Netflix's 'Murderville': What to Know About the Hilarious Will Arnett Comedy

By Daniel S. Levine

Arrested Development star Will Arnett is returning to Netflix in February with a new murder-mystery comedy, Murderville. The show will feature a star-studded group of guests, including Conan O'Brien and Annie Murphy. It will hit Netflix on Thursday, Feb. 3.

The show was inspired by a British series and has been a passion project for Arnett. The actor has a long association with Netflix, having starred in the streamer's Arrested Development revival. He's also starred in Flaked and BoJack Horseman. Arnett paired himself with a different celebrity guest for each episode, including some unexpected stars. Former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch even tries his hand at comedy in one episode. Other celebrities in Season 1 include Sharon Stone, Ken Jeong and Kumail Nanjiani. Every star helps Arnett's detective solve a murder mystery that goes in surprising directions in each episode. 

"I do think people liked the idea that they could come in, they didn't have to learn any dialogue and they could be themselves and just go for a ride," Arnett told The Hollywood Reporter. "And I have to give these people credit because it's freakin' scary as s—."

The whole six-episode first season was filmed over the summer. Scroll on to learn more about the new comedy, which Arnett described as "Law & Order without a script."

The Premise: 'Law & Order' without a script

Arnett stars as Senior Detective Terry Seattle, who investigates new homicides each day. He doesn't have the same partner in every episode. Instead, a celebrity plays themselves as detective trainees who have to help Det. Seattle solves crimes. Arnett pitched the show as "Law & Order without a script," he told The Hollywood Reporter. At the end of each episode, the celebrity gets to name the killer.

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The Show is Based on 'Murder in Successville'

Murderville was inspired by the British sitcom Murder in Successville, which ran on BBC Three from 2015 to 2017. Like the Netflix series, Tom Davis plays Detective Sleet, who works with a celebrity who has to solve a crime. The show also featured actors playing fictional versions of real celebrities. For example, the very first episode of Murder in Successville featured Bruno Tonioli getting murdered, so Sleet teamed up with the real-life Jamie Laing to solve the crime. The plot involved a rivalry between Successville's mobs, with one led by comedians Jimmy Carr and Alan Carr (who are not brothers in reality) and another one led by Harry Styles.

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'Murderville' wouldn't exist without Conan O'Brien

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(Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images)

The first celebrity Arnett approached for Murderville was Conan O'Brien. He believed if O'Brien signed on, other celebrities would follow. O'Brien also liked the idea that he would only be on the set for two days. The Conan host agreed and "really understood the game of it," Arnett told THR. After that, Arnett had no trouble booking Annie Murphy, Ken Jeong, Kumail Nanjiani, Marshawn Lynch, and Sharon Stone.

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The writers know where the show is going... the celebrities don't

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(Photo: Netflix)

Although there are improvisational elements, the writers do have an outline for each episode. The show has a team of eight writers, who plot out the victim, the culprit, and the suspects. There is a loose script to help the guests so they aren't completely going in blind. However, if a celebrity takes a turn from the main path, Arnett has to follow. "And if it all goes sideways, I'd have to go sideways too," he told THR.

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'One Day at a Time' star Haneefah Wood is a member of the main cast

Arnett isn't the only star who appears in every episode. Haneefah Wood (One Day at a Time) stars as Chief Rhonda Jenkins-Seattle. Lilan Bowden (Andi Mack) plays Amber Kang. Philip Smithey (Switched at Birth) plays Det. Darren "Daz" Phillips. Iain K. Morris (The Inbetweeners) and Brennan Shroff (Southern Belles) directed every episode together. Members of the Murder in Successville team – star Tom Davis, creator Andy Brereton, and director James De Frond – all serve as executive producers.

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Arnett hopes to make a second season

Arnett hopes Murderville catches on so a second season could happen. "I'd love to do more if it works and people respond to it," he told THR. "And if people kind of shrug and go, 'Yeah, fine,' then great, we had a lot of fun."

Arnett has several other projects in the works. He recently replaced Armie Hammer in Next Goal Wins, a soccer comedy directed by Taika Waititi. He hosts the popular SmartLess podcast with Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes. In 2021, Amazon reportedly spent $60 million to $80 million to get exclusive rights to the podcast. New episodes are released on Amazon Music and then on Wonderly+ a week later.

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