Will Arnett's Netflix show Murderville includes plenty of unscripted moments, but the show isn't entirely improvised. Released on Netflix in February 2022, Murderville is a six-episode comedy series from the BoJack Horseman and Arrested Development actor. Murderville stars Arnett as Detective Terry Seattle, a down on his luck detective who cycles through different partners each episode as they attempt to solve the latest murder case.
One of the biggest selling points of Murderville is its use of improv to create its comedy, which allows Arnett and his various partners plenty of opportunities to riff and have fun. The show gives him a wide range of partners, including comedians like talk show host Conan O'Brien, former NFL star Marshawn Lynch, and a variety of actors and actresses such as Eternals' Kumail Nanjiani and Sharon Stone. Each episode of Murderville begins by introducing Terry Seattle's new celebrity partner and mentions that they are clueless about what is going to happen, resulting in the improv nature of the series.
As people watch Murderville, the line between what is improvised and what is scripted becomes blurred. The truth is that the show mixes a lot of scripted or planned moments into its improvised elements. The core of Murderville's improvisation comes from the guest stars, as none of them receive scripts for the episode. Everything they say and do is completely up to them. This gives Will Arnett and Murderville's other main cast members opportunities to improvise as well. For example, the initial conversation Seattle has with his new partners is entirely improvised from the moment they enter his office until the chief comes in to tell them about the new murder.
Despite all of Murderville's improv, there are plenty of moments that are scripted in some fashion. It seems most of the scenes where the guest stars are not involved are scripted, as many of them tie into the overall story the show is telling with Terry Seattle. This includes his relationship with chief Rhonda Jenkins-Seattle. However, there are also parts of the murder investigations and suspect interrogations that are scripted, too. The suspects know they have to do or say certain things to provide the necessary clues for Murderville's guest stars, but Arnett also occasionally has to do or say something specific so the other scripted actors can pull off these moments.
Overall, the majority of Murderville is still improvised in some fashion since the guest stars are completely in the dark about what is supposed to happen. It's often the improvised elements of the show that lead to the guest star or Will Arnett breaking and laughing. But the show still needs some structure and ways to get clues or go to new suspects, which is why portions of Murderville have to be scripted. Otherwise, the murder mysteries could spiral out of control if no one was aware of where the story needed to go.