Star Power on ‘Only Murders in the Building’: Ranking Guest Characters So Far
Only Murders in the Building is one of today’s most wonderful television shows. It is brilliant, hilarious, and suspenseful, a thrilling comedy-mystery that brings together three strangers who live in the same Upper West Side building and all love true crime and the same thrilling murder podcast.
Steve Martin (Charles), Martin Short (Oliver), and Selena Gomez (Mabel) are the iconic trio we never saw coming. A combination of Gomez’s sass and wit, Martin’s awkwardness and wisdom, and Short’s unbeatable humor make this show so charming. Even if you don’t care about murder, the series is worth it for these three.
The trio started their own murder podcast after such a crime in their building … and that was just the beginning. The three of them investigate murders together and have been shockingly successful over two, now just starting three seasons. What makes the show so spectacular is not only the trio, but the characters surrounding them. The series has had various guest stars who have had an incredible impact on the show. Whether a villain, fan, detective or just another resident in the building, they impact the show tremendously.
In honor of the third season just beginning, below is a ranking of the characters of series’ guest stars through the first two.
Only Murders in the Building, Tuesdays, Hulu
9. Cara Delevingne's Alice Banks
Cara Delevingne stars as Alice Banks in Season 2. She messages Mabel on Instagram because she saw the mural she had painted and invites her to her gallery opening in Brooklyn. They have chemistry, Mabel opens up about her childhood, and Alice invites her to join the art collective. Alice sculpts Mabel, they kiss, and she helps her work through some of her trauma.
Mabel hosts a party in her apartment, and Oliver starts a seemingly harmless game called the Son of Sam, where they try and guess who the killer is. Ironic, but it turns into a fight when Oliver believes Alice killed Bunny (Jayne Houdyshell) and interrogates her. Alice admits to lying about her past to Mabel but nothing about a murder, and she forgives her.
Later that day, Mabel walks in on her recreating the crime scene of Bunny’s murder, is horrified, and begins questioning her. Though the real murderer is revealed to be Poppy, it becomes clear that Alice is incredibly manipulative and was using Mabel as inspiration for her art. Though we saw a different side of Mabel this way, Alice treated her horribly and ultimately made Mabel’s trust issues even worse, which is why she is ranked last.
8. Michael Rapaport's Daniel Kreps
Starring as the vicious Daniel Kreps, Michael Rapaport plays the brutal lead detective on Bunny’s murder case in Season 2 while Donna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) is on maternity leave. He has an incredibly chilling presence and terrifying demeanor. After Bunny is murdered, he harshly questions the trio and later yells at them to stop recording their podcast. There are pieces of evidence that lead the audience to believe he could’ve killed Bunny, including that he hurt his shoulder and has glitter behind his ear.
At the gym, Mabel steps into the boxing ring with Kreps to interrogate him. He tells Mabel that she is the prime suspect in Bunny’s murder and people go away all the time for crimes they didn’t commit, a direct threat to her and diminishing his entire career. Ultimately, the trio solve the case, and Kreps is found guilty. He was in love with Poppy (Adina Verson) and helped her murder Bunny so that she could have her own podcast and he could solve a huge case, even though it would’ve all been a lie. He also helped Poppy fake her death and disappearance in Oklahoma. This character is horrifying, and despite a great performance by Rapaport, he is ranked low because of his overall treatment of the characters.
7. Amy Schumer
Amy Schumer is an Arconia tenant, a new celebrity upstairs, playing a version of her stand-up comedian self. (She appears in Season 2 and moves into Sting’s apartment — more on him next.) Since her arrival coincides with Bunny’s murder, she’s viewed as an unlikely potential suspect. After meeting Oliver in the elevator, she admits she is a fan of their murder podcast and asks if she can turn it into a streaming television show, expressing her desire to play Jan (Amy Ryan) from Season 1.
While excited about a possible step forward for his career, Oliver notices that Amy has Rose Cooper’s painting on her wall, and after a funny exchange, she agrees to give it to them, having no clue as to the deeper meaning behind it. The painting turns out to be fake, and Schumer’s role is simply a comedic side character who could’ve been a real murder suspect and gives Oliver a glimmer of hope for a potential series.
6. Sting
Sting plays himself in this comical role as one of the neighbors and possible suspect. One of the funniest questions that results: Is Sting capable of murder? It makes for a very laughable plotline starring the rock star himself.
Luckily, Sting is great at playing a huge celebrity and presents a lovable personality to the audience. He’s accused of murdering Tim Kono (Julian Cihi) after Oliver suspects he poisoned his dog and because Tim was his stockbroker. Though Sting is not guilty of murder, his brief appearance on the show is very entertaining.
5. Ali Stroker, Jaboukie Young-White, Daniel Oreskes & Orson Hong's Podcast Fans
One of the best parts of the entire first season is the superfans! Ali Stroker plays Paulette, Jaboukie Young-White plays Sam, Daniel Oreskes plays Marv, and Orson Hong plays Grant. Though they all have smaller roles, they bring much joy and entertainment to our screens. They meet online after the murder podcast is released, and then they begin to wait with fandom signs and merchandise outside the Arconia in hopes of catching a glimpse of Mabel, Charles, and Oliver.
Their dreams come true, and they have various exchanges with the trio. Oliver eventually invites them into the apartment, leading to an adorable interaction. They are so happy to be included and participate in reenacting the evidence of the murder case — even helping to solve it. Though fans may sometimes be looked at as creepy and invasive, these four are delightful and hilarious.
4. Shirley MacLaine's Rose Cooper
We meet Leonora Fogler (Shirley MacLaine) in Season 2, as Bunny’s grieving mother who is trying to retrieve some things, specifically two paintings. It is soon revealed that “Leonora” is a complete lie, and she is a woman named Rose Cooper. Rose was Charles’s father’s greatest love. He saved her from an abusive marriage, and she painted those two paintings while they were having an affair. She had to disappear to save their relationship, and they lost touch. Charles opens up to Rose and finds a deep comfort with her.
Charles reveals that his father passed away young, and she is devastated. Charles finds the real paintings, and Rose tells him he should have one. Rose tells him that the painting is a portrait of a man who just wanted to be a father to his son, explaining that that’s all his father ever wanted to be. Not only is Rose an extremely interesting, highly intelligent character, but she also opens Charles’ heart and reveals the history of his father. MacLaine is outstanding, and it is mirrored through Rose.
3. Tina Fey's Cinda Canning
The arrogant and iconic Cinda Canning (Tina Fey), seen in the first two seasons, is a famous murder podcast host. As most celebrities are represented, Cinda treats everyone around her terribly, especially her assistant, Poppy, who is secretly not who she says she is. Mabel, Charles, and Oliver ask Cinda for help with their murder podcast, but she dismisses them and gives them a small invaluable piece of advice. The people working for Cinda also strongly resemble her, another example of the character’s selfishness. After witnessing the trio with Bunny’s dead body, Cinda decides to start a new rival podcast, Only Murderers in the Building, but soon after, the detectives beg both parties to stop.
Cinda refuses to give Poppy any credit and practically laughs at her request for a promotion. At a staged killer reveal party, Poppy is found guilty and admits that she did it to gain Cinda’s attention and approval. Though dismissive and disrespectful, Cinda comes out on top, and though her character may be a terrible human being, Fey is an excellent actress and an even more remarkable Cinda.
2. Da’Vine Joy Randolph's Donna Williams
Randolph, as Detective Donna Williams, is one of the most loved characters of the entire series. In Season 1, when Tim Kono is found dead, Donna is one of the first detectives on the case, ruling it a suicide. Donna is married to Kiara (Alysha Deslorieux), with a baby on the way, and she discovers the murder podcast after Kiara listens to it. After listening to the podcast and her wife’s admiration, she sends evidence to Mabel to help them solve the wrongfully closed case. Donna helps Mabel, Charles, and Oliver out immensely, and they lead her to the correct murderer.
In Season 2, Donna tries to protect the trio when they are accused of murdering Bunny. Donna even cuts her maternity leave short to investigate, and while the trio may seem very suspicious this time, she believes them and finds the right murderer once again. Donna has saved the trio multiple times and has been reliable, loyal, and incredibly strong throughout the series; she is a very close to being the best guest character.
1. Jane Lynch's Sazz Pataki
Starring as the hilarious Sazz Pataki, Jane Lynch’s performance is so incredible she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2022. Sazz was Charles’ stunt double for his hit TV show Brazzos, which he talks about many times throughout the series. Sazz also stole Charles’s wife while they were filming; she leaves him after being together for 20 years. Sazz visits Charles once a year (around the time of the stunt awards), and their interactions are purely fall-off-your-chair hilarious. Sazz likes to interject in their murder mysteries and flirt with Charles’s now ex-girlfriend, Jan. Ultimately, she is there for Charles, along with comedically acting as his stunt double in the reboot, even though he is in a wheelchair.
Though Lynch and Martin aren’t exactly twins, her attitude and costuming, as well as everything else she puts into the role, make it so enjoyable. Sazz is intelligent, funny, selfish, charismatic, and every trait you need to make Lynch kill the role. Sazz is the #1 guest character by a landslide, and any time we see her in the series, it’s a joy.
