Only Murders in the Building season 2 episode 4 review: the trio uncovers the Arconia’s secrets

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building season 2, episode 4, “Here’s Looking at You...” Read our previous Only Murders in the Building season 2 episode 3 review right here.

As more clues further complicate the amateur investigation, "Here’s Looking at You…" takes things a step further when Lucy (Zoe Margaret Colletti), the daughter of Charles' (Steve Martin) ex-girlfriend he spoke about in season 1, makes a surprise visit. Reunions can be challenging and Lucy represents a painful relationship from Charles’ past. However, it wasn’t Lucy who broke his heart, and the pair immediately slip back into the father-daughter dynamic. Fatherhood is a recurring theme on Only Murders, which is heightened in this episode with Lucy’s arrival. 

But there's more to Lucy's return than bringing back old memories for Charles, as her expert knowledge of the Arconia starts to crack this case wide open.

The episode opens with Lucy filming herself in a darkened space, but when and where it is hard to initially decipher. Things then jump the her arrival on the set of the Brazzos reboot, saying she has a three-day weekend, which is why she is in the city. Charles is excited about this reunion but doesn’t want her around while matters surrounding Bunny’s (Jayne Houdyshell) murder are so messy. 

Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver’s (Martin Short) reaction to meeting the infamous Lucy is adorable and Lucy is thrilled to meet the podcast team in the flesh. The compliment-fest is made funnier by the multiple generation gaps, as not even Mabel can keep up with Lucy's chat about social media trending topics.

One piece of pop culture history that can unite everyone is "Angel in Flips-Flops," a record Charles released under the banner "Brazzos Sings: Charles-Haden Savage." Sadly this is fictitious but nods to Martin’s musical career with a novelty wink.

The light atmosphere quickly shifts when Lucy pulls what appears to be the murder weapon from Charles’ knife block. To make matters even worse, Oliver realizes it's from his kitchen and now it has Lucy’s fingerprints all over it.

When the doorbell rings, Oliver panics and throws the knife into the ceiling, where it stays hanging above Howard’s (Michael Cyril Creighton) head. He has come over to tell the group his blackeye is from Nina (Christine Ko), punching him on the night of Bunny’s murder. All signs point to Nina as the killer, but they still don’t have actual proof. 

Enter Lucy with something that blows the secret elevator in Bunny’s apartment out of the water. Bunny’s grandfather also built secret passageways behind every apartment wall fitted with peepholes; this is clearly the location she was speaking from at the top of the episode.

Charles still wants Lucy to have no part in their snooping; however, as she played hide and seek in this location as a child, she knows the labyrinth better than anyone. 

A real long shot, but maybe Lucy is the killer? It's clear the perpetrator wants to frame all three podcasters and has access to all of their apartments, which Lucy would have had with the passageways. Plus, the murder weapons shows up right after she arrives?

Also read: Only Murders in the Building season 2 suspects

But back to Nina. Lucy guides them to Nina’s place, where they overhear her talking about a building renovation and ominously stating Bunny "had to go." 

When the group tries to confronts her about this, Nina goes into labor. It might not be the best time for an interrogation, but Charles plays midwife while Oliver attempts to play detective. "I wish Bunny were here," Nina laments. It becomes clear she didn’t stab anyone. 

Thankfully, the EMTs arrive in time. Charles doesn’t have children, but his fatherly instincts in this episode are strong. Lucy’s lovely declaration that he is her favorite of the five father figures she has lived with speaks volumes. She isn’t particularly thrilled about dad number five, which explains why she fled her mom’s wedding a few weeks before, showing up at the Arconia on the night of Bunny's murder. 

As a flashback reveals, she had a near brush with the killer — or so she says. When Charles texted to say he was too busy to see her that night, Lucy hid in the walls at a time when the killer was also in this secret space. 

Lucy says she is concerned for Charles’ safety and urges him to do something before it is too late. He decides to respond to an unknown caller he's been getting a lot, which leads to a trip to see an old girlfriend. Hi, Jan (Amy Ryan). It sounds odd, but it's nice to see her again.

Charles isn’t the only one coming face to face with an old foe, as Oliver rides the elevator with Teddy Dimas (Nathan Lane). Teddy is allowed to return home while he awaits trial and his chilled facade is a pretense. "I’m going to f*** you," he snarls at Oliver, but the dip purveyor’s rage is covering for something else. Oliver uses the secret tunnel to spy on Teddy and sees a fight between father and son that takes his breath away. We only hear Teddy’s side, but Theo’s (James Caverly) fury is palpable. 

The lesson Oliver takes from this is to help his son with the elementary school play he is directing. The result is sweet, although an addiction joke at Judy Garland’s expense is a cringe worthy.

Lucy’s arrival leads to some heartfelt moments, along with the secret tunnels twist, as season 2 unfolds at a decent pace. Regardless of her young age, there is a sense even Lucy can't be trusted — or maybe we're overthinking things. 

The return of Teddy and Jan emphasizes that last year’s villains have a story left to tell, which could have something to do with the loose ends that Mabel talked about in the finale. For now, the Arconia is still a labyrinth of secrets waiting to be cracked open.

New episodes of Only Murders in the Building season 2 release on Tuesdays on Hulu (US) and Disney Plus (UK).