Shows to Watch If You Love Only Murders in the Building

Tara McCauley

Published: Sep 12, 2024 10:05 am

Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez’s antics have proven a font of comedy gold in Only Murders in the Building. But this hit is far from the only show for those who love whodunnits and hijinks. Here are five shows perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building.

5 Shows Fans of Only Murders in the Building Will Love

5. Murderville

A man in a tan jacket speaks to a man in a vest with the word 'TRAINEE' on it in a highschool hallway

Unlike the other crime comedies on this list, Murderville utilizes a unique hybrid of scripted and improvised storytelling to weave a game show-esque mystery. In the Netflix series, Will Arnett’s Detective Terry Seattle recruits a new celebrity trainee each episode to accompany him on a homicide investigation. At the end of each installment, Seattle’s trainee must apprehend the correct suspect based on a series of murder mystery dinner theater-style clues peppered throughout their zany investigation.

The case-of-the-week format provides condensed mysteries that are genuinely fun to resolve alongside the celebrity guest star. Trainees on the series include Conan O’Brien, Sharon Stone, Marshawn Lynch, Ken Jeong, Annie Murphy, and recent Only Murders in the Building guest star Kumail Nanjiani. The series even received a Christmas special entitled Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery.

Where to Stream: Netflix

4. The Afterparty

Two men stare apprehensively at a strip of torn paper held by the man closest to the camera who seems to have the word 'NERD' imposed over his forehead

Tiffany Haddish’s Detective Danner allows each of her suspects to recount their side of events as “mind movies” in AppleTV+’s The Afterparty. More than just a crime comedy, The Afterparty‘s anthological style of storytelling invites parodies of a bevy of genres including animation, musicals, and action movies. Season 1 resolves the murder of James Franco’s popstar Xavier, while Season 2 tackles the death of Zach Wood’s newlywed Edgar Minnows.

The Afterparty is particularly fitting for fans of Only Murders in the Building episodes like “The Last Day of Bunny Folger,” which offer fresh retrospectives on a season’s homicide victim.

Where to Stream: AppleTV+

3. Trial & Error

A man stands at the door of a house and two people greet him. One is an older man with an apron on and a knife, smiling down at a younger woman who smiles politely at the man at the door

John Lithgow shines in Trial & Error, a criminally underrated mockumentary tackling the mysterious death of Margaret Henderson. Trail & Error skewers the world of true crime more directly than Only Murders in the Building and other entries on this list, as it takes direct inspiration from the Michael Peterson case. The Staircase-inspired sitcom brings Parks & Recreation‘s small-town charm to its murder board.

Where to Stream: Prime Video

2. Based on a True Story

The image is focused on two people standing in an elevator. The woman on the left looks apprehensively at the man on her left, who stares hard at her.

Based on a True Story drew comparisons to Only Murders in the Building before it even aired with its podcast-based premise bearing stark similarities to the Hulu series. However, Based on a True Story proved that carrying some aesthetic hallmarks of another successful show is not necessarily a bad thing. Much like English Teacher‘s distinct voice sets it apart from Abbott Elementary despite their shared public school setting, Based on a True Story maintains its own perspective on the true crime boom.

Unlike the affluent denizens of Arconia, Based on a True Story’s married couple attempts to capitalize on the true crime wave out of financial desperation. Kaley Cuoco’s Ava and Chris Messina’s Nathan don’t set out to solve a crime with their podcast but rather leverage their unexpected connection to a killer for monetary gain.

Where to Stream: Peacock

1. Search Party

Four people sit around a table, two of them with cocktails in hand. The man at the end of the table animatedly speaks while the rest look at him.

Alia Shawkat’s Dory Sief sets out to find both meaning and a missing college acquaintance in Search Party, a true crime series full of heart and humor. New York City plays a central role in Search Party as it does in Only Murders in the Building, with Dory roping her Brooklynite friends into her chaotic web of crime-solving. The less said about Search Party the better, as following Dory down her unexpected and darkly comedic rabbit hole is part of what makes the series so special.

Where to Stream: Max

Only Murders in the Building is available to watch now.

Only Murders in the Building

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Author

Tara McCauley

Nerd at large, Tara McCauley's happiest playing or writing about tabletop role playing games. Tara joined The Escapist in October 2023 as a freelance contributor. She covers such TV shows as Fargo and games/fandoms like Dungeons & Dragons. In addition to The Escapist, Tara has gushed about her favorite pop culture topics at CBR, MXDWN, and Monstrous Femme. When she's not writing or rolling dice, Tara can be found catching up on her favorite sitcoms, curled up with a horror comic, or waxing poetic about the WNBA.