Only Murders in the Building - Season 1

I know I'm late to this party, but for anyone else who hasn't binged ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING - SEASON 1, do it, now!

Steve Martin stars as former TV cop show star Charles Haden-Savage. The name says it all. Stuffy, reserved and closed off, Charles lives a very solitary life in the beautiful Manhattan apartment building. His neighbor Oliver Putnam (Martin Short at his very best) is a past-his-prime Broadway director who has lost none of his snark. Selena Gomez rounds out our trio as Mabel Mora, a young artist remodeling her aunts vast apartment. The three share absolutely nothing in common, except a love for true-crime podcasts. When a grisly suicide by young broker Tim Kono (Julian Cihi) in their building turns out to be a murder, the trio bond over a new podcast directed by Oliver, starring Charles and researched by Mabel.

Everyone should live in a building like The Arconia. It's stunning, loaded with places to hide, sneak and conceal nasty little secrets. And what a cast lives on these elegant floors.

Michael Cyril Creighton (Spotlight) is Howard, a cat-loving eccentric whose cat didn't like Tim Kono. The hilarious Jackie Hoffman (Glass Onion) and Jayne Houdyshell deliver laughs as grumpy tenants, Nathan Lane is brilliant as Greek Deli magnate Teddy Dimas, living in a sprawling apartment with his deaf son Theo (a terrific James Caverly). Russell G. Jones (Motherless Brooklyn) is a therapist stumbling over himself to recruit tenants and Sting delivers huge laughs as himself.

Everyone ends up as a suspect at one point or another during the ten episode arc.

The smart writing by Martin and co-creator John Hoffman manages to deliver rapid-fire laughs every few seconds, but also detours into very serious territory as we learn more about the past of our leads. The dramatic moments are never clumsy and an episode almost entirely signed by Lane and Caverly is something special, without fumbling into self-important territory.

Producer Dan Fogelman created "This Is Us" and brings a sure hand to the perfect blend of 80% humor, 20% drama.

I haven't even mentioned Amy Ryan (The Office) as Charles first love interest in years. A symphony bassoonist with a quirky sense of humor, her first dinner date with Charles is a highlight. Da'Vine Joy Rudolph nearly steals the show as Detective Williams, whose hate for true-crime pod casters runs deep.

At the center of every episode, Martin, Short and Gomez deliver. It's the most carefree and fun that Martin's been in years and Martin Short brings all his patented manic energy and flawless delivery to Oliver. Watching him micro manage every word of the podcast had me of the floor. Short is fantastic.

Gomez is new to me, I've never seen her in anything before, but she's impressive, holding her own alongside the two legendary veterans.

It's been a long time since we laughed this much, episode after episode as we binged Season One. True to its intelligent structure, the final episode perfectly set up a surprising twist for Season Two.

We can't wait to dig in.

Check into the Arconia today.

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING - SEASON 1 gets an A.