There are several aspects of Only Murders In The Building that adhere to the rules of the murder mystery genre. Season 1 ends with a massive plot twist as viewers find out that Jan killed Tim Kono, there are several red herrings throughout, and the three main characters are determined to crack the case.
But as fans dive into season 2 of the hit Hulu series, it's clear that the series ignores some tropes that are often part of murder mysteries. Every episode of Only Murders In The Building moves past some conventions of the genre.
The Killer Deserves Empathy
The "Sympathetic Murderer" trope is used sometimes, and viewers often feel empathetic toward them based on their motive or backstory. This is more fascinating than simply presenting an evil villain who doesn't have much else going on.
Season 1 of Only Murders In The Building has funny characters, huge shocks, and a fully formed villain in Jan. There's no way to feel badly for Jan or feel that she did the right thing as she knew exactly what she was doing. When Mabel Mora, Charles Hayden-Savage, and Oliver Putnam learn about Jan, they definitely don't feel anything but shock and disgust.
There Are Two Killers
Perhaps the most famous example of the murder mystery trope of having two killers is the first Scream movie as Billy Loomis and Stu Macher are the team going after Sidney Prescott and the residents of Woodsboro. This was a huge deal at the time as no one thought that there would be two Ghostfaces.
This murder mystery rule is called "Two Dun It" and is often a big surprise as it can be hard to guess. While it remains to be seen if there will be two murderers in season 2, Jan worked alone when she murdered Tim.
Anyone Could Be A Suspect
The "Everyone Is A Suspect" trope might work the best out of any of them. When it's impossible to tell who is good or evil, it's fun to keep watching a thriller or horror film or TV show.
While Charles, Mabel and Oliver keep investigating murders in their own residence, some characters are clearly not murder suspects. Viewers know that the trio is innocent and that Cinda Canning and Oliver's son Will didn't kill Tim.
The Death Wasn't On Purpose
Sometimes, when the killer is revealed in a murder mystery book, movie, or TV show, they didn't mean to kill the victim. This revelation often comes with a long monologue explaining what happened.
Since when viewers find out that Jan murdered Tim, which is one of the biggest Only Murders In The Building plot twists, she makes it clear that she meant to kill him, the show doesn't use this trope. Jan and Tim had an affair and Jan thought that he was unfaithful and wanted him gone. It also seems likely that Bunny Folger's murderer meant to go after her.
A Mystery On A Train
There's a popular mystery trope referred to as "Thriller on the Express" and the story takes place on a train. Pretty Little Liars uses this trope in the season 3 episode "This Is A Dark Ride" when the characters celebrate Halloween on a creepy train.
Only Murders In The Building doesn't use this trope and keeps the mystery to the Arconia, a perfect setting since Charles, Oliver and Mabel have incredibly huge, beautifully decorated apartments that are fun to watch.
The Killer Is Upset At Being Found Out
The show also breaks the murder mystery rule that is often used: when the main characters discover the killer, the killer feels that they could have kept their crime a secret. This trope is called "You Meddling Kids."
Instead of being upset, Jan is excited to share what she did, and she doesn't seem upset at all. It even seems like Jan wanted to be discovered as she doesn't feel that she did anything wrong and she wants Charles to know all about it.
An Intelligent, Capable Journalist
There are many great characters in Only Murders In The Building, from podcaster Cinda to Detective Williams, but the show breaks the rule of having a journalist who looks into the mystery and tries to solve the crime.
Instead, the trio are the ones who play this role, questioning the residents of the Arconia and gathering evidence. They share what they learn with the riveted fans of their podcast. The audiences finds out the clues at the same moment as the characters, which makes it more fun.
Someone Else Is Killed
Several murder mysteries feature one big murder that the story focuses on and then one or two other characters are killed throughout the course of the story. This proves that the main characters are in danger and it feels like the stakes couldn't be higher.
Season 1 focuses on the murder of Tim and season 2 on Bunny's tragic death, and while fans learn that Mabel's friend Zoe Cassidy did die years ago, that happened in the past.
Characters Are In The Country Together
Many mysteries focus on characters at one setting that is far from a city, like a reunion or party at a house in the country. This is called the "Ten Little Murder Victims" trope. This can be scary to watch since the characters don't have an easy way to escape.
While the many likable Only Murders In The Building characters all live in the same apartment building, they don't travel away from New York City and spend time at a country house.
The Story Is Told From The Killer's Perspective
Sometimes, a mystery will be told from the perspective of the killer, whether fans find out right away or later on. This is an interesting trope as it's often shocking.
While fans do learn more about Jan and it seems likely that will also be true of the season 2 killer, both seasons focus on the three main characters, with some episodes sharing the backstories of minor players.