Only Murders in the Building 4×03 “Two for the Road” Spoilers Ahead
Only Murders in the Building consistently works because of the unique friendship between the podcast trio. Oliver Putnam, Charles Haden Savage, and Mabel Mora continue to be delightful examples of platonic soulmates, giving us a comforting moment of reassurance in Season 4, Episode 3, “Two for the Road.”
Selena Gomez’s Mabel still doesn’t have a place to live at the Arconia Hotel, and after spending an entire day with their Hollywood doubles, she decides to start squatting in apartment #F. It’s partly to get more information on Sazz’s murder, but it also brings forth a tender moment where we see that the intergenerational friendship is anything but creepy and deeply wholesome instead.
The answer to why Eva Longoria is playing Mabel relies on the detail that the film’s fictional executives believed the friendship was creepy. But how could people sincerely caring about one another be anything but wholesome? It’s a small moment, but Charles voicing that he worries about her, followed by Mabel stating that she always worries about them, is a lovely reminder of how closely they’ve bonded. Only Murders in the Building 4×03 “Two for the Road” also utilizes the ongoing addition of the Perfect Strangers theme by having Mabel and Oliver go on a sing-a-long of it while they all sit on the floor. It’s similar to a moment last season where Oliver and Charles show up to wish Mabel a happy birthday, showcasing to this audience that this accidental friendship is one of the best things that’s happened to each of them.
Further, because we get a moment like this where they spend the entire episode paired up with their Hollywood doubles, it makes their brief reunion that much sweeter because it accurately clarifies that real chemistry can’t be forged. Funnily, this trio also has exceptional rapport off-screen, which we could see in interviews and public appearances. (Frankly, they have my vote to host award shows together!)
The words on the page are simple and simultaneously impactful to exhibit how deeply the trio cares for one another, but the delivery also makes it a tear-jerker. Selena Gomez’s purposely dry portrayal of Mabel is where much of the character’s charm comes from, so when she deadpans something like “I always worry,” it feels authentic. It’s the truth that we not only understand within her words but also a reality we see through her actions. And it’s Steve Martin’s fatherly warmth that makes his delivery so honest. In his grief, he doesn’t want her to forget that he’s genuinely terrified.
Additionally, even while Charles is torn up about having a target on his back, Steve Martin’s somber performance in Only Murders in the Building 4×03 “Two for the Road” shows us that he knows this is his safe place. Despite his fears, he knows that these perfect strangers (who are now his family) will stand beside him through everything they go through while solving this murder. It’s a simple scene that leads to a significant revelation, but it’s the wholesomeness of the exchange that sticks out in an episode that’s bursting with fantastic moments.
Now streaming on Hulu: What are your thoughts on this particular scene in Only Murders in the Building 4×03 “Two for the Road?” Let us know in the comments below.
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