Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Elsbeth’s Eleven

Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

4.5

The Elsbeth writers seem to be trying to outdo themselves with each passing episode. I genuinely thought we were about to have our very first murder-free encounter. Alas, it was not to be.

Even though a character was still killed, viewers were treated to a mini-heist with a less happy ending than the movie that inspired the story.

Granted, you could say any of the Oceans movies inspired it, but since references were made like “you’re looking for your Mindy Kaling,” we know Elsbeth’s Eleven drew themes from Ocean’s 8.

If that wasn’t enough to keep audiences enthralled, the legendary Vanessa Williams gave a hilarious and memorable performance.

Vanessa Williams Is No Stranger To The Good Wife Universe, But Her Character On Elsbeth Is As Brand-New And Shiny As The Jewels She Tried To Heist

No one plays an iconic diva like Vanessa Williams. This titan of the entertainment industry has been acting and crooning her sweet tunes for over forty years.

She is known for her roles in hilarious shows like Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, and she starred alongside Samuel L. Jackson in 2000’s Shaft.

Fans of The Good Wife may remember her as the recurring character of Courtney Paige during the show’s seventh season.

Elsbeth has practically an endless well of possible episodic killers. Sadly, there has yet to be one from my article about Nine Actors Who Would Make Excellent Guest Stars, aka Killers!

Still, I was happy to be wrong in this case because Vanessa Williams was fantastic. Apart from being absolutely stunning, she is no stranger to playing a tightly wound woman or two.

Her character, Roselyn, is very reminiscent of Wilhelmina Slater from her Ugly Betty days, with just a splash of her character, Renee Perry, from Desperate Housewives.

How hilarious was that fall she did when she was faking having cyanide poisoning? And the fact that no one really bought it was the perfect level of self-aware camp.

She gets so close, but in the end, the only ones who walk away happy are the police and Judith. Good for her.

She gave decades of her life to that jewelry store just to be thrown out like trash, only to be replaced by a mean, flesh-suit-wearing robot of a woman.

The gem expert wasn’t much nicer, but he hardly deserved to be poisoned with cyanide. That Roselyn was quick on her feet.

However, I don’t know about any of you, but I thought things surrounding this case seemed a little shady.

Detective Donnelly Is Back, And She’s Just As Dry As Ever

Captain Wagner was quick to rule this case an accidental death solely because the jewelry store was strong-arming him. Something about that doesn’t seem right, and Elsbeth clearly agreed.

When you think about it, Captain Wagner came very close to letting a murderer get away. If Elsbeth and Kaya hadn’t continued to look into the case, Roselyn would’ve gotten away not only with the murder but the heist, as well.

A part of me wanted Roselyn to get away with everything, mainly because of the actress playing her. However, I’m not upset about getting another episode with Detective Donnelly.

She may be rough on the outside, but we haven’t forgotten how sweet she was to our favorite Chicago attorney on Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 10.

She was the only detective to wish her farewell and to tell Elsbeth she would be missed. Of course, in classic Donnelly fashion, she ran away before Elsbeth could hug her.

As far as the detective pool is concerned, Donnelly’s dry humor compliments Elsbeth’s whimsical nature. Who else can drop a line like “murder should be fun?” with such perfect dry comedic timing?

One thing we have to talk about is how incredible Elsbeth, Kaya, Donnelly, and even Wagner looked at the gala. My goodness, they each looked terrific.

Here’s my question, though: Why doesn’t the way Elsbeth dresses for fancy events translate to her everyday clothes?

Someone, Please Burn Elsbeth’s Bucket Hat

Has anyone else noticed the inconsistencies with Elsbeth’s wardrobe? For some reason, her taste becomes impeccable when it’s time to rub elbows with rich people.

This wasn’t the first time Elsbeth stunned in a fabulous ensemble. She was dressed for the gods in Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 4. So, why are we still seeing bucket hats?

It’s no wonder every suspect thinks Elsbeth is not all there. She dresses like she should be pushing a shopping cart of plants and puppies down the sidewalk. If that does happen, you saw it here first.

Seriously, it’s getting out of hand. What was that Pepto Bismal and rhinestone jacket she was rocking in Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 4? One good beam of sunlight on that jacket and everything would go up in flames.

How does she go from wearing that to the stunning dress she rocked at the end of “Elsbeth’s Eleven”? It’s not nice to tease audiences with gorgeous clothes just to bring back the bucket hat.

Interestingly, we haven’t heard a peep about Elsbeth’s involvement in a high-profile Chicago case. The last time we heard anything substantial was on Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 2.

Carter Schmidt came and went with one ominous scene that set Elsbeth on edge. However, she seems to be pretty unbothered by the situation.

Still, that other shoe could drop at any moment. At least she’s having an easier time with her arc than Captain Wagner.

Like The Titular Character, Elsbeth, The Series Makes Sure Never To Forget A Familiar Face

That poor man is trying so hard to be liked at the precinct. I’d feel bad about laughing, but the man is like an oak tree — unmovable.

If it weren’t for the new lieutenant, I doubt Wagner would be trying so hard to win over his colleagues.

I mean, he got Elsbeth and Kaya milkshakes, and it’s a universally held truth that milkshakes make everything better. It’ll be fun to see other tactics he tries to make people like him.

You know what else was a little fun? The references to Lavish Ladies. Is there a character coming back?

Between the sweatshirt Kaya was wearing and the show mentioned by name, it seems like the writers wanted to keep the fictional reality show on our minds — emphasis on fictional.

Since Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 1, numerous references to past episodes have been made. With the trend continuing, we will likely see more characters pop up throughout Season 2.

My money is on Laura Benanti’s Nadine Clay. I would love to see her character sashay back on screen. She is hilariously detached from reality in the best way.

If we’re talking returns, where the heck is John Behlmann’s Fire Marshall, Jake Turling? The man lit a fire in “The Wrong Stuff” under Elsbeth and then disappeared.

We were excited to see Elsbeth return to the dating world, but we soon found out it was a tease. Oh, well.

For now, we will just have to settle for more amazing cases and stories from the Elsbeth writers. CBS’s Elsbeth is a powerhouse series of talented people in front and behind the camera.

Which character from Elsbeth Season 1 do you want to see return?

Do you think we will see more cameos from The Good Wife or The Good Fight?

Please drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this episode, and join me again when I bring you another review for Elsbeth!

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