Intrepid podcasters Charles-Haden Savage, Oliver Putnam, and Mabel Mora are on the brink of unraveling their latest murder mystery, a feat that can only presage one fateful inevitability: another death looms on the horizon. As the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building concludes with each iteration, a fresh and prominent demise sets the stage for the next season's narrative, literally so in season two's finale, which staged Paul Rudd's theatrical death as Ben Glenroy. With the season five finale looming next week, there's little reason to expect a deviation from this pattern. But what does the show have in store for us next?
Each season, the Hulu comedy ratchets up the stakes with its flashy finale killings. Season one ended with the death of a prominent neighbor, Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell). Season two brought the surprise cameo (and even more surprising death) from Rudd. The following year, Jane Lynch became the next marquee murderee, taking a bullet that only lifelong friend Charles could solve. Most recently, beloved building doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca) met his proverbial and literal fatality in the fountain.
Heading into the finale, it seems increasingly likely that Lester's death came at the hands of the mob, but this show is never so straightforward; there are still plenty of twists to come, from New York mayor Beau Tillman (Keegan-Michael Key) to Martha Stewart wannabe Camila White (Renee Zellweger). Solving that particular puzzle? That's up to the Arconia trio. Trying to guess who's going to die next? We're game for that challenge.
Here are a few possibilities for what we could see in season five's final fatal hour:
1. **The Murder of the Building**: Camila White's plan to turn the Arconia into a casino is all but assured after the penultimate episode. The building's inhabitants are on the cusp of losing their home and, short of a miracle, there's nothing they can do to stop it. Could season five put an end to the Arconia for good, paving the way for a sixth season set elsewhere entirely? It might help those who no longer believe one building could house so many murders, but it would be a huge loss for the show's vibe. While not betting on it, it's at least in play with only one episode left this season.
2. **The Murder of Two Loved Ones**: Nathan Lane's Teddy Dimas returned this season for the first time since season three, reappearing in a prominent role in the penultimate episode. Likewise, his son Theo (James Caverly) popped back up. Both characters were deeply linked to the murder board back in season one and have had roles of varying degrees since then. Seeing them emerge again here raises the possibility that one of the Dimas men could wind up on the business end of the show's title. Killing both of them would infuse a sixth season with intensely personal stakes for Oliver and Mabel in particular.
3. **The Murder of Two New Lovers**: Season five's penultimate episode teased a potential romance between Richard Kind's Vince Fish and Jackie Hoffman's Uma Heller. It would feel like retreading old ground since season five has dealt so much with Lester's death and its impact on his widowed wife. But it would also be ruthlessly rude on the show's part to dangle a romance in front of the audience only to deny it in the harshest terms possible. If Lester's death proved anything, however, it's just how ruthless this show is willing to be when it comes to offing its beloved cast.
4. **The Murder of the Big Three**: However unlikely, it's worth considering: could one of Martin Short, Steve Martin, or Selena Gomez see their time on Only Murders cut short? After years investigating murders in the building, is it perhaps even inevitable that the podcasters themselves become the subject of their own narrative? Only Murders always celebrates the murder victim with heightened roles in their "death seasons," from flashback episodes to unearthed footage and beyond. In the case of Charles and Oliver in particular, both men have a long past still ripe for exploration, not to mention all of their shows (both televised and staged) that could get reexamined onscreen. But killing any one of Charles, Oliver, or Mabel is strictly endgame territory; the show cannot outlast losing any one of the core three. If we're ever entering final season territory, we should consider whether creator John Hoffman and his fellow conspirators are daring enough to mark one of
