Paul Rudd returns to Only Murders in the Building in Season 5, lending his voice to LESTR, the Logic Engineered Secured Tenant Robot, in Episode 4, Dirty Birds. The Arconia’s new automated assistant is introduced as part of a broader shakeup in the building, with Charles, Mabel, and Oliver adjusting to life without Lester, the former doorman who is no longer on duty. The Arconia’s former doorman, Lester, is replaced by Jermaine Fowler’s new doorman, and together with Howard, they introduce LESTR to the residents.
LESTR is described as the building’s new assistant who interacts with residents and even undercuts Mabel during a hallway encounter by rattling off the podcast’s chart position and listenership. Uma, a character in the mix, quips, 'They’re trying to trick us into thinking it’s a tribute rather than the rise of the machine.' LESTR replies, 'That’s true, my greatest challenge is my unsettling effect on humans.'
The voice by Rudd was not the initial plan, according to series co‑creator John Hoffman. In an interview with TVLine, Hoffman said the team tested a few different versions before landing on Rudd near the end of Season 5. 'Thankfully, you don’t ever see the person, so you can change the voice — and we did at the very, very end. When we were shooting Episode 9, I called Paul up and I said, OK, so we discussed, and there’s no way we can give you anything else, but we have a thought….' Hoffman added that Rudd’s voice will continue to appear in future episodes of Season 5.
'I thought he was just brilliant in it,' Hoffman said in the same interview, praising Rudd’s reads as 'reads that don’t make sense for a human being.' The creative team has indicated that the mannered, offbeat vocal work is a deliberate tone for LESTR, designed to puncture the usual rhythm of the mystery-comedy as the season unfolds.
The production notes align with the ongoing rollout of Season 5, with the first four episodes now streaming on Hulu. New episodes premiere on Tuesdays at 12 a.m. EST. For viewers new to Hulu, a 30-day free trial is available on the basic plan, followed by a $9.99 monthly charge. Those seeking an ad-free experience can upgrade to the $18.99 per month tier. Disney+ Bundles, which include Hulu, start at $10.99 per month for ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu, and can rise to $29.99 per month for a package that includes Disney+, Hulu, and Max, all ad-free.