TV Shows similar to Only Murders in the Building

The first season of Hulu’s hit mystery series “Only Murders in the Building” ends with fans finally discovering who killed Tim Kono. The unlikely trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez give the show its perfect mix of zany and spiky energy, and their intergenerational dynamic allows the series to tell a touching story about the need for human connection. Add in the central mystery’s genuinely shocking twists and turns — and bold creative moves like the silent episode — and you have the recipe for an unforgettable first season. Which is why fans are just as pumped for season two, which just premiered on June 28.

The only downside: we have to wait a whole week in between each new episode to see what comes next in Mabel, Charles, and Oliver’s new search for Bunny’s killer. So to fill the Arconia-size hole in our hearts in the meantime, we’ve assembled a selection of shows like “Only Murders in the Building.” Granted, there’s no singular show that embodies everything that makes “Only Murders in the Building” so special, but these shows, which range from cozy mysteries to comedies about starting over, all have plenty in common with the wit and mystery you’ve come to expect from “Only Murders.” Find your next favorite show ahead!

Agatha Raisin

Only Murders in the Building shares a significant amount of DNA with the cosy mystery genre, which was perfected by the Brits. If you’re not well-acquainted with the genre, then Agatha Raisin is the perfect place to start. The show follows a retired PR whiz who moves to the Cotswalds, where she becomes an amateur detective. With its witty sense of humour and sprawling cast of quirky villagers, Agatha Raisin is sure to give you major Arconia vibes.

Psych

Thanks to Martin and Short’s gift for physical comedy, Only Murders in the Building has its share of laugh-out-loud slapstick moments. If you want even more hijinks to go with your crime-solving, then Psych’s fake-psychic Shawn Spencer and his best friend Burton Guster have got you covered. This is one crime show where the comedy is always front and centre.

Search Party

No other show on this list resembles Only Murders in the Building more than Search Party. When a former friend from college goes missing, a bored twenty-something named Dory enlists her friends to launch a search, which quickly gets out of hand. This dark comedy is definitely more cynical than Only Murders, but it will also remind you of Mabel and her Hardy Boys in a major way.

Barry

Charles’ past as a TV-show detective is a frequent plot point throughout season one of Only Murders, which might leave you craving more stories that mix action with a look at the inner-workings of the world of actors. If so, consider Barry. The series stars Bill Hader as a stoic hitman who follows a target into an acting class, and inadvertently finds a new direction in life.

Bored to Death

Bored to Death is a forgotten HBO comedy that stars Jason Schwartzman as an author who turns his love of crime novels into a career as a private investigator. Unfortunately for him, the reality of being a P.I. is nowhere near as glamorous as he imagined it would be.

Fallet

One of the reasons that Only Murders is so much fun is because of how well it understands armchair detectives. Likewise, the genius of Fallet lies in its ability to turn the tropes of the dreary Nordic crime drama genre on its heads. When a tough Swedish detective is teamed up with a group of British colleagues who are far less acquainted with the world of gritty murders and labyrinthine mysteries, hilarity inevitably ensues.

The Flight Attendant

Unlike Mabel, Charles, and Oliver, the central character in The Flight Attendant, Cassie, is less than thrilled to find herself in the middle of a murder mystery. However, she eventually embraces her role as an amateur detective when she realises no one else is coming to clear her name after she wakes up next to a dead body with no memory of what happened the night before.

The Good Place

There’s no crime to solve in The Good Place, but the central characters are tasked with solving a pretty big mystery when Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) realises she may have been sent to “the good place” by mistake when she died. That’s the central premise of this warm and thought-provoking comedy that throws together a group of unlikely people to contemplate philosophical questions about what it means to be good. It also serves up a meaty role for Ted Danson and some forking funny jokes along the way.