"Cuckoo Chicks" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short. It originally aired on October 14, 2025.
Short Summary[]
Mabel gathers a ragtag group to crash an exclusive ladies night. While trying to save the Arconia from being sold, Charles and Oliver accidentally end up in couples' therapy.
Full Summary[]
A high-stakes game night is underway in The Velvet Room. Camila draws eyes as she carries a tray of chips. She takes the chips to the bar, where Nicky schmoozes customers. Nicky shoos the bartender away to make Camila's drink himself. Camila offers to make over the room. Then she proposes hosting a ladies' night in the casino once a month, a night without cigars and men hitting on them. Nicky agrees, saying he loves ladies, but never hits on them unless they want him to.
Vince is upset that they have to move out of their homes because of a casino, after everything he's done to hold onto his apartment. And he just bought a peleton. There's a knock at the door and Mabel opens it to find Althea. Vince tells her they're using one of her songs in his dance cardio class. Althea thanks him and turns her attention to Mabel, whom she invites to a party, along with as many people as Mabel wants to bring. Althea's not going herself because she has to operative heavy machinery for a music video shoot tomorrow. Mabel tries to decline, saying she has case stuff, but Althea says it is case stuff. It's a ladies' night in the building. As she describes it, Mabel realizes she's talking about a night in the casino. She's surprised because Nicky is dead, so she wonders who is throwing the party. Althea says it's thrown by Camila White. Mabel tells Althea she loves her.
Randall tells Oliver and Charles that the Arconia has 165 units and Camila owns 82 of them. Charles struggles to do the math, coming up with 49% just before Randall tells him. Oliver can't believe how close he was to selling to Camila. Randall says a lot of people sold. Now she only needs one more apartment to have a majority. Oliver and Charles wonder what they're going to do to stop her. Oliver reminds Charles that Loretta wants to move. She's made so many Pinterest boards for their future home. She's still at the airport waiting out her delay. This is how she's coping with having lost everything in a fire. If Oliver tells her he doesn't want to start over, she'll feel forced into a home she didn't want. Charles says he won't have to worry about that if they lose the building. Charles asks if anyone else is thinking of selling and Randall says he'll dig around. Mabel comes in and tells Charles and Oliver about the Ladies' Night. Charles and Oliver are relieved and say that they're saved. Charles explains that when ladies get together, they start yapping. Mabel will connect with Camila on a new level and Camila will tell her everything. Randall asks Mabel if it works that way and Mabel says no. Charles and Oliver continue offering their suggestions, to Mabel's dismay. Since Oliver and Charles aren't ladies, Oliver has another idea.
Loretta is wandering the airport when Oliver calls. Oliver has a request for her to delay her return to New Zealand for one day. When she hears why, Loretta says Mabel doesn't know the first thing about ladies' night. Loretta hears an announcement that all international flights have been cancelled, so she's on her way.
Oliver and Charles want to do a two-pronged plan. Oliver and Charles go door-to-door, trying to persuade people not to sell while Mabel works on getting Camila to talk. Mabel tells Charles that an extremely rich and violent woman will not just start gabbing with her because they're both women. Charles proposes getting Camila drunk. Oliver says Mabel should bring a glam squad, because people open up when they're being done up. Loretta suddenly comes in, followed by Williams. She's excited to see Williams, whom she last saw when Williams was arresting her for murder. Williams' flight was also cancelled and Loretta told her about the party, so she decided to come help save the Arconia. Williams clarifies that she wanted to go on her vacation. She's supposed to be in Cabo with her wife and baby. It would have been their first vacation since their son was born. But now she's going to ladies' night because she doesn't want to get a call saying they screwed up and couldn't get what they needed. Plus she knows her way around a card table. She starts to lay out a plan. She'll get Camila on a losing streak, then they'll get a confession. Mabel supports any plan that doesn't just rely on them all being women. Williams is surprised to hear that Charles knows about card games. He says his mom would throw card games when he was a child and he was good at magic and sleight of hand. She'd have him deal and he'd help her cheat. Charles demonstrates a magic trick and says that those nights were the only times his mother showed him affection. Williams realizes this is how he ended up attracted to villains. It started with his mom. When Charles acts surprised to hear this, Mabel asks if he's ever been to a therapist. He says once, but the therapist told him he only hears what he wants to hear. Williams goes back to the plan. Mabel will be fed winning hands and she just has to smile. Mabel struggles to smile. Loretta has another idea. She can use her talents as a medium. Her first roommate was a psychic who worked out of their apartment and told her that because of her natural intuition as an actor, she has the gift as well. She's never used it, but she found a magazine about Camila at the airport and learned she's cuckoo. She believes she's the reincarnation of her great-grandmother, an aristocrat who came to Nevada during the gold rush with her husband. Charles says that's why she wears the gloves, her grandmother's signature accessory. Loretta wants to channel the spirits to get her to talk. They split up to implement their plan. Loretta hopes the plan works because a lot of people are going to lose their homes without a backup plan like Oliver and Loretta have. Oliver says they're lucky.
Williams, Mabel, and Loretta are all dressed up and ready to go. On their way to the party, they run into Lorraine, who is crying. She says she hasn't slept since they told her her husband was murdered and she wants to help. Loretta says that's perfect and lets her in on the plan. Lorraine insists on coming, over Williams' objection. Lorraine explains that if Camila was there when Lester was killed, Lorraine wants to be there when she explains herself. They agree to take her with them, but Mabel says they have to fly under the radar. Williams reminds them all that it's ladies' night, which means no tears and asks if Lorraine can to that. They head inside and pass someone wearing a dealer uniform. Williams stops to watch her.
Charles and Oliver knock on doors, but find a whole floor empty. Oliver gets a text from Randall telling them to come to the lobby. Charles perseverates over what Williams told him about his mother affecting his choice in women.
Game night is underway. Lorraine looks around at all the rich people her husband died taking care of. Mabel reminds her they need to be fun. They split up so Camila won't know they're together. Mabel realizes Williams isn't with them anymore. Loretta goes to talk to Jennifer Anniston and Mabel wonders what they'll do if Williams doesn't show up. Lorraine says she showed up and Mabel turns to see Williams, now in uniform, dealing at a Blackjack table.
Mabel asks Williams where she got the vest and where the real dealer is. Williams points up and says Kristy is in a better place. She decided it would be better if she deals, so she needs Mabel not to grill Camila until Williams has shaken her up. Camila suddenly approaches, upset to see Mabel crashing game night again. Mabel says she was on the list this time. She asks if Lorraine is with Mabel and Lorraine says no, she's all alone. Williams offers to have them play and Camila agrees. They sit down and Williams quietly pulls cards out of her pocket.
When they get to the lobby, Randall tells Charles and Oliver that Grover has also sold his apartment to Camila, but it's still in escrow. They close tomorrow, so there's still time. Oliver tells Grover he can't sell because his apartment would give Camila the majority she needs to turn the building into a casino. Grover says the casino will bring him a lot of new clients as a therapist. Most of the people he was close to have moved out anyway. Oliver says he and Charles are still there and suggests they get drinks at Charles' place. Grover says he's too busy, so Charles offers to pay him, saying Oliver could use some therapy. Oliver says the same about Charles. Grover proposes a last-day two for one.
As Williams calls for them to place their bets, Loretta joins them at the table, calling herself Celerie Whisp. Williams deals and Mabel and Lorraine both get blackjack while Camilla busts. On the second hand, Lorraine gets another blackjack while Camila busts again after splitting two queens. Camila's not worried, though, saying she's a winner no matter how much she loses. Lorraine finally snaps, saying she should strangle Camila for celebrating while Lorraine's husband is dead. Mabel excuses herself and Lorraine and Camila is not surprised they're together. Loretta then takes the opportunity to bond with Camila, who claims to have no idea what Lorraine was talking about.
Back in the lobby, Lorraine apologizes for not being able to have fun. Mabel says it's not her forte either. They come to the tribute cabinet and Lorraine notices they cleaned Lester's hat. She wishes his elevator crank were in there. Mabel assumed that Lorraine had it and says she'll add it to the list of things they need to find. Mabel says she knows someone who's looking for a finger if Lorraine finds one. When Lorraine assumes Mabel has a crush, Mabel denies it, saying they're just investigating a crime.
Camila busts again. Loretta then tells Camila that Williams is cheating, so it's no wonder Camila keeps losing. Camila believes her and tells security to get Williams out of there. Camila is glad to know her luck really hasn't gone bad. Loretta offers help to Camila, saying she can be a bridge between two people who need to say something to each other and she thinks Camila needs. Camila says it might be her great-grandmother, who is in her. Loretta says she feels her, but that's not who she means. Instead, she guides Camila toward Nicky. Camila is intrigued.
Grover asks who wants to start. Oliver asks Grover about his decision to move, but he wants to focus on them. He brings it back to Charles's romantic life. He thinks Oliver and Charles are a couple. Oliver says he's married to a lady. Williams comes in and tells Oliver to make sure Loretta stays in her lane. She's sick of the accents. Williams then sees what's happening and Grover asks if she wants to join them. Williams sits down, saying she thinks it'll make her feel better to watch it.
Loretta tells Camila she senses many ghosts in the room. There's one there for Camila.
Camila talks to Nicky at the bar as he pours her drink. She has something to tell him, that Bash Steed is trying to build the first official casino in the city. And Jay made his own bid to impress his father. Nicky is angered by this and vows to stop it. Camila suggest she buy enough of the Arconia to have a controlling stake and use it to build the casino there and keep it exclusive. They could do it together. Nicky says the place is his wife's family's legacy, so he couldn't sell it. Camila thought he and his wife might be separating. He insists that he loves her despite their rough patch. Then he excuses himself. Camila then makes a call and tells someone she wants to buy all the apartments in the Arconia.
Charles tells Grover that his mom would take him out to eat any time he helped her win. He could even get an appetizer. That made him feel good. He felt the same when Jan kissed him instead of killing him. Grover understands finding the attention gratifying. Oliver asks if it's serving him. Williams also reminds him that Jan at other times did try to kill him. Charles wonders how knowing this helps him stop choosing women like this. Williams asks what romantic relationship he's jealous of. Sometimes, Jealously tells us what to aim for. Charles says it's Oliver and Loretta. Oliver is surprised to hear that, given their recent issues. Charles says Oliver is just an insecure guy who covers it up with bravado. Oliver admits that he is afraid. Admitting it takes a weight off his shoulders. Charles thinks Oliver should tells Loretta how he feels. Charles then turns the question to Grover, asking if moving will really serve him. Grover says he feels lonely and insecure because he doesn't actually know how to connect to people. He's put this on the building, but it might be on him. Selling his place would be a mistake. He decides to stay instead of running. Unfortunately, this conclusion has come too late. It's 12:15 and escrow is closed. Unless the women had better luck, the Arconia is done.
Loretta understands Camila becoming enraged at Nicky choosing his wife over her. Camila didn't think she was this person. Loretta says she's not a bad person. She just needs to unburden herself.
Camila tells someone on the phone she closes on the last apartment in two weeks. Then she runs into Nicky and says everyone's been looking for him. He tells Camila he's in because his wife cheated on him, so he doesn't care about protecting her family legacy anymore. Camila asks if they're splitting up and how he found out. Nicky says he saw them. Camila asks who it was. Nicky says it was pathetic and then tells Camila it's time for them to go make money. Camila is excited. Nicky tells her to tell him what she wants to do. She asks for a private game on Saturday night. Just her, Bash, and Jay.
Loretta knows Camila almost had everything she wanted. Camila agrees and blames the doorman for it not happening. Loretta asks her about that. They're interrupted by Camila's phone. It's a text saying the last escrow closed. She now owns a casino. She says Ladies' Night is over and she won. She walks away. Loretta sneaks through a door marked Private.
Lorraine and Mabel sit on the windowsill. Lorraine tells Mabel how Lester loved the view out the windows. Lorraine understands it now. Mabel gets a text from Oliver that Camila got her 51%. Their building is gone. Their podcast is gone. Mabel feels completely out of control in every aspect of her life. She can't stop thinking about Jay, who may have killed or frozen a human. Lorraine says if he murdered her husband, she suggests that Mabel not date him. But if he didn't, and Lorraine doesn't think Mabel would like him if he did, she should try not to worry so much about being in control. Because no one is. Fighting that is where misery comes from. Mabel sends Jay a text and shows it to Lorraine. Lorraine says it's good for her. Mabel still thinks they can solve Lester's murder and asks if she wants to see their box of clues. Lorraine was hoping it would be bigger and Mabel says they're trying. Lorraine opens it and pulls out Lester's bird whistle. She blows into it, making bird sounds.
Vince is on his peloton, biking to Althea's hit song. He gets a notification saying there's been a bird sighting in the courtyard.
When Mabel comes into Charles's place, Oliver asks her how ladies' night went. Mabel says they talked about boys and the guys celebrate their prediction being correct. Williams says they spent their whole boys' night talking about ladies. Charles says Williams turned out to be the best therapist he ever had. Williams gives him all the credit for being ready to hear what she had to say. She's been telling him what was wrong with him since day one. But she wants to tell them seriously that she's sorry about their home. Oliver still has hope that Loretta was able to get a confession. Loretta comes in then and says she didn't get a confession. But she did find out that Sofia was having an affair that he learned about right before he went missing. And Nicky and Camila had partnered up on the casino project because she was in love with him. Oh, and Camila blamed the doorman for something. Lester might have been more involved in something than they thought. The trio is impressed. Williams says it sounds like she'll have a bunch of work to do in the morning, then she decides to put into practice what they taught her. She's going to go get a massage. Once she's gone, Loretta shows them Lester's crank, which she found in Nicky's office covered in blood. She might have found the murder weapon.
Oliver tells Loretta he doesn't want to move. Loretta already suspected. He apologizes for not telling her sooner. But it doesn't matter because the Arconia is gone anyway. They'll find a new home. Loretta is certain he'll save the day, as he always does, usually by mistake. Now Loretta has to go back to New Zealand. She tells Oliver to save their home.
Charles answers a frantic knock on his door. It's Vince and Lorraine. Vince says there's a breakthrough. They figured something out. Vince says he got a notification on his birding app that Lester's favorite bird was in the courtyard. Really, it was Lorraine blowing his bird whistle. The whistle activated the bird camera Vince and Lester set up that gets turned on by birdsong. It's pointed right at the fountain to catch the birds as they come in for a drink. They have a camera feed that Bash doesn't control and it stores video all the way back to the night Lester died.
Mabel, Oliver, Charles, and Loretta watch the video on Vince's phone. They can't see anything, so Vince makes it bigger. They watch Lester die, then Charles asks him to back it up, but he can't, because it activated to Lester blowing his whistle after he'd fallen into the fountain. They realize Lester was trying to make sure the cameras were recording so they would see this. They watch as Randall comes into the frame and picks up Lester's elevator crank. They realize Camila's reference to a doorman wasn't Lester. It was Randall. Once he has the crank, Randall leaves.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage
- Martin Short as Oliver Putnam
- Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora
- Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris (credit only)
Special Guest Star[]
Guest starring[]
- Bobby Cannavale as Nicky Caccimelio
- Beanie Feldstein as Althea
- Jermaine Fowler as Randall Winston
- Russell G. Jones as Grover Stanley
- Richard Kind as Vince Fish
- Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Detective Donna Williams
- Dianne Wiest as Lorraine Coluca
- Renée Zellweger as Camila White
Notes and Trivia[]
General[]
- The title sequence to this episode shows a cocktail shaker in Charles' window alongside him and, up on the roof, Detective Williams, Mabel and Loretta stand overlooking the city-line.
Cultural references[]
Soundtrack[]
Media[]
Episode Stills[]
Behind the Scenes[]
Videos[]
See Also[]
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A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here. |
References[]