This season of Hulu’s “ Only Murders in the Building ” had its share of dramatic peaks, but one of the most memorable wasn’t the revelation of the killer — it was a cleverly crafted song that playfully accuses three infants of murder. With lyrics like “a diaper full of criminal intent” delivered with flair by Steve Martin , the patter song, “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?” is both a humorous nod to the campy charm of musical theater and a poignant subplot for Martin’s character, the fading star Charles Haden Savage. The question loomed: Would Savage reclaim the spotlight with lines like “Which little brat made mommy go splat?” or fade further into the eccentric world of life at the Arconia? This tension, coupled with the show’s final performance, likely contributed to its impressive haul of 21 Emmy nominations, including nods for outstanding comedy series, outstanding original music and lyrics and an acting nomination for Martin himself.
But how did series co-creator John Hoffman conjure up this darkly humorous song about babies committing murder? The creators behind this epic musical moment joined Variety’s “Making A Scene,” presented by HBO, to explain. “It came to me in the shower. I literally just thought, ‘Oh, which of the Pickwick triplets did it?’” Hoffman recalls.
“The constable character, played by Steve in the play, was on a mission to uncover which of these little baby triplets could have killed their mother — whi.