Elsbeth

An angry woman

Season 2

Episode 7

Editor’s Rating

4 stars

****

Photo: Michael Parmelee/CBS

More than most, procedural shows cue us to talk about them in chronological order. There’s a reassuringly consistent unfolding of the mystery of the week’s beats; We get some character and thematic development, a bit of overarching plot material along the way, aaaaannnd credits. “One Angry Woman” is, in my opinion, the first time Elsbeth encourages a thematic approach to an episode, and I’m here for it. The theme of the week – and, one might say, the entire season: drumroll, please! – are boundaries.

Everyone talks about boundaries, from Elsbeth and Teddy to sketchy Judge Crawford and Lonnie the creepy podcast guy; from murder victim of the week Andy and his non-murderer Delia to Lt. Connor and his district-wide examination. Elsbeth and Kaya have talked about, set and adjusted boundaries in their friendship throughout the season. They were at the center of the few conflicts in their relationship – remember how Kaya had to convince Elsbeth that it would be better for their friendship if she paid rent while living in Elsbeth’s apartment? This boundary provided clarity and ensured that both friends knew that Kaya was not living there as a handout from Elsbeth, which would have allowed small resentments to escalate into a larger conflict.

Boundaries are not just about protecting ourselves from certain behaviors or experiences, but also about giving as much space as possible to the relationships we want to have with others. Teddy enforces the one fact per day rule on Elsbeth, not just because he’s a grown man who doesn’t want her meddling in his business, but because he’s a grown man who knows that they will have the healthiest relationship possible if Elsbeth knows that not a single organism separated by a very porous emotional membrane. Rather, because Teddy is a grown man, he wants Elsbeth in his life, and that’s what he wants not contribute to her excessive sense of responsibility towards him. He will always be her baby, but he is also an adult. You work at it in good faith and get to your goal. We hope that Teddy’s friend Roy, who is moving to Brooklyn in the new year, will make this process easier.

Because of her, Elsbeth had to forego many things that she had considered untouchable. Teddy Time during his visit not Being relieved of jury duty actually has a positive impact on the long-term health of their relationship. Kaya introduces him to the touristy parts of city life she never partakes in, takes him to Coney Island, introduces him to the confusing, underfunded engineering marvel that is the subway system, takes him to the High Line and then leads him to the debriefing over a beer. Back at the station with Captain Wagner. Elsbeth’s beloved colleagues get to see Teddy for who he really is (not just the extremely talented young go-getter that Elsbeth is so proud of), and he gets to see how much these people care about his mother. My goodness, where did all these chopped onions come from? “Born families and volunteer families, meeting and bonding are just very touching,” she said, gently dabbing her eyes.

It’s so interesting to hear Teddy’s perspective on his mother’s life in New York. Despite all her good-natured banter about how he only gives out one Teddy Fact™ a day and her sunny hopes of luring him to New York more regularly, the real reason he dropped everything to visit her is that he wants to look after his mother’s well-being. He still has no idea why she seemingly fled Chicago and was truly shaken when he received an SOS text message from Kaya calling him to New York. Is Elsbeth in some sort of crisis? She seems okay, but she is Strictly speaking OK? Yes and no – she continues to deflect questions about why she left Chicago and she Was In a state where she thought she wouldn’t see him for months, but the worst of it has passed.

And of course, for Elsbeth, there is nothing better than noticing when a justice mechanism is not working properly. That’s why she gets caught up in this week’s mystery while serving as an alternate juror in a seemingly open-and-shut murder trial. It seems simple because a lot of circumstantial and physical evidence links the defendant to the murder: A man was beaten to death in his apartment, apparently by his lover, who was found by police standing over his body, naked and wrapped in his body Blood – but as soon as Elsbeth’s thoughts start to tug at loose threads, she can’t stop.

From the open version we know that he and Delia had a completely consensual role play on a dark and stormy night before Andy’s death, and that she was in the shower while he was being watched by a very suspicious, bespectacled, middle-aged man wielding a baseball bat ( Michael Emerson, the king of all characters with hidden and often morally questionable motives). His motive is unclear to us, although the perpetrator and his victim know each other and have shared secrets. The killer just doesn’t trust Andy’s promise to keep this secret to his satisfaction, so it’s time to crank up the record player and finish him off while Donna Summer plays, which represents his extreme violation of the social contract with a less extreme but Still aggravated by a shocking act of disrespect towards Ms. Summer. He leaves the bat right outside the bathroom door, where the questioning Delia picks it up before finding Andy’s body.

The motives of previous murders continue Elsbeth have been very clear so far; We have seen how greed, jealousy, revenge, maintaining reputations, and bad manners at the opera brought out the worst in our abusers. In contrast, Andy’s murder and the murderer himself remain somewhat obscure. We They know that the murderer is also the judge presiding over Delia’s trial, but until the final minutes of the episode, Elsbeth only suspects him of trying to insult Delia, not that he was involved in Andy’s death.

Elsbeth’s superpowers of noticing details that others don’t and then asking questions about them until a discernible pattern emerges save the day. After fighting her way into the jury deliberation room by getting Lonnie the sexist podcaster disqualified, her questions about the gun, motive, and witness testimony poke hole after hole in the prosecutor’s case against Delia. Sure, she has terrible boundaries (sneaking into your cute neighbor’s apartment to drop off baked goods? Ultimately harmless but definitely awkward behavior!) and is prone to empty if hot-headed threats of physical violence, but she’s not a little maladjusted That’s not the same as being a murderer. Delia deserves a competent defense, something she gets from her low-cost defense attorney Chazz Milano (30 Rock alum Scott Adsit, who brings just the right amount of comedic mustard to the role. Thank God for Elsbeth’s questions for providing them.

While Elsbeth manages to convince her fellow judges (including another great one). 30 Rock alum, Marceline Hugot, as Forewoman) that Delia did not kill Andy, this is the first time Elsbeth that Elsbeth didn’t solve the murder until the end of an episode. All along we’ve been given little breadcrumbs – for example, Andy’s willingness to believe that the US government is capable of almost anything, based on what he’s seen; and Judge Crawford’s longed-for appointment as a federal judge – perhaps they will prove to be minor red herrings, or perhaps they will prove to be the opposite. (Perhaps wild-caught salmon?) In any case, you should know that His Honor Milton Crawford, posing as not only judge but also jury and executioner, will be in Elsbeth’s metaphorical crosshairs for at least one more episode. He is the most dangerous opponent she has faced yet, but even he is not immune to making mistakes. By succinctly describing Andy as a “perverted disco lover” in his kiss to Elsbeth, after disco was not mentioned in any of the negotiations, he opens him up to further scrutiny from her. This will be good.

• Casting Note #1: In addition to being a feast for the eyes at all times, Michael Emerson is also married to Carrie Preston. I can’t wait to see her eye to eye again.

• Casting Note #2: Judge Crawford’s bailiff is played by Wendell Pierce’s colleague The wire Alum Brian Anthony Wilson! Could we expect a little reunion scene between them in the next episode? I dare to dream!

• Line of the episode: It’s a tie between Elsbeth and asking Lonnie the podcast guy, “Would I have heard about it?” It is Car talk?” and Lt. Connor angrily described his crummy, hopeless office as “fabulous.”

• Chazz Milano, God bless his incompetent heart, not only literally wears the same ensemble every day of the trial, but he also has the designer label taped to his jacket sleeve. This man needs help in every aspect of his life; he is like a cracked reflection of Elsbeth!

• Almost as touching as Elsbeth’s son and his work family show how well they understand her and how much they care for her is Lt. Connor, who finally comes to terms with what she brings to the precinct. Mr. Data explains everything and everything is by the book noted that the district has received several formal complaints about serious procedural problems this week. These are exactly the kind of problems Elsbeth would notice before they became a problem, and she’s been out all week. He doesn’t believe in coincidences. Oh!