea it was to swaddle them in, like, the hanky rattle, you know, pattern. But, yeah, just. It's a. It's one of those shows where it's like, everybody contributes, you know, all of these ideas from all these different places. And then before you know it, like, what was brilliant on the page is, like, elevated, you know, even that much more.

[B]

I love it.

[C]

It's great.

[B]

Well, speaking of collaborating, when we talked to the editors, they were telling us that, well, and actually, you know, we've seen it, but pieces from this episode have been dispersed throughout the season. And based on your expression, I can tell you maybe you didn't know that, but I'm curious, like, if you did or how that collaboration worked on the other episodes.

[A]

Yeah. Cause we, you know, we saw. We saw the scene of Loretta and Ben fighting at the rehearsal, and then we also saw the scene of Steve Martin or of Charles punching him. And that's like, the real thing. It's what we're seeing in Nine. Right.

[B]

I assume that was always part of the plan to see those flashbacks in earlier episodes, or was it not? And I'm curious if you know anything about it.

[C]

To be honest, I'm not even. I'm actually not sure. And now I'm like, I have to catch up. Like, I've got to figure out the VPN situation and catch up on the whole season, like, immediately. But as you know, I'm in prep, so I'm like, I haven't had a chance to watch anything, but I. So I do know, like, what was so fun about this episode was the whole conceit of them having to reconstruct the 30 minutes leading up to, you know, Ben's death, or what they think was the moment of, you know, his death. And so it was like going back to see the moments that we didn't see in previous episodes is what I was. What the conceit was. Right. These are all kind of the moments between the moments that we saw in previous episodes. But now you're telling me that we actually see some of these moments in previous episodes. That's so cool.

[B]

Yeah, we do.

[A]

We do.

[C]

Yeah. Maybe what they ended up doing then is just extending Some of that footage from the. You know, like, showing more.

[A]

We definitely see.

[C]

We.

[A]

I mean, you know, at 9, we get to see, like, the whole thing, whereas, like, before, we were just seeing little clips, you know. But the editors, you know, Shelly and Peyton were telling us they were. They were nervous, you know, putting these episode nine flashbacks into early episodes because they wanted to make sure there wasn't anything in there that was.

[B]

We gave away. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. Oh, that's so cool. So my. So. So my episode is peppered throughout now.

[B]

It really is.

[A]

Yeah. At least a few other places.

[C]

I can't wait to watch the season. It'll be like, little, like, presents in each episode. Oh, there's another one. That's really cool.

[A]

Well, so episode nine is, like the big reveal with who Ben's talking to in the dressing room. And shockingly, like, it never would have occurred to Ryan or me who. That he was talking to a cookie. But. But the listeners of the podcast clocked

[C]

it so early, pretty early.

[A]

Which I was like. I was, like, shocked. Like, I guess people are really smart, because I was like, oh, my God, these people are genius. They are. There are also a few people who guessed that Ben was the one who wrote pig on the mirror. So.

[B]

So smart people.

[A]

First of all, I'm very impressed with our listeners, and second of all, I'm wondering how surprised were you when you got to that reveal?

[C]

I mean, I'm like, you. I was pretty surprised that I'm feeling a little. I'm feeling a little dull right now as far as, like, not being the sharpest tool in the toolbox. No, I was. I was actually pretty surprised. I. I was really not expecting that. I. I thought he was talking to a lover. Like, I. I went the totally obvious route of, like, who. You know, which of these characters? Or is there someone else or. But it is so funny, right? Because when I found out it was the cookie, I was like, oh, of course. Like, it then in retrospect seems so obvious, you know? But it wasn't at all what I. No, I was not one of those smart people who guessed that at all. What the fuck did you just do? You ate the whole thing. You're disgusting. Loretta was right. You're a fucking pig.

[B]

Can we talk about shooting that scene? I just think that it's just so. It must have been fun with you and Paul Ryder, him shoving this cookie in his face. Oh, my God.

[C]

It was probably one of our favorite scenes to shoot in this episode. And he just went for it. I mean, what I love so much about what he did in that scene is he. Like, it's really funny, but at the same time it's actually really moving. Like you. I remember watching it and I was like, kind of pained watching it, but it was funny, but I was like, pained. And there's something so relatable. Like we've all kind of had those moments of like, self hatred where you just are looking at yourself and you're just like, you know, and he just brought something so raw and so real but so funny at the same time. And I mean, what a combination of things to do all at once. I think we were all kind of blown away. Like, I'm getting goosebumps just talking about it because on set we were all just like literally speechless. And I think he did one take and we. That was it. Like, it was the first take. And I remember saying to him, you know, Paul, I just want to make sure you're okay with the sugar in the cookie. Like, I don't, I don't. You know, I want to be really, like, mindful of not making. You have to do too many takes of this. So, you know, we're gonna give you a spit cup. Please feel free to like, shove the cookie in your mouth. And then as soon as we cut, you know, and chew, and then as soon as we call cut, you can just spit it out. But he was like a one take wonder. Like, he shoved that cookie in his mouth and we were all so moved and like, grossed out and like humored and like, it was just like such a mix of emotion that I was literally like, okay, that was pretty much it. And I knew the hero angle that I wanted him to. To do that in. You know what I mean? So, so what was so great was like the other ones and I, and I let him know that, you know, like, this is the angle where we're really gonna play this moment. So you can go for it now, you know, Whereas the other angles, they weren't, you know, it's like, okay, you don't. Maybe don't worry as much here.

[B]

Like, are you talking about the one where it's like the perspective of the mirror, basically? That one?

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. That was kind of the hero angle for that moment. So. And so from the other ones, it was like not. Not having to eat as much of the cookie or just not having to like, kind of go there as much because he really, he went to this like, really emotional place. It felt, it felt really deep and just really funny and like, you're. You feel like you're. You really feel like you're watching this private moment.

[A]

And also like this, this episode is the first time that he was really. Ben Glenrise, a character is really humanized for me. You know, like they.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

We saw a little bit of just his, like, impact on other in the season. But this was the first time where you actually kind of liked him, you know, that he's going to this sewing club.

[B]

I would never have guessed he had these. All these sewing friends, you know, and he.

[A]

Yeah, and he's, you know, making gifts for everybody and he's like, self aware that he's been a monster and he's nervous and he's got all these like, demons and stuff. Yeah. I feel like that was the first time I ever actually liked Ben.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And felt sad that he died.

[B]

Agreed.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Oh, I'm, I'm. I'm happy to hear that. That's. That was definitely, I think, one of the purposes of that, of the episode.

[D]

We stayed up all night helping him sew these lovely hankies for his cast and crew. Wow. Running lines. Everyone else in that lighthouse is dead.

[C]

Nanny. So the killer is either you or me or the baby.

[D]

I wouldn't bet on that baby Detective.

[B]

Okay, so when the trio is kind of going into all these past moments and figuring out this timeline based on audio that they've heard and things like that.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And you take them into these flashbacks, all three of them are like watching themselves, even in certain moments. And I'm just curious, you know, how do you go about that?

[A]

I was thinking, like, how do you make it convincing, you know what I mean? That they're watching something, but that it's also real and that they're, you know, like, what, what are you thinking about, like, as a director when you're going through all these different moments on that opening night?

[C]

Well, I wanted it to feel like relatively organic, like moving in and out of those moments. And. And I wanted it to feel like, okay, it's not. Maybe it's not what actually happened. It could be maybe what their theory is on what happened. So there is a certain level of subjectivity that is fun to play with because given their presence, you automatically know this is not an object objective moment.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

This is their theory. And so it can feel a little bit pushed, it can feel a little bit over the top. It can feel, you know, a little bit over dramatized in a really fun way. And so we kind of played with that, and we played with sort of revealing the moment, the moments, you know, revealing that they're there in the moment. I played with kind of match cutting in and out of the moment so that we're sort of seamlessly going into their reconstruction of what happened and then seamlessly coming out of it. So for me, it was really about, like, just thinking of it as a reconstruction. Reconstruction as, like, a subjective reconstruction from their point of view. So it's. It's not really reality. It's a heightened reality that is their theory on what took place. So I. So I kind of just had fun with it like that. I remember there was. When they're at the theater and they're watching, like, the scene. There's a scene, I think, with Meryl Streep and with Dickie.

[A]

Dickie and Loretta. Right where she's walking him through how to quit.

[C]

Yes, it's the scene with Dickie and Loretta. Exact. How did we not get that?

[A]

She's his mother.

[C]

I feel she's about to give him a bottle.

[B]

Doesn't Loretta look pretty?

[D]

And did you make that list of

[B]

bullet points to say when you quit?

[C]

That always helps me tell you. And they're on the stage and the trio is watching them. And in the script, it just said the trio is, you know, watching them in this moment. And I just kept having this idea of, like, they're sitting in the audience watching them and they're eating popcorn because it was their reconstruction. So I was just. Have fun. So that was a mo. So I actually brought that up one day on set, and Marty loved the idea. So we decided to do that. And then. And then Steve, like, you know, takes all at the end of the scene, like, you know, downs the popcorn. So, yeah, I just was kind of looking for how can we make this really fun? Like, how can we heighten the comedy as there and the subjectivity and the drama of these moments as we reconstruct this. And what are the moments where we want to actually really see it from their point of view versus see it more from, you know, like, for example, Ben's point of view. When they're in the. When they're in the room and they're watching this really grotesque moment.

[A]

Yeah, that's.

[C]

I mean, that was my. That was my take on it, and I. I wanted those. What was so fun about that, too, was that a lot of it happens backstage. And so I wanted to give it, like, a certain pacing and a certain energy and just, like, really keep it moving. So I remember I had had different plans for that, for the way I wanted to shoot that, but at the very last minute, I was like, birdman. I should watch Birdman again. Because there was a lot of movement and a lot of Steadicam, and I loved the choreography of the. And so that became my reference. I was like, okay, everything backstage should be as much as possible. Like, we're on Steadicam, we're moving, we're going one way, then we turn and we go the other way. Because we were also shooting that on the stages. And the dressing room area is quite tight. Like, it's not that big a set. And it's. And it's also like, you know, you're in a hallway. You're in these really small rooms. So I was like, how can we make this feel more interesting? What can we do? And it was really just about then creating the energy of the movement back and forth down the hallway and into the rooms and out of the rooms.

[A]

I definitely felt that Birdman quality, now that you mention it.

[B]

Me too.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

We're going to take a quick break, and when we come back, Howard the hero and pesky paparazzis. What'd you think of that?

[B]

Too much.

[A]

Okay, noted. Okay, we're back with more of our conversation with Shireen Dabas, the director of

[B]

Episode nine Mags had when we were talking about it yesterday. She really loved the moment with Howard and the paper shredder and him coming

[C]

in, and he's blind now.

[B]

Can you talk about shooting that scene or scenes?

[A]

I just love Michael Cheryl Crichton so much.

[B]

Oh, he's so great.

[C]

He's so funny. He's really. He's really so funny. I think that originally he came in and I don't even think he was supposed to bump into the wall, but we kind of found that, like, I think he might have even accidentally just hit the wall when he came in. And we were like, yeah, do that. Like, just exactly what you just did. Because he was originally walking in and, like, looking at no one. Like, the characters were here, and he was, like, turning the other way and talking to them. But then it was like he accidentally hit the wall on one of the takes, and we were like, okay, that's what we want. And so we just kind of found it on accident. It was just, like, through the sheer fun of blocking the scene and, you know, the happy accidents that happen and. Yeah, it was just.

[B]

It was great. Yeah, it was so fun.

[A]

I love him. Howard to the rescue. He put together Maxine's review. He did it. He puzzled that together, which is a very impressive feat.

[C]

It really is, especially given that pile of shredder. Paper.

[B]

Insane.

[C]

That was a massive pile of shredder paper. I remember John came onto set when we were shooting that, and he was like, can this just be bigger? And we were like, oh, oh, yeah, okay, sure. I. I didn't. Let's. So we just kept adding.

[A]

When we talked to you last time for episode seven, you mentioned, like, you know, you shouldn't choose favorites or whatever with your episodes, but you did mention that you really loved nine. Now that we've seen it, we could ask you why.

[C]

Yeah, I think. I think that sometimes when an episode has, like, a specific conceit, like, one of the things I loved so much about seven that I felt like made that episode really stand out was the through line with Matthew Broderick. You know, it makes the episode just kind of different than your average episode. And with this, for me, it was just the conceit of the reconstruction of those 30 minutes and the reveal of so much of what happened off screen. And so it's like the anticipation that's been building all season to find out what happened, and then, boom, you find out. And I think it was just also the energy of being backstage and, like, finding that energy on set and with the camera and, you know, just, like, creating it. I think it was something that when I read the script between the opening, which, like I said, like, it's really fun when you read a. You know, you're reading like a half hour comedy script, and within the first couple of pages, you're laughing out loud like you know that it's gonna be a good episode. I think it was just that conceit that made it for me, like, exciting to be like, okay, this is something that's different and fun. And, you know, this trio is going to be in their flashback reconstructions, and it was a. It was a fun challenge, definitely.

[B]

Okay, so when we spoke with the ads, they were saying that shooting with Selena in a wedding dress and Steve and Marty in tuxes on the streets of New York was very difficult.

[D]

I mean, we got. We got crushed.

[B]

That's Becky Chin. She's one of the two first ads on Only Murders. You'll also hear a little from Cedric Barra, the other first ad. We'll talk to them in more detail later on and learn exactly what a first ad does. If that sounds interesting to you.

[A]

I think it is interesting.

[D]

All I remember was the amount of screaming, the amount of people we were getting crushed. You know, I. I don't really follow a lot of pop culture in season one. When I took this job Obviously, I knew who Steve and Marty were. And my wife said, well, who else is in it? I said, somebody named Selena. And she. John Hoffman knows this. And she. My wife said, selena Gomez. And I said, I think that's her name. I don't really know. She goes, what do you mean, you don't know? And I said, I don't know who that is, because I don't. I don't follow all of that stuff. Anyways. Now, I obviously know who Shaleena is, but now cut to season three. And I've got those three on the streets in tuxedos and she's in a wedding dress. The amount of chaos, it was literally we were being suffocated.

[B]

How do you manage that?

[D]

Oh, my God. We have security with us, but we have. We had a lot of PAs. There was a lot of me asking people to. The paparazzi were very crushing. And in New York, you know, we don't have control of that. It's public sidewalk, and the nypd, they don't come and help you. It's different than la. In la, there's, you know, in la, you pay the police that you put them on your payroll when you're a movie or a TV set, so they help you.

[B]

You don't do that in New York.

[D]

We don't do that in New York. That's not. That's not a thing. So it's just us. Selena is actually incredibly great with her fans and understanding that people want to take photos, including the paparazzi. And I remember Selena said, before we ever shot anything, I could, I. There were thousand, thousands. And I was like, we're never going to get a shot off. This is like mayhem. It was mayhem. And Selena was the bellow. She was in the back of the arches with Steve and Marty. They were standing back there. And Selena goes, becky? And I go, what? She goes, you're dying. I said, I'm so dying here. And she said, let him tell them they could take the shot. And I said, are you sure? And she said, yeah, tell them they could take the shot.

[C]

Shot.

[D]

And I said, all right. And I turned around to everyone on the street and I just screamed out, she's gonna come out. Take your shot. And she ran out of the archway in the wedding dress. She spun around and the amount of

[C]

click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click.

[D]

And everybody took all the paparazzi, everybody, you know, because she knows it's what they want and she feel great about it. But we really got crushed, I mean, absolutely crushed that day. It Was chaos.

[B]

Did you get all your shots?

[D]

I haven't seen the. I haven't seen this. The cut of that. I never looked at it because I was so. I was infuriated with the paparazzi because I could see them in the reflections of some doorways. And no matter what we did, we couldn't get them out of the reflections. No matter how many times we were trying to move them and push them back in our security, it was. It was just very infuriary. I do remember standing in the middle of the street at one point, and this car pulled up, this Tesla, and this guy goes, hey, what are you guys shooting? And it's like, you're never gonna believe me. And the guy, his wife was driving, he goes, what do you mean? And I was like, selena Gomez is getting married. I see. See, she's in a wedding dress. And he goes, f you and his wife. They take off. But I was like, I'll just tell him, you know, something crazy and see what happens to us. You're never gonna believe me. Selena Gomez is getting married. But we got crushed. I mean, around Video Village, it was so suffocating. Everybody kept complaining, like, becky, we can't move. And I was like, I can't get a shot off. I don't know. Like, it was just, like, one of the most chaotic times, and it was because we'd shot outside the Bel Nord before many times, and it's always a little chaotic, and there's always screaming, and there's always a lot of paparazzi and fans and whatnot. A lot of them. But this was different because she was in a wedding dress, and they were in tuxedos.

[B]

Wow, man, I've. I saw those photos. They have gotten out. Oh, yeah, I've seen the wedding dress and tuxedo photos. Yep.

[D]

Oh, my God. Yeah. Cedric sent me a photo of myself with a side eye the next day that ended up in some publication where it looks like I'm giving Selena the side eye.

[C]

Yeah. Becky was all over the press after that.

[A]

Oh, man.

[C]

Becky Chin was a hero that day.

[B]

She was amazing.

[C]

Just. I mean, like, a pure general, like, screaming out of her mind, but, like, in a very controlled way. I love the hell out of Becky Chin.

[B]

And she was.

[C]

Was really earning her stripes. Not that she ever needed to, but she was really doing an amazing job. Everyone was that day.

[A]

That was John Hoffman at the end there, and we'll be talking more with him also in Part two. Okay, back to Shireen.

[C]

The ads had a. They had the worst jobs that Day. It was. It was such a nightmare for them. And at a certain point, like, Selena was just finally like, all right, just let me walk out there and let me give them their photograph, and then we can. You know. So she handled it, walked out. She strutted like the catwalk, you know, and she just stood there for a moment, letting them take the photograph. And then she walked back in, and the ads were finally like, okay, you got your shots.

[A]

Move back.

[C]

Move back.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I have to say, from my point of view, I had so much fun that day. I was just like, it was so much fun to be on the streets of New York. It was. It was chaotic, but I thrive in that chaos. Like, I don't think I'd be here shooting if I didn't. But there's something about, like, just there being, like, so much life on the street and, you know, so much excitement in the air. And, you know, just being on the streets of New York is always really fun. But, yeah, definitely there were moments that were frustrating, so I was like, I'm never gonna get this job. But we got it. We got what we needed.

[A]

Good. Well. And, you know, episode nine kind of ends, like, in the middle of a scene. So, you know, we haven't seen episode 10 yet, but my assumption is we're gonna pick up exactly where we left off. I don't know. Maybe I should know that, but I don't know. And then I was wondering about, like, how do you pass that over to Jamie Babbitt, who's The director of 10, when you're kind of, like, in the middle? I mean, I guess this is just tv, right? You're in the middle of a storyline. You're in the middle of even a scene. How do you.

[B]

You.

[A]

How do you pass that over? Like, what kind of collaboration and communication takes place between you and. And the next director?

[C]

Well, you know, what's really funny is that I don't know if Jamie. I think Jamie was shooting, like, an entire show in London. I had no communication with Jamie. And normally I would. Like, normally you would maybe have some overlap or some communication. But actually, also, one of the things that happened here was that I was supposed to. Originally, I was supposed to shoot episod 307 and 308, because they're back to back, right? And usually you shoot, like, the blocks that you do are two episodes back to back. But because of an availability issue, like, I think it was Paul Rudd who had to go off and do Ghostbusters or something. And because of his availability. We ended up having to shoot nine because he's in nine, but not in eight. Before eight.

[B]

Got it.

[C]

So my blog changed. So I did 307 and 309, and then the other directors, Bob and Sherry, came in and did 308, and then Jamie came in. So normally, Jamie would be prepping while I'm shooting, so we would be communicating. But in this case, we had directors come in in between, and Jamie wasn't quite yet ready to come on board, and you know what I mean? So it was just, like, an interesting gap. And I think that it was just one of those situations where I had to shoot my material, and then Jamie probably watched it and had to just kind of like. Like jump in, you know, and kind of figure out, like, how to pick. Pick up from where we left off in nine.

[A]

Last time we talked to you, you said, oh, I have a story about episode nine. Did we already talk about it?

[C]

Well, I mean, one of the things that I was thinking about was shooting outside of the arconia and just the madness of that whole. That whole experience shooting outside of the. Oh, what was the sewing store called?

[A]

Snitches get stitches. Snitches get.

[C]

Get stitches. That was fun, too.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

We had a smaller group of fans because we were actually in Queens. We were not in Manhattan, but that was a fun day of shooting. We worked with the actress who was also on ozark. She played the therapist on ozark.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[C]

Mary Louise Burke. She played one of the seamstresses in the episode. Anyway, it was just really fun. I got to work with her on Ozark. But no, the other story is that the courtroom that we shot in.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Is actually an infamous courtroom in New York City.

[A]

Really?

[C]

And it's actually where a lot of the bank robberies of, like, the 60s were tried.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

So the actual judge, whose courtroom it was, he's like. I think he was supposed to have retired, but he loves his job so much. He, like, never wants to retire. He, like, sat us down, and we were all, like. It was like being around a campfire, and the judge was just telling us stories about all of these. These bank robbers he tried.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[C]

And it was like, me and Marty and Selena and Steve and Meryl. And, you know, we were all just sitting there, like, listening to his stories. It was crazy. So we were in this, like, infamous New York City courtroom, and that was where we shot that final scene.

[B]

Ah, that's fun.

[C]

And Meryl actually had some. I mean, Meryl surprised us with her knowledge of history. Cause I Can't even remember these bank heists. And she just knew that she knew the names of the robbers. I was like, how on earth do you know she's got a name? She, you know, I mean, it was really infamous. And she, you know, has been, like, lived in New York for a very long time and, like, knew the names of these people. It was pretty awesome, actually.

[A]

I'm curious now, you know, I also love that Meryl Streep has this secret knowledge.

[C]

Meryl has this amazing historical knowledge. And I felt like I was in, like, a history class a little bit, like, learning about these things in this moment and learning about the history of New York in this moment. But, yeah, she knew exactly what he was talking about.

[B]

So special.

[A]

That's very cool. Well, thank you so much for talking to us again. We really appreciate it.

[C]

It was a pleasure. Thank you for having me.

[A]

And we are so excited to watch episode 10 and see how it all comes together.

[C]

I'm excited for you. I'm excited to watch the whole season myself as soon as I can.

[B]

And, yeah, that's it for today. We'll be back in a few days for part two where we'll talk with John Hoffman. Plus the Accusation Station.

[A]

That's right. See you then.

[B]

Bye. Only Murders in the Pod is a production of Straw Hut Media. This episode was written, edited and hosted by Maggie Bowles and Ryan Tillotson, with additional editing and sound mixing by Daniel Ferreira. Motion graphics for promotional materials are by Ali Ahmed with graphic design by Mohamed Samir. Our associate producer is Stephen Markley. Original music by Kyle Miller. Merit and Only Murders Theme music by Siddhartha Khosla. Big, big thanks to John Hoffman, Javier Salas, Emily Leets, Yasmin Azarakish, Lydia McMahon, Cindy Nabor, and the rest of the Hulu team. And thanks to Keener and kk. We wish you were with us this season.

[A]

We miss you. What's on your shirt? The.

[B]

I wonder if it was this morning. Oh, yeah, it's rust from this morning.

[A]

Classic.

[C]

No, I didn't wear this shirt for that.

[B]

I have no idea what that is.

[A]

It looks like rust, but it

[C]

coming

[B]

on, I don't know.

[A]

He's. He's shockingly athletically inclined. Like, you wouldn't know it looking at him or talking to him. But that's awesome. He's a natural athlete. Shocking. But first, a quick repack. But first, a quick recap.

[B]

Lovely people.