Only Murders In The Building: Season 4, Episode 7 recap

Just murders in the buildingThe writers heard talk about the show having too many famous guest stars and said, “Just wait.” At least that's how I imagine it when they sketched out “Valley Of The Dolls,” in which Charles, Oliver and Mabel temporarily meet hide in Charles' sister's house on Long Island, leading to several talented names hiding under their suburban roof. Here's the cast count: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, Zach Galifianakis, Molly Shannon, Meryl Streep, Melissa McCarthy and character actor Jason Kravits, with the latter two taking their place OmitB debuts. Everyone comes together for a chaotic, heartwarming 40 minutes that embodies what film professor Milton Dudenoff told his class Episode six's flashback: “Chaos can be good. Chaos can be art.”

I have been vocal OmitB In the fourth season, he deviates from the central trio and the tension in a disturbing way, thanks to the much greater involvement of Hollywood than, say, Sting or Amy Schumer in previous seasons. But even I can't complain when this episode pits Streep and McCarthy in a physical fight, Longoria cheering them on, or Galifianakis taking a grand bow after being praised for his FX baskets. As random as these shenanigans are OmitB can make it possible. “Valley Of The Dolls” is ultimately super entertaining (if only Paul Rudd, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Tina Fey had cameo appearances to add to the chaos).

With the distance from Arconia, there isn't much progress in terms of the case, but a lot is lost in terms of characters, at least with Charles and Oliver. After escaping New York City, the trio ends up with Doreen (McCarthy) to escape a murderer with prying eyes. Mabel only tells Howard (Michael Cyril Creighton), who wastes no time in passing this secret information on to studio representative Bev Melon (Shannon), Loretta (Streep) and the three of them Actor. Everyone ends up with Doreen for different, incredible reasons. Okay, not Loretta. Her appearance is very valid, but I don't think Bev (who is worried about the film being on hold) or Eva, Zach and Eugene (who are worried about her safety) realistically had anything to do with it, being there, not that it matters. The goal is to lock them all in a small space to let their personal and professional demons run wild. The result is a sweet Haden-Savage family moment, Bev's drunken outburst, an exuberant engagement, and a big reveal about the past.

But let's start with the perfectly cast McCarthy. Doreen is a great contrast to Charles and Loretta because her crazy actions force her to think about herself. Lonely, sad and frustrated with her life, Doreen has taken to collecting dolls of all shapes and sizes. Dear reader, I counted at least 25 in her living room and even more in the bedrooms. Yikes. So yeah, she's a cute little weirdo. This derailed her relationship with Charles and even her husband Mike (Kravits), whom she kicked out of the house. (He now lives in a boat parked in her driveway.) Doreen believes that none of the men in her life can handle how vulnerable she is – at least not until she meets the “too emotionally available” Oliver, who turns around. on for her.

Meanwhile, poor, sweet Oliver just broke up with Loretta over a text message. After all, he still believes that her response to his declaration of love and marriage was “UGH!” The trio have turned off their phones so that no one can trace their location. That means if Loretta answers, Oliver won't know. Instead of solving the crimes in eerie calm with Mabel, he tries to drown out his worries with alcohol. It's a shame Doreen doesn't have watermelon liqueur, right? At least she makes him a Sweaty Betty, a strong mix of vodka and Crystal Lite. Doreen also enjoys keeping him company and quickly develops a crush on her “little king”. (I get it!)

Their, um, friendship is short-lived as Loretta rushes in to get her husband back. Once she receives the breakup text, she flies in from LA and demands an explanation. Hey, if she's willing to allow filming Grays Spin-off film, it's true love! She further explains to Oliver that it was her deputy who answered the call. Why didn't this person tell Loretta about her boyfriend's statement? Anyway, after the doubts are cleared, they get back together. (Loretta also adds, “I don't think you're 'Ugh', I think you're 'Mmm',” to which Oliver's responds with a low growl. Get a room!)

In fact, Loretta Oliver suggests using a bracelet from one of the dolls because it's as small as a ring. Here's what she tells Oliver, and I'm writing it in full because it's beautiful and confirms that Streep and Short (IRL romance or not) share the warmest chemistry: “Oliver, from the moment I met you, I knew deep in my heart that you were a madman. By my count, you must know six different stories about meeting Lynda Carter in grocery stores. Despite your obvious pathologies, I'm still here and not going anywhere. And I declare for life that you are crazy.” (Between this and Nobody wants that“The moment I get along with you is a good time to be a rom-com fan, right?”

Martin Short's face when Oliver announces to the group: “This bitch is getting married” needs to be framed and stored in the Louvre. Not even a brief argument between Oliver and Loretta after he confesses his “Ronnie” Finsta account can upset her now. What happens before their engagement is an argument between Loretta and Doreen. It's not a normal verbal argument; It's literally a “let me pull your braids and give you a karate kick.” Their argument about how wonderful Oliver is turns violent, with everyone watching and Longoria encouraging them. It's wild and hilarious. Streep versus McCarthy! Thank you very much, Just murders.

This struggle also pushes Charles to finally talk to his sister. He spends the rest of the episode making sure the house is safe, as he doesn't want to put any more loved ones in danger after Sazz. As Charles and Doreen open up, we learn that they were raised by an emotionally distant mother. Doreen's fondest childhood memory was watching Charles' play with her Her mother only held her hand once. Doreen says her brother was always destined to be famous, while she is now alone as her children have also moved out. Ultimately, the siblings share a beautiful moment and promise to be more involved in each other's lives. In the end, Doreen also reconciles with Mike. Does this mean McCarthy rarely appears? OmitB? Still open. But I appreciate that “Valley Of The Dolls” inevitably gives insight into Charles' personality, like why he's a stickler or why he has a hard time letting things go.

Mabel's time with Doreen isn't that great compared to Charles and Oliver. At the moment she is solely focused on solving the case and her only help comes from Eugene, Zach and Eva. They want to use their observation skills as actors to analyze the evidence at hand. Initially hesitant, Mabel lets her take over after witnessing Bev's breakdown over the danger of the film, rightly pointing out that she's “a middle child, a single mother, and hyperthyroid.”

At the end of “Valley Of The Dolls”, Eva, Zach and Eugene build a murder wall and announce their findings: Charles, Mabel and Oliver have been targets since the first season! The actors point out plot holes from the past, such as who left the note on Jan's wall and who poisoned Oliver's dog Winnie. It's the little things that… OmitB The trio has let themselves slip away, but overall it's clear that a murderer has been stalking them for a long time. Sazz seems to have figured this out too, which explains the notes on her desk in the premiere. This is probably what she wanted to discuss with Charles about the night of her death. How did Sazz even get involved in all of this? We'll find out soon, but I'm just glad that the Hulu comedy has thankfully upped its ante and is coming full circle back to the first season.

Crazy observations

• • Charles: “I have to tell you something about Doreen. I hate to say this about my flesh and blood, but she can be very spontaneous.”
  Mabel: “Ooh, sick burn.”
• • Mabel's frustration is particularly evident in this episode. I love when she tells Eva, Zach, and Eugene to “take the lines, have Ozempic, or do whatever actors do.”
• • Eve says this OmitB The trio is contractually responsible for the safety of the actors. What kind of ridiculous contract is this?
• • Loretta: “Actors are investigators of the human condition.”
  Mabel: “LA did this to you in two weeks?”
• • Doreen tells Charles that OmitB The trio managed to bring a cozy atmosphere to a true crime podcast and succinctly capture the atmosphere of the show.
• • Please tell me no one is surprised that the Westies cash Dudenoff's Social Security checks. The real twist would have been that the brothers-sisters did it.
• • Oliver: “I thought I wanted the Verdon with my Fosse, the Fleetwood with my Mac. Maybe what I really want is someone I can hug and adore.”
  Doreen: “Like a doll.”
• • Another reason the Haden-Savage siblings don't get along is that Charles pushed Doreen off a swing when they were children, which caused her to lose her spleen at the age of three. Talk about a bizarre backstory.
• • The narrator of this episode is Doreen's husband Big Mike, who is a police officer. Wouldn't it have been helpful for Charles to provide this information a long time ago?
• • Let's talk about Bev. She spends all her time at Doreen's getting drunk and yelling at everyone, including the head of Paramount studios on the phone. She reiterates that she has a passion for films and that's why she can't afford it OmitB Film slide, even if there is a murderer on set. And she, along with Marshall, remains at the top of my suspect list.