Only Murders in the Building delivers laughs and Hollywood satire with star-studded cast
Only Murders in the Building (Disney+) is the most fun you can have in your living room. Honestly. And who cares about the whodunnit? You find out at the end, so just sit back and enjoy the entertainment on show. It’s funnier than any sitcom right now.
This is the fourth season of this show, which is based in a New York apartment block, the Arconia, where residents, Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) solve a crime for a podcast.
Sounds fanciful, but this main cast can sell anything, and the guest stars are just as good if not better.
Admittedly, it’s boxes within boxes, but again that’s part of the fun, too. This time, while Charles worried about his body-double Sazz, they were whisked off to Hollywood, where producers at Paramount wanted to make a film of the podcast.
Cue a well-drawn parody of what this daft process could be like, with sycophantic studio staff throwing themselves at the trio, two of whom are has-beens who can’t believe their luck. Oh, and Meryl Street pops in again as Oliver’s love interest. Things look shaky.
The alternative 'cast' including Eva Longoria as Selena Gomez (Image: disney)With guest stars Eva Longoria and Eugene Levy acting a version of themselves, it was hard to know where to look at a Hollywood party thrown in their honour. Some may be asking: which is the daftest? Only Murders, or Hollywood?
I think Levy (Murtagh reunited with Cheaper by the Dozen’s star Steve Martin) answered that, with his gag, “Do you know what everyone’s got now -- sepsis!” Why did I laugh so much at that joke?!
Okay, smiles were wiped a little from faces when the remains of Sazz were found in the Arconia incinerator. Well, for a few minutes anyway, before the wise cracks arrive again.
Worth a year’s subscription on its own.
Now some belated praise for The Chris McCausland Show (ITV, Saturdays). Deep into its first run, this was “bloke TV” at its finest, a much-maligned genre that hasn’t been seen since Martin Clunes’ Gary in Men Behaving Badly. I hear the Nineties is on its way back!
This was the jolliest show ever in this unloved slot, not least because he had two comedians– Alasdair Beckett-King, and the very amusing Tom Davis.
There was also an appearance from the world's greatest air guitarist too, Sven Smith, who – hats off -- appeared to be making a living from this overlooked art form. The band, Pet Needs, jumped around to loud music too.
To complete the blokey credentials, we had at least two involving discussions about hamburgers, and one about Tom Davis’s partner for doing too much internet selling. Okay, that was a little “take my wife”.
It was all very silly, including an all-in air guitar contest, rarely seen before on the box. And no, BBC, that’s not a good format idea for Saturday night.
Speaking of which, McCausland is appearing on Strictly Come Dancing this year. Next Bill Bailey?
I simply don’t get the second season of the drama, Sherwood (BBC One, Mon & Tues). Having watched the first run, there were no questions that were left answered, but that hasn’t stopped the commissioning editors wanting another.
Two things annoyed me. Bad language and off-the-scale violence. I can almost excuse the first for “genuine” criminals but not here. The two gangland families “represented” here were ridiculous. And the use of automatic weapons to gun down victims was sensational.
Finally, the young woman who planted garden shears in the back of one gunman would surely have struggled to do so. Most garden shears in our house can barely attack a hedge in anger.
On a much brighter note, it was the return of Rob and Romesh Versus… (Sky Max, Thurs).
Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan are a double act with a unique proposition – “Look, we’re just having a laugh in this show, so just go with it viewers….” And yes we go along with it, but the first episode in the new series asked a little more. There was jeopardy.
We don’t know what goes on behind the scenes, but they were signed up for Hollywood stunts, and some of it looked a bit serious. It’s not everyday you get set on fire. Should I be worried? Of course, not; it’s only television, but I would like a few more seasons.
Or was this a new tone for the show altogether.
In the next series, are they going to move away from cultural stuff like ballet etc or sporting challenges and try open-heart surgery?
Or what's it like being a commercial pilot? Can't wait to see Rob Beckett landing an EasyJet plane at Gatwick. Great television!
Stephenson's Rocket We need a UK Bridgerton... (Image: Netflix)What a poor summer of television, one of the worst on record for a non-sport loving viewer. Terrestrial TV is now losing the battle against American streamers.
BBC and ITV simply can’t match the originality, writing and casting. Eighteen million households now have a streaming channel, out of 27m TV households.
One thing we do well is period drama, and it can bring big, loyal audiences. Where’s terrestrial TV’s Bridgerton?
Get cracking before it’s too late. And let’s not get started about the state of the sitcom.
When was the last international comedy hit? Fleabag? I watched the first episode of Butterflies this week. Carla Lane’s writing was superb, so were the cast.
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Only Murders in the Building delivers laughs and Hollywood satire with star-studded cast
Only Murders in the Building delivers laughs and Hollywood satire with star-studded cast
Only Murders in the Building delivers laughs and Hollywood satire with star-studded cast
Only Murders in the Building delivers laughs and Hollywood satire with star-studded cast
Only Murders in the Building delivers laughs and Hollywood satire with star-studded cast
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