Elsbeth Recap: A Few of Elsbeth’s Favorite Things

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It’s quite challenging to be an advocate for minimalism. For instance, consider Freya Frostad, portrayed by Mary-Louise Parker in this week’s show — she has constructed her career and lifestyle around the idea that one only requires 44 items in their life. The specific meaning or reason behind 44 remains unknown, but after reducing her belongings to such a strict limit, Freya rigorously applies a rule where for every new item added, an old one must be removed, even when it comes to gifts she gives to her husband, Axel, and their partner, Taylor.

Freya often discusses how people adopt disordered, cluttered lifestyles as a way of managing difficult emotions, but isn’t minimalism simply another method for maintaining control amidst disorder? Despite the uncertainties and questions raised by Freya’s perspective, I find myself empathizing with her struggles. Yes, decluttering can be transformative, even miraculous, but Freya seems to have confined herself within a rigid way of life that leaves no room for flexibility. Her inner turmoil is evident, and instead of confronting the underlying issues or acknowledging her feelings for Taylor, she chooses an extreme solution by drowning Axel in their hot tub.

Farewell to Axel, and here’s to Elsbeth for her unwavering devotion to maximalism. If our heroine ever arrives at work with less than three bags or dressed in a single color, it’ll be clear that something isn’t right. This week’s lesson is about the fallacy of control and accepting that making less-than-perfect decisions within your current circumstances is normal. It’s a common occurrence, and usually, it’s harmless!

Using the necklace secretly given by Axel to draw Taylor into an entanglement with the drains in their hot tub, then using their small Finnish robot vacuum to block the Tub Top, is quite cunning and devious. It’s impressive how Parker successfully infused Freya’s villainy with a sense of urgency. Her intention for killing Axel isn’t due to his violation of rule 44; it’s her intense longing to have Taylor all to herself. What other explanation could there be for the multiple instances where she arranges for Axel to require urgent care, by secretly poisoning him with arsenic obtained from an old client’s collection of 19th-century flypaper? Freya is so determined to keep Taylor in her life that she readily agrees to take over Axel’s role as the third member of their relationship.

Exploring Freya’s motive for killing Axel takes Elsbeth and Teddy on personal quests towards self-discovery. While Elsbeth is willing to test Freya’s approach, she finds that Freya’s disorderliness serves as a catalyst for her unique thinking skills in solving murders. Meanwhile, Teddy grapples with the state of his relationship with Roy, questioning if he hasn’t explored enough potential romantic options. He wonders if they are moving too quickly and if committing to each other now might not be enough later on. What if he makes a mistake and experiences a painful breakup like his parents did? Alternatively, maybe his discomfort stems from the closeness between Roy and Elsbeth. Can their relationship truly belong to them if Elsbeth remains part of their lives?

In the episode, it brought me great joy when Elsbeth finally took control with Teddy. Notably, he sought her advice not once but twice in this particular installment, which is significant as it shows growth in their relationship. She made it clear that whatever decision he makes is entirely his own, and he should not let his parents’ choices dictate his path. She emphasized that she would always stand by him, but no one should be blamed for the difficulties he faces in determining and sticking to his personal goals. As a grown man, Teddy needs to take ownership of his decisions and accept the repercussions they bring.

In her analysis, Elsbeth focuses on understanding the dynamics between two pairs within Axel, Freya, and Taylor’s triad that have resulted in sadness. This shift allows her to adapt her past relationship with Kaya to foster a healthier partnership between Kaya and Cameron. Originally seen as amusing due to its accuracy – Elsbeth being oblivious to personal boundaries and her excessive curiosity about Teddy, for example – this aspect of her character is now something she addresses earnestly to enhance all significant relationships in her life.

To be honest, I’m really enjoying “Elsbeth” a lot, but I didn’t anticipate such profound character development from a light-hearted murder series. However, as I delve deeper into the 25th episode, I find myself, much like Shaq, in a position to apologize to showrunner Jonathan Tolin and the entire “Elsbeth” writing team. I admit, I underestimated their skill and creativity.

Elsbeth isn’t alone in pursuing personal development. Detective Edwards reveals to both Elsbeth and Captain Wagner that she is involved in multiple loving relationships (polyamorous). Initially skeptical about her detective’s private life, Wagner expresses regret for his previous judgement towards her. It takes courage for him to apologize, and it seems he had a heartfelt conversation with Claudia (and possibly one of their adult children) before making amends. I didn’t anticipate a deep dive into romantic relationships like dyads, triads, and New Relationship Energy on a CBS crime drama, but the late-night time slot allows for more flexibility in themes.

Meanwhile, April Matthis generously offers to pay for hair samples being tested (from the clogged drain on Tub Top) – while Elsbeth and Edwards privately discuss Taylor’s relationship with the Frostads. It turns out that Axel’s frequent trips to urgent care for severe GI issues become more suspicious when Taylor mentions Freya’s custom-made post-workout drinks, which were particularly bitter for Axel but he drank regardless. Strangely enough, the hair sample results reveal that all of it belonged to Axel – although Taylor’s hair should have been found in the mixture given their shared use of the hot tub. Even more concerning is that the hair from the drain tested positive for arsenic, suggesting Taylor might want to prepare her own food and drinks going forward.

In the college admissions episode, just as Elsbeth hired an expert to assist Matthew Broderick’s character, she independently recruited Freya to manage her decluttering project. Along the way, Elsbeth gained insights into Freya’s background and past clients, particularly one who asked for help organizing a $20 million carriage house filled with 146 (or was it 147?) gold-trimmed deviled egg plates – an unusual detail for someone like Freya, a non-materialistic person. This detail proves useful when Elsbeth and Edwards discover that a regular payment to SELF on Freya’s credit card statement is for a self-storage unit. It turns out that the minimalist has become a meticulous hoarder of her clients’ discarded items! The family residing in the $20 million carriage house had been there for generations, amassing their wealth from ancestors who made their fortune in pest control, leaving behind arsenic-laced flypaper for Freya to keep and utilize. Unfortunately, Freya seems to still struggle with possessiveness; perhaps she could have enjoyed more than just 44 items and been content as part of her trio with Axel and Taylor in a different world.

Following Taylor’s ex-lovers leaving, we find her at a coffee shop where she becomes part of another couple as their third wheel. The heartwarming finale montage, accompanied by “I Got You, Babe,” depicts several significant moments: Teddy confirming his bond with Roy, Cameron and Kaya sharing a romantic slow-dance surrounded by birthday balloons and an abundance of gifts he prepared for her, and Elsbeth delightfully reclaiming her belongings from storage before having a sweet FaceTime call with Angus. Aww!

In This Week’s Tote Bag(s)

I find it impressive, from a canonical standpoint, that Elsbeth always has several spare, empty tote bags at work. That’s truly the mark of being well-prepared and forward-thinking.

Looking back, the complete title of Freya’s hit book, “Less Is More With 44: The Freya Frostad Method of Letting Go for a Life of Quality, Not Quantity, was quite revealing.” Kaya notes that it’s an unusually lengthy title for a book on minimalism.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can’t help but wonder aloud: When will the day come for a captivating crossover between the enigmatic Elsbeth and the alluring world of The White Lotus? Freya Frostad, the self-help guru with a knack for chaos, has me yearning for such a mesmerizing blend of characters and settings.

Is the topic that Kaya wants to discuss with Wagner going to be substantial, or could it merely serve as an excuse for them to discuss Elsbeth’s exit, allowing her to handle and eventually finalize the details of Kaya’s birthday party?

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2025-04-04 06:54