The show “Elsbeth” usually allows viewers to see the murderer long before the police figure it out. This unique approach sets it apart from other crime dramas. However, the show has been experimenting with its usual style this season.
Instead of showing the killer right away, some episodes have been structured as traditional “whodunnit” mysteries. This episode is the second one in a row that follows this style, making the list of suspects much shorter.
Even with this change, the episode remains exciting and full of unexpected moments. It raises intriguing questions, such as whether psychic powers are real and how they might influence a murder case. It also includes a big change at the police precinct, something that fans have been waiting for. With so much happening, there is a lot to discuss.
Also Read: ‘Elsbeth’ Season 2 Episode 13 Recap: Murder, Deceit, and Dark Secrets Unfold in Elsbeth Season 2
A Psychic Offers Guidance to a Grieving Widow
The episode begins with Phyllis, a grieving widow, visiting a psychic named Marilyn Gladwell. Marilyn claims she can communicate with the dead. She tells Phyllis that she is speaking with George, Phyllis’s late husband.
George supposedly wants her to vote in favor of selling his business at an upcoming board meeting. Phyllis listens carefully, even though it does not sound like something George would say.
Tim, Phyllis’s stepson, soon arrives and interrupts the session. He does not believe in Marilyn’s abilities and thinks she is manipulating Phyllis. He insists that she should not listen to Marilyn and demands that she stop seeing the psychic. Tim is particularly frustrated because Marilyn is taking money from his stepmother, which he believes belongs to his father’s business.
At home, Tim tells Phyllis that he strongly opposes selling Butterwell, their family’s snack company. He argues that George would never have wanted to sell the business to their biggest competitor, Snackerdoodle. He also orders Phyllis to stop speaking with Marilyn. After that, he leaves for an appointment.
His appointment is actually a date that he arranged through a dating app. However, when he arrives at the meeting location in Central Park, his date blocks him. While standing alone, Tim hears movement in the bushes. Before he can react, an arrow strikes him in the chest. Someone then drags him away.
Blanke Gets a Long-Awaited Promotion
A day and a half later, Phyllis goes to the police station. She informs Elsbeth, Officer Kaya Blanke, and Captain Wagner that she has not seen Tim since he left for his date 36 hours earlier. The officers suggest that he might still be with his date, but Phyllis insists that something is wrong.
Marilyn arrives at the station to support Phyllis. She introduces herself to everyone as a psychic. Wagner does not take her seriously and leaves the room. Before he walks away, Marilyn asks him if a blue station wagon means anything to him. He hesitates before denying any connection.
Phyllis insists that Marilyn can help them find Tim. The officers do not believe in her abilities, but they decide to humor her. Marilyn leads them to a certain area of Central Park, but she soon stops, claiming that her third eye is too clouded to continue. Just then, a group of crows begins flying in a particular direction. The birds lead the officers straight to Tim’s body.
Wagner declares this a homicide case and tells Blanke that she will be leading the investigation. She is officially promoted to detective, something she has been waiting for. Elsbeth is thrilled for her and even surprises her with a suit she had picked out earlier, believing she would need it for this moment.
However, the promotion also comes with a downside—Blanke and Elsbeth may no longer be able to investigate cases together as they used to.
A Fake Dating Profile Raises Suspicions
As the case unfolds, Elsbeth and Reynolds, a new uniformed officer, look into Tim’s dating history. They discover that Tim used the same opening line with multiple people on the dating app. He always started conversations by saying that his “Aunt Bitsy” had just passed away.
While reviewing profiles, Elsbeth and Reynolds notice something suspicious. The woman Tim was supposed to meet, Kristy Brown, has a profile that seems too perfect. Reynolds realizes that the pictures on the profile belong to someone else. This means Kristy Brown is not a real person, which suggests that Tim may have been set up.
Elsbeth and Blanke visit Phyllis to gather more information about Tim. Phyllis explains that Tim had moved back to the city after his divorce. His production company in Los Angeles had failed, and his ex-wife took most of his money in the divorce. To rebuild his life, he wanted to return to the family business.
However, Phyllis says that George wanted her to sell the company. She insists that Marilyn has been speaking with George’s spirit, who gave her this advice.
Elsbeth and Blanke visit Marilyn next. She confirms that Tim did not want Phyllis talking to her because he opposed selling the business. To prove that she is a real psychic, Marilyn tries to connect with Elsbeth’s past.
She recalls memories of young Elsbeth playing in her grandmother’s closet. She even calls Elsbeth by a childhood nickname, “Ellie.” The accuracy of these details moves Elsbeth to tears.
Marilyn’s True Identity is Revealed
As the investigation continues, a new lead emerges. They discover that Marilyn’s assistant, Regan, has a criminal record for shoplifting. When questioned, Regan reveals that Marilyn is not actually from Europe, as she claims.
Instead, Marilyn was born Mary Lou Grunderson in a small town in Pennsylvania. She changed her name and background to appear more credible as a psychic.
Regan also admits that Marilyn was not on the phone the night of Tim’s murder. She sometimes fills in for Marilyn when she is unavailable. This means Marilyn no longer has a solid alibi.
At the same time, Wagner struggles with his past. He confesses to his colleague, Connor, that Marilyn’s mention of the blue station wagon reminded him of an old case from the 1990s. Back then, a serial killer was targeting young men.
Wagner had seen a suspicious man driving a blue station wagon but did not pursue him. A week later, another victim was killed. Wagner has always blamed himself for not following his instincts. Connor reassures him that police work is never simple, and the past should not define him.
Elsbeth Catches Marilyn in a Lie
Elsbeth visits Marilyn under the pretense of needing a psychic reading. She brings in Marilyn’s mail and notices a letter addressed to investors. The letter comes from Snackerdoodle, the company that wanted to buy Butterwell. This gives her an idea about Marilyn’s real motive.
Later, Blanke and Elsbeth arrest Marilyn. They reveal that “Aunt Bitsy,” the name Tim used on the dating app, was actually a character from Butterwell’s old advertisements. The only way Marilyn could have known about it was if she had set up the fake dating profile to lure Tim to the park.
Additionally, records show that Marilyn, or rather Mary Lou, was a champion archer in her youth. This skill connects her to the murder weapon—a bow and arrow. With all this evidence, the case is closed.
Before the episode ends, Marilyn gives one last cryptic warning. She tells Elsbeth to be careful, saying she sees blood, water, silence, and a figure in a dark robe. This mysterious statement hints that an even more dangerous case may be coming.
Is Marilyn Really Psychic? Or Just a Clever Manipulator?
The latest episode of Elsbeth left fans wondering: Is Marilyn Gladwell truly psychic, or is she just an expert manipulator? Throughout the episode, Marilyn convinces grieving widow Phyllis that she can communicate with her late husband. She also seems to know eerie details about Elsbeth’s childhood, causing even the skeptical detective to question things for a moment.
However, as the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that Marilyn is not who she claims to be. Her real name is Mary Lou Grunderson, and she has a history of deception. She uses psychological tricks, cold reading techniques, and insider knowledge to appear as if she has supernatural abilities.
Her biggest mistake was underestimating Elsbeth’s sharp mind. By the end of the episode, Marilyn is exposed—not as a psychic, but as a cold-blooded killer.
Yet, her final words leave an unsettling feeling. She warns Elsbeth about an ominous vision, hinting at blood, water, and silence. Could it be a genuine premonition, or is she simply playing one last mind game? Elsbeth has always balanced logic with the unexpected, and this moment leaves viewers questioning whether there’s more to Marilyn than meets the eye.
With such an eerie ending, fans are left eagerly waiting to see if Marilyn’s words hold any truth—or if it’s just another clever trick. Either way, Elsbeth may soon find herself facing an even bigger mystery. New episodes of “Elsbeth” air Thursdays on CBS.
Also Read: ‘Elsbeth’ Season 2 Episode 14 Recap: Elsbeth Uncovers a Shocking Family Secret in Episode 14
