Note: This story contains spoilers for Season 5, Episode 5 of ‘Only Murders in the Building’
After previously acting alongside a cat, a bird, a dog and a pig, “Only Murders in the Building” star Michael Cyril Creighton was given a new challenge for a scene partner in Season 5: a robot.
Tuesday’s episode saw Creighton’s Howard Morris obsessing over his newfound relationship with L.E.S.T.R., a robot doorman that sparks a feud between the employees and tenants of the Arconia after being brought in to replace the late Lester (Teddy Coluca).
“I’m always impressed with what the writers do. I was surprised by Howard’s new — love interest let’s say — the robot. But it was a wonderful challenge,” Creighton told TheWrap. “I always love a challenge.”
When asked about his experience working with L.E.S.T.R. on set, Creighton said the biggest challenge was the lack of comedic timing.
“It’s sometimes hard to get them to hit their mark. They’re slow as heck. Sometimes their arms are in a place where, when they move them, they hit you. So those were the challenges,” he said. “But the plus side was, it was a really cute robot. It did its best. It was a generous scene partner, let me do as many takes as I wanted. It was a fun challenge being with him.”
For viewers who were listening closely to L.E.S.T.R’s voice, they may have heard someone familiar to the Hulu comedy series: Paul Rudd. Executive producer John Hoffman told TheWrap that the idea to make Rudd the voice of the robot didn’t occur until very late into Season 5’s filming.
“The writers and I were working on finding a character for Paul to play in the season as an extension to the running gag of Paul in the show,” he explained. “We couldn’t find anything — everything felt a little forced. And it was only until the very end of shooting that we realized a vocal performance made perfect sense, if Paul was up for it. And he jumped at it! He loves a running gag.”
While Creighton has his own personal apprehensions about AI and never expected a storyline where Howard would become obsessed with a robot, he admitted it makes perfect sense for the character.
“Howard loves information and gossip. This robot has all of the human Lester’s ledgers uploaded into it. So this is a perfect mate for someone who loves gossip and information. Also, Howard’s one of the loneliest men I’ve ever met,” he explained. “He’s getting it where he can. His animals have bonded with each other and are leaving him out, his boyfriend’s out of town and the trio is not giving him the attention he wants, so he’s turning to technology. I find it a little sad, but I also think he’s going to be OK on the other side.”
It also was a perfect fit into the overall themes of the Season 5.
“I live in New York when we’re making this show and I live in a pre-war apartment building. I watch the decisions that get made, that change, and you have a board and you have resistance to things like that,” Hoffman told TheWrap. “People are there to create that sense of a pre-war apartment building, for the most part, but in buildings all over New York now it’s like, ‘Wow, you have what? There’s no one there? No, we would never, I don’t want to talk to anyone.’ That kind of thing. All of that discussion is happening with the advancements technologically that we’re being presented with and what does that do?”
“This show has always been about connection. Going back to a doorman at the center of it in New York City, it’s said right at the top of Episode 2, ‘That’s what we’re about. You lose that connection to this city. God help us’,” Hoffman continued. “That’s what a doorman does. He’s eyeing everybody as they’re coming in and out and checking in and keeping tabs and all of that. A robot can do all of that, but you have to ask it. So that’s the conundrum. There’s limitations on that that makes them a little bit human. Their job is to be helpful and they sometimes can’t be.”
Though L.E.S.T.R. was thrown off the roof at the end of Tuesday’s episode, it may not be the last we see of him.
“The storyline pays off in such an incredible way,” Creighton teased. “So I’m glad that he saddled me with that guy.”
“Only Murders in the Building” Season 5 releases new episodes Tuesdays on Hulu.
