Elsbeth closes its second season with a musical number set inside a detention center. In TVLine’s exclusive first look at “Ramen Holiday,” Elsbeth is surrounded by familiar women she helped put away as they perform a number inspired by “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago. The episode was scheduled to air on CBS on Thursday, May 8, 2025. TVLine’s May 6 preview offers a glimpse without giving away the finale’s resolution.
What happens in the “Ramen Holiday” first look?
Elsbeth has been arrested for criminal harassment and transferred to Midtown Detention Center. There she encounters people from earlier cases—offenders she helped put behind bars—who join her in an imaginative musical sequence. The preview centers on the theatrical spectacle rather than explaining how Elsbeth ended up in detention.
The episode’s crime story gives the returning characters a new reason to be in the spotlight: theater director Alex Modarian is found dead, putting them under suspicion again. The first-look clip is a spoiler-light introduction to the setup, not a full account of the mystery.
Which song inspires the musical number?
The number pays homage to “Cell Block Tango,” the best-known murderesses’ number from the musical Chicago. Rather than simply replaying the stage song, the show created a rewritten version for its own characters and story.
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Showrunner Jonathan Tolins described the process to TVLine as a scramble: “Just finding out who was available and interested in coming back, and getting the rights to the song from Chicago and writing a new version that could be approved, specifically because they have to know every word before they’ll give approval, it was a scramble.” TVLine’s May 8 finale recap and interview also reports that eight returning actors were ultimately available and interested.
Which performers return?
The preview features Retta, Gina Gershon, Elizabeth Lail, Alyssa Milano and Mary-Louise Parker. The broader group of returning performers also includes Stephen Moyer, Arian Moayed and André De Shields. Donna Lynne Champlin appears as the warden.
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Carrie Preston told TVLine she watched the choreography without having seen rehearsals and enjoyed seeing the returning cast perform together. The gathering of familiar faces is part of the number’s appeal: performers associated with earlier cases share one deliberately heightened, theatrical scene.
How much of the finale does the preview reveal?
The first look establishes Elsbeth’s detention, the return of past offenders and the musical homage; it does not disclose who killed Alex or how the case is resolved. The May 8 recap reveals that the warden killed Alex because he planned to meet the district attorney and trade information about the black market she ran. It also reports that Captain Wagner and Kaya worked to free Elsbeth, and that Kaya left for a Washington, D.C.-based task force. Those are finale spoilers, beyond the preview’s setup.
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Where can viewers watch “Ramen Holiday”?
TVLine identified the episode as a CBS broadcast and reported Paramount+ as a viewing route for the series. Episode availability can change by date and territory, so check the current CBS or Paramount+ listing for your location.
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