
This week’s episode of Elsbeth centers around the murder of Dave Coppins, the athletic director at St. Ivan’s University, who was killed by a blow to the head while recovering in an ice bath. The case itself feels a bit underdeveloped, largely because we don’t see the connection between the killer, Coach Russell Willoughby (played by Sam McMurray), and the victim. Instead, we learn what happened through Elsbeth’s observations and deductions. Interestingly, the dynamic between Elsbeth and Coach Willoughby’s younger girlfriend, Peyton Ramsay (Lana Condor), is more compelling – and ultimately more important to the story – than the murder mystery itself.