‘The Chelsea Detective’ Recap: ‘Mrs. Romano’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘The Chelsea Detective’. To revisit the series premiere, click here.
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We live an interesting time when it comes to fame and fortune in our world. For the path to stardom has changed drastically. Gone are the days of grinding it out and working with an agent or manager to help guide a person to the top of their chosen career path in showbiz. Instead, being in the right place at the right time, and having that moment go viral, can create a star. As can finding the right niche on video channels and the ‘Gram or through blogs, and these have become such easy paths to stardom and riches untold, that a fair number of people are out there right now… doing their best to be noticed by the masses so they can finally have their day in the sun and enjoy the fame and fortune they’ve always craved.
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But while it is incredible to know that a person can indeed become a superstar over the course of a single day, what we often forget… is that by removing the grind and the journey toward the top… a great deal of those who strike it rich in this digital gold rush, are ill prepared for the gravity of stardom and the promises it requires them to keep. Nor are they ready to handle failure and process it properly since that is part of the journey as well. Plus, it is almost impossible to know how people in the inner circle will respond, when they don’t think they are getting their respect or due when they believe they are along for the ride, and really, this sour side of stardom is top of mind today, because it served as the focus of the next episode of The Chelsea Detective on Acorn TV.

A feat that ‘Mrs. Romano’ accomplished, by introducing us to a viral cooking couple made up of Julia and Robyn Romano. For their catchy blogs and now their best-selling book of recipes have made them a sensation in the area and when we catch up with them here, they appear to be a happy couple that is genuinely enjoying their newfound fame via their busy restaurant. But when Robyn goes missing one fateful night, all kinds of strange truths begin to make themselves apparent to Max and Priya, who are assigned to the case. Such as the fact that Robyn had a lot of monetary secrets to hide, the kind that eventually revealed… that the book was not a best-seller in the slightest and that she took out loans to make it appear as such to obtain that fame and fortune that she believed her wife craved alongside her. 

To complicate matters further, eventually Robyn turns up dead, forcing our intrepid gumshoes to dig deeper into the case and really work to understand what motivated someone to cross the biggest red line of all. As it turned out… that was related to the fact that Robyn’s push to manufacture a viral moment and create this fake fame in the name of being noticed, involved making use of family member’s recipes for the book… with the promise of a payout untold. But when the money never arrived, a moment of fury… led to her end and the end of Jonno Romano’s freedom. However what matters more here, is the commentary this episode offers us up, regarding fame and fortune in our modern world. Such as how it really has become a genuine focus in this world since it seemingly will solve everyone’s problems financially and emotionally.

But, just being handed fame does nothing for us, since it can fade as quick as it arrives and of course… when it is forced and manipulated into existence, it is only a matter of time before things go south and the people hurt by its creation, snap back. Making this a cautionary tale, one that asks those seeking a chance at influence or outright fame… what are they in this for? Admiration? Or to accomplish a goal that fulfills? And are they ready to really work for what they want? In the end however, that really was quite the powerful and surprising message to find within the framework of this episode, since you don’t see crime dramas diving into such matters. But this is a show unlike any other and this message really does resonate, and the case here truly engages and leaves us counting down the minutes for more of Max and Priya’s adventures. So, we can once again immerse ourselves in a detective show filled to the brim with powerful observations about our modern world. Until next time.

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