Elsbeth Recap: Don’t Duck This Up

As a seasoned food critic with a penchant for uncovering the hidden truths behind culinary masterpieces, I must say that this week’s episode of Elsbeth left me both satisfied and intrigued. The plot was as rich and layered as Chef Veev’s iconic duck confit, each layer revealing a new piece of the puzzle that ultimately led to the unmasking of the true villain.

Elsbeth frequently advises that people should be mindful of the risks associated with excessive obsession. It’s great to be passionate about personal interests, dedicated to one’s profession, and invested in significant parts of one’s identity – these traits can be admirable. However, there is a line beyond which such fixation and devotion can become problematic, as demonstrated by Chef Veev’s monomaniacal pursuit of perfection and control. Indeed, we’ve arrived at the episode where high cuisine goes awry, and it certainly provides an entertaining spectacle! (I hope you find my puns tolerable, despite their excessive nature.)

To some extent, I can relate to Chef Veev (Pamela Adlon, adorned with thematically fitting fake tattoos and obviously enjoying her role in causing distress among her on-screen subordinates) – managing a restaurant comes with the challenge of working long, grueling hours, constantly worrying about razor-thin profit margins, and relying heavily on Yelp ratings and social media popularity. She undeniably possesses exceptional culinary skills and has a clear vision for her restaurant. However, given her position at such a successful, high-end establishment, it’s surprising to see that she doesn’t seem to have complete faith in her team as one might expect.

As a passionate cinephile, I take pride in my work and strive for perfection, especially when a 5-star VIP is expected. Unfortunately, chaos seems to have taken over tonight at the restaurant, with reservations being auctioned off, causing confusion and frustration. Worse yet, this mix-up results in our esteemed guest, Mr. Montebello, leaving angrily when he finds himself surrounded by boisterous influencers in his booth. In the midst of all the noise, I can’t help but notice the persistent notifications on Jordan’s phone – could it be him selling legitimate reservations?

He can, and she catches him in the act by successfully bidding on a reservation herself. A massive argument ensues, full of colorful insults — she calls him a “roach-eating basement rat,” he hits back hard with “Your lamb shanks are chewy!” — and instead of just throwing him out of the restaurant, a switch flips in Veev’s mind, leading her to bludgeon Jordan with a meat cleaver while screaming yet more culinary insults (not his knife work!!!). Jordan may be down, but he’s not out, taunting Veev with a video of her assault, a misstep that turns fatal, as Veev chokes him to death (wearing safety gloves, for she is a professional). Once again, quick thinking could save the day for our perpetrator: she swiftly deletes the video from Jordan’s phone, then bludgeons herself, hurls the cleaver into the industrial dishwasher, and dumps a full box of avocados on the floor, staging the scene to make it look as though they were both beaten by persons unknown. Whew!

Following a stumble halfway up and subsequently tumbling down the stairs emerging from the cellar, it appears that Chef Veev faints at the exact moment when the timer for the half-sheet of roasting duck sounds off. Upon regaining consciousness, she finds herself enveloped by Elsbeth, Kaya, and this week’s detective, Detective Edwards (Micaela Diamond), who you might remember from the previous season for her enthusiasm towards advanced technological crime-solving gadgets. This time, however, Detective Edwards seems more relaxed and open to hearing out Elsbeth and Kaya.

Although Chef Veev was brutally attacked, falling down the stairs by unknown attackers and suffering an arm injury requiring a sling, she chooses to continue working at her restaurant. This decision mirrors Jordan’s heroic actions, who sacrificed himself for her safety. Despite the genuine concern of her staff, she refuses to let go of her commitment, saying she’s fine and has experience with concussions. However, I advise her to consult a neurologist immediately as this perceived badge of honor may be masking potentially serious health issues.

As a movie enthusiast, Veev’s apparent courage, coupled with mysterious stains on her shins and rumors about her tempestuous past (which has been largely tamed since her anger management therapy), give Elsbeth and Kaya pause for concern while Edwards carries out her mission. Meanwhile, we, being vigilant about the words and actions of our informants, uncover more intriguing clues that lead us to a local avocado cartel. Friends, I couldn’t help but chuckle. We’ve previously encountered drug cartels lacing innocent people with dangerous plants, and now we find ourselves dealing with an avocado cartel! They were attempting to force Chef Veev into making purchases from them. Remarkably, the FBI has a specialized fruit crimes investigative unit keeping tabs on the major produce market Veev frequents. Their lead agent informs us that notorious figurehead, Avocado Don, and his associates are off the suspect list as they were engaged in their nefarious activities up in Harlem the previous evening.

The rest of the episode focuses on clearing up any lingering doubts about Chef Veev, leading to more confrontations, albeit unresolved ones, between Elsbeth and Kaya. This is also a stage for Captain Wagner’s ongoing mission to boost morale and his reputation at the precinct following Lieutenant Connor’s critical reports from his audit. Above all, it provides an opening for the return of former supermodel Nadine (played by Laura Benanti) to assist Elsbeth in gaining entry into Chef Veev’s restaurant.

This episode sprinkles the right amount of Nadine’s quirky antics to amp up the enjoyment and again emphasizes the elite environments Elsbeth and Kaya encounter on a regular basis. Benanti delights in lines such as “Another model accidentally bumped into me at Versace – I won’t name names, but ask me in the car, and I’ll share!” and when confronted with an invoice totaling $911.43, “I could pay, but [shows a tiny purse] – my wallet wouldn’t fit!” Her completely offbeat spirit, including her slightly British accent reminiscent of Madonna in 2001, is refreshing!

Lieutenant Connor consistently causes unease among Wagner, Elsbeth, and Kaya. His constant expression of worry suggests he strives for perfection, which he believes can only be achieved by strictly following all ethical guidelines. Elsbeth’s mistake in revealing that Kaya resides with her adds to Kaya’s existing stress about her upcoming tests and aspirations for a detective position. Moreover, Elsbeth’s clumsy attempts at preparing Chef Veev’s famous duck confit and sausage cassoulet don’t help matters either. They are addressing their issues honestly, which is commendable! It’s heartening to witness such open communication!

As a film enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate the way Wagner is maneuvering his relationships with his officers and detectives, particularly through those engaging poker nights. It’s a nice break amidst my constant worry about Connor’s audit. Wendell Pierce never fails to bring a chuckle, and his line about Wagner’s perceived spreadsheet of flaws was spot-on, offering a glimpse into Wagner’s character. These poker games also provide Edwards with invaluable chances to delve deeper into the case, discussing aspects like the Inside Table app, insights on Mr. Montebello, and Veev’s connection to him – all leading us closer to understanding Chef Veev’s potential motive. If she lost the chance to partner with Montebello, opening restaurants near his renowned Pomm Hotels worldwide, her anger might drive her to violent acts, considering the stakes at hand.

Edwards delved deeply into analyzing the buyers of Jordan’s InsideTable, and it turns out that Jordan’s partner also offered valuable insights. It appears that Edwards was accumulating funds for a venture to sell artisanal bologna sandwiches from a food truck. Remarkably, he managed to carry on his reservation-selling deception in front of Sam, as he kept things straightforward, avoided double-bookings, and because Sam is frequently intoxicated. What likely would have resulted in his immediate termination was the double-booking that enraged many genuine customers, with hotelier Montebello even walking out in protest. Jordan, however, aimed for a spectacular exit, which translated to a financial windfall that was twice as large as usual in this instance.

Equipped with a more potent reason and a deeper grasp of InsideTable’s functions, our team brings our vision to life by incorporating the third essential element – duck – to fully reveal the intricate flavors hidden within Chef Veev’s remorse.

Here’s one way to rephrase the sentence:

In This Week’s Tote Bag

I found it quite amusing that Elsbeth attempted, yet failed, to use the elaborate alias Emma Von Pettigrew (from the illustrious Pettigrew family, of course). Keep those humorous monikers coming!

In a new development, Elsbeth’s former client from a past divorce case resurfaces, driving a vehicle with dark-tinted windows this time, carrying TruRose – Mark Van Ness’ soon-to-be ex-wife. This woman asks for confidential information, but Elsbeth politely yet firmly refuses. It seems this issue will have ongoing consequences throughout the series.

I’d like to give a big shout-out to the fight coordinator for this episode! The physical confrontation between Chef Veev and Jordan in their basement, as I remember it, was not only the longest but also the most intricate fight scene we’ve witnessed on Elsbeth up until now.

2024-11-15 08:54

Elsbeth Recap: Don’t Duck This Up

In This Week’s Tote Bag

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