Thanks to the casting coup of comedic legends Steve Martin and Martin Short, Hulu's original crime comedy series Only Murders in the Building is one of the most well-received new shows to hit the airwaves in 2021. The show follows a trio of eccentric strangers who converge to investigate a mysterious murder in their apartment building and discuss their progress over a true-crime podcast.
Only Murders in the Building joins a rich tradition of hysterical detective crime comedies on television where the humorous interplay between quirky amateur sleuths and various grisly crime scenes provides endless entertainment.
Bored To Death - Stream On HBO Max
Written by acclaimed New York novelist Jonathan Ames, Bored to Death is a hilarious half-hour crime comedy that boasts a similar premise and the same hip, offbeat tone as Only Murder in the Building. Just as self-conscious as well, the show follows Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman), a failing writer who begins moonlighting as an amateur detective along with his bumbling pals, Ray (Zach Galifianakis) and George (Red Danson).
Just as Charles relies on his past experience as an actor on a detective show from the 80s on Only Murders, Jonathan also digs into past crime novels to learns the tricks of the trade on Bored to Death. Both shows prioritize quirky characters over plot and offer fascinating glimpses of life in New York.
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - Stream On HBO Max
One of the most enchanting detective comedies to watch along with Only Murders in the Building is the highly underrated HBO original series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, the first show ever filmed in Botswana, Africa. The show tracks Precious Ramotswe (Jill Scott), a brilliant and self-empowered woman who opens the country's first female-owned detective agency. Hilarious, unique, and uplifting, the show is a must-see.
Along with the help of her hilariously frazzled assistant Grace (Anika Noni Rose), Precious solves a slew of wide-ranging crimes from kidnap and illegal smuggling, to mysterious hospital deaths and more. Aside from celebrating female empowerment, the warmth of the characters and colorful setting radiates positive vibrations that not even Steve Martin and Martin Short could eclipse.
Castle - Stream On DirecTV
Nathan Fillion gives a comedic tour-de-force as the titular star of Castle, a popular mystery crime novelist who discovers that a serial killer is copying the sadistic plots of his bestselling books. As such, he manages to gain access to the NYPD's homicide unit to dig up dirt on the assailant with his partner Kate (Stana Katic).
The meta-narrative of Castle's fictional crime stories coming to life in comedic ways mirrors the self-reflexivity of Only Murders in the Building, where the three leads share an obsession over true-crime podcasts, only to start their very own when a real murder strikes The Arconia.
Monk - Stream On Amazon Prime Video
Tony Shalhoub won three Primetime Emmys for his uproarious turns as Adrian Monk, the titular homicide detective whose brilliant career is cut short due to his crippling OCD. Taking a new consultant job, his condition leads to a series of sidesplitting misadventures.
Despite the dark subject matter and tragedy befalling Monk, the show is handled with such a light, deft comedic touch that the main character ends triumphing because of, not in spite of, his obsessive-compulsive disorder. Possessing over 300 phobias while still being required to investigate grisly crime scenes provides non-stop hilarity and discomfort level all-too redolent of those in Only Murders in the Building.
Psych - Stream On Amazon Prime And Peacock
One of the most amusing and long-running detective comedy series includes Psych, which is currently streaming on Peacock and traces the wild exploits of Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez), an amateur sleuth who pretends he has psychic powers that can be used to solve crimes. When the police hire him as a result, it's up to him and his best friend Burton (Dule Hill) to make good on their promise.
Aside from the similar premise of a novice detective getting in way over their head and dealing with the deadly consequences, Psych is bound to appeal to Only Murders in the Buildings fans for the way in which underscores finding true friendship in an unlikely place.
My Life Is Murder - Stream On Acorn TV
For another breezy and hugely entertaining detective comedy, tune into My Life is Murder. Television legend Lucy Lawless stars as Alexa Crowe, an intrepid investigator taking on the establishment, and solving the most cryptic crimes while dealing with her daily misadventures in Australia. The show is essentially Veronica Mars for adults.
And like Only Murders in the Building, My Life Is Murder deserves praise for casting lead actors over the age of 50, a trend that would have likely never occurred a generation ago. Moreover, Alexa is just as capable, quirkily playful, and just as witty as Martin and Short in the way she goes about solving crimes.
Search Party - Stream On HBO Max
For fans of Only Murders in the Building looking for a darker brand of comedy with sinister overtones, the HBO original series Search Party is the place to be. The show traces a quartet of solipsistic twentysomethings who begin an amateur investigation into the mysterious disappearance of an old college friend.
The mordant sitcom marries the traditional half-hour comedy format with ground-breaking originality, with characters that are ridiculously self-absorbed yet easy to root for when they get into harrowing scenarios. Dory's (Alia Shawkat) specific storyline is also tender and touching in unexpected ways, just like that of Mabel (Selena Gomez) on Only Murders in the Building.
Death In Paradise - Stream On Britbox
For an expressly English brand of comedy relating to a droll TV detective who isn't terribly great at his job, Death in Paradise is absolute destination viewing. The show follows the grumpy exploits of DI Richard Poole (Ben Miller), a very British middle-aged detective who loathes anything related to sunshine and leisure who is sent to the Caribbean to solve a murder.
The fish-out-of-water crime comedy is the perfect across-the-pond companion to Only Murders in the Building, as DI Poole is the most quintessential of quirky TV sleuths who cannot adjust to his new surroundings. His displeasure in paradise provides endless laughs, as do the anthological sequels that feature different lead detectives.
Queens Of Mystery - Stream On Acorn TV
Given the age of their target demographics, Queens of Mystery might just be the closest to a gender-swapping version of Only Murders in the Building. The latter concerns a foursome of middle-aged crime writing sisters who use their past research to join forces and solve a series of whodunit murders in a posh English hamlet.
Just like George and Oliver do with Mabel in Only Murders in the Building, the three sisters find assistance from their 28-year-old niece Matilda (Olivia Vinall), which opens their eyes to a whole new wealth of cross-generational intel that proves invaluable to solving the murders.
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Stream On Hulu
While the show stirs in a dose of the supernatural, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency boasts the same whimsical tone, tenor, and temperament as Hulu's new crime comedy. Samuel Barnett stars as the title character, an eccentric spiritual sleuth who solves crimes through kismet with his equally off-beat partner Todd (Elijah Wood).
The absurd humor and bizarre oddity characters of the show always take precedent over the primary crime, which is a trick Only Murders in the Building also uses to keep the audience as engaged as possible and foster as much sympathy for the bumbling detectives as possible. It isn't their stellar job performances that make them endearing, it's quite the opposite on both shows.