NOTE: we're going to be discussing a few spoilers for Only Murders in the Building.
While the additions of Meryl Streep and Pau Rudd have been the big headlines for Only Murders in the Building season 3, the popular comedy/mystery season is also going to be losing two big names from its cast — Nathan Lane and Amy Ryan.
Both Lane and Ryan have been with the show since season 1. They were both regulars in the cast for that first season, as Lane's Teddy Dimas was a prime suspect for an extended period in the killing of Tim Kono and ran a black-market jewelry operation, while Ryan played Jan, Charles' (Steven Martin) new girlfriend who ultimately ended up being Tim Kono's killer.
The roles were trimmed down for both actors in season 2. Jan only appeared in two episodes as she was serving time in prison for her crime. Teddy had a smaller arc, appearing in three episodes after his character was released from prison though he was also revealed to be the biological father of Oliver's (Martin Short) son Will (Ryan Broussard); thankfully, Oliver and Will resolved any lingering drama with that storyline.
But their time in season 3 will be reduced to zilch, as both actors confirmed they are not appearing in any new episodes in an interview with ComicBook.com
Promoting the new movie, Beau is Afraid, which Lane and Ryan both star in, the pair were asked about Only Murders in the Building season 3, to which Lane joked, "Only Meryl in the Building." He then confirmed that he was not going to appear, saying "I've been doing a play so I've not been able to be a part of it, but my character is probably in jail by now, so I don't… Maybe in a future season."
Ryan also made it clear that she was not back for the new season with a simple "No," confirming that Jan would still be behind bars.
They did have a fun pitch to bring their characters back into the fold though. Lane suggested "... we should meet in jail," with Ryan adding, "And then we plot against them, don't you think? … See if Meryl joins us, season 4, in jail." Of course, whether or not Meryl Streep's new character is the killer in this new season is just a possible theory right now.
We'll have to wait until Only Murders in the Building season 3 debuts to get our first clues as to who killed Paul Rudd's Ben Glenroy. Unfortunately, we don't have an exact release date for the new season at this time, just a promise that it is "coming soon." And of course, in addition Streep and Rudd, Short, Martin and Selena Gomez are returning in their lead roles.
You can catch up with the first two seasons of Only Murders in the Building on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
