Only Murders in the Building season 3 episode 5 recap: Did Loretta kill Ben? 

Only Murders in the Building season 3 episode 5 was titled Ah, Love! It was directed by Chris Koch and written by Tess Morris & Noah Levine. It was released on Hulu on August 29, 2023.

This episode of Only Murders in the Building saw Mable and Oliver go on dates with Tobert and Loretta respectively. While Mable and Tobert discovered a new suspect in Ben's murder, Oliver found certain clues that made him believe that Loretta was definitely Ben's killer.

Charles meanwhile ended things with his fiance Joy. She too was a prime suspect but for now, she is in the safe zone.

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Only Murders in the Building season 3 episode 5 recap: Why did Oliver suspect Loretta?

Because of the incidents of the previous Only Murders in the Building episode, Charles' fiancee, Joy had become a prime suspect in the murder of Ben. Charles was horrified by the idea that Joy was a killer, so he ended up asking her about her involvement. Joy was deeply offended by this accusation and stormed out of the room when she was confronted.

Charles wanted to break up with her because he believed Joy was a psychopath. He opened up about his thoughts to his old friend/stunt double, Sazz. While this was transpiring, Mable and Oliver went on dates with Tobert and Loretta, respectively.

Loretta and Oliver's date didn't start well but they gradually began bonding over a meal and love for art and acting. They then spoke about Ben, and Loretta called the deceased actor, a pig. Since the word, "pig" was written on Ben's mirror in his room, Oliver began suspecting that Loretta had something to do with the actor's murder.

Later that night, the duo got drunk and high and went on a boat ride. Loretta then revealed that she and Ben had a fight 30 minutes before the show started on opening night. The animosity between Loretta and Ben was known by all. Later that night, Oliver and Loretta shared a kiss.

Mable's date with Tobert was taking place in a lavish restaurant. Jonathan, one of the actors in the play, was performing in this restaurant. He was Howard's (Howard was Oliver's assistant) boyfriend and Ben's understudy. Tobert believed that Jonathan was the killer.

Jonathan was then seen involved in a mysterious transaction with an unknown man. Tobert later found out that the mystery man was, Mr. C, Ben's private doctor. Mable and Tobert then went back to her apartment and added Doctor C’s name to the list of suspects. The duo then shared a kiss.

Finally, in the end, Joy explained to Charles how she helped Ben during the opening night of the show and how her lipstick might have been misplaced during the interaction. Ben had been punched in the face by Charlie that day and Joy helped the latter cover his wounds with a little makeup.

This interaction turned their relationship sour and they ended up breaking up. The episode then cuts to Oliver and Loretta's date, where they end up in the latter's apartment. While at her apartment, Oliver looked around and found a book with newspaper clippings of Ben.

Oliver realized that it was Loretta who was obsessed with Ben. She had now become the prime suspect.

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Only Murders in the Building synopsis,

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the synopsis of Only Murders in the Building reads,

"Three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth.

It further reads,

Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living among them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it's too late."

Only Murders in the Building stars Steve Martin Martin Short and Selena Gomez. It premiered on August 31, 2021.