‘Elsbeth’ Finale: See Guest Stars Return for ‘Cell Block Tango’ Musical Number (PHOTOS)
Ah, ah. Not guilty! Carrie Preston‘s Elsbeth Tascioni was arrested in the penultimate episode of Elsbeth Season 2 for harassing a witness. Next week’s Elsbeth finale will see the titular character reunited with many of the people she’s sent to jail throughout the series, and they’re going to perform a musical number inspired by Chicago‘s “Cell Block Tango,” marking the second time Elsbeth has done a Chicago musical number.
“Elsbeth finds herself in prison with some of the same high-class criminals she put away,” the Elsbeth Season 2 finale description says. “When one of them is stabbed to death, Elsbeth sets out to find the killer’s killer, while her colleagues back at the precinct fight to get her released.”
Elsbeth was sent to jail by a bitter judge, played by guest star John Carroll Lynch, in the Thursday, May 1, episode. This judge was close friends with Michael Emerson‘s Judge Milton Crawford. Because of her coincidental presence when Crawford was murdered, and because of one past arrest in Chicago, the judge gave the harshest of possible punishments for Elsbeth’s misdemeanor offense and she was remanded to jail.
Elsbeth delivered their version of the “Hot Honey Rag” from Chicago in Season 1. Get a glimpse of their “Cell Block Tango” tribute in Season 2 below. One person missing from the finale photos: Carra Patterson‘s Kaya Blanke. The Season 2 finale will mark her final episode as an Elsbeth series regular. Find more details on her upcoming switch from series regular to guest star here.
Elsbeth, Season 2 Finale, Thursday, May 8, 9/8c, CBS
Elsbeth is prisoner 24602, a reference to Jean Val Jean’s 24601 prisoner number in Les Misérables.
Elsbeth guest stars from Seasons 1 and 2 unite…
…Behind bars.
But they’re having a great time.
Stephen Moyer as Alex Modarian and Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni. Preston’s True Blood costar was a guest all the way back in the series premiere.
Stephen Moyer as Alex Modarian and Elizabeth Lail as Quinn Powers. Is Quinn dressed as Elsbeth?
Arian Moayed as Joe Dillon and Alyssa Milano as Pupetta Del Ponte. Moayed guest starred in Season 1, Milano earlier in Season 2.
Alyssa Milano as Pupetta Del Ponte, Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni, and André De Shields as Matteo Hart.
Moyer played Billy Flynn in Chicago on Broadway. This is familiar territory.
Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Alyssa Milano as Pupetta Del Ponte in Elsbeth‘s rendition of the “Cell Block Tango.”
Milano made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago in 2024. Roxie’s not in the “Cell Block Tango,” so Milano finally gets her chance at it in Elsbeth.
Retta as Margo Clarke, Mary-Louise Parker as Freya Frostad, Gina Gershon as Vanessa Holmes, Elizabeth Lail as Quinn Powers, and Alyssa Milano as Pupetta Del Ponte
They had it coming!
Elizabeth Lail as Quinn Powers from Elsbeth Season 1.
Retta as Margo Clarke, another guest star from Season 1.
Retta in the spotlight.
Mary-Louise Parker as Freya Frostad from Elsbeth Season 2.
Do you see Crazy Ex-Girlfriend alum Donna Lynne Champlin in the corner? She plays Mama Martin, a reference to Mama Morton from Chicago. Will she sing in the “Cell Block Tango” number?
Wendell Pierce as Captain Wagner and Ethan Slater as Officer Reese Chandler. Reese is a new NYPD officer who has accompanied Elsbeth on her investigations this season.
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