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Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 14 Review: ‘Deadutante’

Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 14 is all about a murder at a debutante ball (hence the play on words for the “Deadutante” title), and as far as the case of the week format goes, this one works well enough. J. Smith Cameron plays Izzy Langford, of The Langfords, who’s every bit as uppity and murderous as you’d expect. Every single scathing judgment, of everyone and everything, is delivered oh-so-grandly and properly. And, when Elsbeth gets past her initial confusion over all the high society…stuff, the investigation proceeds according to the usual formula. If you think these balls are all about dressing up and looking pretty, Elsbeth’s here to daydream for you; if not, and you think they’re more outdated, both Detective Taylor and the surprise stepsister get the job done.

Throw in a random opportunity to play with model trains, a delightfully hateful ex-wife, and the son of a movie star who can’t pronounce “au naturel ” properly (and is easily duped by a text from an unknown number); and there’s the quirky procedural we all signed up for. Izzy, the murderer, even slips and leads Elsbeth to the one piece of evidence she needs to make the case. She gets her big moment to dabble in the world she’s investigating during the suspect’s epic downfall…the end.

…or, well, not quite.

The other part of Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 14 is the Alec Bloom arc. While I appreciate Elsbeth finally getting an opportunity to confront him about his lies and ask him to come clean, but it kind of feels like too little, too late at this point. Additionally, the terrible thing is, viewers have no reason, whatsoever, to believe that his new story is fully accurate. He’s seemed sincere—if too good to be true—since the beginning. So, maybe he’s just putting on a good act again. Maybe not! This…could go either way. Additionally, ending the hour with that cliffhanger is only an exciting way to make people desperate to see what happens next if we care about what happens next in the first place. As it is, there’s nothing believable to really root for here. Because, really, what are our options?

According to Wagner, “the question becomes, ‘what will [Elsbeth] do?'” For that question, we only have a couple of answers. First, she can forgive the person who’s been lying to her about who he is the entire time she’s been falling for him and try to move on together. Or, she’s on her own again. Unfortunately, neither of those outcomes is a positive one—especially not when this whole situation has already done enough damage to both the character and the overall tone of the series. But I guess we’ll see.

MORE: Elsbeth finally realized Alec was a liar because he couldn’t even keep his story about whether or not he’d seen E.T. straight.

More Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 14 reactions

“Are we at an octogenarian forehead festival?” “Noooo?” “Then, why are there so many wrinkles.” Considering how these ultra-wealthy circles operate, there probably wouldn’t be any wrinkles there either.
“The Barlowes and the Wallace McKees practically built New York” “Oh! My. What callouses you must have.” She really does have the “does not give a F” attitude down, huh.
“Plunk—I’m sorry. Plum, is it—She just doesn’t fit.”
These insults are all just so terrible? But also: Chef’s kiss.
I mean, sometimes, I support women’s wrongs.
“Is The part of their last names?”
“Why are there plums?”
The level of emotion Carrie Preston brings to that “you used me” line is impressive. Elsbeth normally doesn’t go there, but here, she’s been hurt enough that she does. I both hate that it’s gotten to this point and am relieved she actually has a chance to push back. Bad enough she’s been so gullible; adding being a pushover to it would make matters 10 times worse.
For what it’s worth, two things can be true. Winnie absolutely did use Elsbeth, and she didn’t twist any words, whatsoever. As we saw at the time, it was completely a matter of reading an expression.
“Or is this just politics as usual? One team has to win.”
“Doing weird, outdated society rituals with their unwed daughters. Ugh. Prom was bad enough for me.” Taylor gets it.
Elsbeth as Bad Cop: Gotta love it.
What if we didn’t have so many cases with vapid, materialistic women this season, though? This third wife…
Jules’ impression of Izzy is fantastic. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Jules. focus more on not…mouth-breathing, Jules.”
“You just cannot trust new money.” “Or oh-so-trustworthy old money.”
“But I will not blame myself for what happened. Boys that age are born to hurt. It was ever thus.” Sometimes, the murderer has a point, is all I’m saying.
“I don’t like to judge, but everyone we’re meeting lately is the worst.” A problem with Elsbeth Season 3, unfortunately.
“You need to give me more credit.” And there’s the major, glaring problem with this season and this Alec storyline in a nutshell. Better in this episode since she actually stands up for herself. Still…not great.
“No! If you don’t tell them, I will.” THE WAY HER VOICE CATCHES.
The other issue is, although Elsbeth is clearly not ok, the most Taylor does is ask if she’s good and then move on. If Elsbeth had someone to talk to—a real friend, perhaps—it might be a little bit more tolerable. As things stand, Buffy Summers had more people to share her issues with. And she was supposed to be the “one girl in all the world…”
“…and can I just say that debutante balls are a disgusting display of wealth consolidation.”
“…lied, said the dress was borrowed, planning to return it after the ball. But some snobby rich kid saw the 50% off tags sticking out and decided to make fun of her. And then, he cut her dress strap with his sword so that the dress would fall ‘half off.’” The air quotes on the “half off” are a nice touch. This story…honestly, that kind of thing stays with you. Not like she should necessarily kill a guy over it…but cutting him and his family out of that ball for so long was the right kind of petty.
“This isn’t an afterschool special, Elsbeth. This is mayoral politics.” No, but really, what are we doing with Marissa here?
I do appreciate the passion from Preston when Elsbeth stands up, voice shaking, as she tells Marissa she knows “exactly what this is” and points out the voters don’t even know who Alec is. But I have to again stress: What are we doing here?
“I won’t support lies.” “This coming from someone who defended Peter Florrick in Chicago.” First of all: OMG, ouch. Second, I mean, yay for a throwback? Even if we’re dragging former fan favorites through the mud now?
Also: Yes, that’s what a lawyer does. She’s not one anymore. As you can see, which is kind of the whole point.
She is willing Alec through the TV to do the right thing, just as I’m willing this storyline to end.