The new season of “Only Murders in the Building” (OMITB) has premiered, and it does not disappoint. Our favorite true crime sleuths are back with a new mystery that we won’t soon forget.

The series follows the intertwined lives of Charles, Mabel and Oliver, played by Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short, respectively. The group navigates the seemingly never-ending murders in their historic New York City apartment complex, the Arconia, and how these murders inspired them to create a podcast cheekily named “Only Murders in the Building” to solve the murders that seem to be their constant companions.

Previous seasons have given us a sort of layout of how we can expect this season to go, from the usual discovery of a body in the building to the subsequent investigation and shenanigans that follow. New York City is the setting of the show, as our “Only Murders in the Building” trio travels back and forth between the city boroughs to piece the clues of the murder mystery together. Everything always ends up leading back to home base, the Arconia.

Season three of “Only Murders in the Building” seems determined to deliver in every way possible, and it has done so successfully. The new murder mystery with a twist to solve is accompanied by a whole new supporting cast that has us dramatically gasping and pointing at our screens when we recognize them. Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd have joined the “Only Murders in the Building” cast as the down-on-her-luck yet still optimistic actress Loretta and the famous Hollywood actor-turned-Broadway star Ben Glenroy. Not only do we have a revolving door of “Grey’s Anatomy” references in the first couple of episodes of “OMITB” season three, but we also have “Grey’s Anatomy” actor Jesse Williams joining the cast as a camera operator focused on filming Glenroy’s Broadway debut.

In terms of setting, The Arconia is still the official scene of the crime — or crimes, as we have now reached the grand total of six murders — that sets up the rest of the season. It is still the beacon that summons our “OMITB” trio back to the crime scene, but it is now accompanied by something equally powerful — the theater.

Season three, episode one, “The Show Must…” introduces us to the new murder mystery, though not in the way we as the audience have expected. Instead of the usual straightforward death at The Arconia we have come to expect, season three has us all clutching our imaginary pearls as the death that occurs in the first episode isn’t an official one, at least not until the end of the episode.

Rudd’s character, Ben Glenroy, dies twice in the first episode. Yes, you read that correctly. He dies on stage during the premiere of Oliver’s return to Broadway show “Death Rattle,” is revived not even an hour later and then proceeds to prance into The Arconia claiming to have seen the light and renewed with joie de vivre. He is not officially dead until the end of the first episode when he literally crashes at the feet of the “OMITB” trio after he falls down the elevator shaft, and this is what sets off the real mystery of season three — who killed Ben Glenroy (both times) and why?

The murder that occurs in each season’s first episode is what drives both the plot and the character development that occurs in the “OMITB” trio since, oddly enough, murder is a great motivator for self-improvement.

In terms of character development, the three leads have experienced much change since the premiere of the show in 2021. The “OMITB” trio have gone from virtual strangers in season one to podcast and murder mystery besties by season three. They have not only their friendship to thank for their personal growth, but also the renewed motivation in life that their successful podcasting and sleuthing through the halls of the Arconia and streets of New York City has given them.

This season has the promise of having great potential, not only because of the star-studded cast, but also because of the interesting and out-of-the-box murder mystery that the “OMITB” writers have chosen to present for season three.

All in all, season three is expected to deliver a killer ending (pun intended), and it will surely leave the audience on the edge of their seats as we slowly discover why the enigmatic Ben Glenroy was murdered (twice).