Warning: Spoilers for Only Murders in the Building.
Only Murders in the Building’s co-creator advises viewers to pay attention to the show’s opening credits for clues. The murder mystery streams on Hulu, and it follows three strangers (portrayed by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) that live in the fictional Arconia building and share an obsession with true crime. Not long after bonding over their love of a popular podcast, the trio finds themselves investigating the murder of fellow Arconia resident Tim Kono (Julian Cihi).
Only Murders in the Building premiered on August 31, making the first three episodes available to subscribers. Early in its run, the show has already teased and seemingly ruled out several suspects from neighbors that weren’t particularly fond of Tim to music icon Sting. But with each potential individual that appears to be innocent, a number of other questions and twists pop up. For fans that are eager to find out where the show is headed, and others who are developing their own theories, series co-creator John Hoffman has some advice.
Hoffman, who created Only Murders in the Building with Steve Martin, spoke with E! Online. He noted that the animated opening credits change very slightly with each episode. The change points to a specific question about the episode itself. Or, more broadly, it reveals something about the larger mysteries of the show. You can read Hoffman’s quote below.
“Within our gorgeous open opening credits, which we worked very hard on, yhere is a slight difference. An Easter egg is dropped, basically. A slight thing to pick up and find in each episode’s opening credits that points to a little mystery within that episode, or within the mystery at large.”
The opening credits start off with Charles (Martin), Oliver (Short), and Mabel (Gomez) in their respective apartments at The Arconia. As the credits continue, namechecking the rest of Only Murders in the Building’s cast, the three characters each leave their apartments and take the stairs to meet outside the building. While this happens, the camera pans away to quickly reveal what other Arconia residents are up to behind closed doors. Many of these residents, practically all of them, confess to strongly disliking Tim during their guest appearances. So it’s possible that these are where some of the changing Easter eggs are located, though Hoffman doesn’t elaborate.
Many shows have utilized changing credits to express something about the episode that follows. The Simpsons is a famous example, as the cartoon classic has altered details that long-time viewers have picked up on. The X-Files is another, with the sci-fi staple occasionally shifting the tagline away from “The Truth Is Out There.” This is usually done to convey the added significance of the story ahead. It remains to be seen what the animated opening of Only Murders in the Building, and its accompanying Easter eggs, ultimately reveal. But eagle-eyed fans will definitely be watching closely after Hoffman’s latest remarks in the hopes of solving Tim’s case.
Only Murders in the Building airs Tuesdays on Hulu.
Source: E! Online