Only Murders in the Building - Characters & Cast

Initially, his motivation is intellectual curiosity and a love for puzzles, stemming from his time playing a TV detective. This evolves into a deep-seated need to protect his new friends, Oliver and Mabel, who have become his de facto family. He finds a renewed sense of relevance and purpose through the podcast and the relationships it fosters, which becomes his driving force.

Charles begins as a lonely, semi-retired actor, famous for playing the detective "Brazzos." He is socially awkward and lives a life of quiet routine, haunted by a failed long-term relationship. Initially hesitant to join the investigation, the podcast gradually draws him out of his shell. Across the seasons, he learns to embrace friendship, becoming a protective, father-like figure to Mabel. He confronts his past, reconnects with his former step-daughter, and even finds love again (albeit with a murderer in Season 1). His journey is from a life of solitude and past regrets to one of connection, vulnerability, and active participation in a found family.

His primary motivation is a desperate desire for a career revival and a return to the spotlight. He sees the podcast as his ticket back to relevance. Over time, this is supplemented by a genuine love for his friends and the thrill of the investigation. He also seeks to prove to his son, Will, that he can be responsible and successful again.

Oliver starts as a financially destitute Broadway director, desperate for a comeback after a string of spectacular flops. He is flamboyant, dramatic, and often comically self-absorbed. The podcast is initially just another "show" for him to direct. However, the investigation forces him to confront his financial irresponsibility and his strained relationship with his son. Through his friendship with Charles and Mabel, Oliver's theatricality finds a new, more earnest purpose. He rediscovers his creative passion, not just for the sake of fame, but as a way to connect with people and tell meaningful stories, culminating in his return to Broadway in Season 3.

Mabel's motivation is deeply personal. She is driven by a need for justice and truth, not for entertainment, but to make sense of the tragedies in her own life. She seeks to solve the murders to heal her own wounds and protect the few people she allows herself to get close to. Her primary goal is to find closure and build a future for herself free from the ghosts of her past.

Mabel is introduced as a cynical, guarded young woman renovating her aunt's apartment in the Arconia. She is the emotional core of the trio, possessing a sharp mind and a personal connection to the first victim, Tim Kono. Her arc is one of healing from past trauma. The first season forces her to confront the death of her childhood friend, Zoe, and her role in the events that followed. Through her friendship with Charles and Oliver, she slowly lets down her emotional walls, learns to trust again, and begins to figure out her path in life. She evolves from a lone wolf haunted by her past to the empathetic heart of her found family.