Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” a series about podcasters, is about to get an official one of its own. Disney Entertainment Television is embarking on a major push in the video podcast space, launching companion chat series centered on shows like “Only Murders,” “Dancing With the Stars,” “Paradise,” “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” “Murdaugh: Death in the Family,” “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” “Tell Me Lies” and more.
Episodes will be avaiable to watch on YouTube, or listen to on various podcast platforms (distributed in partnership with ABC News Audio) including Spotify, Apple Podcast, SiriusXM, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Amazon Music and Pandora. And subscribers to Disney’s streaming platforms will also be able to watch the shows domestically on Disney+, Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
“We built this slate of companion video podcasts to give our fans even more ways to connect more deeply with the shows they love,” said Direct-to-Consumer & Disney Entertainment Television Marketing president Shannon Ryan. “These are like a backstage pass for their favorite series, and we can’t wait to give fans the opportunity to expand their viewing experience, go behind the scenes with our creators and casts, and continue the conversation beyond each episode in an engaging and entertaining new way.”
The new podcast push kicks off on Tuesday, Sept. 9 with “‘Only Murders in the Building’ Official Podcast,” hosted and executive produced by series star Michael Cyril Creighton. The launch is timed to the Season 5 premiere of “Only Murders,” which also returns to Hulu on Sept. 9.
Creighton had previously hosted “One Killer Question,” an “Only Murders in the Building” aftershow that previously ran on Hulu as a companion to “Only Murders.” Like that show did, the new podcast will also feature Creighton as host, as he recaps and dissects each episode with the help of guests. Among those set to join Creighton this season: series showrunner and executive producer John Hoffman, as well as stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Christoph Waltz, Jane Lynch and Keegan Michael Key, among others.
This reps a major initiative for Disney Entertainment Television, and puts it in front of several rivals as it curates an entire suite of video podcasts devoted to its top shows.
“Our marketing team has been working closely with the show producers to ensure we’re putting the fan first,” Ryan added. “There have been a lot of conversations about what our fans might want to hear about the most and how we can celebrate and unpack these shows in the most clever, fun and unique way possible… “We were very intentional about the shows we picked to be part of this initial slate. These are hit series with rabid fanbases across a broad range of genres — from a propulsive thriller like ‘Paradise’ to a shiny floor competition show like ‘Dancing with the Star’s to a juicy drama like ‘Tell Me Lies’ — there’s a companion podcast for every viewer and every TV obsession. “
Among the other upcoming shows, the companion podcast to upcoming Hulu limited series “Murdaugh: Death in the Family,” will be hosted by the original “Murdaugh Murders” podcast creators Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell. Additional info including premiere dates, hosts and guests for that one, as well as the “DWTS,” “Paradise,” “Percy Jackson,” “Tell Me Lies” and “Mormon Wives” companion podcasts will be announced at a later date. And more podcasts for other Disney Entertainment shows are in the works as well.
Added Ryan: “Our strategy is to meet our fans where they are, and one of the great things is that these podcasts can do a bit of double duty for us. They serve as awareness drivers and marketing materials for our shows, which is why they will be available wherever you listen to podcasts like Spotify and SiriusXM, but they also serve as bonus content for our fans and engagement drivers for our platforms, which is why we made them available on Disney+ and Hulu.”
Here is the trailer to the new “Only Murders in the Building” podcast:
