Only Murders in the Building showrunner John Hoffmann has teased what fans can expect to see from season five — and it’s apparently “very different” from what viewers might be expecting.
The Emmy-winning comedy-drama about three New York City true crime sleuths, neighbors Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) and Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), who continuously find themselves wrapped up in solving grisly murders, picks up after the tragic death of the trio’s doorman, Lester (Teddy Coluca) in the season four finale.
Speaking to Deadline ahead of the new season premiere, Hoffmann addressed the “tricky balance” of the “meta” season five storyline.
“The ‘meta’ nature of it — the reflection back — seems to be one constant theme for the show,” he acknowledged. “So the part of it that really surprises me is that it’s able to hold so much, this show. I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe the way in which these three can find their ways comedically and dramatically but also holding all of that meta ‘wink-wink’ every now and then. That’s really the key.”
Of the new season, Hoffmann said: “What I think we’re doing in season five is very different.
“We’re going straight into a New York story that’s happening very much currently. It’s also happening across the country, obviously, but also in the city itself,” he added, further sharing that “we’re pulling from the headlines to ask very specific questions about the balance of power in New York and who has that power.”
Season five, premiering next month, will air during the heat of New York City’s 2025 mayoral election, which will see Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani face off against incumbent mayor Eric Adams, who’s now seeking reelection as an independent, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is also running as an independent.
“That’s what we’re really looking at — the shifting power dynamics of the country,” Hoffmann said. “And what’s really fun about it, the comedic side of it, is that the history of power in New York is pretty colorful, with the old mob and the new mob mixing in. What do those two look like, and how do they sit on either side, with our trio in the center of it?”
Along with a brand new murder mystery comes a new set of guest stars, including Renée Zellweger, Keegan-Michael Key, Christoph Waltz and Logan Lerman.
The first three episodes of Only Murders in the Building season five premiere September 9 on Hulu, followed by weekly episodes debuting on Tuesdays.
