WARNING! This List contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building season 2!
With season 2 of Hulu’s murder mystery series Only Murders in the Building under way, everyone is still trying to figure out who killed Bunny. After wrapping up Tim Kono’s death in season 1, it seems like all of the tenants see themselves as detectives and have a hunch. And when everyone’s got something to say, that just means everyone’s got something to quote.
The podcast trio always keeps Oliver on his toes recording one-liners worth sharing with their fans. But some of the best quotes from the side characters in season 1 had very telling things to say that may have even been foreshadowing. Maybe some of the best quotes from season 2 will be clues as well.
Silvia Sums Up The Situation (Season 1, Episode 6)
“Have you ever felt like there was something you screwed up so bad, you’ll never forgive yourself?”
When Mabel, Charles, and Oliver show up at Mabel’s childhood home they have the privilege of sharing dinner with her mother, Silvia, and Oscar. After dinner conversation gets a bit too heavy for Mabel, Charles and Oliver head into the kitchen as Silvia cleans up the dinner dishes. They dive into their usual attempt at discreet interrogation with her.
When reflecting on sending Mabel to the Arconia during school breaks to stay with her rich sister, she delivers this line that neatly sums up every character’s entire arc for season 1. Nearly every character in Only Murders in the Building has faced some regret that feels too big to move past. Oliver’s career, Charles’ love life, and Mabel’s disconnect from Tim would all seem to answer this question with a yes.
Cinda's Thoughts On Second Chances (Season 1, Episode 4)
“What’s more dangerous? Taking advantage of a second chance, or letting it you by?”
As Charles wraps up his post-date repair at Jan’s door, Mabel is exploring a memory from her childhood with Tim, and Oliver discovers a breakthrough angle for the podcast. Each character, in their own story, is taking a step into a risky future. By now, they have made it clear that they are done living stuck in their past, stagnant and defeated.
Cinda Canning’s voice-over from her podcast, All Is Not OK in Oklahoma, introduces the closing moments of this episode that assure the viewer these characters will not go down without a fight. Each of them is making the decisions that they are willing to face the dangerous road ahead if it means a chance to make things right.
Detective Williams On Loneliness (Season 1, Episode 6)
“But even if you’re not alone, it doesn’t mean you don’t need help sometimes.”
Detective Williams opens the episode revealing how her independence came from a place of protecting herself. Not wanting to be let down or disappointed, and feeling like she was the only one who she could count on to show up for herself, had become survival. But introducing her life partner and their soon-to-be-born son led to this quote and her self-discovery at the end of the episode.
Charles, Oliver, and Mabel had all gotten to the point where there was no denying they couldn’t do this on their own either. Whether it was finding the courage to ask someone out, itting the death of their last career, or letting someone in as a friend again, each of them had some demons to face that were too big to tackle by themselves. Just like Detective Williams, they had to come to the vulnerable place of needing someone’s help.
Theo's Reality Check (Season 1, Episode 7)
“Maybe you’re bored because all you have is touring through other people’s lives.”
Theo and Zoe stand on a roof deck chatting using ASL, as she decompresses from a spat with Oscar. Theo, clearly enamored, genuinely says all the things she wishes someone would say. But once she scoffs at his advances, he becomes offended and less endearing. Theo challenges Zoe’s self-pity and calls out her reckless behaviors, revealing he’s been a witness to her secrets.
Theo didn’t know he was not only making an observation about Zoe in this quote but almost a prophecy of what would become the lives of these professed detectives as a result of that exact rooftop conversation. Charles, Oscar, and Mabel sneak around trying to figure out the murder mystery to try to distract themselves from their own lives. It’s not until they begin to unravel some of their own involvement that they can start to see the big picture.
Teddy Shows His True Colors (Season 1, Episode 8)
“You'll make the right choice. Because if you don't, well, I know where you live.”
Mabel, Charles, and Oliver are driving back to the Arconia with Teddy after a blindfolded back-of-a-van experience with Theo ends at a dump. Temporarily perceived as their rescuer, Teddy makes sure their car ride is just as uncomfortable.
Teddy exposes more of his character as the trio presses to solve the mystery of Tim Kono’s death. His guilt is looking more and more apparent with each episode. However, it is through this evasive threat that they are reminded, whoever the murderer may be, there is one thing they can be sure of, he knows where they live.
The Bird Speaks (Season 2, Episode 1)
“F*** off, Oliver.”
After getting blasted by Cinda Canning on her new podcast, Only MurderERS in the Building, Oliver and Charles head over to Mabel’s apartment to vent about it. She is promoting her show by making the trio out to be the prime suspects - and that isn’t a stretch from what everyone else is thinking.
Suddenly interrupted, they hear Bunny say, “F*** off, Oliver.” This short and sweet quote is important because it reveals the next development in their defense. As they stumble upon, and eventually through, a duct that leads to Bunny’s apartment some new questions arise that, if answered, may clear their names and make the viewers feel like master detectives.
Charles' Father Dreams Big (Season 2, Episode 2)
“Look at that building Charles. I hit it big, we’re gonna live there.”
A young Charles and his father are walking down the city street practicing lines for the father’s audition when they happen upon the Arconia. His father sits him on a bench and tells him some dreams he feels his wife is stifling for them. The father seems to be more self-involved and in his own thoughts than present with him.
Knowing that Charles eventually becomes an actor living at the Arconia himself clues the viewer into how he made his life decisions. And his father’s influence on Charles’ apartment selection is what ultimately leads to him being in this predicament - more so than anyone originally expected.
Mabel Visits Alice's Multipurpose Studio (Season 2, Episode 2)
“Sometimes I like to cry back here because I’m a fraud. It’s a multipurpose space.”
Mabel is finally staring her dream of becoming an artist in the face. With all of the recognition the murders at the Arconia is getting her, Mabel gets a message from a well-established artist looking to put Mabel out there as more than a suspect. Alice appears to have perfect timing to interest Mabel’s engagement, in more ways than one.
Upon their second time meeting at Alice’s workspace, she starts their conversation with this provoking quote. As the main characters can relate at one point or another to feeling like an impostor, is Alice just relatable and vulnerable, or is she actually unconsciously warning Mabel? Alice comes across as suspicious to the viewer, but Mabel seems more comfortable with her than expected.
Amy Schumer's Warning (Season 2, Episode 2)
“Never touch my dumpster art.”
The painting, which has become nearly as elusive as the murderer’s identity, has suspiciously made its way into Amy Schumer’s apartment. Oliver is visiting her to discuss plans for a podcast-turned-television series starring Amy Schumer as Jan and discovers the very painting everyone is looking for. Oliver makes an unsurprisingly clumsy try at charming the painting out of her possession without success.
In this hilarious moment, Amy calls it dumpster art because at one point the trio had the painting but they hid it between two dumpsters. Since the painting was stolen from Bunny’s apartment everyone is equating whoever stole the painting with whoever murdered Bunny. So the last thing they wanted was to be caught in possession of it.
Leonora Speaks Of Ghosts (Season 2, Episode 2)
“What once was a place of joy is now haunted. Or maybe it was always haunted - you just can’t see the ghosts until you’re close to being one yourself.”
When Bunny’s mother, Leonora, shows up at her memorial, Oliver, Charles, and Mabel have their names cleared. She doesn’t suspect them but is certain they know something. She spends considerably more time talking with Charles about the painting than she spends talking with anyone about Bunny.
As she pulls away from the apartments she leaves this apt quote hanging in the air. Reflecting on death, which feels ever-looming at the Arconia, and the joys of what feels like a past life, Leonora leaves everyone with the challenge to face the reality of their present.