Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 6 Review: Gold, Frankincense, and Murder

Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0

What in the ho, ho, ho holidays did we just watch on what can only be described as the most chaotic and campy of Christmases for Elsbeth? I have two words for you: snow globes and loved ones’ ashes.

This episode had its stocking stuffed with holiday cheer and merry murder mayhem. From beginning to end, it was a laugh riot with some of the best running jokes of the season and so many shoutouts to previous episodes.

Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 6 was somehow a “howcatchem” and a murder mystery in one. Now, that is what I call an early Christmas present.

Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke and Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni — (Michael Parmelee/CBS)

So many moments had viewers asking themselves, “Did DeeDee kill Dirk, or was it a happy accident?” By “happy accident,” I meant she would’ve avoided being killed if she were innocent.

Alas, in the end, America’s Mrs. Claus turned out to be the Grinch that killed Christmas. At least, she tried anyway because Elsbeth is about to have the happiest holiday ever.

“Why Do People Like A Strange Man Breaking Into Their Homes?”

Let me get this out of the way right now; boy, was I so wrong about this episode. If you read the Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 6 Spoilers, you know I fully expected Elsbeth’s son to continue his invisibility act.

Good God, I was so wrong and am glad about it. Forget calling for Christmas because Elsbeth’s son, Teddy, showed up in a damn Santa suit just to surprise his mom.

Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni — (Michael Parmelee/CBS)

If you kept up with Elsbeth Season 1 with TV Fanatic, one of my pet peeves from the first season was that Elsbeth’s son seemed to be icing her out of his life.

In the spirit of the holidays, I am officially putting Teddy on the “Nice List” because making your mom tear up with happiness and joy is a surefire way off the “Naughty List.”

Although Teddy wasn’t the only thing I was wrong about in this episode, I surprisingly wasn’t far from the mark. Instead of Fire Marshall Jake, audiences were introduced to Fire Marshall Lee Sparks.

The Sparks Flew For Elsbeth, Who Seems To Be Fireman Catnip

Seriously, what is with the firemen on Elsbeth? It’s been building ever since Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 2. Did you see how they were all staring Elsbeth down? One guy was on the ground doing push-ups while smiling at her.

I would like to say it was creepy, but CBS found themselves some of the hottest firemen in New York City. I’m slightly annoyed at Kaya for blocking Fire Marshall Lee from hitting on Elsbeth.

That man was insanely handsome and clearly passionate about his job. He and Elsbeth (Carrie Preston) could have had little crime and firefighting babies. Oh, well. At least the firemen are genuinely helpful and not just hot as hell.

Speaking of hot helpers, we must talk about all of Dirk Dasher’s “little” elves. First, there was the hilarious running joke from the Elsbeth writers about Dirk because, let’s not beat around the bush about this.

If your husband is obsessed with Christmas, loves singing carols, and is surrounded by fit, hot men who look like they could break out in dance at any moment, then you’re married to Mariah Carey.

I about died laughing when Molly Price’s (And Just Like That…) Detective Donnelly made Holly confirm that they were talking about the same Dirk Dasher when Holly referred to him as “the best lover she ever had.”

I guess Dirk decked the halls with Boughs of Holly. The joke was right there.

The look on Donnelly’s face alone, but then again, she always delivers the best deadpan humor to round out the show.

“New Yorkers Love Good Moving Boxes”

Detective Donnelly has certainly been present during Elsbeth Season 2, and we are not mad about it. For one thing, she gets some of the best quotable lines in the series.

For example, when Captain Wagner asked, “Dirk had a Holly?” Donnelly responded, “It’s all so on the blinking red nose.” She said that without missing a beat and with such sincerity.

And, of course, this little gem and running joke about Donnelly’s status as a real New Yorker when she said, “New Yorkers love good moving boxes.” To be fair, New York City is its own chaotic animal.

“Gold, Frankincense, and Murder ” references previous episodes in abundance. During the bar scene, close listeners might have caught Elsbeth specifically asking for seedless apple juice.

Viewers may remember that Vannessa Williams’ Roslyn juiced hundreds of apple seeds so the cops would detect cyanide in her system during Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 4.

However, the biggest callback has to be Gisela (Gee-Zuh-Luh) Mott. If you’re like this TV Fanatic, you have to be spoon-fed context to remember where the character is from.

It was her sunglasses that solved the murder the last time we saw her on Elsbeth eason 1 Episode 10. Funnily enough, Donnelly was also the detective on that case.

Gisela Mott randomly popped up at the end to briefly confirm what Elsbeth was saying during the confrontation with DeeDee, which had me cracking up and laughing.

“All I Want For Christmas Is This Case Solved”

There was so much camp in this episode and, really, Season 2 as a whole. Things have taken a much lighter tone than Elsbeth Season 1.

That may essentially be due to the possible closing of Captain Wagner’s corruption case. It has been so much fun seeing a lighter and more fun side to the character.

Between trying to win a popularity contest at the precinct and spending this entire episode trying to find a gift for his wife, Captain Wagner (Wendell Pierce) is the real Santa this season.

Also, I’d like to throw this out there: Did anyone else notice the MULTI-COLORED bucket hat Elsbeth rocked at the start of the episode? I felt personally attacked.

All in all, this was one of the best holiday episodes of the broadcast season. I can’t imagine there was a viewer left who wasn’t in the holiday spirit by the end.

Luckily, CBS’s Elsbeth has one more episode in store before it takes a little break until after the New Year.