Whether or not you’ll like the third season of Only Murders in the Building will depend upon what you liked about the cozy, celeb-packed Hulu show in the first place. If you watched the show because you delight in watching comedy legends like Steve Martin and Martin Short banter with millennial icons like Selena Gomez, you’ll be downright thrilled by the star-studded fun this season. I mean, who doesn’t want to watch Paul Rudd insult Meryl Streep’s acting or catch rising star Ashley Park lecture superstar/makeup mogul Gomez on beauty products? If, however, like me, you were originally taken by Season 1’s sharp, hilarious writing and inventive approach to the murder mystery genre, Only Murders in the Building Season 3 will likely be something of a muddled disappointment. The jokes are hack, the “twists” obvious from the jump, and the insular community we originally met at the Arconia feels like an afterthought.

The first eight (of ten) episodes of Only Murders in the Building Season 3 left me feeling decidedly “meh.” Sure, you can’t really snub your nose at Meryl Streep bantering with Martin Short — even I have to admit that watching the show’s stars collide is worth the price of admission — but the storytelling kept letting me down. The show’s original brand of cleverness has been swapped for fan service, making Only Murders in the Building Season 3 a star-studded slog through murder mystery cliches.

Only Murders in the Building Season 3 essentially picks up where Season 2 left off. Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) has been given the chance to direct a Broadway spectacular for the first time in ages and pal Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin) is naturally one of the show’s stars. However, the play’s real draw is movie star Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd). Naturally, Ben and Charles have become backstage rivals, but could such enmity lead to murder? When Ben drops dead on stage during Opening Night, it seems that the Hollywood hunk was poisoned…and Charles is potentially a prime suspect. At least, that’s what the end of Only Murders in the Building Season 2 wanted us to presume…

Only Murders in the Building Season 3 wastes little time painting Ben as a bad guy, ensuring that nearly everyone — except fan Mabel (Selena Gomez) — has a reason to potentially want him offed. The heat never really sticks to Charles, but bounces around a cast of characters hoarding secrets. Since the rhythm of Only Murders is now well-established, it’s difficult to find yourself invested in whoever the “suspect of the week” is since you can see their alibi coming from a mile away. Furthermore, the central focus of the season often isn’t the question of “Who Killed Ben Glenroy?” but “How Can Oliver Save His Show?” 

Because Oliver and Charles are embedded in the day-to-day drama of resurrecting a ruined Broadway show, Mabel drifts further and further away from her guys and into the orbit of Jesse William’s improbably named documentarian, Tobert. The two share an interest in sleuthing and team up to track down Ben’s killer. Meanwhile, both Charles and Oliver are both juggling delightful love interests on top of their day jobs and murder mystery moonlighting. Charles is fretting over getting closer to girlfriend Joy (Andrea Martin) while Oliver is stunned to discover a connection with long-struggling actress Loretta (Meryl Streep).

In between the mystery and the romance and the showbiz subplot, Only Murders is also attempting to juggle life at the Arconia, theater myths, the show’s own ever-expanding lore, secret celeb cameos, influencer satire, and, uh, jokes. There is at least one sensible chuckle per episode, and it’s often thanks to the always glorious work of Martin Short. Only Murders in the Building made a name for itself with its penchant for successful genre blending, but in Season 3, director, writer, and co-creator John Hoffman might have bitten off more than his writers’ room could chew. There’s a lot going on from episode to episode, but all the gags, gimmicks, and flashbacks feel like a distraction from the fact that the core mystery isn’t that strong this time around. (I’ll admit it: I was often very bored. Bored!)

All of which is to say that Only Murders in the Building Season 3 is fine. It’s not the revelation Season 1 was, but it is slightly less frustrating than Season 2 was. The cast is absurdly great, with Steve Martin plumbing the depths of Charles’s mania and Selena Gomez blossoming into a more mature version of Mabel, more concerned with where her life will take her next than where she’s already been. Andrea Martin steals every scene she’s in with her special brand of giddy abandon while Paul Rudd plays against type, as a charisma-less narcissist.

Only Murders in the Building Season 3’s two MVPs are Meryl Streep and Martin Short. Streep is in her “fun mode.” As in The Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia, all Streep has to do is let go of her inhibitions and flex her talents as Loretta. She simultaneously makes you believe Loretta has spent decades struggling to get cast while also captivating your soul with her key moments in the spotlight. Short continues to deliver some of his all-time best career work on Only Murders. In lesser hands, Oliver Putnam would be a two-dimensional joke-dropping diva, but Short gives him pathos. Together, Martin Short and Meryl Streep spark up the screen, demanding that audiences stay hooked on Only Murders in the Building despite its flaws.

Only Murders in the Building Season 3 may not hold a candle to the genius of Season 1, but it’s worth watching for the “star-gazing” alone. Don’t tune in expecting a tightly-wound whodunnit? but a charming hangout of who’s whos having fun yukking it up in New York City.

The first two episodes of Only Murders in the Building are now streaming on Hulu.