By Laken Franchetti, Assistant News Editor
“Murderville” is a new six-episode Netflix series that follows celebrity guests as they attempt to solve murder mysteries. Will Arnett is the lead character throughout the show, acting as homicide detective Terry Seattle. Each episode has him leading a new celebrity guest through a murder investigation. However, there is a catch. The celebrity guests get no script, so they have to fully improvise their way through the investigation. The guests on the show include Conan O’Brien, Marshawn Lynch, Kumail Nanjiani, Annie Murphy, Sharon Stone, and Ken Jeong.
The beauty of the show is that at the conclusion of the murder investigation, the celebrity guests are told to pick one of three suspects. As seen in the show, the wrong suspect can be chosen, and this plays into the unscripted nature of the series. Additionally, with no script, the cast is bound to break character due to jokes. Ken Jeong is most guilty of this as nearly every line from his co-stars makes him break down laughing to the point where Arnett says, “You’re out of control.” Both celebrity guests and scripted characters crack throughout the series, yet the best is when the apparent dead people start to laugh at the jokes made. This is not hidden in the show, leaning into how ridiculous the series really is.
Without a doubt, the breakout star of the series was former NFL player Marshawn Lynch, who appeared in episode two. Almost ninety-nine percent of what he said cannot be quoted because of explicits, but trust me when I say he was hilarious. In describing his experience with investigative training, Lynch notes that he watched Training Day, so he appears well equipped. Throughout the episode, Lynch makes perfectly timed jokes and comments on the stupid nature of the show. Other honorable mentions include Kumail Nanjiani’s “signature walk and sound” in episode three and Sharon Stone’s German surgeon impersonation in episode five.
“Murderville” also is a convenient watch, with episodes that only last up to thirty five minutes at the most. The short episodes make it great if you do not have much time or if you enjoy binging a show quickly. The ridiculous content, jokes, and character breaking make it a light-hearted, absurd murder mystery. I recommend watching the series, if not only for Marshawn Lynch’s episode.
