Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Jayne Lynch, Meryl Streep, Michael Cyril Creighton, Jackie Hoffman, Teddy Coluca, Amy Ryan, Paul Rudd, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ryan Broussard, Jeremy Shamos, Zach Galifianakis, Richard Kind, Kumall Nanjiani, Jesse Williams, Molly Shannon, Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, Catherine Cohen, Jin Ha, Siena Werber, Ade Otukoya, Lilian Rebelo, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Desmin Borges, Griffin Dunne, Melissa McCarthy, Ron Howard, Scott Bakula, Téa Leoni.

Only Murders In The Building continues to build upon its original success with the kind of application to novel story telling that beguiles and intrigues with the freshness of acting across the board, from the elder established names such as Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Meryl Streep, to the outstanding youthfulness of Selena Gomez who’s transition from child actress and singer to face of main stream television comedy drama, is proof that the series, now in its fourth outing, has been a saving grace of the medium.

For all that grace though, all that exacting good will must come a note of caution to which the makers will have obviously already considered; that good things, superb shows and premises have a short shelf life before they become a parody of themselves, before they start to fail in the expectations of their fans.

This in a way has already started to happen as series four found ways to include too many special guest stars to inhabit the storyline in one or two scenes and the limelight, taking away from the proposition of the inside joke and removing itself from the perfect set up that grabbed the attention of the viewer in the first place.

When a series starts down that route, looking to expand without a good reason, the shine and lustre starts to fade. Actors and celebrities just playing themselves on screen somehow leaves a bitter taste of disappointment in the throat of the fan; and yet in part the fourth series avoids complete descent by elevating Jane Lynch’s character of Stuntwoman Sazz Pataki to the rightful place she should inhabit, that as a main contributor to the success of the show. By pushing the character forward, by framing her as the centre of the investigation, it does mitigate the appearances of Scott Bakula, Melissa McCarthy, and Ron Howard.

The story line itself keeps the dynamic between the three leads of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and the impressive Selena Gomez as one of exciting collaboration, there is never a moment when they are together where the dynamic falls short, and when the moment finds room for love interest for Martin Short’s Oliver in the form of the gracious Meryl Streep’s Loretta Durkin to shine, when Molly Shannon is given prominence as the head of the production film unit and who utilises her fantastic comedy timing to full effect throughout series four.

With the prospect of at least one more series for Only Murders In The Building for the fans to grapple with as armchair detectives, the note of caution must be remembered; go out on a high, for the decency of the series it must go out on a high.

Ian D. Hall