Only Murders in the Building Season 4 Episode 7 Review: Valley of the Dolls

Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0

5

Talk about a mystery wrapped in an enigma with a dash of chaos! Only Murders in the Building Season 1 Episode 7 hit us with shocking revelations and enough surprises to keep even the most die-hard Arconiacs on their toes.

Not only did we finally discover who’s been cashing Dudenoff’s checks, but we also learned that the person trying to take out Charles and the rest of our lovable trio has ties all the way back to Only Murders in the Building Season 1. 

Oh, and in case you missed it, Oliver is heading to the altar!

Yeah, you read that right. But that’s just scratching the surface of this whirlwind episode. 

Let’s dive into the chaos!

Here Comes the Groom!

Now, I was ready to kick off this review with something like “honesty isn’t always the best policy,” and boy, does that apply to Oliver!

After Loretta dropped by Doreen’s house, Oliver spilled his guts like there was no tomorrow.

Doreen, by the way, was played by the always brilliant Melissa McCarthy, who shines as Charles’ sister — a lonely Long Island housewife with a soft spot for Oliver, at least until Loretta made her surprise entrance.

What really blew me away was Oliver’s vulnerability. He had the perfect chance to sugarcoat things with Loretta, but nope, he kept it real. 

I seriously can’t believe they’re engaged! Wait… does this mean Meryl Streep is sticking around as a regular? 

Don’t get me wrong, I love her, but this could shake up the show’s entire dynamic. Will this romance mess with Oliver’s focus on the podcast and his bond with Charles and Mabel? That’s something we’ll have to keep an eye on.

We’re still three episodes away from the finale, so there’s plenty of time for things to get wild. 

And honestly, while I want to see Oliver happy – because, let’s face it, he’s been through a lot – I’m also a bit nervous about how it’ll all play out. 

Are they going to move to L.A.? Will Loretta just pop in now and then? 

Or is this engagement going to cause some serious tension when reality hits? Maybe our trio will even relocate to sunny California and investigate murders out west. Who knows?

One thing is for sure: that catfight between Loretta and Doreen? Absolute gold.

And when Eva Longoria swooped in to coach Doreen mid-brawl, I was laughing my ass off.

Catfights…and Howard?!

Speaking of Longoria, she wasn’t the only guest star who delivered big. Eugene Levy and Zach Galifianakis also joined the chaos, blowing the case wide open while our trio slept!

These three laid out all the clues we’ve been missing, and suddenly, Sazz’s murder might not be linked to the Westies after all.

We can also cross Jan and the Brothers sisters off the suspect list.

But the shocker? Whoever is gunning for Charles and the gang is someone from Season 1. My jaw dropped right along with our trio’s. 

It’s funny how an outsider’s perspective can highlight the things we’ve missed, and that’s exactly what the guest stars brought to the table this episode.

Let’s not forget Howard — good ol’ Howard!

While it’s no surprise that he couldn’t keep his mouth shut, why on earth did Mabel trust him by telling him where they were going in the first place?

This brings me to another one of my wild theories: Could Howard be the mastermind behind all this? It would be a jaw-dropper, but it kind of tracks.

Remember when our trio suspected him of something shady way back in Season 1? It’s been a while, so I can’t remember exactly why they were suspicious of him back then.

In my review of Only Murders in the Building, Season 4 Episode 6, I mentioned that the extra camera the trio found looked awfully similar to the one Howard used on Gravy.

Could this all come full circle? If Howard’s behind it, I hope we get some flashbacks that remind us why he was suspicious in the first place.

But, of course, that would raise even more questions.

Like, who’s the mysterious person crossed out in the photo at Fish’s apartment? And how does Sazz’s death tie into Dudenoff’s murder?

Were they both victims of the same killer, or are we looking at two separate crimes? It’s a mystery wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in yet another mystery!

Despite all the head-spinning twists, this episode was one of the best yet.

The guest stars didn’t steal the spotlight from our core trio, which kept the show feeling cohesive and, most importantly, fun.

I’m dying to know who Sazz’s real killer is (aren’t we all?)! Could it really be Howard? Or maybe Uma? (Please, no, but then I feel that way about Howard, too!)

And how did Howard even get his hands on Doreen’s husband’s phone number to tip him off about the Westies?

So many questions, so little time! But that’s part of the fun, right? We can speculate all we want while we wait for the next episode to drop.

Over to you, fellow Arconiacs — are you as shocked as I am? Could Howard really be the killer, or is this just another red herring? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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