Who Is Responsible for the Murder of Paul Levitt on ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’?

Spoilers have been a big part of the ongoing White Lotus conversation. People are always wondering who’s behind the murder hinted at in each season’s opening scene. The mystery becomes a major obsession by the middle of each season. I can attest to that because I write about it a lot. But surprisingly, I find myself less concerned about the same question in Apple TV+’s Your Friends & Neighbors starring Jon Hamm.

In this show, we see Jon Hamm’s character, Andrew Cooper, lying in a pool of blood as the series begins. Then, the story jumps back to reveal what led to that moment, which actually happens at the end of Episode 5. We also learn that the victim is Paul Levitt, the ex-husband of Olivia Munn’s character, Samantha Levitt.

Once the police start their investigation—questioning Samantha, Andrew, and Nick (Andrew’s ex-wife Mel’s boyfriend, played by Amanda Peet)—the “mystery” fades into the background. I’m more interested in the characters and their interactions, which often have little to do with the deceased.

Throughout the series, I’ve found that the real focus is on the relationships rather than the main plot. The core of the story revolves around Andrew turning to burglary after losing his job as a hedge fund manager to sustain his family’s lavish lifestyle. But what really grabs me are the connections between the characters. It feels like a story of remarriage, with Andrew and Mel navigating a divorce while possibly finding their way back to each other.

A recent standout moment was when Andrew and Mel visited Princeton, where they first met, while taking their daughter on a college tour. Left to their own devices as the kids wandered off, they got a chance to reconnect and reminisce about their college days. This season is all about that journey, and it’s a delight to watch Hamm and Peet bring it to life. Andrew and Mel are grappling with their past mistakes and trying to find a way forward, even if it means being apart.

But Andrew’s risky behavior threatens to undo all the progress he’s made. His illegal activities lead to a confrontation with an art dealer he duped, and now his best friend Barney (played by Hoon Lee) may be in serious trouble after rushing to help him.

As for who might have killed Paul Levitt, the prime suspect appears to be Samantha, despite her alibi of being in Boston with her children. It seems too obvious, but I have a hunch that she knows more about Andrew’s secret life and could be setting him up for the murder. She harbors strong negative feelings toward her ex-husband and seems displeased that Andrew hasn’t reciprocated those emotions fully. If it’s not Samantha, the only other plausible candidate seems to be Elena (played by Aimee Carrero), the housekeeper and Andrew’s accomplice, who might have her own motives for taking out Paul.