'Elsbeth' Season 2 Episode 20 "Ramen Holiday" Recap: A Season Finale to Sing About
- Barbara
- May 9
- 6 min read
The Elsbeth Season Finale features guest stars including Stephen Moyer (Alex Modarian), Retta (Margo Clark), Gina Gershon (Vanessa Holmes), Elizabeth Lail (Quinn Powers), Arian Moayed (Joe Dillon), André De Shields (Matteo Hart), Alyssa Milano (Pupetta Del Ponte), Mary-Louise Parker (Freya Frostad), and Ethan Slater (Officer Chandler).
The last episode shows Elsbeth getting transferred to a new corrections center, Midtown Detention Center. She enters gingerly, trying to keep a low profile.That didn’t last long. She passed one villain, Joe Dillon, she helped incarcerate. The guard, Rocco, moved her along, and she met another villain from her past, creepy Alex Modarian, her first. Was the guard doing this intentionally? Hope Elsbeth gets that speedy trial soon!
They finally get to the women’s wing, and there are more villains from her past, Vanessa Holmes and Freya Frostad, more murderers. Elsbeth was meeting villainous prisoners from her past at every turn. Now she sees Margo Clarke. It’s funny how they all remember her. They finally get to Elsbeth’s cell, and thankfully she’s the only occupant. She’s next to Pupetta Del Ponte, who’s cooking a nice meal but won’t talk to Elsbeth. Modarian/Stanislavski comes by the cell with books and other contraband. Elsbeth is shocked he’s walking around semi-free. He says he is a prison trustee with privileges. He also does plays for the prison community. He invites Elsbeth to their next rehearsal and she agrees, since she can’t resist the theatre. Elsbeth meets the prison warden, Mrs. Martin/Momma. She whispers to Elsbeth to come to her if she has any trouble.
At the rehearsal, Elsbeth gets a surprise. The play rehearsal and actors were a little awkward, and one of the characters was modeled after her. Quinn Powers was dressed in a similar Elsbeth signature large colorful hat and was carrying multiple bags. She even sounded like Elsbeth. Elsbeth complained about the scene, but was quickly shut down. Matteo Hart, another villain from Elsbeth’s past, was the costume designer. Modarian comes back to ask her opinion on the play. She tells him the other actors don’t respect him. He says it’s because he gets to their truth, and they hate that. He says he was the most hated person there, until Elsbeth arrived.
In Captain Wagner’s Office, Detective Blanke is upset that Elsbeth is being held indefinitely at the detention center. Captain Wagner says Judge Dousant is taking Judge Crawford’s death out on Elsbeth. That and her record in Chicago is what he is using to justify this. Detective Blanke makes some suggestions, but Captain Wagner says no to all. She’s worried she’ll leave for her new assignment before Elsbeth is released. Captain Wagner says he’ll talk to the judge. Lieutenant Connor says it might appear inappropriate. Wagner says he can be persuasive.
Elsbeth tries to keep herself busy in her cell. She asks Rocco to take her to the library. He says he’s in trouble with the warden because she caught him watching cat videos on his phone. Elsbeth tells him who she works for, and he’s impressed. He’s a big fan of Captain Wagner and takes her to the library. They get there and find Modarian dead. They lock down the detention center. Elsbeth begins investigating. The warden gets there and tells Elsbeth to leave. Elsbeth comes to the warden’s office and the warden is upset. She says the library, kitchen and laundry have no security cameras.
She tells Elsbeth an outside investigative team that handles the investigation. Elsbeth mentions the inmates have a lot of freedom. The warden says it’s because their inmates are pampered elites and they get more freedom to stop them from complaining. Elsbeth sees the warden also carries several totes, a kindred spirit. She comments on that, and gets no response. She asks when she can have visitors and is told not for at least a week since she’s new.
Captain Wagner meets Judge Dousant at a tailor shop. He pleads his case for Elsbeth based on the many murder cases she solved. Dousant made it clear he’s holding Elsbeth responsible for Crawford’s death. Wagner leaves.All cells are being investigated at the detention center, as requested by the investigators. Elsbeth waits until they are done. She continues investigating. She subtly questions Quinn outside. Quinn says she didn’t murder Modarian, and Margo is her alibi. Elsbeth interrogates her, too. She tells Elsbeth Modarian was a slime ball, but she didn’t kill him. Margo actually couldn’t confirm Quinn’s alibi because she wasn’t in ‘the yard’ consistently. Elsbeth continued her investigation with Joe. She almost drank his toilet wine. Joe also revealed Modarian had a racket going where he controlled large sums of cash exchanges.
Continuing her investigation, Elsbeth talked to other inmates. Freya says it had to be someone who moved around freely, and she pointed at Rocco. Del Ponte tells her a weapon could be made out of anything, even ramen. Elsbeth tells the warden about the ramen weapon theory. Elsbeth has a “Musical Tango” dream. It was a cool lively theatre rendition that walks through Elsbeth’s clues being sung by all the villains. She’s awakened by Rocco. Teddy comes to see Captain Wagner, and tells him, Lieutenant Connor and Detective Blanke that Crawford wasn’t the original judge assigned to the Mertens case. He checked the public records and saw Judge Dusant was the original judge, but recused himself. Wagner tells Teddy he’d make a good detective. Detective Blanke says they need to find out Dusant’s connection to Crawford and the Mertens case. Connor calls in Officer Chandler to help. Chandler’s ready.Elsbeth asks the warden about Vinnie Del Ponte’s secret tunnel in the detention center. The warden says it was a myth. She asks about Modarian thinking he was going to be transferred to a better facility. Warden thought it could be a good motive, and tells Elsbeth to find out more.
Later, Elsbeth shows Du Ponte a book her Uncle Vinnie wrote a message in, and Del Ponte identifies his little hearts. That’s all the clues Elsbeth needed.Captain Wagner and Officer Chandler go see Judge Dusant and are able to get him to release Elsbeth. Meanwhile, Elsbeth discovers a new clue that helped her solve the mystery. The warden has a meeting with everyone. Elsbeth points out she solved the murder case, and accuses the warden of murdering Alex Modarian. Everyone wants to hear, so Elsbeth does an entertaining re-enactment of the crime to explain how the warden committed the murder. It had to do with Chef Veev and some ramen. Veev made an expert knife out of ramen.The warden took it away when found, and killed Chef Veev with it. The warden says there was a question of how she got from one wing to another so fast. Elsbeth reveals Uncle Vinnie’s hidden tunnel. It did exist. Rocco arrested the warden.
The warden asks why Alex’s murder mattered. Elsbeth says truth always matters. Without it, we’re lost. Rocco takes the warden away.Del Ponte is angry with Elsbeth because she took away their freedom, and now their supplier. Elsbeth says the warden was taking their money and jacking up their prices. She gets no thanks from the inmates.The station gives Detective Blanke a farewell party. All the other revolving door of detectives, Samantha Edwards, Bobby Smullen and Buzz Fleming, tell her they learned some things from Kaya, and wish her luck.
Her easygoing attitude, extensive knowledge about all things in New York and her natural attention to detail, persistence and charm will be missed. Officer Chandler and Captain Wagner get Elsbeth out, and she happily appears. They share a joyful group hug. Kaya tells Elsbeth a tearful goodbye, and suggests a way to not miss her too much. Cameron gives a speech and lets Kaya say a final farewell to her colleagues and friends. She defers to Elsbeth instead. Elsbeth gives a short moving speech and says Kaya may return someday. They wish her luck on her new mission and also everyone there who is staying for theirs. They toast Kaya.
This episode was a fitting way to end the season. It was fun to see the season’s villains again. Placing Elsbeth in an environment she never expected to experience was more intriguing! The writing, acting and the entire Elsbeth Team is sensational! The season finale ended with a wonderful theatre musical, sadness at a colleague’s departure, and a hint of something new in the coming season. There were no signature multiple bags, quirky colorful coats and hats for Elsbeth tonight, but there was a very colorful handmade vest. Thank you for this superb season and comfort show Elsbeth Team!
What did you think?
Loved it
Hated it
So/So
Comments