‘Only Murders'
More stars join Season 4 cast
'Only Murders': Production on the next season of “Only Murders in the Building” is currently underway, and the Season 4 cast is looking like a stacked list of who’s who in Hollywood.
We already know that Meryl Streep (“Don’t Look Up,” 2021) is reprising her role from Season 3 as Oliver’s (Martin Short, “Schmigadoon!”) love interest, Loretta Durkin. Comedy legend Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”), Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”) and Molly Shannon (“Saturday Night Live”) have also been announced as new cast members, along with Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover,” 2009) and Academy Award nominee Kumail Nanjiani (“The Big Sick,” 2017).
According to Variety, both Nanjiani and Galifianakis will appear in recurring roles that are being kept under wraps, though a source indicated that their characters will be “integral to the twist and turns of this season’s investigation.”
Exactly which investigation, you might ask? The Season 3 finale revealed who killed Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd, “Ant-Man,” 2015) and why, but it also set up Season 4 by revealing the next murder victim: Charles’ (Steve Martin, “The Pink Panther,” 2006) longtime stunt double, Sazz Pataki (played by “Glee” actress Jane Lynch), who was shot while heading up to Charles’ apartment to deliver some important news.
Count on the main sleuthing trio of Mabel (Selena Gomez, “Selena + Chef”), Charles and Oliver to gather all the puzzle pieces needed to solve that murder mystery, even if it takes them (briefly) to Los Angeles, as teased during the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour.
Other plot details are being kept secret for now, and there’s no release date yet for Season 4. But for Nanjiani, “Only Murders in the Building” marks a return to Hulu, home to the limited series “Welcome to Chippendales,” which earned him an Emmy nomination. The actor/comedian, who stars in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (now out in theaters), also appeared in the Hulu series “History of the World, Part II.”
Run aground: Abandon all hope — it doesn’t look like “Our Flag Means Death” will get a muchneeded reprieve, sadly.
Produced by filmmaker/ actor Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” 2017), who also starred as Blackbeard opposite Rhys Darby (“Flight of the Conchords”), “Our Flag Means Death” is a humorous look at the oftenchaotic misadventures of gentleman-turned-pirate Stede Bonnet (Darby) and his crew of misfits as they faced threats from naval warships and other pirates.
Back in January, it was announced that Max had canceled the pirate-themed comedy despite a critically acclaimed two-season run. Fans launched a campaign to save the show, and series creator/showrunner David Jenkins (“People of Earth”) reassured them that he was attempting to find a new home for it.
But it looks like the show truly will not go on. “I can officially confirm that we’ve reached the end of the road. At least as far as this sweet show is concerned,” Jenkins recently wrote in a lengthy post on Instagram. “After many complimentary meetings, conversations, etc., it seems there is no * alternate home for our crew. Thank you to all of you who sent us out with tremendous love and care.Your campaign was noticed across the industry. But more importantly it made all of us who worked on this show better able to deal with the loss.”
Jenkins went on to thank the fans, but his signoff also prompted speculation about a possible future collaboration: “We won’t say goodbye, because we’re not leaving. We’re just taking a breather until next time we can share something together.”
Che and the City: And just like that, the “Sex and the City” universe has seemingly said goodbye to arguably its most divisive character.
According to Variety and Deadline, Sara Ramirez (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is reportedly leaving “And Just Like That...” ahead of the “Sex and the City” revival series’ third season.As nonbinary standup comedian Che Diaz, Ramírez has been a regular since Season 1, when the fictional podcast co-host became the catalyst for Miranda (Cynthia Nixon, “The Gilded Age”) leaving her husband, Steve (David Eigenberg, “Chicago Fire”).
A fan favorite, Steve being pushed aside didn’t exactly endear Che to viewers and fans online, where reactions were largely negative. The writing team responded by doubling down on Che in Season 2, which explored more of Che’s character and revealed a more vulnerable side.
Despite this attempt at a more fleshed-out, complex character, we seem to have reached the end of the character’s arc. Variety’s source attributed Ramirez’s widely reported departure to the fact that “the Che character had reached a natural conclusion” following the end of their relationship with Miranda, though Max hasn’t officially commented.