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"Escape From Planet Klongo" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short. It originally aired on October 22, 2024.

Short Summary[]

Seeking a critical clue, Charles, Oliver & Mabel must infiltrate a film set to get the real "background" on why Sazz was killed.

Full Summary[]

As Sazz leaves a set, she answers her phone and says she can put together a team for a movie called Project Ronkonkoma. She gets in her car and as she backs up, she hits someone who flips over the back of her car and lands in her back seat. She looks back and tells them that was some flip. She asks if they've ever done stunt work before.

Mabel, Charles, and Oliver go to Glen's hospital room. His nurse, who is Irish, tells them they can't go in. They pretend to be his family, but when she notices Charles's accent changed, Mabel admits they're investigating a murder and need to see Glen. She says Glen is in a fragile state and can't be subjected to an interrogation. Oliver says they're mild questions, but she says they're not going in. She asks why they have beer and Charles admits they were trying to use it to lure him out of his coma, along with corned beef and smelling salts. They also brought a spirit board in case he could control it with his mind.

Charles and Oliver wait in some chairs. Mabel comes to them and says the nurse agreed to call them if Glen wakes up. Oliver wonders what he should do with the beer. Sazz gave it to him the night she died, but he'll never drink them. Mabel says she'll take them. Charles remembers that Oliver is getting married in a few days and says he could take him out for a non-beer to celebrate. Oliver asks if Charles is offering to throw him a bachelor party. Mabel spots the bartender from Concussions nearby. He's not happy to see them there. Charles asks him what he knows about Project Ronkonkoma and Sazz's protégé from the movie. He corrects what they think and says that Glen was brought in to replace Sazz's protégé after he messed up so badly that Sazz had to blackball him. They realize the protégé has motive to kill both Glen and Sazz. They ask who the protégé was and what happened on Project Ronkonkoma. The bartender didn't know the guy. The only people who know what happened are Sazz, Glen, and the director. Charles says that they just have to track down the director. The bartender tells them it was Ron Howard.

2 Years Ago
Project Ronkonkoma Shoot

Sazz gets her protégé ready for his first big fire scene. She goes over the process with him, even though they've gone over it many times before. Once he's ready, she expresses her excitement for him.

Mabel puts a card that says, "Sazz's protégé" on the board and says they're finally on the right track. Now they need to figure out how to get to Ron Howard. Oliver says he's been waiting to tell them this, but he and "Ron-Ron" are close, personal friends. Charles doubts the veracity of his story, but Oliver insists their pictures are hanging right next to each other at his favorite Chinese restaurant. Well, almost next to each other. Oliver tells a story of meeting him in 1988. Mabel suggests calling him to get some information, but his relationship with Oliver pre-dates cell phones. He only has the number for Ron's car fax machine. But they can stake out the restaurant and find him. Mabel teases Oliver, suggesting he's lying about the relationship. She mentions Tom Hanks and Oliver says Charles should invite him to the bachelor party. Oliver only wants three things for his party: Whiskey, A-list celebrities, and someone doing something naughty that they have to keep secret for the rest of their lives. Mabel leaves, saying she's going to visit someone who can actually help them find Ron Howard.

Mabel goes in to see Bev, who is making notes on the script. Bev asks if they had something on the books for today, but before Mabel can answer, Bev picks up her phone and calls her assistant. She assures her it's okay if she forgot, but begs her not to take another mental health day. Once she hangs up, Mabel says they didn't have anything scheduled. She just wanted to ask Bev something. Bev thinks she's asking about the movie and complains about everything that's going wrong, including every draft being worse than the last to the point where she wonders what happened to the script she fell in love with. She's starting to think the Brothers sisters aren't actually identical. Mabel says she is trying to track down Ron Howard and asks if Bev knows where he is. He's in New York shooting a movie. No one knows what it's about or who is in it. But it's supposed to be personal and small, with a budget of $200 million. Bev then asks Mabel if she says "bro" when she talks. Mabel says she doesn't, which is what Bev thought. Bev says she'll give Mabel Ron Howard's address if Mabel will look over the pages to make sure they sound like the real Mabel. Mabel says maybe she can help when she gets back if the lead pans out. Bev gives Mabel the address.

Charles, Mabel, and Oliver arrive on the set of Escape From Planet Klongo. They approach the background actor check-in and Oliver wants to take the lead, dropping his name to attract Ron Howard. Charles wants to take the lead instead, saying security guards love Brazzos. Mabel thinks she should because she's neither of them. A security guard stops them as they walk in and asks if they have badges. Charles tries to use his face to get in, but it doesn't work and Mabel says they need to talk to Ron Howard about an investigation. She tells the guard about the podcast. The security guard refuses to let them in. Oliver tries to get the guard to pass on a message, but the guard says if he lets them in, he'll lose his job. He sends them away. As they go to leave, the assistant director asks if they're background actors. When they say yes, he says they were supposed to be there ten minutes ago and need to get moving.

Mabel asks if she'll have to do any acting. Oliver is surprised she's nervous, but says it won't matter because as soon as they get on set, Ron will recognize him and they'll get pulled out. Charles says background actors don't do much anyway, so she just has to be natural. Oliver didn't think about it before, but it might be time to change his emergency contact to Loretta. The assistant director calls for them all to line up and give their best terrified reaction. The best ten stay and everyone else goes home. Mabel starts to panic as that starts. Oliver makes the cut. So does Charles when the assistant director recognizes him as Brazzos and thinks he's resigned to doing background acting. Next is Mabel's turn. She panics and her panicked face gets her in.

Glen wakes up and sees his nurse. He thinks she's an angel. She tells him that he had visitors and they wanted to ask him about Project Ronkonkoma, specifically, the stunt guy. Glen says he needs to talk to them right away. He also proposes to her. She leaves to get his doctor.

Sazz reminds her protégé to take a deep breath before they light the fire because he doesn't want to inhale smoke into his lungs. When the director yells "cut," he needs to stop, drop, and let them hose him down. Then he has to wait 30 seconds before doing anything else in case he re-sparks. She checks that he's ready and tells him to make her father proud.

As Charles puts on a blue motion capture suit, he reminds himself he's doing it for Sazz. Oliver comes in in his own suit, wondering how Ron will recognize him in it. They find Mabel getting made up and ask why they have to wear spandex while she only has to have makeup on. Mabel says they're Klongos and she's just a girl. Charles wonders what this movie is and if it'll be the end of Ron Howard's career. Oliver says he learned you just have to trust Ron. Mabel gets a text and tells them Glen Stubbins is awake. She also wants to forget ever seeing them in spandex. Once she's gone, Charles says he's been thinking about Oliver's bachelor party. Oliver is underwhelmed by his proposition. He reminds Charles of the three requirements. They argue about it and Charles walks away angry.

Glen thinks his nurse is coming into his room, but it's someone else. That someone takes a pillow and smothers him.

The assistant director calls the background actors in. Oliver waves toward video village, but gets no response. The assistant director gives them instructions. Oliver tells Charles to follow his lead. Instead of running off as instructed, Oliver fights the monster. He is upset that Charles isn't following his lead. They start arguing over Oliver's bachelor party and Oliver wanting it to be so over the top. Ron Howard calls cut and tells the assistant director to get them out and take pictures for his ban list. They're escorted out.

The nurse takes Glen's name out of the sign by the door just as Mabel arrives. The nurse has to tell Mabel he's dead. She doesn't know what happened. She called people to let them know he was awake and then did her rounds and came back to find him dead. Mabel asks who else the nurse called about Glen. The nurse says it was just Mabel and Glen's emergency contact: Sazz. Mabel asks if a man answered. The nurse says yes and asks if she did something wrong.

Sazz watches from the side while her protégé does the fire stunt. It goes well and Sazz celebrates, saying she told them they'd do it in one take. After a moment, Sazz hears something and looks over to hear Ron Howard shouting. She's horrified by what she sees.

As they get undressed, Charles asks Oliver if he needs help. Oliver says no. He's already asked too much. Charles thinks for a minute and then tells Oliver he's his emergency contact. When he fills out forms, he puts Oliver's name. Oliver knows he used to put Charles's name, but now he puts Loretta. He always knew Mabel would spread her wings and leave, but he thought Oliver would stay with him. He likes Loretta, but now he's the awkward third wheel. He never really wanted to throw Oliver a bachelor party. He just wanted to celebrate their friendship. Oliver offers for them to go grab a bite to eat. They decide to go to the Chinese place.

Oliver tells Charles they're going to be friends to the end. Charles says he doesn't have to say that, especially while making eye contact. Oliver suggests hiding behind their menus. He says he didn't have a bachelor party or a best man when he got married the first time. It's okay if he doesn't have a bachelor party this time, but he wants Charles to be his best man. And he can be Oliver's Life Alert contact in case he falls and they can get colonoscopies together. Charles avoids the feelings and when the server comes, he orders two Johnny Walkers. Then he gets up and moves Oliver's picture from behind a plant to be right next to Ron Howard. Charles knows it's not the bachelor party Oliver dreamed of, but Oliver says it's perfect. Except they're missing the A-lister. Charles gestures to himself. Oliver laughs at that, but then they watch as Ron Howard comes in. Ron sees Oliver and greets him happily. Charles references his time on The Andy Griffith Show, only for Ron to react poorly to that.

Mabel finds Marshall sitting outside her place, waiting for her. He's relieved to see her as Bev said she'd agreed to help with the new pages. Mabel says she's not in the mood, but he promises it'll be quick. He runs two options for a line by her and she tells him she wouldn't say either. He follows her into her apartment, talking about how awful he is. Bev is threatening to fire him if he doesn't get it right. He says he'll do anything. He's stuck and can't capture Mabel's voice. Mabel says her voice doesn't need to be captured. Another person is dead and if she'd solved the case or figured out this piece sooner, they might have been able to avoid that. Marshall is thrilled to have some Mabel dialogue and climbs onto the bed to type it up.

Charles asks Ron about Project Ronkonkoma. Ron says he'll need more whiskey for that one. They never even finished it, but he remembers everything about it. It's always tense on sets when there's a bit stunt. That goes double for fire stunts. Everything went smoothly until after he'd called 'cut'. They put the stunt worker out, but he didn't wait to make sure he was completely out. Suddenly, he was walking toward Ron, saying he had something to show him. Then he reignited. It burned Ron's eyebrows off. Ron shows them he's wearing fake eyebrows.

Mabel helps Marshall edit her dialogue in the script. She thinks maybe she should have more faith in herself. It worked for Marshall, who is finally getting one of his scripts made. She offers him a beer. When she goes to get it out, she notices something wedged between the beers in the case and pulls it out.

Charles tells Ron they need to find that stunt worker. Ron says if they do, to get his shoes back. The stunt worker stole them right out of his trailer. He had to buy another pair. He shows them his shoes, which match the print from the Dudenoff apartment. Charles takes a picture. Oliver asks if Ron remembers his name. Ron will never forget him: Rex Bailey. Ron has a picture if that'll help. He keeps pictures of everyone he bans from his sets. He shows them the picture and they recognize him, though he looks different. It's Marshall P. Pope.

Sazz hits Marshall with her car and asks if he's ever done stunt work before. He tells her he's trying to be a writer, but he wouldn't say no to getting on set.

Sazz helps Marshall get ready for his first fire stunt.

Marshall finishes the stunt and gets extinguished, but approaches Ron Howard without waiting because he wants to show Ron his screenplay.

Glen sees Marshall with Oliver and Charles in the hallway and asks when he grew the beard.

Marshall comes into Glen's room and smothers him with a pillow.

Mabel pulls out the wedged paper and sees it's a script for the Only Murders in the Building movie, written by Sazz Pataki. She turns and asks Marshall about it just as Mabel's phone chimes on the bed. It's Charles and Oliver, warning her that Marshall was the stunt worker and Sazz's protégé. Marshall looks at the text and then over at Mabel.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Special Guest Star[]

Guest starring[]

Co-starring[]

Notes and Trivia[]

General[]

Cultural references[]

Soundtrack[]

  • "Song", performed by Artist
    Written by Composer

Media[]

Episode Stills[]

Photography by Patrick Harbron for Hulu.

Behind the Scenes[]


Videos[]

See Also[]

A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here.

References[]


Navigation[]

List of Episodes
Season 1 · Season 2 · Season 3 · Season 4
Season 1 "True Crime" · "Who Is Tim Kono?" · "How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors?" · "The Sting" · "Twist" · "To Protect and Serve" · "The Boy from 6B" · "Fan Fiction" · "Double Time" · "Open and Shut"
Season 2 "Persons of Interest" · "Framed" · "The Last Day of Bunny Folger" · "Here's Looking at You" · "The Tell" · "Performance Review" · "Flipping the Pieces" · "Hello, Darkness" · "Sparring Partners" · "I Know Who Did It"
Season 3 "The Show Must..." · "The Beat Goes On" · "Grab Your Hankies" · "The White Room" · "Ah, Love!" · "Ghost Light" · "CoBro" · "Sitzprobe" · "Thirty" · "Opening Night"
Season 4 "Once Upon a Time in the West" · "Gates of Heaven" · "Two for the Road" · "The Stunt Man" · "Adaptation" · "Blow-Up" · "Valley of the Dolls" · "Lifeboat" · "Escape From Planet Klongo" · "My Best Friend's Wedding"
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