Summary
“Sitzprobe” utilizes a playful humor and a dramatic finale to great effect. The formula is starting to feel a bit repetitive now though, but the series continues to make the most of this format with another entertaining installment.
“Sitzprobe” is the term used in theater land to describe the rehearsals, which involve the exciting addition of a live orchestra so that the musicians and the singers can synchronize together. In the eighth installment, Oliver (Martin Short) instigates a rather dramatic Sitzprobe that includes a whole cast and crew interrogation from the police and many more big reveals in the murder case.
The episode begins with Loretta divulging more of her backstory. She was a successful, up-and-coming actress at school, but her career seemed to be reaching its untimely end when she suddenly fell pregnant. Loretta decided to give the baby up to concentrate on her acting.
Why is Loretta obsessed with Dickie?
It is then revealed that Dickie is her son, the very baby who was given up for adoption. Loretta followed Dickie’s life through the papers and proudly gathered news clippings in her book. This explains her obsession with Ben. She was, in fact, only ever interested in Dickie, Ben’s brother and manager.
The opening ends with Loretta writing Dickie a confessional letter, although she panics when she can’t find her news clippings book. Straight away, Loretta knows that Oliver has stolen it.
As the title suggests, Oliver’s Sitzprobe follows. The cast and crew prepare for their first rehearsal with live music. Loretta asks to speak with Dickie after rehearsals.
And then Mabel shows up unexpectedly, disrupting Oliver’s big day. The podcast trio meets up in private to discuss the current turn of events.
Mabel informs them that she thinks that Dickie could be the killer. All the cast and crew are then sent an alert, Gregg has been released from prison. The case has been reopened. Then, the greatest distraction yet occurs, with the police bursting in. Detective Williams wants to interrogate the whole cast and crew, and now the investigation is restarting.
The trio manages to convince Williams to perform the questioning in the theater. Charles sets her up in his dressing room. He awkwardly tries to listen in on the questioning but is soon kicked out. Oliver does likewise, but Detective Williams doesn’t have any of it.
Only Murders in the Building Season 3, Episode 8 (Credit – Hulu)
What does Mabel find in KT’s office?
Meanwhile, Howard realized what the noises were inside KT’s office on opening night. Somebody was shredding evidence. Howard tries to piece together the shredded remains but is fresh out of luck. While Mabel finds rat poisoning in the same room.
Loretta confronts Oliver about the stolen book. Oliver admits that he took it; he wants to know what it all means. Loretta is hurt to hear that Oliver doesn’t trust him anymore. Oliver promises her that he doesn’t think she’s the killer, but Mabel suspects Dickie instead.
The actress is worried that her son may be wrongly accused of murder. She speaks with Mabel, hoping to gain some further insight. Mabel lays out the possible motives for Dickie killing Ben. When Loretta speaks with Dickie in private, she starts to doubt herself as well, believing Mabel’s theory after all.
While Charles performs his infamous patter song, Oliver plants a camera in Detective Williams’ interrogation room. They manage to fool her and record the rest of the interrogations without her knowledge.
Charles and Oliver then explain this scheme to Mabel. She’s impressed with their sneaky plotting and accepts them back into her friendship group. The trio are back working together once again.
After deceiving the police, Oliver speaks with Loretta in private. He apologizes for mistrusting her and declares his love to Loretta. She then takes to the stage for her solo number. While she sings, Charles and Mabel go through her bag, finding the book and the letter to Dickie.
Only Murders in the Building Season 3, Episode 8 (Credit – Hulu)
Dickie’s mother
Charles and Mabel flick through the evidence. They now know that Loretta is Dickie’s mother. Then the police turn up to take Dickie away for questioning. Loretta stops her big musical number abruptly and shouts down to the police in the aisles.
Loretta states that she is the killer; she poisoned Ben and then pushed him down the elevator shaft. The police swiftly arrest her instead, letting Dickie go free.
Oliver can’t quite believe that Loretta would confess to the murder. He has another heart attack there and then on the spot. The cast and crew rush to his aid, calling out for help.
What did you think of Only Murders in the Building Season 3, Episode 8? Comment below.
