Only Murders in the Building season 5 sees our favourite podcasters-turned-amateur sleuths tackle their trickiest case to date.
The return of the award-winning comedy drama — airing on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK from Tuesday September 9 — finds tetchy actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), level-headed artist Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), and neurotic director Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) looking into the demise of Lester (Teddy Coluca), the doorman at their Manhattan apartment complex The Arconia, who was found lying dead in a fountain in the last series’ finale.
While the police believe it was an accident, the gang suspects murder, and connections emerge to a group of enigmatic billionaires and also to the underworld. And trying to help Charles, Mabel and Oliver unravel the mystery along the way is their quirky, animal-loving neighbour Howard Morris, played by Michael Cyril Creighton.
Here, in an exclusive chat with What to Watch, Michael Cyril Creighton reveals all about Only Murders in the Building season 5…
Only Murders in the Building is back! What can you reveal about the aftermath of Lester's death?
“There's a lot going on! Lester was the beating heart of the building, in a way that we took for granted. Without him, it’s falling apart. And the mystery of his murder brings us down disparate roads…
"We're touching on organised crime and billionaires. Who runs New York? Is it the old school mob, or the new school mob, which is [the world of] money. It's satisfying exploring that, as I'm from New York and there's a whole storyline this season about bids for casinos. That’s really happening in our city right now, so it's timely.”
What's in store for Howard?
“Howard craves being part of the group, he needs a community. He wants to be the fourth wheel of the Charles/Mabel/Oliver tricycle! But he’s sour and at peak loneliness because he’s not getting the attention he wants. His animals [cat Sevelyn and dog Gravey] have bonded with each other, making him feel like a third wheel. And his actor boyfriend, Jonathan [Jason Veasey], is on tour. So he does what most lonely guys do, and turns to technology and becomes close friends with a robot – maybe too close!”
This time, we also have flashbacks to when Howard was caring for his late mother (Siobhan Fallon Hogan)...
“Howard constantly surprises me. I didn't think he had a good relationship with his mother. And then we see these beautiful flashbacks and it's not bad, it's just complicated. He goes from someone who is in the closet, to someone starting to explore being gay, to being accepted by his mother, to losing her. That's a nice detail this season.”
Did you like transforming into the younger Howard?
“I did! I've never worn a wig on camera, but it is based on my hair from high school! Jameson [Eaton], our hair department head, found a wig with a middle parting. Then they tape your face back, which was fantastic – I felt at least three years younger! Then it was fun exploring what Howard looked like before he came out. The costume department did an excellent job. It was collaborative and fun.”
Will we see some of Howard's famous loud sweaters as well?
“Yes! Although we're subtly exploring what ‘Tech Howard’ would look like too. We were going to have him all in black but it looked out of place. But he has a bomber jacket and there are, of course, excellent sweaters!”
You’ve got some amazing guest stars this time including Renée Zellweger, Christoph Waltz, Dianne Wiest, Téa Leoni and Bobby Cannvale, and Meryl Streep is back as Oliver’s wife Loretta. What did you love about working with them?
“We get the best of the best, be it a day player with two lines, or the biggest stars. I love the chance to work with them all. Everybody's happy to be there, because from the top down we have nice people who put pride into what they do. It's a dream job even for the most famous.”
And is it fun sharing scenes with Steve, Selena and Martin?
“Oh, they're the best, and so kind, open and playful. They really care about the show and help their scene partners give the best performance they can. They're just generous and fun to act with.”
Are you good at working out the killer’s identity when you read the scripts?
“I like to find out as the episodes come out and I’m bad at guessing. The telltale sign that someone is playing the killer though is if they go off into a corner and whisper to John Hoffman, our showrunner. I'm like, ‘It’s them!’ So I do a little investigation of my own on set, but I'm always wrong!”
And finally, what makes you return to the show each year?
“If I wasn't on it, I’d watch it! I love that it's constantly evolving, but its core values and message, which are about community and building friendship, are always there. It's extremely funny, but there's heart. They nail the tone. I love playing this strange little man, and I hope I get to for a while. It's never boring, it's always an adventure!”
The first three episodes of Only Murders in the Building season 5 air from Tuesday September 9 on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK. The season then airs weekly.
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