'Only Murders in the Building' fans have just one question ahead of Season 4: Who poisoned Winnie the Dog?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Only Murders in the Building' has been a huge hit on Hulu ever since it premiered in 2021. The mystery comedy series stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as true-crime podcasters who investigate a series of murders in their posh apartment building and produce podcasts about those cases.
Three seasons in, and the series usually ties up its whodunit plots neatly, but one mystery lingers. Ahead of the release of Season 4, fans hope to learn who tried to kill Oliver Putnam’s dog, Winnie.
Oliver Putnam's dog was poisoned in 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 1
In Episode 3 of 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 1, Charles-Haden Savage, Oliver Putnam, and Mabel Mora were trying to solve Tim Kono's murder mystery when Oliver found a threatening note at the door of his apartment.
During that time, Oliver's beloved pet bulldog, Winnie was also poisoned. Oliver assumed that it must be the same person who killed Tim and left the threatening note.
Although the mystery of Tim Kono's murder was solved by the end of Season 1, we didn't get answers to who poisoned Winnie.
Jan, a known poisoner, seemed more likely to target humans. Teddy Dimas, known for threats, might have left the note on Oliver’s door, but there's no evidence he’d poison a dog. Detective Daniel Kreps appears suspicious, but the timeline doesn't fit for him being the culprit.
Fans speculate over the unanswered mystery in 'Only Murders in the Building'
In Seasons 2 and 3 as well, creators of the show don't unravel the mystery, which leaves fans reaching their own conclusions.
Several fans speculate Jan to be the culprit. A Reddit fan said, "I thought it was Jan lol."
Another fan agreed as he wrote, "Jan, she's a poisoner."
However, a fan dismissed the theory of Jan being the culprit as he cited, "I also assumed it was Jan, but after rewatching the second season again they love lots of little red herrings, that never get directly addressed so maybe it was that? Dogs eat A LOT of dumb stuff so maybe it was an accident/coincidence?"
Another fan speculated, "Bet it was Matthew Broderick, he just looks guilty," while someone added, "Moriarty, Howard did it because he thought that Winnie killed Sevelyn."
Did Winnie die in 'Only Murders in the Building'?
Although in Episode 3 of Season 1, it seemed like Winnie had died of poisoning but luckily she didn't. Oliver's son, Will, who is a vet, treated her and took care of her until she recovered.
Oliver was relieved that his beloved pet survived the mishap.
Show's co-creator John Hoffman has deliberately kept the identity of Winnie’s attempted killer a mystery. He said, “We like our loose ends. I don’t mind carrying loose ends from Season 1 to Season 2, from Season 2 to Season 3," as quoted by TV Line.
“There is a long game plan involving some of these clues,” he further added.
How to stream 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 4?
In Season 4 of 'Only Murders in the Building' the trio will investigate the murder of Sazz Pataki, Charles’s stunt double, which served as a cliffhanger in Season 3's ending.
A part of the description of the teaser reads, "As Charles, Oliver & Mabel race back to New York, they embark on an even more epic journey — traversing their building’s courtyard to delve into the twisted lives of the Arconia’s West Tower residents."
The upcoming season will premiere on Hulu on August 27, 2024.
'Only Murders in the Building' Season 4 trailer