Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Elsbeth Season 3, Episode 6.In last week’s Elsbeth episode “Poetic Justice,” guest star (and fellow The Good Wife alum) Sarah Steele’s Marissa Gold told Elsbeth (Carrie Preston) that the future of New York is “in her hands.” Well, “Bunker Down,” the sixth episode of Season 3, doesn’t have much to say about the future, but the past pops up unexpectedly. I promise it’s big, but it’s way too early in the recap here to drop that already, so hang on. But we digress. This week Elsbeth is up against Buster Bluth himself, Tony Hale, as paranoid billionaire Craig Hollis, a man she believes is behind the disappearance and untimely death of a crisis manager, in a story that asks the question: “How long does it take to nuke a human being?”
Tony Hale Nukes the Fixer in ‘Elsbeth’s “Bunker Down”
The episode starts on a phone screen, with Nell (Yuko Torihara), a social media personality, talking about how billionaire Craig Hollis (Hale) dragged her into an “apocalyptic dungeon room” for four hours when some ne’er-do-wells tried breaking into his home. The camera moves away from the screen to show Craig Hollis and “crisis manager” Anders Whitman talking about the post. Craig is in full-panic mode, and Anders, despite assurances that the post has been taken down, can’t placate him. Craig is sure that the post has already been disseminated throughout the internet, threatening his fortune and reputation, and demands to know what more Anders can do. Ander’s first instinct is to ask about what actually happened that night, looking to see if he can salvage his client’s reputation with an explanation and get ahead of the story.
Craig begins to explain that when he believed their lives were in danger, he brought her to the “dungeon” Nell talked about in her post. He approaches the bookcase, where a retinal scan is done via a scanner within a display copy of The Great Gatsby. Anders follows him in, where he’s greeted not by a medieval chamber, but a state-of-the-art, fully stocked safe room, replete with television, a wine rack, and other trappings of the wealthy. Craig talks more about the room and its security features, including a microwave that can nuke a human, located between the safe room and the bookcase. He admits that they stayed in the room for four hours, but hardly a torture by any stretch.
But as they step out of the room, Anders says something that sets the paranoid Craig off. “You’re diabolical,” Craig raves, “That’s the look of a traitor. You didn’t come here to help me. You’re reporting back to the board about me!” Craig forces Anders back and locks him in the tunnel, sealing off both ends before turning on the microwave. Only, to Anders’ great relief, the microwave stops working. Instead, Craig grabs a hammer, opens the bookcase door, and attacks Anders, but unable to gain the upper hand, Craig pushes Anders back into the safe room and locks him in.
It’s Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire in ‘Elsbeth’s “Bunker Down”
Elsbeth is at the precinct as mayoral candidate — and possible beau — Alec Bloom (Ivan Hernandez) comes in to invite her to a fundraising event. There won’t be any press, so Elsbeth’s concerns about adding oil to the “mysterious redhead” gossip fire won’t be a problem, and it’s him that’s asking, not Marissa as part of a PR stunt. Plus he’s charming as all get-out, and it works, with Elsbeth agreeing to meet him there. Alec leaves, and Elsbeth walks in to a meeting room where Officer Nikki Reynolds (b) is talking with Stu (Ari Barkan). He works for Meridian Group, who assist in providing damage control through their crisis managers, through whatever means necessary: paying off officials, discrediting ex-employees, deleting posts, and so on. Stu has been unable to contact Anders, whose phone has gone dead and whose dog has been left at home, barking. After getting Anders’ phone records, they are able to track Anders’ last location to Craig’s home.
Elsbeth, accompanied by Reynolds and Lieutenant Steve Connor (Daniel K. Isaac), makes her way to see Craig, who grants them entry. As Connor and Reynolds ask Craig about Anders, Elsbeth starts looking around, stopping at a box of imported Swiss chocolates, asking if they’re for guests. They are or at least Craig doesn’t say they aren’t so she helps herself to one or two and continues to look around until she comes to the bookcase marveling at The Great Gatsby original edition. Craig snaps demanding she not touch it and refuses to disclose what business Anders was cleaning up for him saying only that it’s another case of rich people being vilified and pushes them out the door. Stymied by Craig they turn to the head of Meridian for help. She’s unconcerned believing he simply had to “go deep” and will surface when the job is done. Note that this season’s clever writers could be making an allusion to our dear missing friend Kaya (Carra Patterson) too whose whereabouts are infuriatingly unknown. But upon hearing that the dog was left alone in the apartment she spills the details.
They bring Nell in for questioning who explains that Anders contacting her from Switzerland on business for Craig had demanded that her post about Craig be taken down and launched a smear campaign to discredit her claims. She then explains her side of the encounter with Craig who she calls a “paranoid freak,” a man who fired all his staff and had them replaced with AI robots. Nell says that there was no one trying to break in but rather a smoke alarm had gone off prompting Craig to believe that “the socialists were attacking.” He then told her about the security measures he had in place to keep them safe including the ability to “nuke anyone that came in after them.” Apocalyptic dungeon room? Check. Elsbeth posits to Wagner (Wendell Pierce) that Anders could be in the bunker but she’s going to need more — he can’t get a warrant based on Swiss chocolates — and he highly doubts that Craig will let her back into his house again.
Why does anyone doubt Elsbeth? She goes back to Craig’s with a plate of homemade butterscotch and gets in under the ruse that they know what happened to Anders. She explains to the recluse that they believe Nell may be involved in Anders’ disappearance given the trouble her post stirred up. As she’s talking she’s drawn back to The Great Gatsby book which again earns a warning not to touch it. Elsbeth knows there’s something about it he doesn’t want her to see, and pokes at him talking about the book’s theme of the corrupting influence of money and how the rich shield themselves with it. Craig walks menacingly towards her forcing her back as he rails about poor people always trying to scorch the rich. Elsbeth excuses herself promising to come back when she has something more. The encounter motivates Craig to finish what he started with Anders so he approaches the designer of his safe room asking if there’s a way of rerouting carbon monoxide into the room. There is he does and he goes in to recover the body. Only there’s no body. Anders found a way out through a ventilation shaft and is next seen pushing open a manhole cover and poking his head out. It’s a short-lived freedom however as he gets hit by a car on the way up.
A Ghost From the Past Chills Elsbeth in “Bunker Down”
The investigation is put on pause though as Elsbeth has that fundraising event to go to. She arrives at the event late and apologizes but Alec assures her it’s alright; the event is just about to start. With that a woman approaches the front of the room thanks everyone for attending the fundraising event for a law library in memory of her late husband Judge Milton Crawford (Michael Emerson). Yep. The diabolical Crawford has reared his head again sending chills down Elsbeth’s spine filling her head with flashbacks. She tries to hide behind Alec but his widow Winnie Crawford (Henny Russell) sees her and approaches. “I know who you are Ms. Tascioni,” she says “And I think it’s time we had a talk.” As she walks away Elsbeth explains that Judge Crawford killed innocent people and if you can’t say anything nice you well you know the rest. She wants to leave but Alec won’t let her do so by herself taking her arm as they walk out together. It’s a very sweet moment with Alec there to pick Elsbeth up after being thrown for a loop.
The next day Elsbeth arrives at precinct where results from Anders’ autopsy have been delivered. A strange chemical substance was found under his fingernails and his face and hands had second-degree electrical burns consistent with say nuking. They consult same bunker designer asking if it’s possible for someone hypothetically get out of Craig’s bunker through tunnel up through manhole. He says it is talks more about Craig’s bunker with luxury penthouse self-sanitizing feature specially coated fruits stay ripe longer electric doorknobs madman. When he’s asked about bunker’s ability nuke someone man gets quiet says Craig specifically asked for feature only capped power would be unable actually carry out nefarious deed.That’s all they need for warrant so police storm into Craig’s home scour bunker clues but all they can find curiously are fruit flies. Craig who initially believed they were there plant evidence would indict him smugly laughs as police leave empty-handed.
Elsbeth accompanied by Connor Reynolds goes escape room effort put herself Anders’ shoes escape room host welcomes them warning only have one hour find clues before doctor returns As they look around Connor finds clue left behind previous players where doctor wouldn’t find it.Inadvertently Connor has given Elsbeth her gotcha. She returns Craig’s flyswatter hand His curiosity piqued Craig lets her only she’s followed by NYPD’s finest who storm Craig’s bunker again “It didn’t make sense there were fruit flies here,” Elsbeth explains given fruit covered aforementioned coating Self-sanitizing safe room would have washed coating away but coating found Anders’ fingernails which means he too may have left clue behind Sure enough he did etching “DRAC 125,” NYPD call code murder on banana and Craig Harris is arrested.
Just prior that Elsbeth eventually relented agreed meet Winnie Crawford That meeting opened Winnie asking if Elsbeth sure about accusations She explains they were achingly close proving it fell short.Winnie then stuns Elsbeth saying she’s sorry what Elsbeth has gone through, says won’t go through law library Cut end Winnie finds Elsbeth precinct saying she’s had second thoughts abandoning library instead hoping some good could come tragic events past She then asks proof was with Elsbeth replying evidence had disappeared lab Judge Crawford behind it Winnie again apologizes promises next time talk will be something pleasant Elsbeth agrees saying always looking make new friends suggests lunch soon Crawford remains one got away at least Elsbeth has degree closure.Only Winnie definitively ends it finding box closet has fanny pack evidence would implicated husband throws fire. It doesn’t seem malicious just grieving widow wants allow husband some grace albeit undeserved death.
- Of the partners Elsbeth has had so far this season,the trio of Elsbeth,Connor,,and Reynolds is arguablythe best.
- The revealofThe Judge Crawford connectionwasa legitimate,,and engaging,,surprise.
- The useof title cards,This time“Twelve Minutes Later”,wasa funny,the first time around,,but it’s wearing thin.
- Of allThe villains,so far this season,Tony Hale’sCraig Hollis,is one,,the least interesting so far.
