Only Murders in the Building Season 4 Episode 9 has done it again, with another reveal that somehow makes total sense in “Escape from Planet Klongo.” But let’s remember: it’s stil episode nine, and this series is known for its chaotic twists.
There are major spoilers ahead, so proceed at your own risk!
Beyond the reveal – which we’ll unpack in a moment – this episode was a fun one, with sweet moments all around. We first see the true crime trio visiting Glen (Paul Rudd, Ant-Man) in the hospital, ready to question him – before the bartender from Concussions shows up and tells them that Glen was never Sazz’s murderer, because he wasn’t Sazz’s stunt protege, he was just the guy brought in to replace the protege. But the only people who know the identity of the protege are Sazz, Glen (who is currently in a coma), and Ron Howard.
The moment Oliver finds out Ron Howard might be one of the next people they have to pay a visit to, he exclaims, “finally, a celebrity this season!” This was a laugh-out-loud moment, breaking the fourth wall in its meaning, and poking fun at how many stars have made their Only Murders debut.
Then, since the trio needs to see Ron Howard, Bev Melon (Molly Shannon, Superstar) points them in the right direction and even suggests Mabel help Marshall (Jin Ha, Pachinko) with the Only Murders in the Building script. Meanwhile, Charles says he wants to do something special for Oliver’s wedding, which, to Oliver, could only mean one thing: an epic bachelor party. Oliver also tries to convince the others that he is a close personal friend of Ron Howard – or rather, Ron-Ron – and they go way back to that time they hung out all night at a Chinese restaurant, sipping on delicious, spicy soup.
For now, our podcasters head to the set of Ron’s newest movie, Escape from Planet Klongo, where they somehow manage to get in as background actors and put on convincing enough scared reactions to stay on set. The exchange they have with the security guard is fun, too.
Of course, since the trio are unhinged at all times, they get caught up in a whole whirlwind of trouble. First, Oliver and Charles start fighting in the middle of the movie set, on camera, because Charles suggested some lowkey party ideas, while Oliver wants a big bachelor bash – including whiskey, A-listers, and a naughty secret. They eventually get thrown out and head to the very same Chinese restaurant, and they make up. We find out Charles feels a bit left out now that Oliver has Loretta, when Charles used to be Oliver’s emergency contact.
The two of them have some very sweet bonding moments in this episode, and it’s nice to see a different layer to their friendship, one we don’t often get a peek into with how much crime-solving there is going on. Charles even manages to make the WANS plan (Whiskey, A-list celebs, and Naughty Secret) work out somehow, which makes the whole thing worth it. Ron Howard shows up and recognizes Oliver, and it’s amazing to see one of his celeb stories turn out to be totally true.
Now, where’s Mabel? She leaves the movie set because Glen’s nurse said he was awake, only to go to the hospital and find him dead. The nurse called Glen’s own emergency contact, which was Sazz…but who really picked up the phone? Defeated, Mabel returns home and sees Marshall plopped outside her door, working on the script and trying to nail Mabel’s voice. She’s not in the mood to chat, but she lets him in, while also putting the beer Sazz gave Oliver in her fridge, and eventually coming around to helping Marshall work on the pages.
This is where things get really juicy. Throughout the episode, we see some Sazz (Jane Lynch, Glee) flashbacks of her working with her protege – but we never see their face. Well, at the restaurant with Charles and Oliver, Ron reveals the truth behind the stuntman training under Sazz. All was going well at first, but the protege caught on fire on the movie set and didn’t make sure he was all clear before approaching Ron, setting himself on fire again and burning off Ron’s eyebrows.
Who is this protege? Who is behind Sazz’s murder? Ron says it was Rex Bailey. Now, who is that? Ron shows the guys a picture of him, and it’s a dead ringer for Marshall, only without his fake glasses and beard – which we know Marshall suspiciously puts on everyday.
We now know he was involved, and it doesn’t get any better when we realize Mabel is alone with him in her apartment. As she takes a look at Sazz’s beer in her fridge, she also finds the Only Murders in the Building script wedged between the cans – a script written by Sazz Pataki, NOT Marshall P. Pope.
It’s revealed Marshall was behind Glen’s untimely demise, which marks the second time Paul Rudd has died in the Only Murders universe, but Marshall also clearly had a motive to kill Sazz. Plus, looking back, many hints allude to it, such as Marshall’s fidgety behavior, Sazz’s uncovered notes that surround the cases the podcasters worked on, and even script drafts at Sazz’s desk.
But not everything is as it seems on this show; Marshall may not have been working alone. The theories are potentially endless. One option that looks pretty promising is Bev Melon. There was barely any suspicion on Bev (other than one brief moment earlier in this season). Her motive could be wanting this movie to sail through, and Sazz may not have agreed with her vision or direction for the film, as we know parts of it are a big leap away from the real trio we know. She was also discovered at Sazz’s trampoline park in the past, and asks Mabel to help Marshall with the pages, but continues working with him and pushing for the movie despite its ever-present issues.
Marshall could still have been flying solo, or someone else could be his co-murderer. And, there are some loose ends the show will hopefully tie up. Right now, the most pressing detail is that Mabel is stuck in an apartment with him, especially since the episode closes with her confronting him over Sazz’s script. Let’s hope the Westies next door come to the rescue, or Mabel is able to break away! The finale is coming at the perfect time, just one day before Halloween. We’ll all be eagerly waiting on the very edge of our seats to see how this mystery ends, just before the close of the spooky season!
