Charming, warm mystery-comedy — minimal objectionable content with gay lead characters as the primary discernment consideration.
Only Murders in the Building succeeds on the strength of its three leads' chemistry, its clever mystery plotting, and its genuine warmth. The show celebrates curiosity, friendship across generations, and the human need for community and purpose. Steve Martin and Martin Short have been friends for decades and their genuine affection is visible on screen. The mystery elements are engaging without being gratuitous or violent. The show's tone is fundamentally optimistic and kind — a rarity in streaming comedy.
The primary discernment consideration is that two of the three lead characters are gay. Charles (Steve Martin) and Oliver (Martin Short) are both shown in same-sex relationships across the series without any particular emphasis or advocacy — their orientation is simply part of their character backgrounds. Mabel (Selena Gomez) has a bisexual relationship arc in later seasons. For Christians who hold biblical views on sexuality, this is a genuine consideration — not graphic but consistent across the series. Romans 1:28's standard applies, and Christians should be aware that the show normalizes same-sex relationships as unremarkable. Violence is minimal — murders are discussed and investigated but rarely depicted graphically. Profanity is mild. Spiritual content is absent. The show is rated TV-14.
Only Murders is one of the cleanest and most genuinely entertaining comedies on streaming — but its normalization of same-sex relationships is consistent throughout. Christians who can engage critically will find a warm, clever show. Those who prefer to avoid any LGBT normalization should skip it.
GodlyScore evaluates every show across nine signal categories grounded in Scripture: profanity (Ephesians 4:29), sexual content (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), violence (Psalm 11:5), LGBT normalization (Romans 1:24-27), spiritual darkness (Ephesians 5:11), glorification of sin (Romans 1:32), deception mechanics (Proverbs 12:22), virtue strength (Philippians 4:8), and redemption arc. The score reflects not just whether content is present but how it's framed — depicted critically, neutrally, or as aspirational. Only Murders In The Building scores see full guide.
See our Christian TV Reviews hub for comparisons. For episode-level content breakdowns, Plugged In and Common Sense Media complement GodlyScore's biblical framework. Age recommendation: older teenagers and adults.