Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast

S5 E3: "Rigor"

Release Date: September 9, 2025
Host: Michael Cyril Creighton

Overview of the Episode

Episode 3 of the Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast, hosted by Michael Cyril Creighton (who plays Howard Morris), dives into Season 5, Episode 3 (“Rigor”) of the hit Hulu series. With guests Beanie Feldstein (the new pop sensation Althea, aka "Thee"), composer Siddhartha Khosla, and Jane Lynch (Saz Pataky), the podcast unpacks behind-the-scenes stories, the complexities of joining an established ensemble, playful reflections on on-set antics, character insights, and the evolving musical language of the show. The episode balances deep personal moments, industry banter, and light-hearted games, giving fans an all-access pass to life at the Arconia, both on and off screen.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

[00:00] - [01:28] - Cold Open & Episode Recap

• Playful Cold Open: Michael opens with tongue-in-cheek advice for murder victims alongside Jane Lynch, highlighting the episode’s blend of humor and darkness.

  • “For a murder victim? Well, first of all, it is an honor. Keep me in the front of your mind. Suffer over my death.” — Jane Lynch (00:02)

• Episode 3 Recap:

  • Oliver moves the dead body via laundry cart, leading to an impromptu autopsy.
  • Mabel reconnects with childhood friend Thee, who is now a pop star living in the penthouse.
  • The trio investigates a note found in Nikki’s mouth and meet three billionaires in the Velvet Room, with a finger missing from one.

[02:06] - [11:12] - Interview with Beanie Feldstein (Thee/Althea)

Joining the Show as a Pop Star

• Beanie’s Fandom:

  • Beanie was a huge fan of the show before joining. “I was such a fan of the show... I was like, I'll hold a plant, I'll stand in the back. Like, I don't care what the part is, like, I'm in.” (02:28)
  • Felt excitement and nervousness about working with an established, playful cast.

• Althea’s Introduction & Evolution:

  • Early scenes showed Althea as Mabel’s emo-punky teenage friend (03:38).
  • “I got to be with Tim Kono... I was like, I’m with Tim Kono, this is so fun.” (04:05)
  • Transitioned to “the lineage of penthouse owners”—a running show joke, now with Thee joining Sting, Amy Schumer, Ben Glenroy, and The Brothers Sisters. (05:19–05:27)

• On the “Suspicion” of New Characters:

  • Beanie and Michael joke about Thee’s true intentions: “At this point in the show, you could be a bad guy.” — Michael (05:36)
  • “She’s got a lot to hide under that fake fur, all that pink pose.” — Beanie (05:43)

Working with Comedy Legends

• First Scene with Steve Martin:

  • Beanie describes being “shaking in my boots” meeting Steve Martin for the first time, calling him (and Marty) heroes for aspiring comedy actors. (06:03)
  • She struggled to make eye contact, overwhelmed by the moment.
  • “He was gracious and hilarious and perfect and all the things that you would want him to be.” (06:27)

• Across from Selena Gomez:

  • “To play a pop star across from Selena is so funny. And there were moments where I was just like, I can’t believe I’m saying this to you.” (06:47)

Pop Star Inspirations & Character Building

• Inspiration for ‘Thee’:

  • “Visually, we’re definitely a lot of inspiration from Sabrina Carpenter... early Ariana Grande... maybe like a splash of JoJo Siwa.” (08:06–08:37)
  • “It's the big bows, you know, the big bows. Like early JoJo Siwa, early Ariana Grande, and current Sabrina Carpenter.” — Beanie (08:37)

• Althea’s Otter & Extremes:

  • “Do they allow pets? Cause I have an otter and my last co-op, they were such dicks about it.” — Beanie (08:48)

Anticipating Audience Response

• The “delicious” dynamic of Thee and Mabel, as total opposites with shared history—anticipates drama and comedy as their relationship unfolds (09:07–09:46).

“Dead Giveaway” Game ([09:46]–[11:13])

• Rapid-fire trivia covering episode details; Beanie effortlessly wins, highlighting her attentiveness and good humor.
  • Notable answers: “The Velvet Room” (10:24), “an otter” (10:31), “paparazzi” (10:38), “cleaver” (10:45), and “poker face” (11:03).

[11:21] – [25:48] - Interview with Jane Lynch (Saz Pataky)

Saz in the Afterlife

• Jane’s Real Life:

  • Jane is calling in from Oxford University, taking a Shakespeare summer class in a dorm (11:43).

• Shakespeare Dreams:

  • “Now I adore Shakespeare. And [our tutor] just has... opened my heart and mind to the nuance and the intricacies of these plays and why we say he's a genius.” (12:06)

• Saz’s “Metaphysical” Existence:

  • Saz is “very much connected to one Charles Hayden Savage. 20 years I spent mirroring you, getting down your mannerisms, your gait, your speech patterns. But one thing I could never get about you is how someone as wonderful as you could think so little of himself. ...It is her job now to watch over him...” — Jane Lynch (13:35–14:32)

• If Saz Were Alive:

  • She’d be “training the next generation of stunt people... it’s an art, it’s a discipline, it’s sacred...” and carry on the family tradition. (14:39)

• On Saz & Jan’s Relationship:

  • Describes their connection as “ancient,” and fondly recalls the jail breakup scene:
    • “Jan, we need to talk. It gives me no pleasure to say this, but I think we should see other people.” — Jane as Saz, referencing a favorite moment (15:14–15:40)

Impactful Character Deaths

• Jane reflects on the show killing off loved secondary characters (herself, Lester the Doorman) to raise emotional stakes.
  • “To kill him... that actually means something. It hurts.” (17:37)

Advice for a Murder Victim

• “First of all, it is an honor...it also means that your character, even if you’re not there, is being talked about.” — Jane Lynch (17:50)

Saz’s Stunt Work & Mirroring Steve Martin

• Jane nearly risked injury practicing stunts—“I almost killed myself. I was like, oh, my God, I'm not 17 anymore” (19:59).
• On set, Jane mirrored Steve Martin’s movements exactly for Saz’s character: “If he crossed his leg at a certain point, I would mirror it. The exact same thing at the exact same time.” (20:28)

Fondest On-Set Memory

• The deep emotional connection between Saz and Charles was most memorable:
  • “There is a scene where we’re sitting on the end of the bed and [Steve] says, you’re the best friend I ever had. And in rehearsal...he started to cry.” (21:58–22:37)

Playful Banter

• Michael and Jane imagine Jane as Howard’s stunt double—“You have to shrink. I’d have to shrink. Absolutely. I love the wardrobe though.” (20:33–20:46)

Lighthearted "Cause of Death" Game ([23:26]–[25:12])

• Michael quizzes Jane on real and fake unusual deaths (Tennessee Williams’ eyedrop cap, Segway inventor, etc.), providing laughs and odd facts.

[26:20] - [41:48] - Interview with Composer Siddhartha Khosla

Creating the Soundworld of Arconia

• Magic of the Theme Song:

  • Siddhartha calls writing the theme “a lightning in a bottle moment.” (26:41)
  • Nearly overlooked his now-iconic melody; John Hoffman (showrunner) immediately recognized it as the show’s heart. (29:04)
    • “It was my least favorite piece...and [John] goes, 'That’s the theme of my show.'” —Sid (29:31)

• Artistic Approach:

  • Sought to prove he could compose orchestral music; wanted a “chamber orchestra” feel that evokes the history of Arconia (pilots scored during the pandemic). (27:16, 31:19)
  • Developed variations on the theme for each season, and special motifs for each story arc (e.g., mobster theme, billionaire theme, Saz’s theme).

• Musical Easter Eggs & Inside Stories:

  • The mobster theme: A waltz built off the main theme’s first notes with a “smoky, criminal” feel. (30:01)
  • Soprano opera at the end of last season (when Lester’s body was found) possibly inspired the new opera singer character, Rainy. (33:46)
  • John Hoffman requests thematic material (“can we make it feel a little Germanic?” for the billionaire theme). (36:52)
  • The soundtrack album sometimes gives away plot twists—titles like “Poppy’s the Killer.” (37:32)

Working with the Cast

• Steve Martin’s Musicianship:

  • Steve paid composer Sid a unique compliment: “Your score on the show has space in it.” (39:20)
  • Sid recounted a “magical” moment playing the piano theme for Steve, and being shown Steve’s bluegrass album in return.

• Favorite Characters:

  • Sid, unprompted, gushes about Howard: “You feel like you’re very Lynchian...I love you, I laugh with you, and then I also don’t know if I can trust you sometimes. Like, it’s all of it together in just a really cool way.” (34:42–35:34)

• Season 5 Musical Highlights:

  • Emotional “Lester theme” floats through the season, deepening connections to his character and family. (35:58)
  • The “billionaire theme” uses horns, a slightly militant and Germanic flavor, adding new tonal color. (36:52)

The Secrets of Arconia Continue

• Sid is most excited for fans to experience how the music accompanies newly unveiled secrets and world-building:
  • “This season, I think with...the Lester story, Mob story...there’s more secrets to Arconia...and it’s all scored beautifully.” (40:45–41:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “For a murder victim? Well, first of all, it is an honor. Keep me in the front of your mind. Suffer over my death.” — Jane Lynch (00:02)
• “To play at that level with you all is like the greatest dream of my life.” — Beanie Feldstein (02:28)
• “She’s got a lot to hide under that fake fur, all that pink pose.” — Beanie Feldstein (05:43)
• “He’s gracious and hilarious and perfect and all the things you would want him to be.” — Beanie on Steve Martin (06:27)
• “To kill him...that actually means something. It hurts.” — Jane Lynch on Lester’s murder (17:37)
• “You have incredible timing musically...my hair on my arms, like, they go up, really.” — Siddhartha Khosla on Steve Martin (40:20)
• “It was a magical moment that I could never recreate.” — Siddhartha Khosla on the show’s theme song (26:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–01:28 | Cold open, show intro, and recap of S5E3 | | 02:06–11:12 | Beanie Feldstein interview (joining, inspirations, pop star life)| | 09:46–11:13 | "Dead Giveaway" game with Beanie | | 11:21–25:48 | Jane Lynch interview (Saz reflections, advice, memories) | | 23:26–25:12 | "Cause of Death" game with Jane | | 26:20–41:48 | Siddhartha Khosla interview (theme genesis, sound evolution, working with cast)| | 37:32 | Composer album titles as spoilers, industry in-joke | | 40:20 | Siddhartha’s story about playing his theme for Steve Martin | | 41:08–41:36 | Teaser about Arconia’s endless secrets |

Episode Tone & Style

The podcast maintains a tone matching its source: witty, warm, self-aware, and highly collaborative, blending affectionate roasts, playful insider references, and earnest admiration for the show's creative process.

For New or Returning Fans

Whether or not you’ve seen “Rigor” or Season 5, this episode provides rich context about how new characters and performers are integrated, the show’s meticulous and evolving approach to sound and theme, and reasons why Only Murders continues to feel fresh and resonant even five seasons in.

Next episode teasers include:

• Showrunner John Hoffman on crafting characters
• Costume designer Dana Covarrubias on “crafting alchemy”
• Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz on duck à l’orange

Closing Advice:
“Please don’t get murdered.” — Michael Cyril Creighton