Back with a Bang: Only Murders in the Building season 5 has arrived
Disney/Patrick Harbron
The Arconia’s doors are open once again, and this time the mystery is closer to home than ever. Only Murders in the Building returns for its fifth season on 9 September, with Disney Plus and Hulu dropping the first three episodes in one go before settling into a weekly rhythm. Over ten episodes, audiences will be pulled back into the chaos, charm, and clever sleuthing that has made the series a global favourite.
The new season begins with a tragedy that shakes the Arconia: Lester, the beloved doorman, is found dead in the building’s fountain. While others are quick to dismiss it as an accident, Charles, Oliver and Mabel know better. For the trio, this is no ordinary case. Their podcasting instincts lead them into a world where power, money and influence collide, uncovering connections between billionaires, mobsters and the hidden lives of their neighbours.
Disney/Patrick Harbron
The heart of the show remains intact, with Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez reprising their roles as the mismatched yet inseparable investigative team. Michael Cyril Creighton also returns, while fan-favourite Meryl Streep is back to add her usual sparkle. But it’s the new cast that has everyone talking: Renée Zellweger, Christoph Waltz, Logan Lerman, Bobby Cannavale, Téa Leoni, Keegan-Michael Key, Beanie Feldstein, Dianne Wiest and Jermaine Fowler are all set to appear, adding an impressive roster of potential suspects and scene-stealers.
Showrunner John Hoffman has teased that the season will take inspiration from real-world headlines, focusing on questions of power in New York City—who holds it, who should hold it, and how it’s abused. It’s a darker, more ambitious theme that promises to give the light-hearted comedy a sharper edge, without losing the playful dialogue, wit and warmth that made the series so beloved in the first place.
Early reviews suggest the gamble has paid off. Rotten Tomatoes currently has Season 5 at a dazzling 97% approval rating so far. For a series that has managed to balance heart and humour with genuine intrigue across four seasons, it seems the magic formula is still very much alive.
With its star-studded line-up, heightened stakes and a mystery that feels both intimate and expansive, this season of Only Murders in the Building might be the show’s most compelling yet. And as always, the biggest question lingers: who can you trust when everyone has something to hide?