What to Expect from Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 16: Hot Tub Crime Machine
A man’s death leads Elsbeth to believe he did not spark joy for his wife on Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 16, “Hot Tub Crime Machine.”
Mary-Louise Parker guest stars as Elsbeth’s latest suspect. She plays Freya, a decluttering expert married to the victim in a murder investigation. Her husband’s more freewheeling, indulgent lifestyle clashed with Freya’s minimalist preference and need for control.
Was that tension enough to lead to murder, though? I think we all know the answer to that.
Here’s everything you need to know, including the air date, cast, promo, and how to watch.
Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 16 Details
- Title: “Hot Tub Crime Machine”
- Season: 2
- Episode: 16
- Air Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
- Time: 10/9c
- Network: CBS
- Writer: Erica Larson and Jonelle Lightbourne
- Director: James Whitmore Jr.
How to Watch Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 16
- Live: CBS at 10/9c
- Streaming: Available next day on Paramount+
Official Episode Description
After a man’s suspicious death in a hot tub, Elsbeth consults his wife, Freya (Mary-Louise Parker), a decluttering guru whose less-is-more philosophy and controlling personality appear at odds with her “throuple” relationship
Guest Stars & Returning Characters
- Main Cast: Carra Patterson, Carrie Preston, and Wendell Pierce
- Guest Stars: Mary-Louise Parker
- Notable Returns: Sullivan Jones and Micaela Diamond
Promo & Photos
Check out the photos from Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 16:
Promo Video:
What Happened on the Previous Episode?
Previously on Elsbeth, Elsbeth faced off with a professional psychic named Marilyn, played by Tracey Ullman. Marilyn was manipulating one of her wealthy clients who had recently lost her husband.
Taking advantage of the woman’s grief, Marilyn had been trying to convince her that the spirit of her dead husband wanted her to sell his company, something that would have benefited Marilyn financially.
When her client’s stepson threatened to cut off Marilyn’s contact with his stepmom, Marilyn killed him. Of course, despite her best efforts to play the concerned friend, Elsbeth eventually exposes Marilyn as the murderer.
While Marilyn is a fraud and a murderer, her gifts might not have been completely fake. At the end of the episode, she warns Elsbeth that she is in danger.
The warning was clearly about the looming threat of Judge Crawford. It is also, perhaps, some foreshadowing for viewers about what’s to come in the last four episodes of the season.
Elsewhere on the episode, Kaya was finally promoted to detective. Elsbeth was thrilled for Kaya, but it quickly became apparent that Kaya wouldn’t be able to work as closely with her, even if she was the primary detective in Elsbeth’s cases.
Making matters worse, Elsbeth struggled to connect with the officer who replaced Kaya. But, by the end of the episode, Elsbeth had found one topic the new officer was willing to engage in: dogs, giving Elsbeth the in she needed to start building a personal connection.
What are your hopes for this episode of Elsbeth? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Elsbeth airs Thursdays at 10/9c on CBS and the next day on Paramount+.
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Sarah Fields
Sarah is an obsessive geek who likes to get into the weeds and over think things. She is passionate about Sci-Fi and comics and is a giant classic film nerd. Sarah cares deeply about media representation and the power of telling diverse stories. When she's not writing or watching her favorite shows she spends her days working in the non-profit world trying to make life a little better for those that need some extra help.