Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Pop Princess's Murder Showcases the Supporting Cast

Critic’s Rating: 4.4 / 5.0

4.4

Gibsons should have been the ideal location to hide, but strangers don’t realize that murder and mayhem lurk there.

One of Phyllis’s new tenants, Gracie Westing, came to Porpoise Bay recuperate and find inspiration again, but ended up dead on Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 4.

There were numerous suspects, including the pop star’s entourage, an ex-boyfriend, and an obsessed fan.

“One Last Song” explored how Gracie’s death affected Phyllis and her business, revealing new facets of her character.

The team also experienced a different side of Sid, as he was an enthusiastic fan of Gracie’s, having a teenage daughter who loved her music.

It was refreshing to watch an episode that featured so much of two supporting characters and different relationships.

Phyllis Became Overwhelmed With Managing Tenants and a Nosy Neighbor

We’ve all lived by that nosy neighbor who calls the city if your grass is an inch too long or if you play your music too loud.

Phyllis dealt with that with Debbie, who tattled on her rental tenants constantly about loud music. She grew so tired of it after Debbie threatened to call the police that she went to warn them.

You could tell that Gracie wasn’t thrilled about having the landlord recognize her and gush over music, but Phyllis only cared about pacifying “Debbie Downer.”

The barrage of harassing calls stressed Phyllis out so much that she began dropping dishes and snapping at customers at work, wishing she could report Debbie to the police.

I’ve never seen Phyllis lose her temper, and I loved it when she went off on Debbie, calling her a bitter pest, in need of some good sex to loosen her up.

It was so humorous, but that moment was cut short by a horrific scream.

A Pop Princess Moved to Porpoise Bay for Safety, Never Thinking Evil Lurked Nearby

Gracie Westing (MacKenzie Porter) moved to the coast to escape her stalker and begin writing again, but she thought she’d never make it as a solo artist.

The opening scenes showed someone with a gun, and the bodyguard chasing them off. That man vowed he would kill her.

This was an intriguing case for Karl and his team in Porpoise Bay, another district he now managed. It worked well since he knew both the local cop and Phyllis, the main witness.

There were several suspects who could have killed Gracie, but none of the cops looked too hard at her entourage.

They were more concerned with her stalker, Brandon, but he had a legit alibi and pointed fingers closer to home.

It seemed strange, but he had received a text from Gracie asking for help. While the cops doubted she sent it, they wondered if someone close to her did to increase Gracie’s dependence on them if she stayed afraid.

Gracie’s ex wanted to reunite with her. Her bodyguard, Daniel, was in love with her. Brandon felt guilty for not being able to protect her. Who was missing from this equation?

I Suspected the Actual Murderer Early In Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 4

I suspected Parker was involved in Gracie’s murder early on. I thought she was in love with her from some of her reactions. She seemed overly involved in her life and relationships.

They seemed more than friends, and Parker exhibited an over-the-top reaction to Gracie’s death.

While it could have been sincere considering they were friends for years, there were too many red flags, starting with she was the one who insisted Daniel follow Gracie everywhere.

If Gracie’s staker still frightened her, why wasn’t she concerned? Gracie seemed to feel smothered around her friends and needed a break.

While I guessed that Parker didn’t want Gracie and Jade to reunite, I suspected it was due to emotional and relationship reasons, not financial ones.

Parker would lose everything if Jade and Gracie reunited as a duo and left her behind. It meant Jade won, convincing Gracie of Parker’s control.

There are no words to describe how much I despise it when a killer thinks they’re responsible for someone’s success. It’s a tired trope and suggests they have a massive ego.

It made Parker look like she never really cared about Gracie and only used her to climb up the financial ladder.

I Loved Seeing a Different Side of Sid As He Bonded With His Daughter

Instead of being in the background, Sid led this case because he knew a great deal about Gracie Westing, as Liza was a devoted fan of the singer. He seemed like such a fanboy that his coworkers teased him.

However sad Gracie’s murder was, the case helped open communication with his daughter again.

While Liza seemed like many teen girls and thought her dad seemed lame, she also reluctantly appreciated that he led the case of her favorite singer, so she dropped a few hints accidentally.

I’m unsure if she meant to assist since being a cop wasn’t cool, but intel on Gracie’s fanboard led Sid and the cops to question Jade, Gracie’s ex.

While Liza had seemed withdrawn for weeks, she actually came across as a teenager as Sid tried to reconnect over their shared love of music.

Maybe she needed to know she wasn’t alone, and almost every teenager makes mistakes. I loved how proud she looked of her dad for solving the case, even though she tried to say he was lame.

While I don’t want Sid’s story to be complete, I’d rather see more sweet and angsty moments like these than have his family suffer. I love seeing all these families being developed further in Murder in a Small Town.

Fiona Vroom Shone as the Series Explored Phyllis’s Emotional Breakdown

Phyllis was the episode MVP, and Fiona Vroom delivered the most emotional and layered performance to date.

We’re accustomed to seeing a witty side of Phyllis, and “One Last Song” demonstrated that she can also deliver dramatic scenes.

Finding a body on her rental property rattled her, but it was more than that. She was stressed because her ex had left her broke, and now she worried that she wouldn’t be able to rent the property again.

Phyllis pushed everyone away and invested all her energy into running the diner. As someone who knows about mental health, I suspect she hoped that if she acted fine, she’d convince others, and they would leave her alone.

That might have worked with most people, but not Cassandra, who recognized her snappy mood and avoidance as similar signs of when she broke down before in high school.

That’s the thing with long-time best friends. They remember everything.

However, Cassandra was also right that the two of them rarely discussed serious topics anymore, as these topics were hard and messy.

Perhaps if they had, Phyllis wouldn’t have felt as embarrassed, since there was nothing wrong with feeling scared, upset, or needing help.

This was the most meaningful conversation that the two had had since Murder in a Small Town began. Hopefully, the series invests more in this friend because I’ve loved seeing them this season.

Over to you, Fanatics. Did you enjoy seeing more of Phyllis and Sid? Did you guess Gracie’s murderer early on?

Let us know in the comments.

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