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Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0
5
Well, well, well, the writers at Elsbeth are making sure they are one step ahead of viewers’ expectations. Rather than waiting until the finale again, audiences got a genuine murder mystery as a change of pace.
Despite the series’ formulaic approach, with episodic murderers and the typical case-of-the-week format, the hands behind the show continue to find ways to add pink sprinkles of chaos.
Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 3 brought us another suspect we will never forget. And we already know the show isn’t afraid to bring back a familiar face or two.
And while “Devil’s Night” was an apt title for the Elsbeth episode, how much more fun would it have been if it was “Dude, Where’s My Gun?” or “Eternal Nighttime of the Blacked-Out Mind?”
Elsbeth tends to bring out the camp in people.
“I Always Remember Everything And I Hate Myself For It”
This episode was filled to the brim with campy treats and sarcastic tricks of the entertainment variety. First, we have to give it up to Brittany O’Grady as Mac.
The actress was hysterical. Her performance perfectly balanced manic pixie dream girl confidence and unbothered acceptance. But she was way too quick to accept those murder charges.
Brittany O’Grady is incredibly talented, yet she has only been in the film and TV industry for ten years. During that time, she has starred in projects such as The Consultant, The White Lotus, and Star.
Most recently, she and Gavin Leatherwood were in the Netflix original “It’s What’s Inside.” I do not recommend watching this horror comedy under any influence, not even wine. It is next-level trippy.
However, like in Elsbeth, O’Grady gives a memorable and charming performance. That was Mac’s only redeeming quality. She was a mess, but she was charismatic as hell.
If you’re like this TV Fanatic, you likely cracked up laughing every time Mac took Kaya’s coffee only to spit it up and critique Kaya’s “bean game.” The comedic timing was sensational.
Brittany O’Grady’s Mac Is Reminiscent Of Laura Benanti’s Nadine Clay
As sweet as the character was, she was also a walking trainwreck. She didn’t notice that her manager/lawyer/agent was stealing from her and then framed her for murder.
At some point, it’s time to take the club wristbands off and learn how to balance a checkbook. These are the same people who take astrology way too seriously — always worried about the sun and the moon but never their taxes.
Still, Mac was fun, watching her murder party scavenger hunt with Elsbeth dressed as Audrey Hepburn the whole time. Iconic.
O’Grady’s character was reminiscent of Laura Benanti as Nadine Clay in Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 10, which also happens to be the only other actual murder mystery of the series.
Can you imagine Nadine and Mac in the same room together? I think drunk doves would appear with crystals in their mouths. That’s the vibe I get.
Lt. Connor Has Solidified Himself As An Antagonist, And He Is In Good Company.
Regarding the fun Halloween energy, there were as many tricks as there were treats. That Lt. Steve Connor is one sneaky son of a gun.
Initially, I wasn’t sure what to make of him, but now he is on my naughty list. We go straight from Halloween to Christmas references, right?
Even if his job is ensuring the precinct functions at optimal performance, he doesn’t have to be such a jerk. I genuinely think he is taking some pleasure from coming down on Elsbeth.
Did you see his smirk when Detective Smullen signed up for the impromptu evaluation chats that were clearly a ploy to assert dominance?
So, even though Connor does everything by the book, he’s not a stranger to over-enforcement. Couple that with the dark-sided smirk, and the guy solidified his status as an antagonist.
The bad vibes continued because, as you just read, Detective Smullen returned — que the groans. Out of all the detectives introduced in Elsbeth Season 1, this one is the most exhausting.
He came back just to get Elsbeth riled up, and rile her up he did. I thought Elsbeth was going to stick her fake cigarette in his eye when they were arguing over the case.
Danny Mastrogiorgio’s Detective Bobby Smullen last appeared in Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 9, “Sweet Justice.”
That was the episode about the bartender obsessed with the girl. The whole thing was a rip-off of Netflix’s YOU, but campier.
There May Be Fewer Watercooler Moments For The Trio With The Way Things Are Going
You’d think with Elsbeth’s track record, Smullen would appreciate the asset that she is and not be such a massive pain. At least he managed to pull his head out of his butt long enough to help solve the case.
This one was a doozy, too. At one point, I lost track of what was happening in the case.
If you did as well, the only thing to take away is that Danny hypnotized Mac into shooting the drug-dealing rapper friend who was blackmailing the agent for stealing money from his client. All clear?
However, what still isn’t clear is who Daniel K. Isaac’s (Billions) Lt. Connor is gunning for. Is it Elsbeth, Captain Wagner, or both?
When Connor divulged what he learned from the impromptu evaluations, he started with the info he gained on the captain.
Considering how calculated Connor seems, this was likely a tactic to throw Wagner off his game. The news that he is not liked very much did not sit well with the captain.
As cute as the water cooler scene between Wagner, Kaya, and Elsbeth was, we may see those moments become few and far between.
Wagner has to worry about the new lieutenant and the upheaval he is bringing. Meanwhile, there is still the matter of Elsbeth’s old Chicago case, which she is caught up in.
The last mention of it was at the beginning of Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 2 when Carter rolled up in his all-black SUV. If you recall, there is a high-profile divorce happening from one of Elsbeth’s previous Chicago cases that has come back to bite her in the butt.
So, yeah, everyone is being spread a little thin in Elsbeth Season 2.
So far, CBS‘s Elsbeth Season 2 has gone out of its way to surpass what it accomplished in Season 1.
The show is creating more exciting cases while flipping the nostalgia switch by bringing back previously seen characters like Dr. Yablonski in Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 1.
Between Elsbeth, Matlock, and NCIS: Origins, CBS is putting out some real winners this broadcast season!
Do you think Elsbeth should be worried about Lt. Connor?
Who do you want to see come back from Elsbeth Season 1?
Please drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this episode, and join me again when I review the next episode of Elsbeth!
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