'Only Murders in the Building' just turned this guest star into Season 4's most beloved character
Contains major spoilers for 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 4
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Just when Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) thought that they had nabbed the killers of Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch) and Professor Dudenoff (Griffin Dunne), Episode 8 of 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 4 introduced a major twist that nobody expected. The Westies, which includes Vince Fish (Richard Kind), Rudy Thurber (Kumail Nanjiani) and Sauce Family (Daphne Rubin-Vega, Desmin Borges, and Lilian Rebelo) were the suspects ever since the investigations began. When it was found out that Dudenoff was dead, the podcaster trio's suspicion grew stronger.
'OMITB' S4's Episode 8 kicks off with the trio brainstorming ideas to get the confession from the Westies. They come up with a plan to host a card game in the presence of Hollywood celebs Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy, and Eva Longoria. The revelations made from hereon not only invalidated the trio's suspicion of the Westies but also melted our hearts with a touching backstory of one of the guest stars of Season 4.
'Only Murders in the Building' Season 4 Episode 8 uncovers Dudenoff's story
The Westies share their experiences of how they first encountered Dudenoff and gradually formed a friendship with him. The Sauce Family used to bring him his food orders. Vince was a solitary individual who chose to enroll in his classes. Rudy was one of Dudenoff's students, while Helga worked as a locksmith.
They reveal how Dudenoff used to host a card game called Oh Hell every Friday evening and that's how they all met each other. The acquaintances soon turned into family. Dudenoff, who owned several apartments on a floor of West Tower, didn't want to sell them off. Following in the footsteps of his dead wife, who used to help people in need, he offered his new friends to move into these empty apartments.
One night, he dropped everyone a note, inviting them to his funeral in the basement. He revealed that he was dying of a disease and had only a few months to live. Considering his new friends as his family, he wanted them to continue living in West Tower and requested them to keep his death a secret. He popped some pills and recorded a message for Helga. The Westies then burned his body in the incinerator, as per his directions.
Griffin Dunne's Dudenoff emerges as 'OMITB' Season 4's favorite character
Played by Griffin Dunne, Dudenoff is undoubtedly our favorite character this season. Though he has a very limited screen appearance, his name echoes throughout the series. It's exciting how the show created a mystery around this character without showing who he was and then overwhelmed us with his touching backstory.
The shift in his character is worth noting. At first, he is the prime suspect in Sazz's case only to be later found out that he died three years ago. However, Episode 8 sheds further light on his life as a teacher, friend and neighbor. The Brother Sisters couldn't have asked for a better mentor than him. Even for Rudy, he served as a motivator, prompting him to pursue his passion. The way he bonded with Helga over a song and a card game, also shows how we can find friendship when we are least expecting.
Dudenoff united a group of strangers, weaving them into a bond that feels even stronger than that of a blood family. Even after his death, this group remains just as close, continuing their card game tradition and upholding their commitment to helping those in need—such as when Mabel desperately needed a place to stay. The ability of the creators to pick a cameo character and make him the star with a touching story once again reminds us why we love this show.
Eight episodes of 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 4 are available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu