Only Murders in the Building Boss on Cameo and ‘Doppelgängers’ Debut

Warning: The following contains spoilers regarding Season 4, Episode 1 of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.

Three years after Oliver first mistook Charles for Scott Bakula, the Golden Globe winner takes a quantum leap into the world of Only Murders in the Building.

In the Season 4 opener, Charles spots Bakula at a lavish L.A. party. At this stage, TV’s Brazzos (Charles) is unaware that Sazz Pataki, his stunt double shared with Bakula, took a bullet for him. Upon seeing Bakula from behind with a distinctive porkpie hat, Charles assumes it’s their stand-in. When they finally meet face to face, Bakula reveals he hasn’t heard from Sazz either, adding that she was supposed to double for him on a recent pilot but never showed up.

Upon returning to New York, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel discover Sazz’s tragic fate. Her body has been found in Arconia’s incinerator, leaving behind only her metal shoulder joint implanted in Bulgaria.

For series co-creator John Hoffman, having Bakula on set felt like a reunion. Hoffman and Bakula previously worked together on HBO’s Looking, where Hoffman was a writer and co-executive producer, and Bakula played Murray Bartlett’s love interest.

Bakula was well aware of his frequent references in Only Murders. According to Hoffman, the actor remarked on friends telling him, “You keep coming up on this show,” despite not understanding why. Once reconnected, Hoffman updated Bakula, turning his casual awareness into a direct involvement with the show.

“I saw Scott in a fantastic musical [The Connector] in New York before he came to shoot with us this season,” Hoffman shares. Bakula was excited to participate, even in a limited capacity, and agreed to keep his appearance a secret until Episode 1 aired.

In addition to Bakula’s cameo, the episode introduces the big-screen counterparts of the beloved podcast trio. At the aforementioned soiree, studio bigwig Bev Melon (played by Molly Shannon) announces that Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, and Eva Longoria are set to portray Charles, Oliver, and Mabel in a feature-length adaptation of their Only Murders podcast.

These “doppelgängers,” as Hoffman affectionately calls them, will recur throughout Season 4. The audience will witness how Charles, Oliver, and Mabel interact with Levy, Galifianakis, and Longoria as their characters’ counterparts.

“I like that they all develop their own distinct relationships with their counterparts,” Hoffman teases. “But I wasn’t prepared for how funny they would each be as a duo. That, to me, was the most interesting part of this casting. It provided great comedic fodder.”

How do Charles, Oliver, and Mabel’s doppelgängers affect their dynamic? According to Hoffman, they manage to ruffle feathers, compliment, and even drive each other crazy in surprising and comedic ways.

The new developments in Season 4 promise to keep fans on the edge of their seats with unexpected twists and character interactions loaded with humor.

Source: Particle News