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Only Murders in the Building fans share same frustration following major reveal in penultimate episode

Mabel, Oliver and Charles solved one of the season's biggest mysteries in episode nine


Paul Rudd as Ben Glenroy in Only Murders in the Building
Megan Bull
TV Writer
On 27 September 2023
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In the words of Mabel Mora, the besties are back! And they're onto a whole new suspect. As Only Murders in the Building returned with its penultimate episode on Wednesday, our favourite crime-solving trio pieced together a timeline of events from the day Ben died. Warning, spoilers below…

WATCH: Only Murders in the Building season three - trailer

After discovering that Ben was actually talking to the cookie on his dressing table – rather than the killer – Mabel, Oliver and Charlies determined that the cookie, laced with rat poison, was the original murder weapon. And who was responsible? None other than theatre producer Donna, who was trying to protect her son's debut as a producer on Broadway. 

Ben Glenroy  talking to Cliff in Only Murders in the Building© Hulu
Ben Glenroy had been talking to the cookie in his dressing room

While the reveal surprised a number of fans, many have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to vent their frustrations, after theorizing that Ben was talking to the cookie weeks ago. 

"I've been saying for WEEKS, from the second we saw Tobert's footage, that Ben was talking to a cookie. AND I WAS RIGHT #OMITB," wrote one. 

"I've been screaming IT WAS THE POISONED SCHMACKARY'S COOKIES at the TV every week for like a month #onlymurders," added another. 

Cliff holding a cookie in Only Murders in the Building© Hulu
The cookie in Ben's dressing room had been laced with rat poison

Back in August, one fan had already tweeted, "Seems pretty obvious Paul Rudd was talking to a plate of cookies in his dressing room, not a person. #OnlyMurders." And a second agreed, penning: "90% sure that Ben himself wrote '[expletive] pig' on the mirror after eating a pile of cookies in his changing room. #OnlyMurders." 

In need of a recap? Here's the full breakdown of episode 9…

Following Charles and Oliver's genius stunt, which involved the duo planting a camera in the dressing room during Detective Williams' interrogations, the True Crime aficionados were able to work out what happened on the last day of Ben's life. 

Mabel, Oliver and Charles standing by the murder board© Hulu
Mabel, Oliver and Charles created a timeline of events using the footage from Detective Williams' interviews with the cast

After an argument with Loretta, which prompted Charles to punch Ben in the face, the actor, feeling low, headed back to his dressing room, but not before chatting to one of the show's producers, Donna. 

In what seemed like a genuine moment, Donna told Ben to head back to his dressing room and take care of himself, which is exactly where the CoBro star discovered a cookie, which had been laced with rat poison. 

Donna in Only Murders in the Building© Hulu
Donna poisoned Ben to protect Cliff's Broadway debut as a producer

After endless speculation, Mabel, Oliver and Charles finally realised what happened. The conversation that Tobert's camera had accidentally captured between Ben and a mystery person, wasn't a conversation at all. 

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READ: Only Murders in the Building: inside Selena Gomez's sweet friendship with 'best friends' Steve Martin and Martin Short

Instead, it was revealed that the actor had been talking to the cookie, which tempted him to break his fast. Frustrated at himself for eating the cookie, Ben then called himself a '[expletive] pig,' which he wrote on his dressing room mirror with a lipstick that Joy had left behind. 

As for the big reveal, Oliver, recalling a conversation he had with Donna, determined that she had actually read the scathing review about Ben, penned by theater critic, Maxine. In a bid to protect her son and fellow producer, Cliff, from a disastrous Broadway debut, Donna, eyeing the rat poison in the theatre's office, cooked up a plan to remove Ben from the equation. 

Loretta in court © Hulu
Will Loretta go down for a crime she didn't commit?

While Ben managed to survive the poisoning before being pushed down an elevator shift at the Arconia, next week's episode will surely reveal who dealt Ben the final blow. Is Donna responsible or is there another killer on the loose? And will Loretta go down for a crime she didn't commit? Looks like we'll have to wait for the grand finale. 

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