Elsbeth Brought In A Broadway Star For A Holiday Murder Mystery, And The Twisted Take On The Nutcracker Has Made My Christmas Merry

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Be warned: this contains spoilers for the season finale of Elsbeth Season 3, titled “A Hard Nut to Crack.” The episode is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

The last episode of Elsbeth for the 2025 season aired on CBS, and “A Hard Nut To Crack” proved the show—which is now considered a comedy—can still deliver entertaining murder mysteries, especially when tied to the holidays. Following a guest appearance by SNL’s Vanessa Bayer last season, Broadway actor Andrew Rannells joined the cast this time around. The episode featured a wildly creative and twisted take on The Nutcracker that might just make it one of my favorites. You only get stories like that on Elsbeth!

How Elsbeth Season 3 Celebrated The Holidays

The second episode of the season, “A Hard Nut To Crack,” began with a noticeably lengthy opening scene, but much like the episode featuring Dianne Wiest as a killer nun, that wasn’t a drawback. The episode started with the Midtown Ballet Company’s board discussing this year’s new version of The Nutcracker, and it was certainly different – much to the frustration of a pushy stage father, Harris Parson (played by Andrew Rannells). Here’s how Donovan Chase, the unconventional choreographer causing a stir, explained his vision for the classic Christmas show:

My new ballet, ‘Drosselmeyer’s Revenge,’ is a contemporary, gothic take on the classic Nutcracker story. It explores the anxieties a young girl faces as she goes through puberty – a theme actually present in E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original tale. As many of you may know, or as was recently reported in the Times, I favor a minimalist approach to staging.

Even if you’re not familiar with The Nutcracker, you probably know it’s a classic Christmas story. So, describing this version as “modern pop-goth” might come as a surprise! And while it has some spooky moments, they don’t last long and mostly involve mice. Donovan Chase then described a particularly striking set piece – a massive, menacing nutcracker head.

We on the team call it ‘The Contraption.’ It uses AI to track the dancers’ movements, opening and closing as they jump through it into a strange, otherworldly place. Thankfully, this version of the story, ‘Drosselmeyer’s Revenge,’ doesn’t involve children – or walnuts, since I have an allergy! The part originally played by a young Clara and later a teenaged Marie is now performed by dancers in their 40s. And be warned – it’s going to be a very bloody show.

I found myself agreeing with Andrew Rannells’ character, Harris, when he protested the choice of Christmas production. He felt strongly that they shouldn’t replace The Nutcracker – a ballet that provides vital funding for the entire year – and a ballet teacher backed him up. However, the decision was made to go with Drosselmeyer’s Revenge instead. While Harris also wanted his daughter to have the chance to play Clara, I understood his frustration and why he felt so strongly about keeping The Nutcracker.

Donovan Chase was correct – there was a lot of blood when Harris intentionally damaged the machine to attack and kill him. Harris did manage to use Donovan’s death to restore the original Nutcracker production, with his daughter cast as Clara, but he only saw a short part of her performance before Elsbeth and her team arrested him for murder.

Why It Made My Christmas

I’ve always loved The Nutcracker, ever since I was a child. I even enjoy listening to Tchaikovsky’s music from the ballet. Similar to how the weekly villain on Elsbeth has their own interests, I simply appreciate the Sugar Plum Fairy, the magical Christmas tree, and Clara’s adventure in the Land of Sweets. After watching so many crime shows, a little bit of lightheartedness is definitely welcome!

I immediately knew I’d enjoy the comedic take on “A Hard Nut To Crack” when Donovan Chase titled his version “Drosselmeyer’s Revenge.” In the classic ballet The Nutcracker, Drosselmeyer is a magical toymaker who brings joy to children by giving them presents at a Christmas party. Sometimes, he’s also shown guiding Clara through the Land of Sweets.

The most ‘revengeful’ moment in the story is when he simply repairs the nutcracker that Clara’s brother initially broke! This version avoids any violence, doesn’t feature an older actress in the main role, and thankfully, there’s no scary Nutcracker head trying to bite anyone. I’d like to commend Sarah Beckett and Anju Andre-Bergmann, the writers of the Elsbeth episode that first introduced me to Drosselmeyer’s Revenge.

This is definitely one of the funniest moments from Elsbeth so far. It’s the only show on television that could feature a murder mystery and still leave you feeling cheerful and bright – it really made my holidays!

The main challenge for the show’s protagonist isn’t as trivial as the storyline with Drosselmeyer’s Revenge. Teddy and Captain Wagner are starting to find inconsistencies in Alec Bloom’s account, right when Elsbeth is closing in on the truth. However, viewers will have to wait to find out what happens next, as the show won’t return with new episodes until Thursday, February 26th. Until then, you can rewatch previous episodes on Paramount+.

The recent episode, “A Hard Nut To Crack,” reinforces my feeling that the show is at its best when it focuses on the entertainment world. We’ve seen great guest stars like Stephen Moyer, Nathan Lane, Laurie Metcalf, and Stephen Colbert this season, and they really add to the fun.

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2025-12-19 15:09