'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The highly anticipated season 3 finale of Only Murders in the Building was released on October 3, 2023. After ten complete episodes, the finale, titled Opening Night, aired on Hulu and delivered a satisfying yet unexpected end to the story. Season 4 is premiering now on Disney+ in a weekly format. The season premiered on August 27, 2024, while the final episode is set to air on October 29, 2024.
The season 3 finale revealed Ben Glenroy was killed by Cliff DeMeo. While his mother, Donna, poisoned Ben with a cookie laced with rat poison, it was Cliff who ultimately shoved Ben to his death. This shocking revelation came after Ben discovered Donna's role in the poisoning and threatened to call the police.
Only Murders in the Building offers clever storytelling and intriguing plot twists. Season 3 shows Ben Glenroy's murder, with Oliver Putnam, Charles-Haden Savage, and Mabel Mora taking on their third murder investigation.
Trending
Who is Ben Glenroy's murderer in Only Murders in the Building season 3 finale?
Ben Glenroy's murder in Only Murders in the Building was a rollercoaster of revelations. At first, the trio suspected Donna, the Broadway producer, of poisoning Ben. After overhearing a conversation between Donna and her son Cliff, it became clear that Donna was responsible for giving Ben a poisoned cookie on opening night.
However, the dose wasn’t meant to kill him, just to sideline him from the show due to a bad review from a critic.
Ben, struggling with his sweet tooth and eating disorders, ate the cookie, but he survived the initial poisoning. It wasn’t until later, during an altercation with Cliff, that Ben met his tragic fate. Cliff, emotionally manipulated by his mother’s pressures, accidentally pushed Ben down the elevator shaft.
Mabel’s critical role in solving the murder
Mabel played a pivotal role in uncovering the true events leading to Ben's death. She initially believed Donna was solely responsible. However, during the opening night of Oliver’s play, Death Rattle Dazzle, Mabel witnessed a conversation between Donna and Cliff that gave way to suspicion.
Piecing together Donna’s manipulation of her son and their unhealthy relationship, Mabel realized that Cliff was involved. When she confronted him, Cliff confessed to pushing Ben during a heated argument. This revelation tied up the mystery in a neat, yet emotionally complex, resolution.
The mother-son dynamic
The relationship between Donna and Cliff was central to the season 3 finale. Donna, a controlling mother and a successful Broadway producer, sought to protect her son’s fledgling career. Cliff, an insecure first-time producer, relied heavily on his mother’s approval.
The show highlighted how Donna’s influence over Cliff led to disastrous consequences. Cliff's actions were not driven by malice but by the overwhelming pressure he felt from his mother. The final scene between Mabel and Cliff in the theater attic brought the emotional weight of this relationship to the forefront.
The final confrontation
At the end of season 3 of Only Murders in the Building, Mabel confronted Cliff in the attic, where he was hiding. He very well knew how wrong his actions had been and told Mabel that he pushed Ben but said it was an accident because he was angry. Following the confession, Cliff was about to kill himself by trying to jump out of the attic.
However, Donna got there just in time to stop him. She turned things around by stopping her son from going down the same path Ben did. Donna and Cliff were both taken away at the end of the tense scene, denoting that the murder investigation was over.
Death Rattle Dazzle’s impact
Amid the unraveling of the murder thriller, Oliver's Broadway production, Death Rattle Dazzle, occupied a central position throughout the season. The success or failure of the story was of utmost importance not only for Oliver but also for the characters implicated in the murder.
The driving force behind Donna's decision to poison Ben was her apprehension of a negative assessment that might potentially damage her son's professional trajectory. Although the play's opening night was successful, the circumstances surrounding the production catalyzed Ben's tragic death.
Moving to season 4 of the series
By the end of the finale, subtle indications of forthcoming plotlines became apparent. Loretta, following her exceptional performance in Death Rattle Dazzle, was extended offers to perform in Los Angeles.
Season 4 of Only Murders in the Building picks up where season 3 left off, with Loretta heading to Los Angeles and Charles, Oliver, and Mabel facing a new mystery. The murder this time hits closer to home, as Charles' stunt double, Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch), is shockingly found dead.
The trio dives back into sleuthing, navigating their usual blend of eccentricity and comedy, while the story unfolds against the backdrop of a Hollywood backlot doubling as New York. As the investigation deepens, they uncover hidden secrets, leading to even more unexpected twists and turns.
Precisely, the third season finale of Only Murders in the Building gave viewers a satisfactory ending to the mystery of Ben Glenroy's murder. Cliff's part as the unintentional killer that influenced his mother Donna gave the season's ending emotional complexity.
Only Murders in the Building is currently streaming on Disney+.
