Elsbeth Season-Finale Recap: Ramen Holiday

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From a plot-centric viewpoint, Elsbeth’s second season finale concludes Kaya Blanke’s story arc from a competent officer on the brink to a rising detective in the NYPD, while offering fans a reunion of Elsbeth with several villains she and Kaya have previously apprehended. Since Kaya is now part of an elite task force at another precinct, Carra Patterson, who brilliantly portrayed her character’s warm resilience and deep understanding of New York, will appear as a guest star in future episodes.

Regarding the guest stars, “Ramen Holiday” certainly doesn’t hold back. By creatively using a prison transfer scene to reintroduce characters, we meet Stephen Moyer as the lewd theater director Alex Modarian, Mary-Louise Parker as the dishonest minimalist Freya Frostad, Alyssa Milano as the mafia princess Pupetta Del Ponte, Arian Moayed as the self-proclaimed male ally and bartender Joe Dillion, Gina Gershon as plastic surgeon Vanessa Holmes, Rhetta as the matchmaking expert Margot Clark, Elizabeth Lail as the scammy tech entrepreneur Quinn Powers, and André De Shields as fashion designer Mateo Hart.

Typically, every guest actor seems joyful at their work, with Moyer standing out for his humorous take on Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter from Silence of The Lambs. Elsbeth’s collection of rogues also serves as a reminder of the various affluent and privileged spheres she’s encountered throughout the series’ first 30 episodes, even within prison walls. It creates an atmosphere that resembles an elite bubble, filled with (alleged) murderers, all gathered in one place, thanks to the warden, Mrs. Martin (Donna Lynne Champlin), who surprisingly did not sing a single note in this episode.

Inmates who are wealthy and used to privilege become quite irritable without activities like arts and crafts or theater rehearsals, so Martin decides to cater to them. Notably, Modarian is in charge of the plays performed within the prison, and his work often explores a common theme among his cast: The Cunning Manipulations of Elsbeth Tascioni That Led Us All Here. Upon attending a rehearsal, Elsbeth first feels dismayed by the script’s allegations of planted evidence, then pleased to see Mateo (one of her most intriguing suspects), and eventually, perplexed by the actors’ open contempt for their director.

In the cellblock, Modarian wasn’t content just being a powerful figure as a writer-director, library cart manager, and prison black market facilitator. He had bigger aspirations – to be transferred to a more comfortable prison. However, his plan was foiled by an unwelcome interruption: a fellow inmate, a meddlesome murderer, who literally stabbed him before he could savor his favorite ramen.

When Elsbeth and Officer Rocco Bellini, who greatly admires Captain Wagner and aspires to join New York’s Finest, come across Modarian’s lifeless body, she can’t help noticing a distinct scent emanating from the steaming bowl of ramen nearby. Although she can’t identify it, she feels certain that she has encountered it before and believes it is somehow linked to the crime. Warden Martin allows Elsbeth’s inquisitive nature and desire to probe further to simmer, while an external team carries out their own investigation. Warden Martin appears amiable, even kind at times, and thanks to her assortment of large handbags, Elsbeth is confident that they will continue to get along well.

In this case, Elsbeth’s investigation is complex due to the lack of camera footage in the laundry room, kitchen, or library, and because no one seems to have a watertight alibi. However, after speaking with her suspects and gathering minor details, Elsbeth’s subconscious begins working, resulting in a dream production – a sort of homegrown rendition of the “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago. In this performance, each (alleged!) murderess – Quinn, Pupetta, Freya, Vanessa, and Margot – explains their perspective on why Alex deserved his fate. They are dressed in colorful prison jumpsuits adorned with rhinestones, reflecting Elsbeth’s passion for theater and vibrant hues.

In a surprising turn of events, it’s not unusual to find that a detail from an old case could be crucial in solving a new one. In this instance, the ramen knife and its distinctive scent lingering in Modarian’s bowl of ramen are proving to be the missing piece. Now that Pupetta can no longer obtain black market goods, everyone is yearning for the taste memories they had when Chef Veev was imprisoned with them. Suddenly, it hits Elsbeth – the spice blend from one of Veev’s instructional videos, a unique mix that matches the aroma found in the library! This discovery sets off a chain reaction of insights, ultimately leading Elsbeth to unmask Warden Martin as the killer.

Martin utilized the secret tunnel dug by Pupetta’s Uncle Vinny between the kitchen and laundry room as a convenient means to access different parts of the house, enabling him (in Martin’s case, to carry out a murder). The warden feigned ignorance about Modarian’s highly profitable black market operation within the prison, but this was mere camouflage. She was exploiting her numerous shopping bags to smuggle contraband into the facility! She had to eliminate him because he threatened to use his extensive knowledge of Martin’s corruption to request a transfer to a more comfortable prison.

One aspect I really enjoy in “Ramen Holiday” is the numerous delightful references to tiny moments from earlier episodes, along with the recurring guest stars. These are like the finishing touches that give the episode its unique charm. Here are some of the references I caught which I found particularly amusing: The title’s nod to Elsbeth’s affection for Audrey Hepburn, as seen in the Halloween episode; employing a tune from Chicago to remind us of Elsbeth and Keegan-Michael Key’s character’s “Hot Honey Rag” performance; Chloe the consultant (Jordana Brewster) being Judge Doussaint’s downfall; and the marathon Margot watches featuring the Lavish Ladies. I’m sure there were many more, but these were some that stood out to me.

Externally, Elsbeth is required to stay indoors for at least a week before anyone can visit her, while Kaya grows more and more worried about seeing Elsbeth before she’s deployed on a mission with her team. Wagner attempts to persuade Judge Doussaint, who remains unconvinced by the Captain’s plea for leniency regarding Elsbeth. Fortunately, Teddy finds something intriguing – Crawford was not the original judge for Andy Merton’s trial; it was assigned to him but he recused himself due to a scheduling issue. This issue turned out to be an invitation to a seminar by the Historical Law Society, and it was later discovered that Doussaint’s companion at this event wasn’t his wife but Chloe, the consultant. Intriguingly, this means Elsbeth might return home!

As I walked into Kaya’s goodbye bash, Elsbeth’s arrival couldn’t have been more perfect and truly fitting – a delightful surprise masterminded by Wagner and Chandler, complete with a vibrant, entirely sequined mini-dress. The heartfelt exchange between Kaya and Elsbeth was touching, but I assure you, my eyes were as dry as the Sahara! I’m completely fine, no tears whatsoever!

After Cameron’s moving tribute to Kaya, Elsbeth raised her glass for another toast and shared some fascinating glimpses into her upcoming journey. With all that has happened this year, one might think she’d consider leaving New York and starting anew, but she chooses to follow in Kaya’s footsteps and stay where she’s needed – right here at this precinct, continuing to make a positive impact and do good work.

Now, let me assure you that my emotional well-being is absolutely unshakeable over here! Thanks for joining me on this vibrant, offbeat, and progressively complex emotional rollercoaster this season, friends. Here’s hoping we can embark on another adventure together next season!

In This Week’s Tote Bag

This week’s episode doesn’t feature a coat, but we do showcase Elsbeth’s vibrant arts and crafts project – a vest adorned with pom-poms and tassels. Whether intentionally or not, the design seems to draw inspiration from Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and Tyler Gunther, an artisan known for his interest in Roman Catholicism and passion for tassels (also recognized as Greedy Peasant).

Judge Doussaint’s specific preferences for his trouser cuffs – desiring a small fold at the cuff, not wanting it to bunch on his shoes, or reveal any sock – indicate that he might be a dedicated student under the guidance of menswear expert Derek Guy.

Wagner suggests that Teddy might be suitable for a detective role next season, which momentarily throws him off balance, but he’s not considering it seriously.

– Another point worth considering for next season: could we really leave the Judge Crawford storyline unresolved? Is it possible that Delia has more untold stories? Given that Judge Crawford had other adversaries, perhaps one of them with substantial wealth approached Delia, offering her a chance to kill him in exchange for securing a comfortable life for her family.

In this version, the sentence structure is slightly altered and the words are chosen to make it more conversational and easy to understand.

For an added touch, I’ll share a dance piece from the dream ballet “Agnes de Mille” created for the musical “Oklahoma!“. And it never hurts to re-watch the captivating pas-de-deux between the exceptionally skilled and breathtakingly attractive screen actors of the 20th century, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, in “Singing In The Rain“.

I’ll provide an additional dance piece from “Agnes de Mille”‘s dream ballet for “Oklahoma!” and it’s always enjoyable to revisit the impressive pas-de-deux between two highly skilled and visually appealing film stars of the 20th century, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, in “Singing In The Rain“)

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2025-05-09 06:27