Only Murders in the Building: a meta take on true crime

As the true crime genre continues to grow in popularity, there’s one question in the back of any fan’s mind: could they solve a murder if it happened in their community? Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building tells the story of three true crime fanatics, played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, who suddenly find themselves in the middle of their own murder mystery. The three band together to figure out what really happened and--more importantly--make a podcast about it.

The show, created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, strikes a wonderful balance between humor and suspense, providing both a genuinely intriguing mystery and great comedic timing. Martin, Short, and Gomez all play characters that, at first glance, seem very archetypal (especially for the actors portraying them) but each character is deeper than they initially appear which adds more layers to the mystery. With great acting, writing, and intrigue, it’s no surprise that the series has already been renewed for a season 2.