In Only Murders in the Building Season 4, Episode 7, “Valley of the Dolls,” things get more tense when Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) find out that the killer has been watching them through secret cameras and have to leave the Arconia. But when unexpected visitors arrive and long-kept truths begin to come to light their getaway to Charles’s sister Doreen’s home takes an unexpected turn. A tumultuous meeting that starts out as a case breakthrough eventually reveals a connection that dates back to Season 1. Who is the murderer in reality? And why has the group been singled out from the beginning? Get ready for shocking revelations and twists in this thrilling episode.
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING SEASON 4 EPISODE 7 RECAP
The episode opens with trios on the run after discovering they’ve been surveilled by covert cameras in their apartments. They flee the Arconia and make their way to the Jersey home of Melissa McCarthy’s character, Doreen, Charles’s younger sister. However, their getaway is soon discovered when a number of unannounced guests show up — starting with Howard (Michael Cyril Creighton), who is sent to handle some investigative work.
Mabel calls Howard before they arrive in Jersey to beg for his assistance in identifying the person cashing the payments under the name Dudenoff. Oliver texts Loretta (Meryl Streep) to —breakup— but things quickly get out of control. Soon after arriving to Doreen’s, Bev (Jackie Hoffman), Eva, Zach, Eugene, and finally Loretta herself join the group.
Tension arises when Loretta shows there, driven by the text about the separation and she starts asking Oliver questions. Loretta is devastated when Oliver acknowledges that he has a hidden burner account to check in on her and that he nearly proposed to her out of fear of losing her. She had mistakenly given this ‘Ronnie’ account access to her personal information — believing that there was a real relationship. When it looks like Loretta and Doreen’s romance is about to end, a humorous altercation breaks out. Oliver apologises in the midst of the confusion, and Loretta answers with a surprise proposal of her own, fashioned into a ring by repurposing a doll’s bracelet. They’re back together in a funny and poignant moment.
Although there is personal drama going on, the group’s investigation is still ongoing. Despite Mabel’s initial plan to have Loretta divert the others, Loretta ends up encouraging Eugene, Zach, and Eva to assist with the investigation. Remarkably, they come in handy when they piece together hints from previous podcast seasons to unveil a murder wall they’ve been working on.
The three come to understand that Sazz’s murder was not the only way the mystery started. Eugene notices something startling: this case dates back to the first season of the show. He brings up the enigmatic note that was discovered on Oliver’s door in Season 1, which at first they believed to be from Jan but now appears to have been written by someone else. The gang begins to realise that from the start of their podcast, they have been the focus of a stalker.
Howard discovers through his investigation that Dudenoff’s checks are being cashed at a BODEGA. Howard finds an important clue when he bribes the owner with the prospect of having his security cat featured on a podcast — various signatures, but all checks are linked to the same phone number. Howard finds out that the cheques have been cashed by an enigmatic gang known as the Westies after looking through the security tape. Howard is called by Vince from the West Tower — who introduces himself as Dudenoff.
The episode ends with a significant discovery: Dudenoff’s murder might have been planned by the Westies. It’s unclear — though, if they are the real masterminds or merely a pawn in a bigger plot. With a foreboding “They know,” Vince informs his friends, leaving viewers to speculate as to what the last parts of this puzzle may reveal.
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