College admission season brings back memories for many people. I remember my own experience like it happened just yesterday, even though it was years ago. Back then, the process was not as stressful or expensive as it seems today.
This episode of Elsbeth, titled “Foiled Again,” shows the dark side of college admissions. It follows a consultant who takes things too far in guaranteeing Ivy League acceptance.
Matthew Broderick Plays a Dangerous Consultant
The episode begins with Lawrence Grey (Matthew Broderick), who runs Outmatch Consulting. His business helps students with their Ivy League applications. The program offers “success trainers,” who work as tutors and assist with essays. Lawrence meets a couple and encourages them to enroll their son in his program.
They hesitate at first because of the high cost, but Lawrence convinces them by mentioning the success of past students. He even brags that one former student is now the Director of Admissions at Baden University, a fictional Ivy League school.
The parents decide to sign up for the program. Surprisingly, their son is still a toddler, which is common for Outmatch. The office even has a play area for young children.
As the couple leaves, Carl (James Wilkie Broderick), a success trainer, informs Lawrence that a man named Bob Shane called twice. He sounded upset. Bob is furious because his son, Bobby Jr., was rejected from Baden University. Lawrence had assured them he would get in.
Lawrence tries to defend himself, saying there were no guarantees. However, Bob threatens to ruin Outmatch’s reputation if the issue is not fixed.
Carl also tells Lawrence that Baden University is rejecting all Outmatch students. Lawrence realizes something is wrong and decides to meet with Ethan Brooks (Rob McLure), the admissions director.
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A History of Pressure and a Fatal Fencing Match
Ethan does not welcome Lawrence. He still holds resentment from his own college application process. As a student, he wanted to attend drama school, but his parents forced him to apply to Ivy League schools instead. They pressured him into fencing as an extracurricular activity to improve his application.
Lawrence reminds him that fencing helped him manage his asthma, but Ethan is still bitter. He takes his condition seriously, keeping an air filter in his office and even shooing away the campus cat. His odd way of using an inhaler makes it seem like he is not familiar with how asthma medication actually works.
Lawrence tries to charm Ethan into reconsidering Outmatch students, but Ethan refuses. He announces that he will block every Outmatch student from being admitted and plans to expose Lawrence as a fraud. In response, Lawrence challenges Ethan to a fencing match.
If Ethan wins, Lawrence will leave. If Lawrence wins, Ethan must give Bobby Shane Jr. another chance. Instead of simply rejecting Bobby’s application again, Ethan agrees to the match.
Later that evening, Lawrence returns to campus for two reasons. First, he administers a practice LSAT exam to a student. He gives the student earplugs and warns that if they get up, the test will restart. Then, he goes to the fencing gym for his match with Ethan.
He secretly rubs a mysterious substance inside Ethan’s helmet before handing it to him. He even zip-ties the helmet in place, making it impossible to remove. During the match, Ethan performs well, but suddenly, he struggles to breathe. He collapses, unable to take off the helmet.
Lawrence watches him die, packs up his equipment, and leaves catnip on the windowsill to mislead investigators. He returns to the LSAT student just in time, creating the perfect alibi.
Elsbeth and the Team Investigate Ethan’s Mysterious Death
Elsbeth (Carrie Preston), Officer Kaya Blanke (Carra Patterson), and Detective Donnelly (Molly Price) arrive at the scene. They believe Ethan died from an asthma attack triggered by an allergic reaction. Donnelly tells them Ethan was still wearing his helmet when they found him.
Elsbeth notices a blue fiber inside the helmet and sneezes when she gets too close. She explains that the only thing she is allergic to is cats. Donnelly mentions that a cat was seen near the body but ran away.
Elsbeth wonders why Ethan did not just use his inhaler if he was having an attack. As she examines the residue on the windowsill, she notices the scoreboard still shows the match’s final score. She suspects someone else was there and watched Ethan die.
Back at the precinct, the team discusses the case. Captain Wagner (Wendell Pierce) agrees that someone wanted Ethan out of the way. Donnelly reveals bruising on Ethan’s chest that does not match fencing injuries. They also confirm that the substance on the windowsill was catnip.
Elsbeth suggests the catnip was placed there to attract cats and trigger Ethan’s asthma. Donnelly shares that they found cat dander in Ethan’s lungs and inside the helmet. This suggests someone intentionally placed it there.
A Closer Look at Lawrence Grey
Elsbeth and Blanke visit Outmatch Consulting to question Lawrence. He admits that he knew about Ethan’s asthma, which seems suspicious. They notice that he also knows details about Ethan’s death that the public does not.
Lawrence quickly tries to change the subject, suggesting that a second cat was involved. Elsbeth starts sneezing again when she gets close to Lawrence’s jacket, just like she did near Ethan’s helmet. Lawrence insists that his cat died a long time ago, so there should not be any dander left. However, this only makes Elsbeth more suspicious.
Later, at his home, Lawrence speaks to his cat and tells him it is time to go. The moment seems threatening, but fortunately, the cat survives.
A Fencing Lesson Leads to More Answers
Elsbeth visits the fencing gym and asks Lawrence to teach her how to fence. She pretends to be interested in improving her skills to help her future grandchild. Lawrence talks about how colleges favor students who focus on one or two talents.
During the lesson, Elsbeth realizes that the scoreboard updates automatically, just like it did during Ethan’s final match. She also brings up Lawrence’s estranged daughter, Mandy, which distracts him enough for her to catch him off guard. He stumbles and twists his ankle.
At Elsbeth’s celebration dinner for Blanke, the topic of parenting comes up. Her son, Teddy (Ben Levi Ross), argues that his generation values work-life balance more than his parents’ generation did. The conversation takes a tense turn when he finds out that Wagner’s connections influenced his job offer. Feeling hurt, he leaves the dinner early.
A Family Secret Exposes the Truth
At Lawrence’s home, his daughter Mandy (Cassidy Layton) returns. She tells her father that she needed a break from her hiking trip. She asks about her pet cat, only to learn that her father says the cat died and was cremated. She becomes upset because she saw the cat alive a month ago.
Elsbeth visits Mandy the next morning. They talk about her struggles and the pressure of having successful parents. Elsbeth then confronts Lawrence. She tells him that Mandy helped solve Ethan’s murder.
She explains how Lawrence had enough time to kill Ethan while administering the LSAT. Mandy also found their missing cat, Veritas, alive at a shelter. His favorite blue toy matched the fiber found inside Ethan’s helmet.
With the case solved, Elsbeth believes she can relax. However, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) suddenly appears. He forces her into a car and makes veiled threats. She realizes there is more danger ahead, and her investigation is far from over.
Conclusion: A Twisted Game of Power and Deception
This episode of Elsbeth, “Foiled Again,” delivers an intense and engaging mystery centered around the dark side of college admissions. It exposes the extreme pressure placed on students to succeed and how far some people will go to guarantee a spot in elite universities. The story masterfully blends crime, deception, and emotional conflicts, showing that ambition can sometimes lead to dangerous consequences.
Matthew Broderick’s character, Lawrence Grey, perfectly represents this pressure-driven world. His consulting firm, Outmatch, promises Ivy League admissions, but instead, he manipulates and cheats the system.
His downfall comes when his need for power and control leads him to commit the ultimate crime—murdering Ethan Brooks, an admissions director who refuses to play along. Lawrence’s overconfidence becomes his weakness, as Elsbeth cleverly uncovers the truth.
The episode also highlights the personal struggles that arise from parental expectations. Ethan’s tragic past, where his dreams of drama school were crushed by his parents’ ambitions, reflects the harsh reality many students face.
Similarly, Lawrence’s own daughter, Mandy, struggles under the weight of his controlling nature. Her decision to walk away from his world, and eventually help solve the case, serves as a powerful statement on breaking free from toxic parental influence.
Elsbeth’s investigation, filled with her usual quirky yet brilliant observations, keeps the audience hooked. Her ability to connect small clues, like the presence of cat dander and the significance of a blue toy, leads to a satisfying resolution.
However, just as the case seems closed, the sudden appearance of Judge Crawford signals a bigger conspiracy at play. This unexpected twist leaves viewers eager for the next episode, as Elsbeth may now face her most dangerous challenge yet.
With a perfect blend of mystery, humor, and emotional depth, this episode proves why Elsbeth continues to be a must-watch. It reminds us that justice always finds a way—even when deception runs deep.
The first twelve episodes of Elsbeth Season 2 are now available. New episodes air Thursdays on CBS and stream the next day on Paramount+.
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