Charles, Oliver and Mabel combine forces with the film actors in an epic showdown against the Westies. You can't handle the truth.
Charles, Oliver and Mabel still believe they can catch a killer by luring them into a casual setting and forcing them into a confession. It's the climactic reveal they've been programmed into believing they must deliver. They have to catch the criminal in the act. It has to be a spectacle. That's the only way to provide the entertainment for the podcast. Multiple murders have now taken place in the Arconia. A bombshell was just dropped. Someone has been targeting Charles, Oliver and Mabel since the first season. Sazz investigated the various plot holes in the story. She stumbled upon something that led to her death before she could share the truth with her longest friend. Charles still grapples with the emotional toll of her death. He is pushed to anger here. However, that's mostly just an excuse to deliver physical comedy in an unexpected way. The payoff really isn't that great. Moreover, the podcasters shift their suspicions to the Westies once more. Yes, those friends have kept many secrets over the course of the season. They know precisely what happened to Professor Dudenoff. That's just a small part of the overall mystery.
The incinerator was used to dispose of Sazz's body. That just so happened to be where Dudenoff's body disappeared as well. He faced a terminal diagnosis and decided to sacrifice himself to protect his friends. It's presented as a noble gesture. One where the Westies have to honor his memory no matter what. They are criminals. They engage in social security fraud. That's the extent of their crimes though. Everything is out in the open now. The podcasters have the chance to broadcast the story for all to hear. Mabel opts against that. She recognizes the humanity of their situation. The Westies are just like the podcasters. Charles, Oliver and Mabel formed an unexpected friendship through their investigative work as amateur sleuths. Those bonds have been forged through trauma. Yet they still eagerly plan for the future. Oliver remains ecstatic over his engagement to Loretta. They are planning their wedding for the weekend. Everything happens so quickly. He wants the mystery to be solved before then. He doesn't receive that luxury.
Dudenoff approached making friends the same way a casting director staffs an ensemble. He saw something in each of the Westies that made them perfect as friends. Dudenoff loved the entertainment industry. He was saddled to a career teaching. That was the extent of his ambition. He couldn't go any further than that. He was content with the life he built for himself. He also needed to populate it with people who enjoyed each other's company especially after losing his wife. Despite coming from different walks of life, the Westies have that long after his death. And yet, one member was purposefully left out of that secret. Dudenoff decided Helga couldn't handle the emotional weight of his death. She was excluded. He made a video confession for her. That's convenient. It also allows Helga to come in multiple times as the bombshell delivering new information. The Westies present their tragic backstories of how they came to be together. It's sweet. They understand each other. That's worth everything that has followed. It resulted in many lies being told. They unburden themselves. None of them are responsible for Sazz's death. And yet, suspicions still crept in following the debut of the podcast.
When Charles, Oliver and Mabel decided to detail their search for Tim Kono's killer, it made the other residents of the Arconia reflect on how well they know their neighbors. To date, Jan has been the only killer who actually lived in the building as well. Poppy, Donna and Cliff took ahold of opportunities. Murders keep occurring. That provides Charles, Oliver and Mabel with stories to share with their listeners. It has afforded them a certain level of success. The mysteries of the building still persist. Many of its residents don't even notice. Danger lurks everywhere. Charles is willing to face a building with multiple killers after spending time with his family. That's a punchline that somewhat undercuts the message of the previous episode. He pledged to make more of an effort with Doreen. And now, no meaningful progress is made to discover who has been one step ahold of the podcasters for the entire run of the show. The final tease leads the narrative astray. Helga shares that Sazz had problems with a former stunt protégé. That incriminates Glen based on information from IMDb. He was shot. He remains in the hospital. That points everyone away from the central building all over again. That location should be receiving more attention and scrutiny as the story reaches its peak. And yet, everything comes across as distraction until that fateful reveal can occur. It's busy work instead of character insight. The actors yearn for that understanding of their real-life counterparts. Even then, they have multiple story angles they can pursue to inform their portrayals. It doesn't have to be that deep in the end. The audience should want more than basic expectations and lackluster teases though.
