S01.E10: Open and Shut

[AnimeMania]

Season Finale

In the season finale, the trio races toward a resolution while their own lives are put in danger.

Available Oct. 19, 2021

Spoiler

 

       Zoom out!

 

 

[sjankis630]

Here we go. Don't even think about hitting that spoiler button. Gonna stay up late and catch this Gonna make some chili and have just enough gin left for 1 gin and tonic.

 

[Aryanna]

3 hours ago, sjankis630 said:

Gonna stay up late and catch this Gonna make some chili and have just enough gin left for 1 gin and tonic.

 

Oooooh that sounds good. I wanna come. 🙂

[callie lee 29]

Damn, I wonder if I can stay up.....

[callie lee 29]

17 minutes ago, callie lee 29 said:

Damn, I wonder if I can stay up.....

Nevermind. Drop time is 3am EST. Tomorrow night it is.

[Irlandesa]

1 minute ago, callie lee 29 said:

Nevermind. Drop time is 3am EST. Tomorrow night it is.

I live in the Central Time Zone and I've been able to watch it after 11 p.m. so I think they've been dropping this show at midnight EST.

[cardigirl]

It's always been midnight ET so it had better drop at midnight or you'll hear me screaming!!! 🤪

[callie lee 29]

Yay, okay,  back in.

[sjankis630]

Fingers crossed on midnight eastern...

[CraftyHazel]

Never mind…

Edited October 19, 2021 by CraftyHazel

[Kiddvideo]

Loved it until the cliffhanger. Now it'll be another 18 months+ before we see that? Come on. 

[MerBearStare]

Steve Martin's physical comedy alone in this episode is award-worthy.

Can't wait for season 2!

[GaT]

Just finished (it came on 9:00PM Pacific time) & enjoyed it. I was especially happy to see Steve Martin doing physical comedy again. But why a cliffhanger? WHHHHYYY?????

[Grundoon59]

I am so glad I stayed up too late to watch this even though I will be dragging myself through work tomorrow.   Loved it - already looking forward to next season.  Everyone was great but Steve Martin ruled.

[ajsnaves]

I want a poster size picture of Steve Martin being pushed around like Winnie to hang my bedroom wall, I loved that so much.  Somehow, he made his face look like a turtle. Like he’s getting ready to race Bugs Bunny. 
 

But oh, sweet Bunny. We hardly knew yee. 

Edited October 19, 2021 by ajsnaves

[shapeshifter]

I doff my hat to all y'all who pegged Jan as the Murderer In The Building.
I was so sure she was a Red Herring at most. 
And now it seems obvious that her wound was a classically superficial, self-inflicted knife wound to throw off suspicion
--but I didn't want to see it
--I guess for Charles to be able to have love
--but yay that he's not tied down to crazy Jan.

So after we're done rehashing and dissecting season one, we can maybe continue to Only Speculate Without Spoilers In The Building?

Like: The possible significance of the detective telling them not to say anything as they were being led away handcuffed at the end?

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by shapeshifter

[AnimeMania]

Steve Martin was very funny, especially when he stood up out the dog carrier to give his speech.

Something tells me that there were a lot of loose ends, but I will have to sleep on it before I can find them.

The only thing that really stood out at the moment was that Jan just walked right into Tim's apartment, didn't he lock the door when he returned home?

I still don't know how the police found Tim Kono's body. I wouldn't search every apartment, I would figure out which floor pulled the alarm and question everybody outside to see you pulled the alarm and why.

Why was Bunny wearing an Only Murders in the Buildings tie dye hoodie? Who called the police and what did they tell them to get so many to show up, oh well that is a question for another season.

[HollyG]

I loved every minute of this series! Absolutely delightful. Can't wait for next season.

[shapeshifter]

I will need to re-watch the elevator scenes when I'm more awake.
Very classic comedy.
--and perhaps the inspiration for the episode title?

Edited October 19, 2021 by shapeshifter

[GaT]

15 minutes ago, AnimeMania said:

Why was Bunny wearing an Only Murders in the Buildings tie dye hoodie? Who called the police and what did they tell them to get so many to show up, oh well that is a question for another season.

And who texted Charles & Oliver & told them to get out of the building, & did they text Mabel too? Or was this a setup for Mabel?

Edited October 19, 2021 by GaT
I meant did, not didn't

[sjankis630]

they did a pretty good job with the wrap up!.

"Do you need help? I now take crypto currency." Lol

"struck down by the Irish flu" Lol

Oh yes we will always want to know if it was the Gut Milk that saved him.....

[bybrandy]

28 minutes ago, AnimeMania said:

I still don't know how the police found Tim Kono's body. I wouldn't search every apartment, I would figure out which floor pulled the alarm and question everybody outside to see you pulled the alarm and why.

Of course Jan pulled the alarm after killing Tim so probably did it from TIm's floor.   So they wouldn't have had to look at a lot of apartments.  And did we see if Jan closed TIm's door behind her?

Edited October 19, 2021 by bybrandy

[thuganomics85]

Damn, I was wondering if there was going to be another twist with Tim Kono's murder at the very end, but it truly ends up being Jan after-all!  Not exactly the most original motive with her basically being crazy, being in a relationship with Tim and then killing him because she thought he was cheating on her (due to the emerald ring), but a fun reveal none the less.  Amy Ryan was clearly enjoying getting to finally drop the mask and truly show how insane Jan was.  But I like that all three of the gang figured it out in their own way, even if Charles was briefly pitted against Oliver and Mabel at first.

Steve Martin was on fire with the physical comedy here.  All of his stuff in the elevator had me giggling.  And then came the bit where he gave a big, dramatic speech to Jan in the boiler room about how important his friendship is with Oliver and Mabel, only for it to be revealed that he was actually still muttering incoherently due to the poisoning.  Now, that just had me laughing out loud for a minute or two.

Glad that Oliver is taking steps to making amends with his son.  And Mabel finally finished her painting.  Also, Charles reached out to that Lucy character and she responded.  I suspect she will factor in next season.

Apparently Sting took the Police break-up really hard!

I figured the episode was going to end with the body Mabel found in the premiere and it looks like it was Bunny/the landlady: dressed in the tie-dye hoodie and done in by Mabel's own knitting needle!  So, now everyone thinks they murdered her (probably not helped that Oliver and Mabel were last seen telling her off.)  Curious to see how this all goes down.  Especially the text warning Charles and Oliver to get out.  I wonder if Mabel got that too or if she was being set-up this entire time.  Can't wait to find out!

Glad I gave this show a go: it turned out to be a fun murder mystery and just a great viewing experience in general.  Great seeing Steve Martin and Martin Short team-up again and they shined as always.  But I was also truly impressed by Selena Gomez and how she more than held her own with these two comedy vets/legends.  Just a great casting job all around here and I can't wait to get more of Charles, Oliver, and Mabel in the future!

Edited October 19, 2021 by thuganomics85

[cardigirl]

Bravo to everyone!  I laughed so hard in the episode, felt so bad for poor Tim Kono, but was happy to see Charles reconnecting to Lucy. Can't wait for the next season.  Awards to everyone!!!!

Only loose end I can think of is who blocked the investigation at police headquarters? Maybe we'll get into that next season. 

Speaking of which,  the police detective warning them to not say anything, that may be just advice, as in don't speak without a lawyer present, or she may have some knowledge that they're being set up.  We'll find out next season! 

 

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, sjankis630 said:

Oh yes we will always want to know if it was the Gut Milk that saved him.....

When Oliver started feeding Gut Milk to poison-paralyzed Charles, I was freaking out that it would amplify the effects of the lethal chemicals Charles had already ingested and shut down his breathing. But maybe the alcohol in the milk counteracted the muscle rigidity caused by the poison. I had similar success in surviving a similar bad reaction with similar type of drug effects in the 70s—enough said—glad Charles/Brazzos survives to solve another crime. 

[Zaffy]

what a lovely series! Best TV treat of the season so far.
My only problem was waiting for a week to see the next episode.
Next season I will binge-watch it. Or at least I will try to.
Everyone was great, but Steve Martin..I had forgotten how good you are in physical comedy.  
Great stuff!

[DrSpaceman73]

So the fact Tim was killed the week Oscar got of of jail was just coincidence?  

Same for brazos sitting next to the boyfriend of the young bassoonist at the theater?   That wasn't really n cesaaey for the story.  I was thinking Tim was dating the young bassonist and that made her jealous.  

But an enjoyable first season

Maybe they will do a brazzos reboot!

 

[Abra]

I feel justified in not liking Jan ever since she flipped when Charles wasn't comfortable oversharing on their first date!

I thought Charles flopping around his floor lobby/the elevator would be the funniest thing in the episode, until I saw him being smushed and pushed in Winnie's stroller. When I tell you I cackled.

I'm assuming Detective Charmonique was warning the trio not to say shit until they got a lawyer; I think she has a soft spot for them. But damn the whole building was probably out for Bunny, so who killed her and who texted Charles and Oliver to gtfo? Someone who has it out for Mabel but likes Charles and Oliver?

I would have been fine without another TF appearance, I don't care for her or find Cinda amusing.

How long before Season 2?

[DrSpaceman73]

24 minutes ago, Abra said:

I feel justified in not liking Jan ever since she flipped when Charles wasn't comfortable oversharing on their first date!

I thought Charles flopping around his floor lobby/the elevator would be the funniest thing in the episode, until I saw him being smushed and pushed in Winnie's stroller. When I tell you I cackled.

I'm assuming Detective Charmonique was warning the trio not to say shit until they got a lawyer; I think she has a soft spot for them. But damn the whole building was probably out for Bunny, so who killed her and who texted Charles and Oliver to gtfo? Someone who has it out for Mabel but likes Charles and Oliver?

I would have been fine without another TF appearance, I don't care for her or find Cinda amusing.

How long before Season 2?

Don't forget Siri playing fields of gold by sting to try and sooth him.  

[judyri]

I think the detective texted them to get out of the building, since she knew/guessed they'd be set up for murder

[sjankis630]

Hmm so Jane Lynch was just a paycheck? I was hoping for a switch on that one. I will look past how one person can somehow go into the basement of a major building and with two hoses and a couple of switches set the whole place to go up like a bomb. I know they made light of it but whatever.

[cardigirl]

Also wanted to say that Jan was a real psycho (Great job by Amy Ryan) but never admitted to poisoning Winnie.  Hmmmmm. The cat appeared to have been accidental. So Winnie and the threatening note to Oliver may be another loose thread not tied up.  

 

[AnimeMania]

41 minutes ago, sjankis630 said:

I will look past how one person can somehow go into the basement of a major building and with two hoses and a couple of switches set the whole place to go up like a bomb. I know they made light of it but whatever.

She might have been funneling (propane/natural?) gas into all the fireplaces, but I thought the sign on the device said "carbon monoxide". That will kill everyone without exploding.

Survey says, "Detective Williams is incompetent", unless she is working behind the scenes to root out what happened to her investigation.

Why was Cinda camped outside the Arconia? Wasn't the podcast concluded, they recorded the murder confessing.

Edited October 19, 2021 by AnimeMania

[callie lee 29]

Damn, that was worth it!!

well I guess I now know the point of Jan.

Mabel killing bunny just doesn’t make sense though. They finally one-upped her and she now didn’t have any credibility with the residents. Why would they run that? I guess next year will tell…

[Suzn]

4 hours ago, Abra said:

I would have been fine without another TF appearance, I don't care for her or find Cinda amusing.

 

I can do without Tina Fey and I dislike Cinda.  She strikes a wrong note for me.

I have loved this whole season and then they decide to torture me with a cliff-hanger!  That's just cruel and it takes the edge off my pleasure from the whole show.

[shapeshifter]

12 minutes ago, callie lee 29 said:

well I guess I now know the point of Jan.

Still chiding myself for sticking up for Jan. Oh well. Charles did too.

[judyri]

I like Tina Fey generally, but not a fan of her or her character here. Bring back the gardening pod casters, they were great!

[chaifan]

Oh, that was fabulous!  Great wind up of (almost) everything.  And I love that it's set up for Season 2.  Yeah, it will be a while.  (Anyone know for sure?)  That's ok.

A few questions/observations...

Damn, it was Jan.  I was very wrong about that.  I thought the whole 2nd chair thing from last episode was a misdirect.  But I loved when she just switched over to the "real" Jan, so excited to talk to Charles about Tim and the murders.  Loved her expression when talking about Evelyn.

I think Bunny was a closet Only Murders in the Building fan, which is why she had the sweatshirt. 

Why wouldn't Mabel & Oliver pull the fire alarm to get everyone out of the building if they knew there was a gas leak?  And how in the world did Oliver know that the one thing attached to the other thing wasn't supposed to be there?  That seemed to be an odd piece of knowledge for anyone, but especially Oliver. 

Why was Jan still in the boiler room when Oliver & Mabel got there?  She was planning to blow up the building - I think she would have hightailed it out of there.

Who put the I'm Watching You note on Jan's door?

Who texted Charles & Oliver and told them to leave the building?

Who tipped off Cinda to make sure she would be there?

Who was the engagement ring for?  (The one that was supposed to go to Tim but was misdelivered.)

Evelyn 7?  Damn, I've only gone through 2 cats in 25 years.  How does Howard go through cats so quickly? 

Just how long are the intermissions for Jan's orchestra???

 

 

[Abra]

3 hours ago, callie lee 29 said:

Mabel killing bunny just doesn’t make sense though.

I can't remember exactly what Mabel said about Bunny showing up at her place, but I kind of got the sense that she startled Mabel, who went all Knitting Needle on her, or at least she pulled it out and then Bunny fell on it. So I'm thinking something happened to Bunny to incapacitate her in some way (more poison? choking?) and she went next door to Mabel for help. Which is why I really hope she just fell on the needle instead of Mabel overreacting and stabbing her -- unless someone knew of Mabel's Knitting Needle of Protection and stabbed Bunny with it beforehand to make it look like Mabel did it!

1 hour ago, chaifan said:

Who was the engagement ring for?  (The one that was supposed to go to Tim but was misdelivered.)

Wasn't it just another piece Tim was collecting as part of the Dimas's operation?

1 hour ago, chaifan said:

Just how long are the intermissions for Jan's orchestra???

25 years to life, apparently.

 

 

[Lilac2000]

There are a few loose ends but I am most intrigued about who put the I'm watching you note on Jan's door. I feel like the emerald ring thing isn't over...

And yeah...who texted the guys to get out of the building??

[jaigurudeva]

16 minutes ago, Abra said:

I can't remember exactly what Mabel said about Bunny showing up at her place, but I kind of got the sense that she startled Mabel, who went all Knitting Needle on her, or at least she pulled it out and then Bunny fell on it. So I'm thinking something happened to Bunny to incapacitate her in some way (more poison? choking?) and she went next door to Mabel for help.

I think it's a total set-up and Bunny was already stabbed by Mabel's knitting needle before she even showed up.

[shapeshifter]

14 minutes ago, jaigurudeva said:

I think it's a total set-up and Bunny was already stabbed by Mabel's knitting needle before she even showed up.

Are we sure? 
Possible variations involving Mabel's Chekhovian Knitting Needle:

1. Bunny was already stabbed by Mabel's knitting needle before she even showed up.
2. Bunny was already stabbed NOT by Mabel's knitting needle, and then, when Mabel opened the door, Bunny fell on the knitting needle that Mabel was holding for protection.
3. Bunny was poisoned and, when Mabel opened the door, Bunny fell on the knitting needle that Mabel was holding for protection.

Maybe when the show comes back they'll wrap up the murder of Bunny in the first 10 minutes and then reveal a new murder mystery.

Edited October 19, 2021 by shapeshifter

[Haleth]

I’m glad they set up a new mystery for next season. The cliffhanger will keep us thinking.

Steve Martin was the mvp this episode with his writhing around in the apartment and elevator. Shame on all the neighbors for ignoring him!

Gas fireplaces can be a carbon monoxide danger, not explosive  

Fields of Gold, heh.

[chaifan]

I did a quick rewatch of the scene with Bunny and Mabel.  When Charles and Oliver come through the door, Mabel says "I just opened the door and she stumbled in on me." 

Mabel's turtleneck (white, bad choice for the day dearie) is soaked through with blood from just above the waist up to the neckline.  If Mabel stabbed Bunny (intentionally or not), there's no way there would be that much blood in that spot on Mabel's sweater.  Also, she didn't have any blood on her hands.  "she stumbled in on me" sounds like Bunny fell onto Mabel, which is really the only way to explain that much blood on Mabel's sweater. 

But, what I don't think is clear, is what side of the door each person was on when this happened.  Was Mabel coming into her apartment, and Bunny was already inside, stabbed, then fell on her?  Or, was Mabel in her apartment, opened her door to find Bunny at her door in the hallway, already stabbed, Bunny falling into Mabel's apartment, onto Mabel?  "She stumbled in on me" seems to imply the latter, but I don't think it's clear. 

If we hadn't just wrapped up Jan's story, I'd go with @shapeshifter's theory about poison.  But I think it would be weird for Season 2 to involve another poisoning, which would just point right back to Jan.  Also, Jan's poison of choice makes it impossible to walk. 

I just wish Steve, Martin and Selena would do a weekly podcast until Season 2 comes out.  I don't care what they talk about.  They seem to have such a fun rapport with each other, I'd just be happy hearing them chat about whatever for 30 minutes. 

 

 

[Sakura12]

So it was Jan. I thought there was something off about Jan when she shared her life story on their first date then expected Charles to do the same. But man she really brought the crazy out when she poisoned Charles.

I'm guessing Tim and her were really using the bassoon cleaner as a sex toy. Lol

I wonder if Mabel will see Jan in jail. 

Now someone killed Bunny and set up the trio. I think the killer sent the message to Charles and Oliver so they would het Mabel and be at the scene of the crime with her. 

I also liked that Charles erased signing his text. He's learning from Mabel. 

I'm glad I gave this show a chance. I loved it. I was missing a good mystery show that I can theorieze about week to week. I can't wait for season 2. 

[apollonia666]

3 hours ago, chaifan said:

Who tipped off Cinda to make sure she would be there?

Or was she already there? What if it turns out that Cinda's podcasts are all about murders she committed herself?

[Quilt Fairy]

I don't care why Bunny was wearing a tie-dye sweatshirt as long as it wasn't Oscar that was stabbed.  It will make a very good Murder on the Orient Express mystery for season 2. 

 

"Jan's Little Toxins" 

Edited October 19, 2021 by Quilt Fairy

[tennisgurl]

That was a great finale, this show was so good that the only negative thing I can say about it is that we have to wait to watch what happens next. I about died laughing at Steve Martin dragging himself all around the apartment, felt really bad for poor Tim Kono who tried so hard to make up for what happened and was killed because he dated the wrong person, and for Charles who's first girlfriend in years was a murderer, and I gasped at the end. I suspected Jan for a bit at first, then started suspecting some random minor character like Bunny or the cat owner, and even last week I thought we would get one last twist, but nope it really was Jan. Jan, who has a seriously murderous streak, like holy shit lady. At least she got caught and Mabel even got a punch in for Tim. 

Things seemed to be going so well too, Mabel finished her painting and got some closure from her past, Oliver made up with his son, Charles is still open to moving on romantically and reached out to Lucy, they all get their apartments, and now this. This seems like a frame job, but by who? Who texted Charles and Mabel? Does the detective suspect who framed the trio? Her telling them to be quiet makes it sound like she doesn't think it was them, so who killed Bunny? How many murderers are in this building? 

This show was a ton of fun, a very old fashioned murder mystery but with a lot of modern twists, especially mixing Agatha Christie style murders with the cultural obsession with podcasting and true crime. It was fun and exciting and I thought the whole cast worked together wonderfully, any combination of the three main characters was gold. I cant wait for the next season, a whole new murder in the building!

"I taught Charles how to use post mates, he taught me this." "You two, its like watching Paper Moon for the first time all over again." 

[AnimeMania]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Maybe when the show comes back they'll wrap up the murder of Bunny in the first 10 minutes and then reveal a new murder mystery.

An interview said they wanted to keep it to one murder per season.

They had to much extraneous activity, Sazz, Detective Williams, Mabel's Mom, Sting, etc. Imagine if they would have devoted that time to some of the other residents in the building, Gut Milk Gal, Door Man, Charles' Neighbor with the Daughter, Bunny, Psychiatrist, Cat Man, Building Superintendent, Old Lady who gives the Finger, Oscar, African Lady, Sting's Assistant, etc. Would so many people have been so sure that it was Jan, they didn't really have any other suspects with a motive, except for Oscar. 

[WearyTraveler]

On 10/19/2021 at 10:18 PM, apollonia666 said:

Or was she already there? What if it turns out that Cinda's podcasts are all about murders she committed herself?

Maybe her podcasts are not about murders she committed herself, but I do like the theory that she committed the Bunny murder to frame our trio because she didn't want more competition and could tell that these guys were good and gaining listeners. 

She wouldn't be the first person who thinks they can commit a murder because they know a lot about crime and how investigations are conducted.

Edited October 22, 2021 by WearyTraveler