The best funny murder mysteries to stream after ‘Only Murders In The Building’
The best funny murder mysteries to stream after ‘Only Murders In The Building’
Keep the laughs and clues coming with four shows that turn murder mysteries into pure streaming comfort.
If you’ve been following Charles, Oliver, and Mabel since the beginning, you know “Only Murders in the Building” is only getting better the longer it goes. Five seasons in, the Arconia trio is still solving crimes, cracking jokes, and somehow topping themselves every year. The Season 5 finale dropped Tuesday, Oct. 28 on Hulu, and it’s another reminder of why this show is so special. The humor is smart, the mystery always lands, and the chemistry between Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez is impossible to beat. So, now that we know who was behind Lester’s murder, it’s time to turn our attention to the next case. Here are four shows that capture the same mix of wit, heart, and who-done-it charm that make “Only Murders” so addictive.
Only Murders in the Building
Three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one.
Loved ‘Only Murders in the Building’? Watch: ‘The Afterparty’
Season 1 (which is the best) of “The Afterparty” completely reimagines the murder mystery format. The show centers on a murder at a high school reunion, with Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) trying to figure out which of the guests is responsible. The twist is that every episode retells the night’s events from a different character’s point of view.
Each version of the story also plays out in its own style: one episode feels like a rom-com, another like a noir thriller, another like a musical, and so on. The creativity in how it’s told makes the mystery feel fresh and fun instead of formulaic. The performances from Haddish, Sam Richardson, and Zoë Chao keep everything grounded even as the show jumps between tones. If you love “Only Murders” for its humor, structure, and cleverness, “The Afterparty” hits that same sweet spot in a completely different way.
The Afterparty
Nothing is as it seems in this hilarious murder mystery where each suspect’s story is told through a different film genre.
Try out: ‘Based on a True Story’
If “Only Murders” makes you laugh at how obsessed people can get with true crime, then “Based on a True Story” takes that idea to the next level. The series follows Ava and Nathan (Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina), a couple who accidentally cross paths with a real-life serial killer. Instead of turning him in, they convince him to start a podcast with them about his crimes. It’s a terrible idea that plays out exactly as you’d expect… funny, chaotic, and full of tension because, you know, they’re hanging out with a killer.
Cuoco brings the same manic charm she showed in “The Flight Attendant,” while Messina plays the perfect reluctant partner. Their chemistry and timing make the darker moments hit harder. Now, the show was cancelled after an uneven Season 2, but it’s all still worth watching because of just how good that first season is. Check it out.
Based on a True Story
The lives of a realtor, a plumber and a former tennis star unexpectedly collide, exposing America’s obsession with true crime, murder and the slow-close toilet seat.
Watch next: ‘Bad Sisters’
“Bad Sisters” is all about family, loyalty, and revenge, just with a darkly funny edge. It follows the Garvey sisters after the suspicious death of one of their husbands, a man so awful that everyone in the family had a reason to want him gone. The story unfolds in two timelines, showing how each sister’s plan went wrong and how the investigation closes in on them in the present.
Claes Bang is excellent as the husband everyone loves to hate, and Sharon Horgan leads an incredible cast of women who bring both comedy and heart to the story. It’s a rare show that balances humor with genuine emotion and still delivers a killer mystery. My wife and I just started Season 2 on Apple TV, and I was really curious about how they were going to turn the story to make a second season make sense. The good news? It’s working! Don’t miss this show.
Bad Sisters
The tight-knit Garvey sisters have always looked out for one another. But when the toxic brother-in-law they all wanted dead actually dies, it turns their lives upside down and tests their bond like nothing before.
Wild card pick: ‘Poker Face’
From Rian Johnson, the creator of “Knives Out,” “Poker Face” is a modern take on the classic detective format. Natasha Lyonne stars as Charlie Cale, a woman with an uncanny ability to tell when someone is lying. On the run after a close call with her boss, she ends up solving murders across the country using her instincts and quick wit.
Each episode is its own self-contained mystery, with a different cast of guest stars and settings, from casinos to rest stops to quiet suburbs. The show’s structure feels like an updated version of “Columbo,” and Lyonne’s offbeat humor makes it impossible to stop watching. It’s funny, stylish, and surprisingly heartfelt. With two really great seasons out there, it’s the perfect time to start watching on Peacock.
Poker Face
Follow Charlie Cale, a woman with an extraordinary ability to tell when someone is lying, as she hits the road and, at every stop, encounters a new cast of characters and crimes she can’t help but solve.
More to watch after finishing ‘Only Murders in the Building’:
‘Bad Monkey’ | Apple TV
Bad Monkey
A detective turned restaurant inspector in Southern Florida is pulled into a world of greed and corruption after a tourist finds a severed arm while fishing. And yes, there’s a monkey.
‘Monk’ | Prime Video
Monk
Adrian Monk was once a rising star with the San Francisco Police Department, legendary for using unconventional means to solve the department’s most baffling cases. But after the tragic (and still unsolved) murder of his wife Trudy, he developed an extreme case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Now working as a private consultant, Monk continues to investigate cases in the most unconventional ways.
‘The Residence’ | Netflix
The Residence
A brilliant, eccentric detective must solve a murder in the White House residence — where the staff and guests at a state dinner are all suspects.
‘The Flight Attendant’ | HBO Max
The Flight Attendant
Flight attendant Cassandra Bowden wakes in her hotel room hungover from the night before in Dubai with a dead body lying next to her. Afraid to call the police, she continues her morning as if nothing happened. In New York, she is met by FBI agents who question her about her recent layover in Bangkok. Still unable to piece the night together, she begins to wonder if she could be the killer.