Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The fourth season of the cosy, quirky whodunnit Only Murders in the Building begins with perhaps the most perplexing mystery of them all. Why would anyone want to kill Steve Martin — or at least his equally avuncular amateur sleuth alter-ego, Charles-Haden Savage? When veteran TV star Charles’s long-serving body double becomes the latest person to meet their demise at New York’s gilded, blood-splattered Arconia residence, the suspicion is that Charles may have been the intended target. On the case as ever with Charles are his partners in true-crime podcasting, mellow millennial Mabel (Selena Gomez) and loquacious luvvie Oliver (Martin Short), who are grateful to find more content for their audio investigations almost literally on their doorstep. “We’ve been very lucky with people dying in our building,” notes Charles before later realising that he may very well be the next in line. If much of the show’s comforting appeal stems from its gently macabre humour and familiar patterns, then an awareness of this has warded off the potential staleness that comes with repeating a format year after year. An occasional change of scene also helps, with last season’s foray on to Broadway followed here by a visit to Hollywood, where a film based on the trio’s hit podcast is in the works — much to attention-seeking, name-dropping Oliver’s delight and Mabel’s discomfort.It’s at this point that things get a touch surreal as Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria appear as versions of themselves who have been cast to portray the trio in the upcoming Only Murders movie. And as Charles, Oliver and Mabel look for leads in their new case, the three actors shadow them, magnifying and dissecting their features and foibles. “Nobody does ‘a little worried’ like you,” Levy tells Charles. A delightfully cutting Galifianakis meanwhile does more violence to poor Oliver’s ego than the elusive murderer could ever inflict.More killer cameos are to come. Meryl Streep reprises her role as Oliver’s girlfriend, fledgling actor Loretta, as does recent Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) as a cop exasperated yet impressed by the DIY detectives.Yet for all the abundant whimsy, wilfully outdated pop-culture references and timeless one-liners (an elderly limo chauffeur is described as “driving his own hearse”) the plot is well-crafted and the characters richly drawn. That the show tackles themes of loss and loneliness, growing up and ageing, self-doubt and self-certainty without ever succumbing to earnestness is a testament to the light-touch writing and charming performances. There aren’t many things more enjoyable on TV than the sight of Martin and Short riffing with one another. Here’s hoping Charles lives to see another season.★★★★☆First episode on Disney+ from August 27, with new episodes weekly. On Hulu in the US
