Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the finale of Season 4 of Only Murders in the Building.
Since Only Murders in the Building's Season 4 finale, fans have known who the show's next victim would be, but as Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mable (Selena Gomez) search for the killer, there have been more than a few surprises. However, the best twist was the reason Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch) was killed. Initially believing Charles was the real target or that Sazz died investigating a threat to him, the trio's case was derailed by false leads. While this brought them to the Westies and Dudenoff (Griffin Dunne), giving them a secondary conspiracy to explore, it turned out to be a dead end for Sazz's murder. However, they solved the case by following a different path involving an on-set accident and a stolen script.
The reason Sazz is murdered becomes the thing that connects the seemingly separate movie storyline to the murder plot by having it be Sazz's script. It also refocuses the story on who Sazz was, allowing the audience and Charles to learn more about her. The conclusion of Sazz's case provided a new perspective on the entire season. The series has had several murders as each season tells of another crime, but their investigation of Sazz's death had the best last-minute reveal that kept the audience guessing until the end.
The Reason Sazz Was Murdered Is as Much of a Mystery as Who Did It
The trio's biggest struggle in solving the case was that they didn't know why someone would kill Sazz. She made friends so easily that even convicted murderer Jan Bellows (Amy Ryan) was fond of her. This issue led to some pretty extreme theories for Charles, Oliver, and Mable as they suspect she learned about a conspiracy targeting Charles. Her research into their podcast and the fact that she wanted to have a serious conversation with Charles the night of her death serve as evidence. Yet the murder of Glen Stubbins (Paul Rudd) redirects the investigation and in the penultimate episode, the trio uncovers Sazz's connection to Marshell P. Pope (Jin Ha), or Rex Bailey.
The aspiring screenwriter was her stunt protégé before he sold a script about Charles, Oliver, and Mable's lives. Discovering this improbable connection finally got them on the right track, as they identified the murder, but when Mable found the original script in Sazz's case of beer, she put together the truth — the script was never Marshell's. As it turns out, Sazz was not killed protecting Charles, but in Marshell's effort to steal her script, which is the final piece of the puzzle that the trio uncovers.
Sazz Writing the Script Explains Everything
Image via Hulu The reveal that Sazz harbored a secret dream of being a screenwriter and wrote the script explains several story elements. Perhaps most importantly, it ties the film plot to the mystery. When Charles, Oliver, and Mable are asked for the rights to their podcast, it seems like a distraction. Despite some suspects and the assistance of Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, and Eva Longoria, the film does seem to be separate until Sazz's involvement is clear.
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Yet, the script serves another purpose. One of the big questions going into the season was why Sazz wanted to talk to Charles, and the first bit of evidence the trio follows is her research into their podcast's "plotholes," which led them to the Westies. Though it created the false belief that someone was after them, it all makes sense once the truth is revealed. Sazz wasn't investigating a criminal targeting Charles but researching for her screenplay.
The Truth Makes Sazz the Center of the Mystery
Image via Hulu When Sazz first dies, Only Murders in the Building allows the audience to believe it is Charles, playing into the theory that the killer intended to murder Charles. The result is Charles feeling guilty about his friend's death and much more emotionally charged for Charles, but it detracts from Sazz. The question of whether Sazz was the intended victim leads the trio down other paths rather than focusing on Sazz and any enemies she may have made, so it is nice when the mystery comes back to her. The reveal of why Sazz was murdered resolves Charles' feeling of blame as her connection to him didn't cause her death, making the story more personal to Sazz.
Sazz was always somewhat mysterious, keeping her pain and goals secret. Throughout the season, Charles realizes he was not the friend to her he should have been and wishes he knew her better. The script allows them one more connection by helping Charles and the audience learn more about Sazz and her dreams. Ultimately, watching the trio struggle to figure out what was going on builds the mystery of why Sazz was murdered, and the final story pays off the rest of the season, making it the best mystery Only Murders in the Building has tackled yet.
Only Murders in the Building is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
Three strangers in a New York City apartment building bond over their shared interest in true crime and form an unlikely team to investigate a suspicious death in their complex. Their amateur sleuthing quickly evolves into a thrilling quest as they navigate secrets, lies, and unexpected twists.
Release Date August 31, 2021
Creator
Seasons 4
Where To Watch Hulu
English (US) ·