A television show’s, “Father Crime” scene is enacted with multiple assailants and police firing at each other. One is an actress, Regina Coburn, playing Felicity, the lead character. After the scene, she goes to her show’s nightmare of a showrunner, Calvin Reed, and demands a temporary release to appear as Lady MacBeth in a London production. The director already okayed it. Cal denies it because they have to use the ‘Wavey’ to improve their ratings, which means her character can’t go comatose. He tells her to get back to work. She later kills him with a stilletto in his eye while he’s supposed to be getting a massage. Enter Elsbeth on the show lot looking for Calvin Reed’s Office where she meets with Kaya and Detective Fleming.The masseuse is believed to be guilty, but her appointment was supposedly cancelled by Cal’s assistant. The assistant didn’t make the call. Elsbeth surreptiously checks the assistant’s computer screen and doesn’t see the massage appointment. It was actually annotated as “network notes” because Cal didn’t want people to know what he was really doing according to his assistant.
Elsbeth deduced that someone close to Cal familiar with his ‘codes’ had to be the killer. That could be anybody.On their way out of the show’s office following the coroner and Cal’s body, Kaya and Elsbeth talk about Kaya’s apartment roommate search woes. The coroner overhears them and asks if he could room with her. She hesitates, but Elsbeth readily steps in and asks for his information. He gives it to Kaya on a toe tag.On the set, Elsbeth and Kaya watch as the producer tells the cast of their showrunner’s death. Elsbeth notices Regina is nervously eating ice cream and wonders why, since she was filming that day. They later question the crew in the fake police station set. No one has a good opinion of Cal. It’s known that Regina was the only person who got along with him. They eventually go to interview Regina in her dressing room. Office Blanka asks to see her fan mail, as Elsbeth ‘fan girls’ over Regina’s acting achievements. Kaya says some of the fan mail is deeply concerning. Regina tells them of her prospective role in London, and how Felicity, her character, is supposed to be in a coma until she returns.
Elsbeth asks why and Regina gives her a short synopsis. After they leave, Regina pulls the shoe box out with the other shoe in it, remembering her crime. Elsbeth and Kaya are at Elsbeth’s apartment having dinner and watching a “Father Crime” episode. Elsbeth already knows who committed the murder in the first five minutes. Kaya tries to get Elsbeth to talk more about her jury duty experience, but she’s reluctant and changes the subject to the coroner doctor they met. Kaya is evasive and deflects. The next day in her office, Elsbeth follows-up on the murder case she did jury duty on to find out if the murderer had been found. CPT Wagner walks in with a package delivered to Regina. There’s a script with an envelope in it. The outside of the envelope has blood drops stains. CPT Wagner asks if anyone wants to read it. Elsbeth reads it out loud with exaggerated movements and a raspy voice. CPT Wagner tells her to get to the point, and she says the character is murdered the same way Cal was, except with a knife and not a stilletto. The CPT surmises it was someone who wanted credit for the murder by writing it in a script, but Elsbeth disagrees. She thinks the killer used the script as a blueprint for Cal’s murder because it was written before the murder occurred.
There’s also an email address typed on the script’s cover page. Elsbeth uses it as a way to get the writer to take credit for their work. At the “Father Crime” set, the writer eagerly comes in and is arrested. The police and Elsbeth question him. The writer denies everything, Detective Fleming believes he’s guilty case is closed. Elsbeth isn’t sure and walks through all the evidence showing why. She thinks Regina’s guilty. CPT Wagner gives her 48 hours to prove it. Elsbeth runs an errand first. She meets Delia at the courthouse and gets her to request an expedited transcript of her trial with the presiding judge, Judge Crawford.
Back on the “Father Crime” set the executive producer said they will continue production. She meets Regina and she asks what more they need. She knows they have enough evidence and motive. Kaya and Elsbeth talk to Jack, Father Garvey, and get information. He says a pair of high heels were missing. He also tells some information about Regina and Cal. Kaya and Elsbeth question the assistant about the script and the new revised ending.
The search Cal’s office for it. Kaya and Elsbeth do a vision board of all the case evidence on the set. They ask the writer about everything Regina can do, including different accents. They had the masseuse listen to the caller who cancelled Cal’s appointment. They return to the set, and Regina and Jack are angrily screaming at each other. The director shows them a recording of her altercations with Cal. They get information on Regina’s accent work.
CPT Wagner converses with Judge Crawford at a legal gathering. Judge Crawford insists he tell Elsbeth hello for him. Also, he mentions he knows of her courthouse visit the other day.On the set, an exasperated and angry Regina approaches Elsbeth. Elsbeth tells her they found the new script ending. She reads it out loud. Regina stops her and Elsbeth realizes what may have happened. The masseuse, Heidi, recognizes the accent Regina used to cancel the massage. Elsbeth expertly explains how Regina killed Cal. The accent gave her away! Kaya arrests Regina, and a large light falls just missing them both.That night, CPT Wagner confronts Elsbeth in her office and asks her why she’s secretive, what was she doing at the courthouse and why was Judge Crawford asking about her. She closes her office door and tells him everything.Kaya finally calls Cameron, the doctor, and asks if he still wants to be her roommate.
Suddenly, she sees Elsbeth’s picture on the news and that she withheld evidence in a case. At Elsbeth’s office, CPT Wagner asks Elsbeth what they need to do to prove Judge Crawford covered up a murder. He warns her that the judge is dangerous. In the meantime, Judge Crawford has unsealed the Van Ness court case documents showing a police report was suppressed. This reflects badly on the legal team which included Elsbeth. He’s absolutely ready for a fight!This was a Very Good, Entertaining Episode. Laurie Metcalf is great as Regina. Her portrayal of a police detective was surprising and well done.
This is the last Elsbeth episode of 2024! Elsbeth returns after a six-week hiatus, late January 2025.
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