The end of a season of 'Only Murders in the Building' leaves a very specific void. Where else can you find that perfect blend of cozy mystery, sharp comedy, and endearing, unlikely detectives? We miss the Arconia, but the good news is, you don't have
to.
Poker Face
If you love the 'case of the week' feel but crave a modern twist, meet your new obsession. 'Poker Face' stars Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale, a woman with an uncanny ability to know when someone is lying. This isn't a superpower; it's a finely tuned instinct that gets her into, and out of, a world of trouble. Fleeing a dangerous casino boss, Charlie travels across America, stumbling into a new murder in every town. Much like 'Only Murders,' each episode is a self-contained puzzle box with a delightful cast of guest stars. The show flips the script by revealing the killer upfront, making the central mystery not a 'whodunnit' but a 'how-will-she-prove-it-dunnit.' It swaps the singular, luxe setting of the Arconia for dusty highways and quirky small towns, but it maintains the core joy of watching a brilliant, unconventional mind solve crimes the professionals can't.
Search Party
Imagine if Mabel, Charles, and Oliver were self-absorbed Brooklyn millennials, and you've got 'Search Party.' The series kicks off when Dory Sief (Alia Shawkat) becomes obsessed with the disappearance of a college acquaintance she barely knew. This vague sense of purpose snowballs into a full-blown, amateur investigation, dragging her reluctant boyfriend and narcissistic friends along for a dark, hilarious ride. 'Search Party' masterfully satirizes millennial culture while delivering genuine suspense. Like the 'OMITB' trio, Dory and her crew are wildly unqualified to be detectives, and their meddling often makes things catastrophically worse. While the tone skews darker and more satirical, it shares that core DNA of average people giving their aimless lives meaning by inserting themselves into a true-crime narrative with shocking and often disastrous results.
Bored to Death
This HBO gem is the spiritual predecessor to the modern comedy-mystery. Jason Schwartzman stars as Jonathan Ames, a struggling Brooklyn writer who, after a painful breakup, impulsively posts a Craigslist ad offering his services as an unlicensed private detective. Sound familiar? The show is a loving, witty homage to classic film noir, following Jonathan on a series of low-stakes cases that spiral into chaos. What truly makes it an 'OMITB' companion are his partners in crime: his eccentric, pot-smoking magazine editor boss (played by a magnificent Ted Danson) and his cartoonist best friend (Zach Galifianakis). The trio's dynamic—a blend of neurosis, vanity, and genuine friendship—is a clear blueprint for the Arconia's finest. It has the same literary, distinctly New York sensibility and proves that a good mystery is always better with funny, flawed friends.
The Flight Attendant
For those who appreciate the 'stylish woman wakes up next to a dead body and must solve the murder to clear her name' trope, 'The Flight Attendant' is your first-class ticket. Kaley Cuoco stars as Cassie Bowden, a reckless, alcoholic flight attendant whose life implodes after a one-night stand in Bangkok ends with her discovering her date's lifeless body. With no memory of the night, Cassie becomes her own lead investigator, clumsily retracing her steps across the globe while the FBI and potential assassins close in. While it leans more into the thriller side of the genre, the show's engine is Cassie's chaotic, funny, and deeply human performance. Her method of solving the crime—piecing together fragmented memories and talking to the victim in her head—is as unorthodox as anything Oliver, Charles, and Mabel would cook up.
