While investigating Lester's death, the clues lure Charles, Oliver and Mabel out of Manhattan - and straight into some dangerous territory. A look back at Lester's early days at the Arconia reveals how a young dreamer became a steadfast doorman. The trio stumbles upon a crucial piece of evidence. With time running out, they scramble to solve the mystery before the police close in on them.
"Nail in the Coffin" was written by John Hoffman & Taylor Cox and directed by John Hoffman
The podcast brought fame and relevance to Charles, Oliver and Mabel. They are influential because of what've they done in solving four murders now. The podcast isn't the focal point of the show. It's merely a vessel for how this trio tells stories. In turn, those reveal who they fundamentally are as they face a changing world. Others wants a piece of their commercial success. That's why Hollywood was interested in adapting the first season as a film. And now, the trio are being pursued for investigations outside of the Arconia. Sofia Caccimelio presented Charles and Mabel with an offer they couldn't refuse. They did. Oliver fears the consequences because of Sofia's mob connections. It's easy for Charles to reject the Mayor's plea for the trio to endorse his re-election campaign. It's insane that Lester's funeral is a stop on the campaign trail. The Arconia is central to New York's rich history. It's full of wild secrets. Yet another hidden passageway is discovered. A secret casino resides beneath the building.
The podcast brought fame and relevance to Charles, Oliver and Mabel. They are influential because of what've they done in solving four murders now. The podcast isn't the focal point of the show. It's merely a vessel for how this trio tells stories. In turn, those reveal who they fundamentally are as they face a changing world. Others wants a piece of their commercial success. That's why Hollywood was interested in adapting the first season as a film. And now, the trio are being pursued for investigations outside of the Arconia. Sofia Caccimelio presented Charles and Mabel with an offer they couldn't refuse. They did. Oliver fears the consequences because of Sofia's mob connections. It's easy for Charles to reject the Mayor's plea for the trio to endorse his re-election campaign. It's insane that Lester's funeral is a stop on the campaign trail. The Arconia is central to New York's rich history. It's full of wild secrets. Yet another hidden passageway is discovered. A secret casino resides beneath the building.
The trio always had their doubts about Lester's death being an accident. Now, they know Lester was handed a bag full of money before he died. Meanwhile, Oliver stumbles upon Nicky's body. Sofia feared the worst about her missing husband. She thought he would be exposed for being a fraud. He was pretending to be a mobster. He never actually accomplished anything. His connection to the Arconia and the money would suggest otherwise. He held the secret to opening the hidden room. Charles and Mabel arrive at the same destination. They work as a team. The structuring always inferred that something was coming with Oliver wandering into the dry cleaners. It's completely random though. It was staged so that Nicky's body would be found. It had to occur in the most absurd way possible. Oliver couldn't relax into life as a newlywed. Instead, a body had to fall on top of him. That's his physical hurdle while Charles faces his own existential crisis. It was an escalation from him finding a severed finger amongst the leftover shrimp from his wedding. That initial moment was amusing. The physical humor elsewhere was more hit or miss. For example, Uma's reaction to Charles investigating Lester's body was far funnier than the cringe of him doing it.
Grade: B
"After You" was written by Ben Smith & Ella Robinson Brooks and directed by John Hoffman
Lester was the doorman at the Arconia for 32 years. He had dreams when he first accepted the job. He wanted to become an actor. Over time, he came to love the building and its tenants. He was invested in their lives. In turn, they loved him too. They couldn't always show it. Charles and Oliver were frequently caught up in their own lives to notice him. However, he was always there. He stood watch to protect the people of this place. The heart of the Arconia is now missing. The trio saw his death as a murder. The premiere essentially confirmed that. The few glimpses of his final moments indicate that something traumatic happened. That's only a piece of his life story. It was tragic. He couldn't always determine the outcome of his life. However, he made something of himself. He was part of the old world. His profession has become obsolete. He still provided human connection. That's what the residents of this building need more than anything else. He offered reassurance when they didn't believe anything good could happen. Sure, it's amusing how he would always offer Harrison Ford as an example. That's part of his charm. He was trained to see every detail.
Lester was the doorman at the Arconia for 32 years. He had dreams when he first accepted the job. He wanted to become an actor. Over time, he came to love the building and its tenants. He was invested in their lives. In turn, they loved him too. They couldn't always show it. Charles and Oliver were frequently caught up in their own lives to notice him. However, he was always there. He stood watch to protect the people of this place. The heart of the Arconia is now missing. The trio saw his death as a murder. The premiere essentially confirmed that. The few glimpses of his final moments indicate that something traumatic happened. That's only a piece of his life story. It was tragic. He couldn't always determine the outcome of his life. However, he made something of himself. He was part of the old world. His profession has become obsolete. He still provided human connection. That's what the residents of this building need more than anything else. He offered reassurance when they didn't believe anything good could happen. Sure, it's amusing how he would always offer Harrison Ford as an example. That's part of his charm. He was trained to see every detail.
Lester also blamed himself when a murder occurred in the Arconia. Lorraine provided support. It was a tragedy that he couldn't have prevented. After four happened, he started to fear his own limitations. He wasn't doing enough to protect the tenants. He was letting them down. No one felt that way. He placed that pressure on himself. He was present for these people's lives. Deaths occurred in the building. Howard's mother died while he was caring for her. It's heartwarming that she was accepting when he eventually came out. Similarly, Lester was thrilled upon seeing Mabel with friends after their adventures together when she had none. It's so moving. He was an empathetic human being. He accepted the burden of this job. He was advised not to ask too many questions about what Nicky was doing. He could never retire until Nicky said so. Lester led a comfortable life. He found love. He raised a family. He was surrounded by people who cared about him. Yet control over it was falling out of his grasp. He couldn't leave even though he was training his replacement. Instead, he became the fifth murder the trio has to solve.
Grade: A-
"Rigor" was written by Max Searle and directed by Chris Koch
Tech, pharmaceutical and real estate billionaires are the new mobsters. That's what the podcast declares when the trio finds out who gambles in the Velvet Room. The twist offers more specificity while connecting to modern events. Previously, the trio only had stereotypes about what to expect when associating with the mob. Nicky played into those fantasies. However, his murder is the first case the trio are investigating where they didn't know the victim. They have a blank canvas to explore. They have to fill in the gaps. His death must be connected to Lester's in some way. They both participated in the power-wielding antics beneath the Arconia. They died on the same night. The trio conducting an impromptu autopsy in Charles' kitchen has to be one of the more insane things they've ever done. Afterwards, Mabel leads with confidence. She feels grounded in her life. She's secured and fulfilled. All of that goes away when she reunites with her former friend, Thé. The popular singer is the new owner of the penthouse. She's completely unaware of what has taken place in the building over the years. She views her presence as entirely beneficial to Mabel. They should exploit that. That's not what Mabel needs. In fact, she hates the way her friend looks down on her.
Tech, pharmaceutical and real estate billionaires are the new mobsters. That's what the podcast declares when the trio finds out who gambles in the Velvet Room. The twist offers more specificity while connecting to modern events. Previously, the trio only had stereotypes about what to expect when associating with the mob. Nicky played into those fantasies. However, his murder is the first case the trio are investigating where they didn't know the victim. They have a blank canvas to explore. They have to fill in the gaps. His death must be connected to Lester's in some way. They both participated in the power-wielding antics beneath the Arconia. They died on the same night. The trio conducting an impromptu autopsy in Charles' kitchen has to be one of the more insane things they've ever done. Afterwards, Mabel leads with confidence. She feels grounded in her life. She's secured and fulfilled. All of that goes away when she reunites with her former friend, Thé. The popular singer is the new owner of the penthouse. She's completely unaware of what has taken place in the building over the years. She views her presence as entirely beneficial to Mabel. They should exploit that. That's not what Mabel needs. In fact, she hates the way her friend looks down on her.
The bonds developing between Mabel and Thé as well as Oliver and Randall are tangible. They occur in reality. Meanwhile, Charles continues to hallucinate conversations with dead people. His interactions with Nicky's body reaffirm his constant fear of his own death. He's too old for it to be a surprise to people. He will be mourned. People will notice his absence. Life will keep moving. Mabel has so much ahead of her. Charles doesn't think the same for himself. That's bleak. He's still willing to risk his life to stage a crime scene. Oliver wasn't thinking when he transported Nicky's body from the dry cleaners to Charles' apartment. Mabel took advantage of the situation. The trio found the clues on the body without it being tampered by the police. When Charles returns it, he spies corrupt cops who are just trying to fulfill a certain story. It doesn't matter what they stumble upon. They have their orders of what to report. That's further evidence that Lester's death wasn't accidental. The police have been compromised. A lot of pieces are just being introduced. There are plenty of reasons to be hopeful as the story develops. The focus remains on the trio grappling with who they are and what they are meant to be doing. They are united in the podcast. Now, they must grapple with the harsh realities they've refused to confront in the past. They can't be distracted by the glamour of show business any longer.
Grade: B
