Coney Island Baby

**Coney Island Baby** is the second episode of Season Two of *Russian Doll* and the tenth episode of the series overall.

## Synopsis

*While hopping around the city searching for the missing Krugerrands, Nadia runs into a familiar face who lends her a hand.*

## Plot

Back in 1982, Nora is sleeping in bed until Vera barges into the room, demanding to know where her Krugerrands are. Nadia in Nora's body responds to Vera’s unexpected entrance, referring to her as “grandma,” even though she’s Nora’s mother.

Vera rants about her daughter always taking and never giving and emphasizes the importance of those Krugerrands. After receiving the brunt of Vera’s verbal abuse, Nadia stands up for herself, reminding the former that, technically, the gold is her inheritance. Not Nora’s, not Vera’s but Nadia’s.

Nadia then doles out an epic burn before embracing her grandmother and departing.

Next, Nadia flips through a phonebook, searching for Chez’s phone number. She approaches Derek at the Guardian Angels headquarters, hoping he can help her find Chez. Nadia explains that Chez robbed her. After some consideration, Derek offers to track him down, claiming it’ll take two weeks.

Later, Nadia returns to 2022 and reunites with Maxine, Ruth and Lizzy. Nadia apologizes for not picking up Ruth from the hospital. Lizzy takes Ruth to her room while Maxine chastises Nadia for her absence.

Nadia finds an address for Chez and knocks on his door, now looking significantly older. Nadia gets down to brass tacks, as she demands to know what he did with her grandmother’s stolen gold.

Chez claims he’s trying to move on from the past and be a better person. He urges Nadia to forget about the Krugerrands. She asks Chez what he did next after absconding with the gold. However, Chez evades her line of questioning.

Nadia then spots a photo of Chez in 1982 after he won a squash tournament. Chez hits on Nadia, even though he banged her mother 40 years ago.

Then, Nadia revisits 1982, hitting up the rec center young Chez frequents. Nadia spots him checking in with the receptionist and flags him down in the locker rooms. He doesn’t understand why she’s asking about the gold. Chez reminds Nadia that she (as Nora) has the duffel bag in her possession. He gave her the Krugerrands.

Nadia spots her mother’s sleek crimson sports car parked on the street. But Vera has cut Nora off from the family funds, and now movers are removing Nadia’s mother’s things from her apartment. Delia explains that Nora’s recklessness with the gold got her in this situation.

Meanwhile, Nadia encounters a familiar face, a young Ruth. Nadia persuades Ruth to take her back to the dealership so that she can return the car in exchange for the Krugerrands. It is while at the dealership, that Nadia learns she was named after one of the employees.

Unfortunately, Nora paid for the car with cash, so she blew the gold on something else. After accepting the money for the vehicle, Nadia pops open the trunk to find a bevy of exquisite fur coats.

This dynamic duo then heads to the pawnshop, where Nora purchased the furs. However, Nadia only receives a portion of the gold in return, so Ruth pawns her wedding ring so that Nadia gets the rest.

Later, Nadia and Ruth chat at a diner, smoking up a storm. Knowing the health problems on Ruth’s horizon, Nadia urges the former to stop smoking. Of course, Nadia as Nora comforts Ruth when the latter has a breakdown.

Then, Nadia utilizes a payphone to call her mother. She explains she’s Nora’s daughter and proceeds to scold her mom for being a crappy parent. Nadia plans to return the gold, which should mend Nora and Vera’s strained relationship.

While en route to 2022, Nadia spots Alan on the train next to her. She calls out to him, but he doesn’t see her. Nadia returns to her seat to find the duffel bag missing again. It is now Nora in the reflection of the windows as she panics over losing the Krugerrands.

## Cast

### Starring

* Natasha Lyonne as Nadia Vulvokov
* Charlie Barnett as Alan Zaveri
* Greta Lee as Maxine
* Elizabeth Ashley as Ruth Brenner
* Chloë Sevigny as Lenora Vulvokov

### Guest Starring

* Rebecca Henderson as Lizzy
* Rosie O'Donnell voices the Subway Announcer
* Irén Bordán as Vera Peschauer
* Annie Murphy as Young Ruth Brenner
* Sharlto Copley as Chezare "Chez" Carrera
* Ephraim Sykes as Derek
* Athina Papadimitriu as Delia

### Co-Starring

* Daniel Morgan Shelley as Guardian Angel
* Anita Sabherwal as Nadia Koshal
* Mo Stark as Squash Player

## Notes

* In one scene, Imelda Marcos is once again mentioned during the line "Well, even Imelda Marcos can't keep all the shoes."