One thing about a citywide blackout is the fact that it truly unites a place as huge as the Big Apple. In Only Murders in the Building Episode 9, the Arconia is in the dark, but we can finally see clearly, especially in a twist ending that’ll make you rethink everything we’ve seen so far.
As the power goes out in New York City, the crew first scrambles to make it back to the Arconia. Okay, honestly, they could rush a little bit more. Martin Short’s Oliver literally pauses on the long trek up the stairs to lug a heavy bag full of dips. Lucy (Zoe Colletti, Boo, Bitch) is trapped alone in Charles’ apartment with a killer on the loose (one that breaks into Charles’ place), so eventually, they pick up the pace. Meanwhile, Lucy runs into the tunnels of the Arconia in an attempt to escape.
At first, the show kind of leads us to believe the killer may be OMITB podcast superfan Marv (Daniel Oreskes, Law & Order: Organized Crime), but it’s quite obvious that while Marv does get involved, he’s not responsible. In fact, as Selena Gomez’s Mabel, Steve Martin’s Charles, and Oliver head into the tunnels to save Lucy, they discover Marv was hidden in them as well. He sometimes does mold cleanup in the building…but he’s not the murderer. Still, he unknowingly chased the killer away through the tunnels and therefore helped out in his own way, a fact that gives him great joy.
While the crew tries to protect Lucy, the rest of the Arconia residents also come together. No, not only over manager Ursula’s (Vanessa Aspillaga, Morning Glory) gut milk but over the musical makings of “The Sound of Silence.” Well, “hello darkness, my old friend,” is very fitting for this blackout episode, and all of the residents begin singing it together, even the true crime trio within the tunnels. Come on, Oliver couldn’t miss out on this moment!
Board President Nina Lin (Christine Ko, Dave) also opens her heart to doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca, The Blacklist) and decides that not everything – like the true love and care Lester brings to the building – needs to be automated in her future plans for the Arconia. Plus, everyone’s favorite cat lover Howard Morris (Michael Cyril Creighton, Spotlight) harbors a crush on his neighbor Jonathan (Jason Veasey, Chicago Fire). The two make an adorable pair, dueting together and bonding over their love for libraries. Even if Jonathan is allergic to (gasp!) cats, Howard finds the courage and shoots his shot, asking Jonathan out on a date.
The bonding between the residents is very sweet and will warm your heart, but the reveal at the end gives us a shocking cliffhanger in true Only Murders in the Building fashion. Mabel is talking to the rather unsettling Detective Kreps (Michael Rapaport, Atypical) when she sees his shoulder aching and glitter on his neck. Remind you of anyone? Oh, maybe just Glitter Guy who Mabel stabbed two episodes ago.
So Detective Kreps is involved! Yes, he’s Glitter Guy, but it’s uncertain if that is truly the killer. Yours truly would say no, he’s just involved. Or maybe he did do it, but perhaps for someone else. There are still a lot of layers that need to be peeled back before we can uncover the complete answer, but this is a fragment of it. Even in the darkness, the truth is slowly shining through right before our eyes.
