Each season of Only Murders in the Building presents numerous twists and turns as Oliver, Mabel, and Charles endeavor to identify the culprit; however, Season 4 has proven particularly challenging.
In their pursuit of Sazz Pataki’s murderer, the podcasting trio has encountered other enigmas, some linked to Sazz and others that delve far deeper than expected.
One notable enigma included Professor Milton Dudenoff, a tenant of the Arconia’s west tower, whose flat was utilized by this season’s murderer during the shooting of Sazz.
Initially noted as merely a name on Sazz’s desk at her Hollywood home, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel soon grew wary of Dudenoff’s absence following the murder.
As the investigation progressed, the professor’s name and those associated with him began to emerge more regularly, despite his absence in some incidents. Transitioning from suspect to victim to an altogether different role, here is all that audiences have discerned about Dudenoff in Only Murders in the Building.
Dudenoff is the Most Significant Red Herring of Season 4
In Season 4, Episode 8, “Lifeboat,” of Only Murders in the Building, Dudenoff elucidates via voiceover that he was a film professor residing in the Arconia, alongside his wife, a music instructor.
They acquired the additional apartments on their floor to utilize as rehearsal rooms and to occasionally provide accommodations for guests in need of lodging. Subsequent to his wife’s demise, Dudenoff commenced a weekly poker game with several acquaintances.
This encompassed Inez, Alfonso, and Ana, proprietors of a restaurant he often visited; Vince Fish and Rudy Thurber, participants in his film seminars; and Helga, a locksmith who installed a keypad on his door due to his habitual forgetfulness regarding his keys.
He attempted to integrate his students, Trina and Tawny Brothers, into the group; but, they did not assimilate with the rest.
Following his wife’s demise, Dudenoff’s vacant additional flats prompted him to extend an invitation to his financially challenged acquaintances to reside there at a minimal cost. The group evolved into a familial unit; nevertheless, Dudenoff received a diagnosis of a terminal illness.
Dudenoff, apprehensive that his companions would face repercussions and be displaced, committed himself and instructed the Westies to conceal his death by incinerating his remains and claiming he had traveled to Portugal.
He requested that they conceal his death from Helga to prevent her from enduring another agonizing loss following her father’s demise; nonetheless, he recorded a message for her in the event that she discovered the truth.
Mabel, Oliver, and Charles chose to conceal their secrets, since they identified with Dudenoff and the Westies’ narrative of discovering familial bonds among themselves.
Although the Westies complied with Dudenoff’s request, the secret created a rift between them and Helga, who started to fear that the others had murdered Dudenoff. She appears to have communicated her concerns to Sazz, who commenced an inquiry into Dudenoff while examining other dubious incidents at the Arconia.
Following Sazz’s subsequent assassination by a shooter at Dudenoff’s apartment, the trio became focused on the missing professor. They assumed he had been murdered upon discovering his bones intermingled with Sazz’s in the incinerator, which ultimately facilitated the revelation of the truth.
Mabel, Oliver, and Charles chose to conceal their secrets, since they identified with Dudenoff and the Westies’ narrative of discovering familial bonds among themselves.
Who Portrays Dudenoff in Only Murders in the Building?
Professor Milton Dudenoff, portrayed by actor Griffin Dunne, first appears in Season 4, Episode 6 of Only Murders in the Building, titled “Blow-Up.” Dunne initially gained recognition for his role as Jack Goodman in An American Werewolf in London.
He subsequently starred as Paul Hackett in Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, a performance that garnered him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.
Since that time, Dunne has portrayed notable characters in films such as My Girl, Dallas Buyers Club, and The French Dispatch. He has also been on television in several esteemed programs, including Frasier, Girls, Succession, and This Is Us.
Dunne is a distinguished director, beginning with his Academy Award-nominated short film “Duke of Groove.” He subsequently directed films such as Addicted to Love, Practical Magic, and Lisa Picard Is Famous, in addition to episodes of The Good Wife and Red Band Society.
In addition to film and television, Dunne has contributed to the New York Times and published a short story collection titled Air Guitar. Several months before to his debut with Only Murders in the Building, he released a book entitled The Friday Afternoon Club, which achieved New York Times Best Seller status.
Despite his brief tenure on the series, audiences swiftly embraced Dunne’s authentic and empathetic depiction of Dudenoff. Among the illustrious cast of Season 4, Dunne distinguishes himself as one of the show’s premier guest stars.
Interested in what happens in Season 4 of Only Murders in the Building? Experience Professor Milton Dudenoff’s enigmatic journey and Griffin Dunne’s exceptional performance. Explore all aspects of the Westies, Sazz’s inquiry, and additional topics! Visit our website for the most recent information and updates regarding your preferred series.