Everybody has that one friend (or maybe, you are that friend) that’s obsessed with all things true crime. And thanks to the invention of podcasts, the gruesomest of murder mysteries are available whenever you want to get lost in someone else’s misery. The delightful Hulu original series Only Murders in the Building plays on this very fascination and examines what might happen if fans of true crime get mixed up in an actual murder mystery. Co-created by John Hoffman and Steve Martin, this comedy whodunnit follows the exploits of three residents in the wealthy Arconia apartment building in New York City who become unlikely friends after a murder takes place in their building.
United by their loneliness and love of true crime podcasts, Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), a down-on-his-luck 1990s television star, Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), a has-been (perhaps, never really was?) Broadway director, and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), a no-nonsense young woman living in her aunt’s unrenovated apartment, band together to create their own true crime podcast in an attempt to solve the murder themselves. Hilarity ensues as the trio uncovers disturbing truths about their neighbors while inevitably being forced to confront their generational differences. The series proved to be a mega ratings success and was renewed for Season 2 before Season 1 even finished airing. It also holds the title for the most watched comedy premiere in Hulu history. Okay, so you’ve finished Season 1 and found out that [spoiler!] is the murderer. Now what?
Here’s a list of seven shows to watch for some more mysterious fun.
Search Party
What happened to Chantal? That’s the main question going into Season 1 of the New York based dark comedy thriller Search Party. Created by Michael Showalter, Sarah Violet-Bliss, and Charles Rogers, this HBO Max series follows Dory Sief (Alia Shawkat), a twenty-something New Yorker who becomes obsessed with the disappearance of former college classmate Chantal Witherbottom (Clare McNulty). Accompanying her on this dangerous quest is her meek boyfriend Drew Gardner (John Reynolds), and her hyper, self-obsessed friends Elliott Goss (John Early) and Portia Davenport (Meredith Hagner). Aside from going out of their way to track down Chantal, they navigate the awkwardness, insecurity, and personal growth that comes with being a young adult. The four friends have starkly different personalities and goals, which leads to them getting mixed up with some pretty eccentric characters. Past guest stars include Susan Sarandon, Rosie Perez, Parker Posey, Chloe Fineman, and Jay Duplass. The series was recently renewed for Season 5 with Kathy Griffin and Jeff Goldblum among its new cast additions. Comedy writing and acting at its finest.
The Flight Attendant
HBO Max is keeping busy these days with plenty of original content. One of the most popular originals to come out of the streamer is the comedy thriller The Flight Attendant. Based on the book by Chris Bohjalian, the series stars The Big Bang Theory actress Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden, a (barely) functioning alcoholic flight attendant who, when not drinking on the job, can probably be found sleeping with one of the flight’s passengers. Though she isn’t the most trusted person on the flight, Cassie’s able to get away with her debaucherous behavior since her co-workers Shane (Griffin Matthews) and Megan (Rosie Perez) usually look the other way. But things take a bloody turn when Cassie’s tryst with passenger Alex Sokolov (Michiel Husman) ends with her waking up next to his slashed dead body and her having no memory of the events that transpired. Suddenly, she’s running through Bangkok with a hangover trying to avoid a messy run-in with the FBI. Originally intended to be a limited series, The Flight Attendant was renewed for Season 2 and is filming now. Some new cast additions include Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Mo McRae (Wild), Mae Martin (Feel Good), Margaret Cho (Good on Paper), and Jessie Ennis (Mythic Quest).
Elementary
Author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective Sherlock Holmes remains one of the most iconic characters in literary history. As with anything popular, there’s been quite a few remakes and adaptations of the Holmes stories. (Collider’s even ranked some of them.) One of the most popular adaptations is the long-running CBS series Elementary starring Jonny Lee Miller as the brilliant and reserved detective. Rather than taking place in London as the original short stories do, this show brings the detective to present-day New York City, where he’s trying to start his life over again after a “fall from grace” with the Scotland Yard police and after having spent time in rehab for drug addiction. In a modernized twist, Lucy Liu plays Dr. Joan Watson, a former surgeon who’s assigned by Sherlock’s father to be his “sober companion.” (In the original stories, Sherlock had a male sidekick named Dr. John Watson.) The two become close friends and trusted allies as they work with the NYPD in solving seemingly-unsolvable mysteries. All seven seasons of the Emmy nominated series are available to stream on Hulu.
Dead to Me
The Netflix dark comedy Dead to Me is a tour de force of acting, writing, and directing. Created by Liz Feldman, this series follows Laguna Beach real estate agent Jen Harding (Christina Applegate), a newly-single mother grieving the sudden loss of her husband who died in a hit-and-run accident. She handles grief differently than most people (if she does it at all, that is). She puts all of her energy and emotion into hunting down cars in her neighborhood with damage that looks like it could be tied to her husband’s death. (That, and she blasts intense rap music in her car to relax.) When she’s not at work or inspecting random cars on the street, she’s at home with her young sons or battling her monster mother-in-law. Overwhelmed with anger and resentment, Jen joins a grief counseling group where she meets Judy Hale (Linda Cardellini), a free-spirit who goes out of her way to befriend Jen and bond over a similar loss (her fiancé, Steve). Jen’s not looking for a new friend (or any friend, really), but something about Judy’s warm heart and positive outlook on life intrigues her. It turns out that Judy was exactly what Jen needed, and for the first time in a long time, she had a friend that was always ready to listen, drink wine, or watch The Facts of Life. But the more Jen learns about Judy’s past, the more she questions their friendship. Who is Judy and what is she hiding?
This show perfectly captures the messiness of life: one minute, you’re laughing, the next minute, you’re sobbing. Plenty of shows deal with grief, friendship, and heartache, but not many do it as authentically as Dead to Me. Netflix renewed the series for a third and final season, which is filming now. Applegate and Cardellini have both been nominated for Emmys for their performances, as well as the show itself for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
Do you ever wonder if everything in the world is connected? That even the smallest decision you make, or someone else makes for that matter, could affect the most unrelated of things? Well, Dirk Gently does. In fact, he’s certain that we’re all connected...somehow. The BBC America series Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency is a very wild and very fun mashup of genres. This science fiction mystery comedy follows the totally broke, down-on-his-luck Todd Brotzman (Elijiah Wood), a directionless bellhop who’s messy life is made even messier when he stumbles upon a gruesome murder in the penthouse suite of the hotel he works at. Back at his crummy apartment, a yellow-jacket-wearing oddball holistic detective named Dirk Gently (Samuel Barnett) breaks in through the window and tells a befuddled Todd that the two of them are going to work with each other from here on out and solve the murder mystery.
Despite many attempts to get out of this forced partnership, Todd continuously gets caught up in Dirk’s bizarre and life-threatening situations. And what’s a holistic detective, you might ask? According to Dirk, “The term ‘holistic’ refers to my convictions about the fundamental interconnectedness of all things. I do not concern myself with such petty things as fingerprint powder, telltale pieces of pocket fluff and inane footprints.” All of that, plus a soul-switching time travel machine? You’re in for a wild ride of mystery and madness. All episodes are available on Hulu.
Veronica Mars
Being a teenager is rough stuff, especially if you're a student at Neptune High. Just ask Veronica. The cult-hit television series Veronica Mars follows, you guessed it, Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell), a high school outcast who spends her free time solving mysteries that plague the wealthy town of Neptune, California. After her best friend Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried) is murdered and Veronica's father Keith (Enrico Colantoni) is fired from his position as Sheriff, Veronica becomes determined to identify the killer. Accompanied by fellow outcast and best friend Wallace (Percy Daggs III) she assists her dad at his new private investigative firm in an attempt to bring justice to Neptune. She isn’t afraid to be her snarky self and stand up for the underdog, which in turn makes her a social pariah in a town that reeks of misogyny and prejudice of all kind. Particularly fun are Veronica’s blunt narrations that are sprinkled in throughout each episode. Though at times she might seem like she’s all attitude, she has a good heart. (After all, she’s a marshmallow.) The series aired from 2004-2007 before a sudden cancellation. However, due to its popularity, the cast reunited for a movie in 2014. Hulu picked up the series for a revival in 2019, with Bell reprising her role as the famous detective for eight episodes.
The Undoing
The HBO limited series The Undoing is by far the darkest, most serious show on this list. Based on Jean Hanff Korelitz’s novel You Should Have Known and adapted for the screen by David E. Kelley, this six episode psychological thriller follows upper-class New York psychologist Grace Fraser (Nicole Kidman), and her seemingly normal and idyllic life with her husband Jonathan (Hugh Grant) a successful and well-respected oncologist, and their son, Henry (Noah Jupe). Gone are the days when Grace’s biggest headache was dealing with snobby parents at Henry’s prestigious school once Elena (Matilda De Angelis), a mystifying young mother swiftly enters—and exits—Grace’s life. Before she even has a chance to brush through her long red curls, Grace must fight for her and her family’s innocence in an inexplicable murder case. While there might not be any jokes or hijinx in this show, The Undoing is a thrill-ride that will have you gripping the edge of your seat.