The MVP: Selena Gomez Anchors Only Murders in the Building’s Absurdist Tendencies

Editor’s Note: Welcome to The MVP, a column where we celebrate the best performances TV has to offer. Whether it be through heart-wrenching outbursts, powerful looks, or perfectly-timed comedy, TV’s most memorable moments are made by the medium’s greatest players—top-billed or otherwise. Join us as we dive deep on our favorite TV performances, past and present:

[Spoiler Warning: Contains spoilers for Episode 3 of Only Murders in the Building Season 4.]

It’s often the hardest job to be the no-nonsense, grounded person on a set filled with over-the-top comedic personalities. Not only do you have to act as the audience insert, being the one person in the room with a rock-solid hold on conscience and common sense, but you also have to avoid becoming a one-note caricature of a buzzkill. And while some performers would crash and burn when placed in a trio with comedic legends Martin Short and Steve Martin, Selena Gomez holds her own in the infinitely delightful Only Murders in the Building. 

Gomez, who is a first time Emmy nominee for her performance in Season 3 of the Hulu mystery comedy series, has often been overlooked in this stacked ensemble—and not just by the Television Academy. Gomez has been underrated and underestimated for the show’s entire run, but it’s her deadpan delivery and earnest moments that keep Only Murders from spinning out with a flip of Oliver’s scarf or on the heel of an anxiety-fueled dream sequence. Four seasons in, Gomez is more comfortable than ever in Mabel’s shoes, and her performance in Episode 3 highlights just how integral she is to the structure of the series. 

In this latest episode, titled “Two for the Road,” Only Murders breaks form by allowing the name-drop guest stars to stick around much longer than their other jokey peers (like Season 1’s Sting appearances or Season 2’s Amy Schumer cameo). No, instead of bowing out after Episode 1’s Hollywood introductions, Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy, and Zach Galifianakis (playing themselves playing Mabel, Charles, and Oliver, respectively) make their way to the Arconia to shadow their non-Hollywood inspirations. While Charles (Martin) pairs up with Eugene to interrogate Vince (Richard Kind) and Oliver (Short) tries to make himself seem interesting enough to keep Zach on the project, Mabel teams up with Eva to investigate the Christmas-loving Rudy (Kumail Nanjiani). However, before long, Eva makes it crystal clear exactly what she thinks of the “real” Mabel: she finds her boring, and aims to transform this character into something more exciting, even giving her name a new pronunciation for good measure. 

In a way, Eva’s assumptions about Mabel and her insistence that her character be “elevated” beyond her usual demeanor personifies those who have underestimated Gomez for the series’ entire run, putting a face to the faceless masses that have taken to Twitter (X) to express their complaints about Mabel’s comparatively demure air. But it’s these moments with Eva in Rudy’s apartment that solidify just how imperative Mabel’s cautious and slightly dour outlook is when paired with her flamboyant partners—whether that be Charles and Oliver, or Eva herself in this scene. While Eva swings around Rudy’s (fake, as we come to learn) gun and attempts to make him confess, Gomez’s level head and shocked performance accentuates the humor of the scene, all culminating in Rudy’s confession that he’s not a murderer—he just hates Christmas. In the aftermath of the reveal, Mabel is surprised, and gestures to everything in his apartment that speaks to the contrary, and Gomez’s deadpan delivery and hilariously subtle gesture only elevates the ridiculousness even further. She acts as the perfect window to how a real person would react when faced with a gun-wielding Eva Longoria and the reveal that this Christmas-obsessed man actually despises the very thing decorating his entire life. 

By the end of the episode, we watch as Mabel, taking a page out of Eva’s book, rips down the caution tape blocking off the killer’s apartment and decides to make this place her own. Her reason for squatting is twofold: if the owner wants her gone, he’ll have to show his face to kick her out, which will allow them insight into the mysterious man; on the other hand, she also needs a place to stay after losing her apartment last season. In a sweet exchange, Oliver and Charles come to throw her a housewarming party, and Charles tells Mabel that he’s worried she’s putting herself in danger. But Mabel, ever the pragmatist, tells Charles that she worries about them all the time, and that this apartment gives her the perfect vantage point to watch over each other. It’s that chemistry between Gomez, Martin, and Short that is the grounding force behind this series; as Mabel continues to learn, grow, and change like any young woman, she has the best company to do it alongside, and the effortless rapport and clear love between the three leads bleeds so simply into this scene and those like it. 

With so much absurdity coloring a show like Only Murders, which has only become more ludicrous as the series has gone on, Gomez—and, by extension, her connection with Short and Martin—has tethered this story to a tangible reality. Where Charles and Oliver continually live with their heads in the clouds, Mabel is anchored firmly to the ground, helping bring her friends down to Earth, all while they push her outside of her comfort zone. It’s a fantastic dynamic for a series that is both an engaging murder mystery and a zany comedy, and it’s all held together by the fantastic performances at its center. Gomez might not get her flowers this weekend at the Emmys (I think we all know the statue will likely go to Ayo Edebiri for The Bear—even if I’m pulling for Jean Smart), but I’m glad she was finally recognized with a nomination, finally gaining the praise she deserves for her invaluable role in one of the best shows on the air. 

Anna Govert is the TV Editor of Paste Magazine. For any and all thoughts about TV, film, and her unshakable love of complicated female villains, you can follow her @annagovert.

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