The Show Must...

"The Show Must..."
"The Show Must..." title-card
Season	3
Episode	1
Director	John Hoffman
Writer	John Hoffman & Sas Goldberg
Editor	Peggy Tachdjian
Original air date	August 8, 2023
Episode chronology
← Previous	"I Know Who Did It"
Next →	"The Beat Goes On"

"The Show Must..." is the first episode of the third season of Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short. It originally aired on August 8, 2023.

Short Summary

Curtain up on Season 3! And Leading Man down! After Ben Glenroy's collapse on stage, Charles, Oliver & Mabel piece together the show's first days with a suspicious cast & crew to determine if foul play was involved. Spoiler alert....

Full Summary

1962, Goosebury Theatre, Broadway

The curtain comes up and No Strings starts. In the audience, young Loretta Durkin struggles to see from behind two women with large hairdos. Diahann Carroll steps onto the stage and begins singing. Loretta stands up and walks toward the stage. She leans on the stage and watches Diahann Carroll perform.

Loretta works on ballet.

Now older, Loretta continues practicing her dancing.

Loretta enters a casting agency. She highlights lines and practices. Loretta slams down the phone as she receives rejection after rejection as time passes. Loretta sits alone at home and reads.

The casting director dismisses the actor on stage and tells Oliver that someone has shown up who isn't on their list. The casting director knows her and says she's capable. They have ten minutes until lunch, so Oliver agrees to see her. Loretta comes on stage and says her agent assured her she was on the list. The casting director says it's fine and asks if she has the pages for the nanny. Loretta does. They cue her, and she starts, giving an impassioned performance that intrigues Oliver. He stands up and walks closer. When she finishes, he asks her where she's been. Loretta thanks him and celebrates.

Ben Glenroy collapses on stage on opening night.

As Ben's body is wheeled out, Dickie tells someone on the phone that he's been pronounced dead. Nearby, Mabel asks Charles if there was any foam around Ben's mouth, which would indicate poisoning. Charles says he only saw blood, but he's horrified that Mabel is trying to start an investigation. He said it could have been natural causes, but Mabel doesn't think so. Oliver comes in panicking that his lead is dead on opening night. Howard assures him that it's not his fault, but Oliver already knows that. He sends Howard to tell everyone it's fine, and he'll meet them at his place for the opening night party he planned. Howard doesn't think people will be in a party mood, but Oliver insists. Mabel and Charles check on Oliver, who wonders if this is really happening and how he got there.

Four Months Ago

Mabel and Charles come to Oliver's door. Charles wishes him a Happy First Read-Through Day. Oliver is excited to be returning to Broadway. Oliver and Charles are especially pleased to see Mabel, whom they don't see as often anymore. Charles tries to give Oliver a pep talk, but mentions Oliver's past failure. Charles and Oliver debate over whether Oliver asked Charles to join the production or if it was the other way around. Mabel is excited to be in the same room as Ben Glenroy. Charles reminds her that actors are just people and asks if she remembers how nervous she was to meet him. She says she doesn't. They talk about how they'll enter the room. Charles thinks Oliver should introduce him to get it out of the way. Oliver tells him no peacocking.

Oliver enters the room dramatically, announcing himself. Charles takes his seat as Howard blows his whistle. Howard shares the story of auditioning for Oliver and being invited to be his assistant instead. Oliver says Ben is running a little behind, so they're going to start without him. He welcomes everyone to the world of Death Rattle. It's a story of death that takes place in a lighthouse in Nova Scotia. The only person in the room when the deaths occurred was a baby. Oliver introduces producer Donna DeMeo, who in turn puts forward her son, Cliff, who is making his first solo producing effort with the show, except with her. Cliff is excited to take Broadway by storm. He does a dramatic flip and Donna kisses him several times on the face, ending with his lips, which she says is fine because Cliff's gay. Oliver tries to get back to his speech, but Charles taps his water bottle to get attention. He wants to address the elephant in the room: himself. He says he played Brazzos in the series and in the reboot, which is on hiatus because the producer is up on harassment charges. He was also in three made for TV movies and some ads for the Dukakis campaign. But he's just like them. Oliver interrupts as he starts rambling and shows off the model for the set and the costume designs. They're interrupted when Ben comes in dramatically. He introduces Dickie Glenroy as his manager and brother. He's the reason they're late because he had them a block over. Ben's excited to meet the rest of the cast. Ben flirts with Kimber Min as he introduces himself, telling her he's also trained as an intimacy coordinator. Next is Ty Wessex, whom Ben says is way too handsome. Dickie passes out NDAs and Ben asks them to sign them and the last page, which says they're okay with him filming. He's making two shows at once: his Broadway debut and a documentary about his Broadway debut. He introduces his documentarian, Tobert. Tobert says he's just an observer and this is probably the only time they'll hear his voice. Charles tries to introduce himself, but Ben snubs him to go over to Loretta, whom he says has great energy. He tells her he's heard good things about her and warns her not to upstage him. After a moment, he laughs and tells her he's kidding. He's honored to work with her. She says her friends are jealous that she's working with The CoBro. Ben says it's just CoBro. The "the" makes him seem like an asshole. In the films, he's just a friendly zoologist who morphs into a 20-foot cobra and helps the cops save the day. Ben spots Mabel and talks to her. She says she loved him in Girl Cop. He mimes a scene from the show, and she blushes. Oliver asks them to get started and Ben walks toward his seat. He thanks Oliver for the tip on Amy Schumer's place because he's all moved in. As Ben gets to his seat, he sees a plate of cookies and calls Dickie over to remove them. They're not part of his CoBro diet. Dickie puts out food for Ben and starts to take the cookies, but Ben tells him to leave them. He sits down and Oliver cues K.T. Knoblauer to start them off. As Howard is reading the stage directions, Ben interrupts. He's eaten one of the cookies and enjoyed it. Dickie takes the rest of the cookies away and the table read continues. When Loretta gives her character a Scottish accent, things come to a halt. She says her character mentions being from Aberdeen. She says she can do something else. They go back. This time, she uses a Québécois accent because they're in the Maritimes. She says this is how she's finding the nanny's voice. Oliver asks her to try it how she talks. Her third try is very flat, but Ben continues with his line. Then there's silence until Bobo Malone tells Loretta she's next. She didn't highlight that line and goes to do so.

After the table read, Ben tells Oliver that Loretta is no good. Oliver says Loretta will be fine. She's just finding the voice like she said. Ben wants her fired, but Oliver says Loretta is special. He asks to go talk to her. Oliver goes to Loretta, who apologizes. She's not good at table reads but begs him not to give up on her. Oliver says at his first table read, a young actor got nervous and did very poorly. Everyone told Oliver to fire him, but Oliver refused. And it turns out they were right because he's a nobody and Oliver fired him three weeks later. But that's not Loretta. She's the opposite of that and anyone who can't see that is dumb or blind. If she goes, Oliver goes. Loretta thanks him and hugs him.

Oliver asks where Loretta is. Howard says she's in her dressing room and was very upset, but said she'd try to make the party. Charles asks if Oliver's sure a party is a good idea and Oliver yells at him.

Lester assures everyone that it won't be too much longer. He asks for their patience. Uma Heller says it's ridiculous. Lester promises he'll get everyone in. Mabel, Charles, and Oliver join the crowd waiting for the elevator and learn that one of the elevators isn't working. Lester says he has them working on it, and it should be done soon. Oliver tries to talk to Donna and Cliff and convince them not to cancel the show, but Donna says they need to get a statement out. Cliff adds that Ben is already trending on Twitter. Oliver says the show doesn't have to die because Ben did. Donna says this happened at the Goosebury, the same theater as Splash. She's not saying he's cursed, but he might be. The elevator arrives and says only seven are allowed in the elevator. Uma says tenants get priority. Oliver, Charles, Mabel, Cliff, Donna, Howard, and Uma get on. Uma notes that at least they kept this body out of the building.

At the party, Jonathan finds K.T. wiping her eyes. He notices she's using Ben's opening night gift, a handkerchief. Howard has one as well, which surprises K.T.

Oliver starts unwrapping the food, which has been left covered and Mabel checks on him. He's upset because his lead died and all he can think about is his own career. Narcissism should be more fun. He thinks maybe he is cursed. Mabel admits that her first thought when Ben collapsed was that maybe he was poisoned and a podcast about it could be very popular. And maybe with their show shut down and a new podcast in motion, she could spend more time with her guys again. When Oliver asks if she means him more than Charles, she says she doesn't pick favorite olds.

Charles answers his door to find Joy, who asks how he's doing. He says he's traumatized, but also admits to some relief. He wouldn't have been able to do eight shows a week. She says it's okay to be relieved. It means more time for them. Charles asks if she got Lucy home okay and Joy says yes, but Lucy's a lot and now Joy needs to drink.

Loretta is playing piano when Oliver comes to her. She starts singing along. Oliver sings with her. They both feel better after they finish. Loretta asks him to check if her earring back is still on. He confirms that it is. He thanks her for helping him feel better for a moment. He wanted the show to happen for the two of them most of all. She says the show might be over, but they don't have to live by his show rule anymore, the one that keeps things professional and platonic between them. Before they can say anything else, Ben comes in, scaring everyone. He laughs and says he's back. He says he was dead for like an hour, but they pumped his stomach and saved him. Charles is shocked that he lived. The doctors told him not to go anywhere, but he had to come see everyone. Mabel starts recording on her phone as Ben continues. He starts crying and apologizes for getting emotional. He says he saw the light when he was a dead, and he saw everything he pulled with them over the last few months, and he wants to do better. Ben has a moment with Oliver, then goes to Kimber and apologizes for making things messy between them. He says he'll make it right. Next is Ty and Ben apologizes for getting so mad that Ty wanted to use his trainer. There's no way Ty can afford Hutch, but Ben agrees to give Ty his number. Ben goes to Jonathan next, his understudy, and says when this started, he was never going to let Jonathan get on stage, but now he'll consider it. Ben tells Donna and Cliff he knows he hasn't been easy to work with with all his complaints about his dressing room. He takes them all back, but says it'd be nice if they could fix up his dressing room. He goes to Bobo and says he's a funny guy and all Ben ever does is say no to him. But he promises no more noes. He apologizes to K.T. for accusing her of stealing his mangoes. It's the only fruit he can eat on his CoBro diet. Ben addresses Loretta, whom he accuses of being a snake like him. Ben tries to go to Charles, but Charles says it's okay to skip him. Ben ignores that and says they didn't get off on the right foot and Charles was happy he was dead. He knows Charles doesn't have a lot of time left and after almost dying, he understands that more than ever. He offers Charles a hug and says they can start over. Ben's phone rings and Dickie tells him he needs to take the call. Ben takes the phone and says he'll go somewhere quieter to answer it. He tells everyone he's going to go to his apartment, but he'll see them later. Cliff says the word is out that he's back and Donna says it's a hell of a story to reopen a play with. Oliver celebrates them being back on Broadway. Mabel sees Loretta gathering her things and congratulates her. Loretta says Ben might be back, but it doesn't change the fact that he's a jerk. She takes her things and leaves.

Mabel goes home and sits down in her living room. She texts Charles and Oliver asking if they want to go to Pickle Diner.

Charles tells Mabel and Oliver he's not sure what to make of it all. Mabel is surprised that Oliver's going to reopen the show as if nothing had happened. Oliver says Donna and Cliff plan to capitalize on what happened. Charles pretends to be excited about doing eight shows a week. Mabel hears Charles and Oliver catching up on some gossip and realizes she's out of the loop with them. She says it's not fair that they hang out all the time. She wants to know all about their gossip. She asks them not to forget about her. Charles likes the remodeling she's done in her aunt's apartment. Mabel says the people who bought it liked it, too. She has to be out in four weeks. Mabel says it's time. She needs to get her own life, and they can come visit her in Brooklyn or Queens. After a moment, she says she'll come to them. Mabel says she was checking the message boards the other day and people have been wondering where they are. It's nice to be missed. When the formerly broken elevator opens, they are a bit nervous to take it. Mabel says they're good at living on the edge as they board. The elevator creeks for a moment, but then stops. Charles says they couldn't have done the podcast anyway because Ben didn't die in the building. Mabel notices blood dripping on Charles's hat and down onto his face. They look up as the ceiling of the elevator starts cracking and step off just before Ben's body falls down into the elevator. Uma, frustrated that another murder happened in the building said "You gotta be fuckin kidding me".

Cast

Starring

• Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage
• Martin Short as Oliver Putnam
• Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora
• Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris

Special Guest Stars

• Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin
• Paul Rudd as Ben Glenroy

Guest Starring

• Gerald Caesar as Ty Wessex
• Linda Emond as Donna DeMeo
• Allison Guinn as K.T. Knoblauer
• Jackie Hoffman as Uma Heller
• Lisa Kron as Casting Director
• Andrea Martin as Joy Payne
• Ashley Park as Kimber Min
• Don Darryl Rivera as Bobo Malone
• Jeremy Shamos as Dickie Glenroy
• Wesley Taylor as Cliff DeMeo
• Jason Veasey as Jonathan Bridgecroft
• Jesse Williams as Tobert

Co-Starring

• Teddy Coluca as Lester
• Willa Dunn as Little Loretta
• Rosharra Francis as Young Diahann Carroll

Notes and Trivia

General

• The Easter Egg in the opening credits is the stage lights on The Arconia's rooftop

Soundtrack

• "Song", performed by Artist
  Written by Composer

Media

Episode Stills

Photography by Patrick Harborn for Hulu.

Videos

Only Murders In The Building - Season 3 Opening Scene - Hulu

Opening Scene

Loretta’s (Meryl Streep) Scottish Accent - Only Murders In The Building - Hulu

Loretta’s (Meryl Streep) Scottish Accent

See Also

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