S04.E08: Lifeboat

[chitowngirl]

Charles, Oliver and Mabel combine forces with the film actors in an epic showdown against the Westies. You can't handle the truth.

Episode airs beginning October 15 on Hulu.

Please keep on topic with things that happen in this episode. Spoiler tag things that happen in future episodes.

Edited October 1 by chitowngirl

[chitowngirl]

Bump

[sjankis630]

OK so now Glenn is a suspect? I am not 100% buying this theory. I wonder how Glenn was "harassing" Sazz? Was he trying to get her to look at clues that our detectives had missed? time for sleep. 

[dwmarch]

I'm confused too. I can see the show going for the novelty of having an actor play the victim in one season and the killer in the next but other than that, Glenn doesn't make much sense to me. I think they might be trying to throw us off with the "he's going to get me killed" statement. Maybe Sazz meant Glenn wasn't a careful stuntman (we have ample evidence of this already) and that meant more risk for Sazz somehow. But Glenn actively helped the trio when they met him so for him to be the killer doesn't make any sense.

[phalange]

So like a lot of people suspected, the Westies didn’t kill Dudenoff, but they did put his body in the incinerator and are cashing the checks to keep up the ruse. But it’s because Dudenoff wanted them to. There’s one thing I don’t understand though. Helga moved out because she thought the other Westies killed Dudenoff, but why was Helga’s face scribbled out in the picture in Vince’s apartment? They were lying to her per Dudenoff’s request, but they didn’t hate her. I feel like I’m missing something there. 

I also don’t think Glenn killed Sazz, because if he did, who attempted to kill him? I still think someone is targeting the stunt people for some reason. 

[thuganomics85]

I suspect that no one will be picking up a potential one man show where Kumail Nanjiani performers A Few Good Men in its entirety, but I would at least watch clips of it online!

Probably safe to say that the Westies have now officially been taken off the board as suspects.  As predicted, they were committing fraud, but they did not kill Dudenoff.  Instead, they had all been people Dudenoff bonded with and sort of formed a family with (sounds familiar!), and after he got some kind of fatal illness, he killed himself so that they wouldn't get their apartments taken from them since he was pretending to be away in Portugal.  And it looks like they will continue to do so because despite getting evidence of it, Mabel puts a stop to potentially turning all of this into a podcast, since she can relate to them and understand why they did what they did.  Predictable, but it worked for me.  I do hope we see them again at some point: if not this season, maybe in future ones.

But the gang isn't exactly at square one, as a returning Helga reveals that she was in contact with Sazz and Sazz was worried that one of her stunt proteges was going to her killed.  And that protege?  Yep, it's Glenn Stevens!  That said, I definitely the twist is that he isn't the killer but another intended victim.  The way it was worded, I think Sazz meant that he gotten involved with something that put them both in danger, and not only was she killed for it, but the shot that Oliver thought was for him, was really Glenn the entire time.  I'm guessing one of the Hollywood players will be involved in all of this.

The scenes with the trio and their respected actors were fun as always.  While all three shine in their own ways, I keep being surprised over how much Eva Longoria is cracking me up.  I wasn't a massive fan before this, but she's kind of being the scene-stealer for me.

Tony Danza has to show up at some point now, right?!

[WearyTraveler]

6 hours ago, phalange said:

Helga moved out because she thought the other Westies killed Dudenoff, but why was Helga’s face scribbled out in the picture in Vince’s apartment? They were lying to her per Dudenoff’s request, but they didn’t hate her. I feel like I’m missing something there. 

Maybe they were upset with her because she accused them of murder and she left the family Dudenoff had so lovingly put together. It's like one of those family feuds

[cardigirl]

Is it too early to have named the killer?  I'm trying to remember when we were certain in the other seasons. Was it always episode 8 or was it 9, and then the denouement? 

At any rate I'll be very sad if Glenn is behind all of "this." Could be why he acts like he's seeing rats, to cover up his true motives.

I always try to watch the episodes when they drop, because I am not good with delayed gratification. I have to say, I didn't feel like this episode was worth staying up for. Last week's was, but not this one. It was okay, and I kind of loved that they went to the movie set of Charles' apartment to plan their next move. 

Also a shallow note, but I would have loved to live in Dudenoff's studio apartment. He had a very nice setup.

Ah well, only two episodes left, and it's not looking like I know anything at all about anyone's motivations for killing Sazz or Charles or any of the trio.  The tragedy is that after this is ove, it will be another year to wait for the next one. #greedy.

[peeayebee]

8 hours ago, dwmarch said:

I think they might be trying to throw us off with the "he's going to get me killed" statement. Maybe Sazz meant Glenn wasn't a careful stuntman (we have ample evidence of this already) and that meant more risk for Sazz somehow. 

That's a good interpretation.

7 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

The way it was worded, I think Sazz meant that he gotten involved with something that put them both in danger, and not only was she killed for it, but the shot that Oliver thought was for him, was really Glenn the entire time.

Another good interpretation. I THINK I prefer this one. In either case, I don't think Glen killed Sazz.

 

7 hours ago, phalange said:

There’s one thing I don’t understand though. Helga moved out because she thought the other Westies killed Dudenoff, but why was Helga’s face scribbled out in the picture in Vince’s apartment? They were lying to her per Dudenoff’s request, but they didn’t hate her. I feel like I’m missing something there. 

I didn't think about the photo. @WearyTraveler's idea that they were mad Helga had accused them of murdering Dudenoff is plausible, but I don't think we got any indication that Helga accused them at the time. If she had, they would have shown her the film.

If she just up and left without saying anything to the others, maybe they were mad that she had done that, left without saying goodbye.

But why would they say that Helga was Rudy's girlfriend? They could have just said she was another tenant who left.

I'm trying to remember: What had Helga said to the trio on the ham radio? Wasn't it something threatening?

Boy, Eva's multi-tool is dangerous. A facial treatment AND a nail gun? Make sure you've got your settings right.

Dudenoff mentions the movie The Apartment. I wonder if there's any significance. It was about a man (Jack Lemmon) who let coworkers use his apartment for affairs. I guess I don't see anyone having an affair. But I guess it's connected in that Dudenoff was letting his friends have the apartments his wife had bought.

So the night that the Westies incinerated Dudenoff, causing the power to go off, was a different night from when Sazz was incinerated, right? I suppose when Dudenoff died that was long ago. Had we ever seen the power go off in another season?

 

[sjankis630]

3 hours ago, cardigirl said:

I always try to watch the episodes when they drop, because I am not good with delayed gratification. I have to say, I didn't feel like this episode was worth staying up for.

I agree with you. I think this season started off strong but has started to fizzle over the last 2-3 episodes for me. There are some flashes of fun - like Charles' sister's place - but overall I am losing interest slightly. I am kind of disappointed that the Westies were largely a distraction and at this point the whole pig and mysterious apartment seems like sunk costs for me.

[Snapdragon]

Here's my problem with the whole "we won't mention on the podcast that Dudenoff is dead so that the Westies can keep with their ruse".  The police know Dudenoff is dead!  They confirmed it was his remains in the incinerator, so not only would he now be listed as dead (or whatever it's called when someone dies), there would also be an official investigation into his death.  So they couldn't continue to live in those apartments, nor cash his checks.  

And yeah, I agree that Glenn didn't kill Sazz.  He got himself in some kind of trouble and now someone killed Sazz and is trying to kill him as well.  I feel it's going to be either the writer or Molly Shannon, because they're really all that's left.

As for the "mystery person from season one" who's responsible for all the plot holes, I'm guessing that that will be next season's mystery.  This season will end with Sazz's killer revealed, but the threatening texter will still be out there and next season all the Arconian residents who have been MIA will return, thus giving the show a big list of possible suspects.

[tennisgurl]

The reveal with the Westies is pretty much what I expected, Dudenoff wasn't murdered but they have been pretending that he's alive and hid the body so that they can keep their apartments, and given how god awful rent is in NYC, its hard to blame them. I do hope that everything with Dudenoff and the Westies isn't just a big red herring, this needs to tie into things somehow right? Especially now that we're calling back so much to season one and the stray threads from that mystery. 

I was worried that the actors would be cringe stunt casting, and while they do sometimes overstay their welcome, overall they have been a really fun addition to the show. Eugene slowly pushing the omlette onto the ground to make Charles mad, Eva's every expanding line of products she's always pushing, Zach bothering Oliver about his wedding (its the scene where Oliver talks about his ruined marriage), they really do fit the shows zany energy. 

I don't think that Glenn is the killer, its possible that he was the original target and Sazz wasn't killed because she was mistaken for Charles, she was killed because she was mistaken for Glenn. 

“Yeah, in addition to lying about setting a human on fire, we also lied about me having a girlfriend. May god have mercy.” 

[shapeshifter]

12 hours ago, phalange said:

why was Helga’s face scribbled out in the picture in Vince’s apartment?

Other possible reasons (than those suggested above) are:

• Helga scribbled her own face out when she left the group
• Any of the Westies scribbled out her face to protect Helga from nosy people who might ask "Who's that?"
   

11 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

I suspect that no one will be picking up a potential one man show where Kumail Nanjiani performers A Few Good Men in its entirety, but

Oh? I noticed Oliver was as charmed by Kumail/Rudy/Christmas-all-the-time-guy just as much as he was by Loretta when she first auditioned. 

BTW, with regards to whose got motive:

• Loretta has a bitter past
• Howard is a bitter soul
• Uma's bitter all the time, and maybe more so since Bunny

 

11 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Dudenoff bonded with and sort of formed a family with (sounds familiar!), and after he got some kind of fatal illness, he killed himself so that they wouldn't get their apartments taken from them since he was pretending to be away in Portugal.  And it looks like they will continue to do so because despite getting evidence of it, Mabel puts a stop to potentially turning all of this into a podcast, since she can relate to them and understand why they did what they did. 

But doesn't Eva have it all recorded on her pink cassette player?

And:

58 minutes ago, Snapdragon said:

The police know Dudenoff is dead!  They confirmed it was his remains in the incinerator, so not only would he now be listed as dead (or whatever it's called when someone dies), there would also be an official investigation into his death.  So they couldn't continue to live in those apartments, nor cash his checks. 

Oops. 

 

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, Snapdragon said:

They confirmed it was his remains in the incinerator, so not only would he now be listed as dead (or whatever it's called when someone dies), there would also be an official investigation into his death.  So they couldn't continue to live in those apartments, nor cash his checks.  

So true!  Social Security is very quick at stopping SS payments once they receive the death certificate, and from personal experience, they're notified by the funeral home handling the arrangements.  I'm sure in this case SS would be notified by the investigator or whichever department in law enforcement takes care of those details.  SS doesn't mess around when it comes to their payments! They'll sure as shit take it out of your account as fast as it went in!

Oh, Oliver!  Line of the show for me: "I've set my sphincter to clenching..... unclenching.....reclenching!"

Helga:  "I'm here to tell the trute."  Rudy:  "We can't handle the trute!"   (I'm not making fun of accents, but it was just so darn funny!)

[Snapdragon]

28 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

 

 

But doesn't Eva have it all recorded on her pink cassette player?

 

 

Mabel erased it after Eva started playing it for everyone.

[peeayebee]

42 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

I don't think that Glenn is the killer, its possible that he was the original target and Sazz wasn't killed because she was mistaken for Charles, she was killed because she was mistaken for Glenn.

But why would Glen be in Charles' apartment? Or more to the point, why would the killer think that Glen would be in Charles' apartment? 

32 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Other possible reasons (than those suggested above) are:

• Helga scribbled her own face out when she left the group

Well, that's a perfect answer! Thanks.

[shapeshifter]

8 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

But why would Glen be in Charles' apartment? Or more to the point, why would the killer think that Glen would be in Charles' apartment? 

I have a theory that would probably take too much "exposition fairy" writing to be revealed in the remaining episodes, and we have seen this show's denouements to be better written overall, but here goes:
Glen and Sazz could have been teamed up in Charles apartment to sleuth the killer's whereabouts or camera plantings or whatever.
Then, when Sazz got shot, Glen could have hid the body (although his TBIs seem to preclude his abilities to get a body to the incinerator without help and without getting caught).
But if this (or something similar) did happen, it could make Glen a target as a Man Who Knew Too Much. 

But are we sure Glen was a target at all, and not Zach or…? 

[paigow]

Only Murders, Suicide and Fraud In The Building

[Zaffy]

I do not think Glenn killed Sazz cause I do not think Sazz is dead. Of course I could be wrong, but when we don't have a body but just "remains", usually the victim turns out to be alive.

In other news, that "a few good men" scene was the worst joke in the show's history.

[shapeshifter]

37 minutes ago, paigow said:

Only Murders, Suicide and Fraud In The Building

Or maybe the podcast will get rebranded "Only Bodies In The Building."

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, Zaffy said:

In other news, that "a few good men" scene was the worst joke in the show's history.

That was hilarious!  I would think it would be easier for an actor who can sing to do a scene where they sing off key, but to act as if you can't act, well, kudos to Kumail for that scene.  That's another level, IMO.    The look on Eugene Levy's face is what made me laugh.  

[Calvada]

I'm finding this season a bit of a chore.  For me, it just doesn't flow from episode to episode like prior seasons.  Maybe once all the episodes drop, I'll try again when I can watch all of them one right after another.  I miss the Arconia of previous seasons - Charles', Oliver's & Mabel's apartments, Uma, Lester, the Howard of seasons 1 & 2.  

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, Calvada said:

I'm finding this season a bit of a chore.  For me, it just doesn't flow from episode to episode like prior seasons. 

It is a bit chaotic.  It can be difficult to follow.  It's as if they threw everything in but the kitchen sink!  I can understand why some people aren't enjoying it as much as previous seasons, but I try to go with the flow and don't overthink it.  That's what works for me.  I think it's been fun.  Confusing, but fun!!   YMMV!  

[Calvada]

4 minutes ago, Chit Chat said:

It is a bit chaotic.  It can be difficult to follow.  It's as if they threw everything in but the kitchen sink!  I can understand why some people aren't enjoying it as much as previous seasons, but I try to go with the flow and don't overthink it.  That's what works for me.  I think it's been fun.  Confusing, but fun!!   YMMV!  

I'm not finding it confusing or difficult to follow, it's that in the other seasons IMO each episode built on the preceding ones.  I don't feel that with this season.  It's not the surfeit of details or characters, it's the rise and fall of action/plot that seems disjointed.  

[Enigma X]

31 minutes ago, Calvada said:

I'm not finding it confusing or difficult to follow, it's that in the other seasons IMO each episode built on the preceding ones.  I don't feel that with this season.  It's not the surfeit of details or characters, it's the rise and fall of action/plot that seems disjointed.  

Yeah. I agree. This season seems concerned with throwing in monkey wrenches each episode rather than building. I am overall still enjoying the show but other seasons have been tighter.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Geez Oliver…why do you have to jinx yourself?

Something will happen at the wedding! 😬

Quote

“I want a marriage where we fall in love everyday for the rest of our very long lives.”

 

[Chit Chat]

59 minutes ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

Geez Oliver…why do you have to jinx yourself?

Something will happen at the wedding!

I still think there's something odd about Loretta.  I won't be surprised if we find there's a skeleton or two in her closet.

1 hour ago, Calvada said:

It's not the surfeit of details or characters, it's the rise and fall of action/plot that seems disjointed.  

I understand what you're saying, but I find it entertaining.  It keeps me guessing!  I like it that we're getting answers with each episode.  I didn't expect to learn what we did about the Westies with this episode, so that was a nice surprise. The layers run deep with this mystery!    

[Mr. R0b0t]

I still enjoy the show, but this season is a case of more is not more.

[Emcber]

7 hours ago, Zaffy said:

In other news, that "a few good men" scene was the worst joke in the show's history.

 

That was painfully unfunny. I think this is one of my least favorite episodes of the series so far 

Edited October 16 by Emcber

[KarenX]

I don’t know if this is the right thread to posit this idea but I’m suddenly wondering… Is Molly Shannon Sazz’s estranged sister? It would explain some things. They are both in the movie business.

I confess I’m not really paying attention to details. This is vibes-based speculation and a half memory of a question from the waving around a gun in Sazz’s storage shed episode.

[AnimeMania]

It seems strange that the Westies would be able to pay rent on two empty apartments to go along with the 3 occupied ones. Who was taking care of Helga's pig and why wasn't it still living in Helga's empty apartment?

[shapeshifter]

24 minutes ago, AnimeMania said:

It seems strange that the Westies would be able to pay rent on two empty apartments to go along with the 3 occupied ones. Who was taking care of Helga's pig and why wasn't it still living in Helga's empty apartment?

How old is the daughter supposed to be that complained about not getting her own apartment in (I think?) a couple of episodes?

Edited October 16 by shapeshifter

[Yeah No]

A lot of us deduced that Dudenoff was not murdered but could have died some other way. On Oct. 4th I theorized this which is actually just what we were told in this episode:

On 10/4/2024 at 1:34 PM, Yeah No said:

I keep going back to how the Brothers Sisters said that they would do anything for their beloved mentor. I kinda believe that. So I'm working on this theory that in 2011 when we saw him giving his cameras over to the BS and talking about his tired old body not having much use for them anymore he may have known he was dying and hated the thought that the people renting his apartments dirt cheap (the Westies) were going to lose them so he devised this scheme to make it look like he was still alive after he did in fact pass on. An alternate identity overseas may have been part of that scheme. If he was willing to engage in rent control fraud to help people he might also have been willing to help them keep their apartments after he died. Anyway the BS might figure into this by trying to throw people off the scent of figuring out the scheme as a way of honoring their dead mentor's last wishes.

But now I think there's a chance that the Westies are lying about Dudenoff's death and he's actually still alive and hiding out because he's worried about being a target and someone else (Sazz's murderer?) independently faked his death to take the investigation's attention away from Sazz. They would have to be someone that could get access to a previous arm implant of his. 

And yes to the really big plot hole on how the Westies could keep receiving and cashing Dudenoff's checks or renting those apartments if the police have declared him dead. I can't believe they wouldn't be worried about that knowing that the police think that's his body in there. So that's one reason I think Dudenoff might still be alive, although as nice as that would be it might mean that Sazz is really dead and is the murder in the building. We are getting a little late in the game to have another murder that qualifies as this season's real murder, so I might have to come to terms with the fact that Sazz is dead.

UNLESS - And here's a big possibility - That Glenn succumbs to his injuries and dies. That would qualify HIM as the murder in the building! And that would make him one actor with the unprecedented distinction of being murdered twice on this show, LOL!

Also I agree with what's posted above about Glenn not murdering Sazz and that he got himself in trouble asking questions like her, although she ended up dead and he's still alive but seriously injured in an attempt on his life.

Speaking of asking questions, I suppose we have been presuming that Helga was referring to Sazz as the last person to ask certain questions that got themselves killed. Like others I don't feel that Helga adds up here and am suspicious about Rudy now denying that she was ever his girlfriend. What that means here I don't know.

I am also worried that we're being set up for a season finale wedding fraught with danger and that somehow Loretta will be the target at the very last moment and will be next season's murder in the building. I hate that possibility but I just can't believe that she and Oliver have a future as a married couple. She may also turn out to be the murderer - that's another way they would have no future.

As far as suspects go, I am thinking over Marshall, Loretta of course, or Jan, or even the doctor we haven't seen in weeks. I can't even count out Howard, Bev Melon or Helga at this point. It's usually not someone on this show that has had a lot of attention focused on them as a potential suspect like the others. Of course the injured stunt man is in that category but as he's been injured I'm shelving that for now. I also wonder about Dudenoff himself. He doesn't seem like a murderer but you never know with this show! A couple of weeks back I theorized that he and Sazz may have had a disagreement over who got an apartment or he thought she was a threat to the apartments somehow and he offed her (or she offed him, a possibility I don't really love or believe).

One nitpick - I don't think either the Belnord or the Apthorp have any studio apartments. They were built too long ago for that concept. 

Also, I have posted this before but NYS would never allow someone to keep rent controlled apartments that they didn't live in themselves. Unless he faked the names to make it look like they belonged to different people.

Edited October 16 by Yeah No

[Zaffy]

oh dear oh dear oh dear... addicted!
https://cardgames.io/ohhell/

[cardigirl]

I'm wondering a lot about the entire rent-control scheme. Dudenoff said that he and his wife "bought" all of these apartments over the years, and he started sharing them with the "Westies" after she passed away. But if they bought those apartments, wouldn't they own them? (Like owning a condo?) Wouldn't they be allowed to charge whatever rent they wanted? (AKA $200 per month.). AND, if they owned them, couldn't he have just willed all of those apartments to the Westies, and they wouldn't have to worry about being caught in a rent-control scheme?
 

I'm pretty sure he said that they bought the apartments. I guess he could have meant that they signed leases on all of them but he didn't say that.  This just seems unnecessarily complicated to me, but this show does go there.

 

 

 

Edited October 16 by cardigirl

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, cardigirl said:

I'm pretty sure he said that they bought the apartments. I guess he could have meant that they signed leases on all of them but he didn't say that.  This just seems unnecessarily complicated to me, but this show does go there.

To me Vince Fish's narrative was worded ambiguously, but I figured it was just specific to NYC apartments, which I am not personally familiar with:

• “His wife had been a music teacher. Back when the city was cheap, whenever a unit would open up on their floor, they would grab it. You know, she'd use it for music classes or, you know, uh, let a kid stay there if he was going through tough times.”

 

 

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

As far as suspects go,

Could the killer be one of the 3 actors played by themselves, which would be a double twist because we have been lulled into expecting:

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

It's usually not someone on this show that has had a lot of attention focused on them 

…with Jan being the most likely.
But maybe Jan is just the most likely red herring.

Edited October 16 by shapeshifter

[Milburn Stone]

The show making a self-referential joke acknowledging its plotholes is like standing up in class and saying "my dog ate my homework."

[Affogato]

7 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

It seems strange that the Westies would be able to pay rent on two empty apartments to go along with the 3 occupied ones. Who was taking care of Helga's pig and why wasn't it still living in Helga's empty apartment?

Glen?

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

It seems strange that the Westies would be able to pay rent on two empty apartments to go along with the 3 occupied ones. Who was taking care of Helga's pig and why wasn't it still living in Helga's empty apartment?

Good questions. I think someone was living in Dudenoff's apartment and went into hiding after the murder or murder attempt. It could have been Dudenoff himself if like I put forth, he might not really be dead. Or it could have been Helga or even Stubbins.

Also the Westies could have been paying the rents with Dudenoff's money, from his SS checks and any money he left behind. We don't know if he had money in the bank and if he gave it to anyone when he left/died. 

ETA: I rewatched the scene where Helga gets the note from Dudenoff that he was going to Portugal - in it was a check for some undisclosed amount of money. So he may have given all the Westies money to carry on his wishes.

Edited October 16 by Yeah No

[slowpoked]

Did I miss how Inez’s family first met Dudenoff? Vince, Rudy and Helga all told their stories. I don’t remember how the family did.

[AnimeMania]

1 hour ago, Affogato said:

8 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

It seems strange that the Westies would be able to pay rent on two empty apartments to go along with the 3 occupied ones. Who was taking care of Helga's pig and why wasn't it still living in Helga's empty apartment?

Glen?

Helga's pig, it was in Dudenoff's apartment.

4 minutes ago, slowpoked said:

Did I miss how Inez’s family first met Dudenoff? Vince, Rudy and Helga all told their stories. I don’t remember how the family did.

Yes, they had a restaurant that Dudenoff and his wife would eat at and after Dudenoff's wife died they would sometimes bring food for him to is apartment.

They love-a, da sauce!

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, cardigirl said:

I'm wondering a lot about the entire rent-control scheme. Dudenoff said that he and his wife "bought" all of these apartments over the years, and he started sharing them with the "Westies" after she passed away. But if they bought those apartments, wouldn't they own them? (Like owning a condo?) Wouldn't they be allowed to charge whatever rent they wanted? (AKA $200 per month.). AND, if they owned them, couldn't he have just willed all of those apartments to the Westies, and they wouldn't have to worry about being caught in a rent-control scheme?
 

I'm pretty sure he said that they bought the apartments. I guess he could have meant that they signed leases on all of them but he didn't say that.  This just seems unnecessarily complicated to me, but this show does go there.

I never heard anyone, either the Westies or Dudenoff himself say he bought the apartments. In all cases they said he rented them.

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

To me Vince Fish's narrative was worded ambiguously, but I figured it was just specific to NYC apartments, which I am not personally familiar with:

• “His wife had been a music teacher. Back when the city was cheap, whenever a unit would open up on their floor, they would grab it. You know, she'd use it for music classes or, you know, uh, let a kid stay there if he was going through tough times.”

Saying he'd "grab" an apartment does not necessarily mean buying it.

Upon watching a certain scene again I am now side-eyeing Eugene Levy's character. That business about asking Charles if he ever got angry and asking him to "tantrum" with him made me wonder.

[Aryanna]

23 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I'm trying to remember: What had Helga said to the trio on the ham radio? Wasn't it something threatening?

I think it was something along the lines of you'll end up like your friend. Which I'm sure was supposed to sound threatening at the time but in retrospect sounds more reasonable coming from someone who thought her friends killed Dudenoff. As if she was warning them.

[KittenPokerCheater]

I didn't like this episode as much as I wanted to.  A little too much West Tower Family for me.  Unless Helga is the killer (since she put in the keypad lock so she could easily get in), I think we can safely say the rest of that Found Family is innocent.

[Affogato]

I am wondering, just watched it, if those advanced our main plot. Assuming there is a murder. This resolved the Westies and Hammy, except for the question of where do they live now. Glen could have been the difficult work situation Sazz mentioned. 

[shapeshifter]

58 minutes ago, Affogato said:

This resolved the Westies and Hammy, except for the question of where do they live now

I'm hoping for a Happily Ever After In The Building for them via Dudenhoff's and/or his wife's will.

[Affogato]

7 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I'm hoping for a Happily Ever After In The Building for them via Dudenhoff's and/or his wife's will.

I winder of the squatters laws will come into play. 
 

we still don’t know about Winnie. It isn’t as if Winnie would have, oh, chased pigs and it is hard to see ehy Winnie themself would have been a target. 

[CrazyTrain]

5 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

To me Vince Fish's narrative was worded ambiguously, but I figured it was just specific to NYC apartments, which I am not personally familiar with:

• “His wife had been a music teacher. Back when the city was cheap, whenever a unit would open up on their floor, they would grab it. You know, she'd use it for music classes or, you know, uh, let a kid stay there if he was going through tough times.”

 

 

Could the killer be one of the 3 actors played by themselves, which would be a double twist because we have been lulled into expecting:

…with Jan being the most likely.
But maybe Jan is just the most likely red herring.

That makes it sound like one of those tough time kids might be the killer

[Aryanna]

3 hours ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

Unless Helga is the killer (since she put in the keypad lock so she could easily get in)

Good point but what would be her motive? Does she have any relationship to Charles or Sazz?

Several people had the code but barring something outlandish, I'd say the Oh Hell group have been absolved. Who else would have a motive and why?

[roseha]

I don't know, I'm hoping that when this whole story is presumably concluded in two weeks that some of these various characters/plotlines/references will make - some sense??  But although I find the Westies entertaining as characters - way more than having to watch another over the top Bev Melon scene for one thing - I really wish this whole season had been simplified like the previous ones.  At this point there are so many celebrity guest actors that it just feels like stunt casting.  I didn't mind that so much in a show like Psych that was pretty much a comedy, but when you have a season long murder mystery without even a known dead body, and your're in the 8th episode, it just feels so scattered.  I've counted up the new guest stars this year and it comes to just about 20 now that we've seen both Dudenoff (whether he's dead or not) and Helga.  That's just way too many.  And I still can't believe that any of the three actors are going to be involved in the murder, not when they are guest starring under their own names.  It might have helped had the show not made that decision.

If the murderer turns out to be someone like the screenwriter, that would seem like a cop out to me at this point, he's barely been around for several episodes now and there wasn't much insight really into his character. But I don't know what they will come up with.

I do say I cringed when Oliver said that he and Loretta were going to get married in the Arconia....