Only Murders in the Building
Only Murders in the Building is a comedic mystery series that follows an unlikely trio of true-crime podcast enthusiasts residing in the upscale Arconia apartment building in New York City. When a suspicious death occurs within their residence, the three neighbors—aging actor Charles, struggling Broadway director Oliver, and enigmatic young artist Mabel—band together to launch their own podcast, determined to uncover the truth behind the titular murders. Each season presents a new central mystery, blending elements of humor, suspense, and character-driven drama as they investigate, often finding themselves embroiled in dangerous situations and personal revelations. The series explores themes of loneliness, friendship across generations, and the human fascination with true crime. It is generally targeted at a mature audience who appreciate sophisticated comedy and engaging whodunit narratives.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe series features significant LGBTQ+ representation, including openly lesbian and bisexual characters with depicted romantic relationships and discussions of sexual identity. This content is recurring across seasons and integrated into character storylines, moving beyond casual mentions.
Mabel Mora is depicted in a bisexual relationship with artist Alice Banks in Season 2, which includes a kissing scene. Charles-Haden Savage's stunt double, Sazz Pataki, is explicitly a lesbian and is shown to have had relationships with women, including Charles' ex-girlfriend Jan, and their ongoing romantic involvement is confirmed in later seasons.
Violence
HighGiven its murder mystery genre, violence is a central and frequent theme. The show includes depictions of dead bodies, blood, and the aftermath of violent acts, though often with a comedic tone. Characters are exposed to threats, stabbings, poisonings, and kidnappings.
The murder of Bunny Folger in Season 2 involves her being found stabbed with a knitting needle, and Mabel is later shown cleaning Bunny's blood from her apartment floor, leaving a persistent stain. In a Season 5 episode, a severed finger is discovered in cocktail shrimp at a memorial service, and Charles experiences blood dripping from an elevator ceiling onto his face before a dead body falls through a glass ceiling.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe series includes implied sexual activity, suggestive dialogue, partial nudity, and references to sexual harassment. While explicit sexual acts are not graphically shown, the content is mature and frequently present, escalating beyond mild flirtation.
In Season 2, a painting depicting a fully nude man and woman, identified as Charles' father, is shown and explicitly described as 'porny' by characters, with discussions referencing male genitals. A scene in one season features the side view of a woman's breast as she takes a shower. Additionally, a TV show producer is mentioned as being on trial for sexual harassment.
Profanity
HighProfanity is prevalent throughout the series, including frequent use of strong curse words and misuses of divine names. The language is a consistent element of the dialogue across various characters.
One review notes an episode featuring 16 uses of the 'f-word,' alongside other strong expletives like the 's-word,' 'a--,' 'b--ch,' 'd--n,' and 'h--.' God's name is misused multiple times across episodes, sometimes paired with 'd--n,' and Jesus' name is also abused on occasion.
Scary & Intense Content
HighAs a murder mystery, the show inherently contains scary and intense content, including discovery of dead bodies, suspenseful situations, and direct threats to characters. While often balanced with comedy, the core themes are dark and can be disturbing.
The murder of Bunny Folger involves a visual description of a knitting needle stuck through her chest, and Mabel is shown cleaning significant blood from her apartment. Characters frequently discover dead bodies in various states, such as a severed finger found in cocktail shrimp and blood dripping from an elevator ceiling.
Substance Use
MediumAlcohol consumption is a regular and casual occurrence among characters. There are also explicit references to past illegal drug use and addiction, although the show generally does not graphically depict current heavy drug use.
Characters are frequently shown consuming alcohol in various social settings throughout episodes. In one instance, a character explicitly mentions that his producer used to use cocaine, and a woman's husband is noted to have a history of drug use.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumCharacters frequently exhibit sarcastic and sometimes rude behavior, particularly Mabel, and engage in minor rebellious or unlawful acts like breaking and entering for their investigations. While present, these actions are usually framed within the show's comedic tone and are not central to promoting extreme defiance.
Mabel Mora often displays a sarcastic and rude demeanor, notably when interacting with law enforcement officers. The main trio (Charles, Oliver, and Mabel) frequently resorts to light breaking and entering into other residents' apartments as part of their amateur detective work.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe series contains a scene referencing Christian iconography, specifically a recreation of 'The Last Supper,' where a character places himself in a central, Christ-like role. While some viewers found this irreverent, many self-identified Christians in fan communities interpreted it as satirical humor targeting a character's ego rather than mocking Christian faith. There are also incidental jokes about religious figures.
Oliver Putnam orchestrates a scene recreating Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' painting, with himself seated in the central position, which some viewers considered potentially irreverent. Additionally, there is a brief joke made about the Pope.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowMentions of witchcraft or occult themes are minimal and appear in a casual, comedic context rather than depicting actual practices or rituals. There is no serious exploration or portrayal of supernatural elements.
Oliver's producer casually speculates that Oliver might be cursed, suggesting he angered a 'witch' in a past life. There are no other instances of magic rituals, spells, or explicit occult themes being depicted or central to the plot.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
16+ (TV-MA). While Common Sense Media suggests 14+, the official TV-MA rating from Hulu/Disney+ indicates content suitable for mature audiences 17 and older. This recommendation is due to frequent strong language, discussions and depictions of violence related to murder, implied sexual content, and LGBTQ+ romantic relationships.
Additional Notes
The show consistently blends dark subject matter (murder, death) with comedic elements, which may alter the perception of intensity for some viewers. Parental discretion is advised due to the mature nature of the themes, language, and sexual references.
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