There's a huge theme this season on fathers and their relationships with their sons. That is highlighted with this episode in particular.
The anxiety peaked during the Tri-state region-wide blackout on the previous Only Murders in the Building. Lucy and the main trio appeared to be stalked by glitter guy, who appeared to have the right setting in the darkness. Fortunately, everyone escapes unscathed, and Mabel has a fair notion of who their attacker is, thanks to a tiny hint.
In "Sparring Partners," the focus is on Detective Kreps. We delve into his past and his reasons for needing to work overtime as a cop. This occasionally entails working security shifts on Coney Island. It will be interesting to see how, other than taking the lead on the investigation, he fits into the story. Kreps, on the other hand, acts more like a hired goon than a brain, indicating that there must be a criminal genius at the very top. He clearly isn’t behind this murder, so now we just need to discover who wanted Bunny dead.
As one might anticipate, Mabel and Kreps clash, but this time in a boxing gym. They can't actually fight because of decorum, so it's more of a verbal battle. Both sides exhibit haughtiness and arrogance, but only one truly gains. Despite indicating otherwise, the detective provides enough details for further investigation. When combined with what Mabel previously suspected, it pointed to a specific person. The final significant twist confirms the key suspect's dubious character.
The ninth Only Murders in the Building episode cleverly draws similarities between the three main characters as they go their own ways. While Charles is pursuing a hunch that adds another layer to the story. Yet what was nice was that this enabled him to come to terms with his father's issues and soften his posture, but Poppa Savage is still responsible for how he treated Charles' mother. Since everything appears to be connected, Charles' discovery confirms the identity of the mastermind.
A nice parallel to how Mabel and Kreps argue in the ring, Oliver fights Teddy in real life. With poor Howard acting as an innocent bystander, the altercation is more humorously staged. Oliver once again acts as the comedic relief in this episode.
The subplot continues to explore themes of fathers and sons and demonstrates how Oliver, although being devastated, reconciles his biological connection to Will. The dialogue between the ex-friends is awkward but frank. Despite this, it is still exceedingly improbable how amicable the two are given the drama they have caused one another.
The penultimate episode of season two pinpoints the true offender while wrapping up the father-and-son-centred plotlines. Oliver still brings the humour which is needed. While we're also still learning more and more about Charles and Mabel.
Hopes are now high for the season finale.
Performance | 4.5/5 |
Enjoyment | 4.5/5 |
Overall Rating | 4.5/5 |