If you remember a time without the internet, there were old-fashioned ways to gather information. One was the local library, scanning shelves for books related to films. Like many kids of my generation, I first saw Meryl Streep in “Death Becomes Her” on VHS and enjoyed the film a lot. I would catch her name flipping through the tv guides and watched “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” – a stark contrast to the former film. “Silkwood” followed, and by the time I watched “A Cry in the Dark”, I was hooked. How was it possible that the same person played all these different parts? Discovering Meryl Streep was an integral part of understanding the art of filmmaking and that acting was a profession, which intertwined with the (very limited) availability of the internet around that time. You would pay by the minute and browse Yahoo! directories. One of the topics was Entertainment, and there was in fact a Meryl Streep fansite. MSO, for Meryl Streep Online, was probably one of the first websites I’ve visited, and I was stunned to have information at your fingertips, in an illustrated way. Since my school english was very limited at the time, and through my interest in websites and the desire to create one myself, I decided to open a German speaking site on Meryl Streep. Unfortunately, I cannot remember its title back then, or it’s exact opening date – the Internet Archive lists its first tracking in October 1999.

In 2006, “The Devil Wears Prada” hit theaters. Before its release, I thought this was below Streep’s abilites. A romantic comedy with Anne Hathaway? Why not a great modern classic with De Niro or Pacino? How wrong I was. “Prada” brought one crucial aspect to Streep’s career that had been missing for the past 30 years – box office success. Suddenly, she was not only revered for the performances of her past – she was hot property! Two years later, “Mamma Mia!” broke records at the box office and turned her name into a commodity to open movies. The films that followed – “Julie & Julia”, “It’s Complicated” and “The Iron Lady” – all scored big numbers. Those were exciting years on Simply Streep – and to witness this her unexpected success later in her life. Unexpected, because of her chosen projects. After years of serious drama and accents (and criticism for being too technical in her work), Meryl Streep seemingly stopped caring and let loose. She was having a ball doing those lighter films, and it paid off for her big time. The “Streep renaissance” culminated in winning the Academy Award in 2012 for “The Iron Lady”. Funnily enough – as you may consider this the key moment of Streep’s later career – I wasn’t able to watch it, because I was starting a new job the following day and couldn’t stay up.

Things cooled down after her Oscar win – which might be an understatement because since then, no article opens without the inevitable “greatest actress of all time”. But Streep’s work has changed in the last 10 years. The serious stuff hasn’t come by that often, most of the prestigious films, like “August: Osage County”, have been very underwhelming, and I’ve never been fond of musicals, so some coverages have been more fun than others. So in the recent years my focus have shifted to archiving the past. The internet has exploded and many archives have been opened. Creating an archive on such an impeccable career has indeed become my main passion. And, looking back, I find it astonishing how much research material I have been able to collect with the help of many, many wonderful contributors. But the internet has changed in another way as well. Information nowadays are consumed on social media. Fansites have become a small retro niche. I’ve never managed to “run” Simply Streep on social media accounts to attract more followers or turn it into some kind of brand. That’s not its purpose and I’m happy to see that visitors still find and appreciate it. Sometimes, people write me that they visit Simply Streep since their first steps on the internet – just like I did those 25 years ago. I couldn’t think of a better compliment.

None of what you see and find on Simply Streep was done by a single person. Early on, I had the great fortune to meet wonderful people online with shared interests and passion that would elevate the work on Simply Streep to a whole different level. It would be impossible to list them all, let me try to squeaze in as many as possible: A fellow German named Anke who encouraged me to work on the German fansite back when the only available online communication were Yahoo! Groups. She has played a very important part in the site for many years – and when her online attention fizzled, she made sure I would get all the material she had collected over the years. Another integral person is Alvaro, who has become a steady contributor of the rarest finds and current magazine appearances – and who has become a dear friend to me for probably 20 years now. Simply Streep would most certainly not be as comprehensive and as accurate as it is without his support. To both of you, thank you very much. This site would not be what it is without you. Then, the many contributors who send in news on a regular base for years, among them Glenn, Frank, Simona, Jess, Tina, and many others. It has made my time management so much easier. The many “officials” I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years who would send in material to promote upcoming films and books and who would share some great material along the way – especially Michael Schulman, who has published “Her Again” some years ago. His research was an amazing source on Meryl Streep’s early theater work. All the former fansite hosts, only a few of us have made it this far. It has always been a pleasure supporting each others passion projects. And, of course, to all the visitors, who make this work worthwile. Thank you all very much. Frederik.

1. After 25 years, who’s the person running the site?
As much I have made sure over the years to keep Meryl Streep’s private life out of this website, I’ve never felt the need to share anything about myself – it’s simply not about me. I’m sure that through writing here for so long, you might get an idea of my personal taste, there are also personal reviews on her work on the film sites, but that’s as far as it should go, which I’m perfectly happy with.

2. Have you ever been in contact with Meryl Streep? Does she know the site?
No and no. I have never intended to be in contact with Meryl Streep or make the site known to her management. I think it must be very scary to have your whole professional life covered. My interest has always been in her work, not in her person, which none of us knows anyway. The closest I’ve ever come to knowing she would know about Simply Streep was years back when I worked on the “activism and charity” pages and contacted Equality Now, asking if they might write a summary about Meryl’s involvement. They replied that they had to check back with her first to get permission – and then forwarded me a wonderful summary for the site a couple of days later.

3. Are fansites still a thing?
They’re probably not, but I find them more important than ever. These days, it has become incredibly hard to find valuable information online. Most of our search results are based on algorithms spurting out AI generated garbage or clickbait. It’s the complete opposite to the site’s beginning when it was impossible to find any information at all. So in this sense, Simply Streep has survived both periods and remains a solid source for information, which has been its main intent from the beginning.

4. What are your favorite Meryl Streep films?
I’m stunned time again by her total immersion in “A Cry in the Dark”. It remains a master class in acting. I have a soft spot for “Marvin’s Room”. It’s little-seen and long forgotten, but I thoroughly enjoyed her bad-mood-sister, who, behind the snark, is a deeply unhappy person. Also, “Angels in America” remains one of the most incredible things I have seen on tv. Everyone is on top of their games and Meryl’s collection of characters – finding humor in a tragic figure like Ethel Rosenberg – still stands out as one of her greatest achievements. Other than that, pretty much everything she has done in the ’80s.

5. Are we going to celebrate the site’s 50th anniversary as well?
Wouldn’t that be nice? I have to say I’ve rarely thought about closing the site indefinately. So much work has been poured into it. Of course, much has changed in the past 25 years. I live a very happy and demanding life offline – but surprisingly, maintaining Simply Streep has never stood in the way. So let’s see where this is going.

Steve Martin (Charles-Haden Savage), Martin Short (Oliver Putnam), Selena Gomez (Mabel Mora), Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard Morris), Meryl Streep (Loretta Durkin), Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis), Eugene Levy (Eugene Levy), Eva Longoria (Eva Longoria), Ryan Broussard (Will Putnam), Catherine Cohen (Trina Brothers), Teddy Coluca (Lester), Jin Ha (Marshall P. Pope), Jackie Hoffman (Uma Heller), Richard Kind (Vince Fish), Téa Leoni (Sofia Caccimelio), Jane Lynch (Sazz Pataki), Kumail Nanjiani (Rudy Thurber), Amy Ryan (Jan Bellows), Jeremy Shamos (Dickie Glenroy), Molly Shannon (Bev Melon), Siena Werber (Tawny Brothers), Ade Otukoya (Brazzos Director)

Is it weird that Only Murders In The Building season four’s finest outing is its finale? (Fine, the Long Island episode was comedy gold, too.) It’s not entirely a surprise, but it sure is a delight to see how sweetly everything comes together in “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” And that’s despite learning the killer’s depressing motive and another dead body dropping in the Arconia. It’s just nice—and in tune with the rest of season four—that the Hulu series focuses on character moments and relationships to close out the year. This episode is a neat reminder of why pragmatism isn’t as necessary for a TV show of this nature. We’re not here for common sense sleuth stories, something OMITB is losing grasp of anyway. (Why doesn’t anyone call the dependable Detective Williams when Marshall reveals he’s trapped Mabel in her apartment?) But it’s okay. We get treated to Oliver and Charles absurdly rescuing their friend from an armed psycho. They “step and drag” on the 14th-floor ledge from Vince’s home to Mabel’s while conquering their fear of heights. It’s visually spectacular and wacky—the OMITB we know and love. This episode also focuses on the show’s many well-developed friendships and, best of all, Oliver and Loretta’s beautiful nuptials. And this is the mushiest the writers have gone to date. Of course, to get to all this, the finale has to wrap up the season’s central suspense. I was almost impatient for them to get it over with because, predictably, the whole thing was flimsy. No offense to Sazz, played adorably by Jane Lynch during this episode, but I was ready for the mystery to end because it was the least interesting part of “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” But here’s how it all goes down: The two men successfully break into Mabel’s window, and Charles then flashes his Chekhov’s Gun Eva Longoria’s 19-in-1 tool, wielding it to get Marshall to confess.

In flashbacks, it’s revealed that Sazz continued to mentor Marshall even after the accident on Ron Howard’s set. She was so inspired by his dedication to his craft that she pursued her dream of making a movie, wanting to use the money to make that trampoline park in New Jersey. Step one was to find the right hero for a script. Inspiration struck on the Brazzos revival set in the form of her best friend. Sazz realized Charles, Oliver, and Mabel’s podcast was excellent film material and a way to honor her No. 1 pal. Her only mistake was handing her only copy of OMITB: The Movie to Marshall for advice. Sadly, we all know what went down next. Instead of supporting Sazz, Marshall stole the script, shopped it around until Bev Melon at Paramount picked it up, changed his name and appearance, and didn’t feel bad about it even after Sazz confronted him. He also didn’t seem too shaken up about following her to New York City and shooting her before she revealed the truth. Oh, and he also murdered Glen Stubbins before the Irish stuntman could recognize him. Marshall only expresses genuine remorse for accidentally injuring Zach Galifianakis. (“He was so funny in The Hangover.”)In light of how glossy and glamorous season four has been, this reveal feels tepid. Couldn’t Marshall have chosen a less inconspicuous spot instead of the literal building where the podcasters expertly solve murders? Let’s not think too hard about it, just like we won’t question how Jan has just been hiding in the Arconia’s secret passageways for three weeks, waiting to exact revenge for Sazz’s death. She pops out just in time to save the trio and kill Marshall before getting sent back to prison. (It’s nice to briefly see you, unhinged Amy Ryan. I hope you return soon).

With all this wrapped up, OMITB moves on to the fun, utterly aww-inducing stuff: It’s time for Oliver and Loretta to marry in the Arconia’s courtyard, which is adorned with a chuppah and more flowers than the eyes can perceive. I was grinning like a fool watching Charles and Mabel walk Oliver down the aisle, looking proudly at their goofy little friend. (Side note: Steve Martin emotionally glancing at Martin Short throughout was extraordinary.) Loretta struts down the aisle in the arms of her son, Dicky, and Oliver’s son, Will. I’m glad OMITB included the adult kiddos in the ceremony. We don’t hear the happy couple’s vows in full, but we don’t need to. Their unbelievably joyous looks do the job.That said, Loretta Durkin-Putnam’s “Be my man, be my lover, be my friend, be my lover” did wreck me. There’s dancing, tears, drinks, and a lot of laughs throughout the last 10 minutes or so of the episode. It’s almost easy to forget there was even a murder, although Charles reveals his plus one to the wedding is Sazz’s ashes. (Is this nice or creepy?) And all this is after Charles repeatedly notes that usually when they solve a murder, another one occurs right after. I love that OMITB is getting so self-referential because obviously there’s another murder. This time, it’s the Arconia’s doorman, Lester. Lester’s death might seemingly tie into another mystery OMITB sets up for season five. Charles and Mabel are approached by a chic Sofia (Téa Leoni), who wants to hire the podcasters to investigate the disappearance of her husband. He’s the man we saw a news report about in last week’s episode. They decline the offer, but Sofia—who belongs to the mafia, by the way—insists his vanishing act ties into the building. It has to be connected to Lester, right? That man has worked at the Arconia for years, so OMITB has a lot of lore to mine from. I was nervous when OMITB got renewed because I didn’t want the show to lose its spark. But if anything, the finale has reaffirmed my faith in the writers and performers, and I hope this new angle of them becoming PIs allows the show to experiment creatively and stretch itself in fun directions. We’ll find out in 2025.

• There are cool Easter eggs in the opening credits, like the nod to the flower decorations in the Arconia and Howard walking with Sazz’s Olde Belgium six-pack.

• Oliver, inquiring where Mabel is: “Where is the young one? We need a pliable brain on this.”

• Loretta zips off to New Zealand the morning after the wedding because her Grey’s Anatomy spin-off has relocated there. Oliver was supposed to go with her, but she tells him she can’t take him away from his friends. Hey, they’ve had an unconventional courtship, so why not an unconventional marriage? This better not mean Meryl Streep’s exit from OMITB though.

• Marshall performing stunts to keep Mabel in check in her apartment was very funny. And it only got funnier because he’s so much shorter than her through the window.

• The only part of Marshall’s confession that got me was when he yelled “Hollywood is broken!!” That’s just a simple truth.

• Charles’ final goodbye to Sazz (via his subconscious) on the OMITB movie set was one of my favorite scenes of the episode.

• Do we think any of the Westies will make appearances in the future?

• Let the fan casting for the mafia family begin. Who would you like to see alongside Leoni as notorious gangsters? I think Danny DeVito is a perfect fit for OMITB. And Michael Imperioli would be super fun for obvious reasons.

Steve Martin (Charles-Haden Savage), Martin Short (Oliver Putnam), Selena Gomez (Mabel Mora), Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard Morris), Meryl Streep (Loretta Durkin), Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis), Eugene Levy (Eugene Levy), Eva Longoria (Eva Longoria), Desmin Borges (Alfonso), Richard Kind (Vince Fish), Jason Kravits (Big Mike), Melissa McCarthy (Doreen), Kumail Nanjiani (Rudy Thurber), Lilian Rebelo (Ana), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Inez), Molly Shannon (Bev Melon), Alberto Bonilla (Clerk)

Only Murders In The Building’s writers heard chatter about the show having too many famous guest stars and said, “Just you wait.” At least that’s how I imagine it went as they sketched out “Valley Of The Dolls,” in which Charles, Oliver, and Mabel temporarily hide at Charles’ sister’s Long Island home, which leads to several talented names holed up under her suburban roof. Here’s the headcount: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, Zach Galifianakis, Molly Shannon, Meryl Streep, Melissa McCarthy, and character actor Jason Kravits, with the latter two making their OMITB debuts. Everyone comes together for a messy, heartwarming 40 minutes that embody what film professor Milton Dudenoff told his class in episode six’s flashback: “Chaos can be good. Chaos can be art.” I’ve been vocal about OMITB upsettingly straying from the central trio and suspense in season four, thanks to the infusion of Hollywood in a much bigger way than, say, Sting or Amy Schumer in previous seasons. But even I can’t complain when this episode delivers Streep and McCarthy in a physical fight, with Longoria egging them on, or Galifianakis taking a grand bow after being complimented for FX’s Baskets. As random as these shenanigans are, only OMITB can make them happen. “Valley Of The Dolls” is ultimately super entertaining (if only Paul Rudd, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Tina Fey had cameos to add to said chaos). With the distance from Arconia, there’s not much progress case-wise, but a lot goes down character-wise, at least for Charles and Oliver. After fleeing New York City, the trio lands at Doreen’s (McCarthy) place to escape from a murderer with prying eyes. Mabel only tells Howard (Michael Cyril Creighton), who wastes no time giving this secret info to studio rep Bev Melon (Shannon), Loretta (Streep), and the three actors. Everyone winds up at Doreen’s for various unbelievable reasons. Okay, not Loretta. Her appearance is very valid, but I don’t think Bev (who is worried about the movie being in limbo), or Eva, Zach, and Eugene (who are worried about their safety) had any business being there realistically, not that it matters. The goal is to confine them all in a small space to let their personal and professional demons out. This results in a sweet Haden-Savage family moment, Bev’s drunk outburst, a gushy engagement, and a huge revelation about the past.

But let’s start with the perfectly cast McCarthy. Doreen is a great foil to Charles and Loretta because her crazy actions force them to reflect on their own. Lonely, sad, and frustrated with her life, Doreen has developed a habit of collecting dolls of all shapes and sizes. Reader, I counted at least 25 in her living room, with more in the bedrooms. Yikes. So, yes, she’s a sweet little weirdo. This has derailed her relationship with Charles and even her husband, Mike (Kravits), whom she kicked out of the house. (He’s now living in a boat parked on their driveway.) Doreen thinks none of the men in her life are equipped to handle just how vulnerable she is—at least not until she meets the “too emotionally available” Oliver, who’s a turn-on for her. Meanwhile, poor, sweet Oliver has just broken up with Loretta over a text message. After all, he does still believe her response to his declaration of love and marriage was “UGH!” The trio have turned off their phones so no one can trace their location, which means if Loretta replies, Oliver won’t know. Instead of solving the crimes in eerie peace with Mabel, he tries to drown his sorrows with alcohol. It’s too bad Doreen doesn’t have any watermelon liqueur, huh? At least she makes him a Sweaty Betty, a.k.a. a strong mix of vodka and Crystal Lite. Doreen also happily keeps him company, rapidly developing a crush on her “short king.” (I get it!) Their, um, friendship is short-lived because Loretta swoops in to get her man back. She flies in from L.A. as soon as she gets the breakup text to demand an explanation. Hey, if she’s willing to let filming a Grey’s spin-off slide, it’s true love! She further clarifies to Oliver that it was her stand-in who answered the call. Why didn’t this person tell Loretta about her boyfriend’s declaration? Anyway, with the doubts cleared, they get back together. (Loretta also adds, “I don’t think you’re ‘Ugh,’ I think you’re ‘Mmm,’” to which Oliver’s responds with a low growl. Get a room!)

In fact, Loretta proposes to Oliver using a bracelet from one of the dolls because it’s as tiny as a ring. Here’s what she tells Oliver, and I’m writing it in its entirety because it’s lovely and affirms that Streep and Short (IRL romance or not) share the warmest chemistry: “Oliver, from the moment I met you, I knew deep in my heart that you were a lunatic. You must have, by my count, six different stories about running into Lynda Carter at grocery stores. Despite your obvious pathologies, I’m here still and I’m not going anywhere. And I sign on to your crazy for a lifetime.” (Between this and Nobody Wants This’ “I can handle you” moment, it’s a good time to be a rom-com fan, right?) Martin Short’s face when Oliver announces to the group, “This bitch is getting married” needs to be framed and kept in the Louvre. Not even a brief spat between Oliver and Loretta, once he confesses about his “Ronnie” finsta account, can derail them now. What does happen before their engagement is a fight between Loretta and Doreen. It’s not a regular verbal spat; it’s a literal let-me-pull-your-pigtails-and-give-you-a-karate-kick assault. Their argument about how wonderful Oliver is turns violent, with everyone looking on and Longoria encouraging them. It’s wild and hilarious. Streep vs. McCarthy! Thank you, Only Murders. This fight also pushes Charles to finally talk to his sister. He spends the rest of the episode making sure the house is safe, as he doesn’t want to put any more loved ones in danger after Sazz. When Charles and Doreen open up, we learn they were raised by an emotionally distant mother. Doreen’s best childhood memory was going with her to see Charles’ play, which was the only time her mom held her hand. Doreen says her brother was always destined to be famous, while she’s by herself now that her kids have also moved out. The siblings ultimately share a lovely moment, promising to be in each other’s lives more. Doreen also makes up with Mike at the end. Does this mean McCarthy will infrequently appear in OMITB? TBD. But I appreciate how “Valley Of The Dolls” inevitably gives insight into Charles’ personality ticks, like why he’s a stickler or has a tough time letting go of things.

Mabel’s time cooped up at Doreen’s isn’t great in comparison to Charles and Oliver. She’s solely invested in solving the case at the moment, and her only assistance comes from Eugene, Zach, and Eva. They want to use their observation skills as actors to parse through the evidence at hand. Initially reluctant, Mabel allows them to take over after they witness Bev’s breakdown over the film being in danger and correctly point out that she’s “a middle child, a single mother, and has high thyroid.” By the end of “Valley Of The Dolls,” Eva, Zach, and Eugene make a murder wall and declare their findings: Charles, Mabel, and Oliver have been targets since season one! The actors point out plot holes of the past, like who left the note on Jan’s wall and who poisoned Oliver’s dog Winnie. It’s small stuff that the OMITB trio has let slide, but in the grand scheme of things, when pieced together, it’s clear that a killer has been stalking them for a long time. Sazz seemingly figured this out as well, which explains the notes on her desk in the premiere. This is probably what she wanted to talk to Charles about the night she died. How did Sazz even get involved in all of this? We’ll find out soon, but I’m just glad that Hulu’s comedy has thankfully upped its stakes and is going full circle back to season one.

• Charles: “I need to tell you something about Doreen. I don’t like saying this about my flesh and blood, but she can be very spontaneous.”
Mabel: “Ooh, sick burn.”

• Mabel’s frustration is extra palpable in this episode. I love it when she tells Eva, Zach, and Eugene to “run lines, have Ozempic, or do whatever it is that actors do.”

• Eva says the OMITB trio is contractually responsible for the actors’ safety. What kind of a ridiculous contract is this?

• Loretta: “Actors are investigators of the human condition.”
Mabel: “L.A. did this to you in two weeks?”

• Doreen tells Charles that the OMITB trio has managed to make a true-crime podcast feel cozy, succinctly capturing the show’s vibe.

• Please tell me no one is surprised about the Westies cashing Dudenoff’s social security checks. The real twist would’ve been the Brothers sisters doing it.

• Oliver: “I thought I wanted the Verdon to my Fosse, the Fleetwood to my Mac. Maybe what I really want is someone I can hold and adore.”
Doreen: “Like a doll.”

• Another reason the Haden-Savage siblings don’t get along is that when they were kids, Charles pushed Doreen off a swing, causing her to lose her spleen at age three. Talk about a bizarre backstory.

• This episode’s narrator is Doreen’s husband, Big Mike, who is a cop. Wouldn’t this have been helpful information for Charles to give a long time ago?

• Let’s talk about Bev. She spends the entire time at Doreen’s getting drunk and yelling at everyone, including the Paramount studio head over the phone. She reiterates she’s passionate about movies and that’s why she can’t afford to let this OMITB film slide, even if a murderer is on the set. And she continues to be at the top of my suspect list along with Marshall.