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Since its premiere earlier this year, Murderville has been one of the more daring shows that has a unique format and packs a lot of entertainment in its short runtime.
Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery is a holiday take on the classic storyline of Terry Seattle (Will Arnett) taking on a case with the help of a guest star. To make it more fun, the guest stars are not given a script.
Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery is a special that lasts a little longer than the usual episodes and features multiple guest stars, including Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph, both known for their delightful comic timing.
The special is also Christmas-themed and deals with the murder of Santa Claus. It is absurd, funny, and a really good Christmas watch. Of course, it isn't trying to be a serious whodunnit mystery, but it is quite proficient in what it wants to be.
Disclaimer: This article purely reflects the author's opinions, which are subjective.
Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery review: The special doesn't put a brake on the fun
Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery's biggest power lies in it not taking itself too seriously. Much like the original series, by understanding what it can do with the use of this experimental medium, the series manages to carve out something out of the usual by using very ordinary elements.
The special begins with Terry getting introduced to his new trainee, Jason Bateman. This isn't the funniest the latter has been, but it is hard for an actor of his caliber to be dull. The various absurd atrocities simply show how good Bateman is at adapting to various situations. There are some moments of genuine laughter and some moments of absurdist fun.
Bateman's reaction did not let anyone down, but it was nothing like the alter introduced by Maya Rudolph, who gets down to business from the start. One of the funniest sequences in the special involved both Rudolph and Bateman trying out an undercover operation. With Terry Seattle's clever yet absurd commentary, this sequence is sure to leave fans delighted.
The film tries to introduce more surprises towards the end by bringing in another trainee, Pete Davidson. Of course, Davidson's awkwardness made it much funnier, but it was hard to see him on the same stage as Bateman, Rudolph, and Arnett, all of whom have clearly been at the peak of the comedy hill at some point in their careers.
The offbeat ending was also a big surprise and one that would leave fans giggling. After failing to figure out the criminal, the three celebrity trainees decide to take things in a whole new direction by making some abrupt guesses. This revelation was one of the more fun aspects of Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery, which momentarily led viewers to think that there would be no murderer this time.
But the special did show the murderer and the scheme, making it quite a complete film in all regards.
All in all, for those who enjoyed the original show, this would be a delightful watch. For those who don't, this may as well be a good place to start.
Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery is now streaming on Netflix.
