Movies News Talk
Only Murders in the Building season 4: The Sazz Killer Reveal – Explained!
Only Murders in the Building season 4 has been a wild ride! That mystery surrounding the death of Sazz (introduced at the end of season 3) is the main plot focus; the podcasting trio (Charles, Oliver, and Mabel) must figure this one out. After a whole bunch of clues and those typical Only Murders twists, that penultimate episode (episode 9) reveals the killer! And then comes the twist! It's Marshall—who's secretly Rex Bailey, Sazz's stunt double protégé. We recently spoke to John Hoffman (executive producer and showrunner), for more insight. The discussion gives us answers; showing exactly how well they had really planned everything.
This latest season launched on August 17th and has been an intensely emotional and surprising experience, yet these small reveals continue the excitement, the questions asked of viewers, and really makes sure fans won’t miss out on a thing.
According to Hoffman's interview with The Wrap, Marshall/Rex was the killer from the very beginning! The writing team decided this upfront— working backwards! This completely shifts the overall strategy regarding this mystery! It also showcases exactly why the later storytelling choices for the show; including small seemingly insignificant details become extremely important in context of creating an overarching story arc. They deliberately placed those details. And this is why some early decisions truly impact that greater finale!
For example: Sazz's ham radio chatter (season 3, episode 5) about people wanting to "be her"—this cleverly foreshadows events! This adds deeper intrigue, creating a far stronger plotline. All this had meaning! And those aspects are exactly why planning matters so much. A deliberate foreshadowing in a classic murder mystery only elevates this particular mystery.
Season 3's ending introduces Sazz's cold case! Those elements and references presented were deeply tied to those plots within that ending scene. It was all intentional; another instance showcasing the clever strategy behind this production: Rex Bailey singed Ron Howard's eyebrows (fire incident); seemingly then killed Sazz; and took the script from her beer case! This cold case plot detail cleverly ties into those other episodes!
Episode 9 reveals the killer: Marshall/Rex. But many questions remain! Exactly how did he do this within those crucial twelve minutes? Was he alone? Accomplices? All these lingering unanswered points really suggest this isn't the last we will see these characters.
The finale (airing October 29th) promises to fill in these gaps! There's more coming and will continue that ongoing sense of excitement for all viewers! We are waiting on this with baited breath and really hoping for the very best, since we've had such an enjoyable experience this time.
Only Murders in the Building has built itself into this wildly successful, incredibly entertaining mystery show with twists at every corner and plenty of intrigue, this includes these hidden details that only show up after multiple re-viewings! The strategic planning, revealed through Hoffman's comments show a lot of deliberate efforts! Everything gets accounted for from a single source, weaving into this perfectly planned overarching narrative. This makes every scene a perfectly designed, intense moment. Fans will want to see everything; because everything might be a crucial piece, even seemingly trivial details that might have otherwise been ignored or un-noticed. This intense plot, filled with mysteries continues even up until that impending finale. It's going to be incredible!