The second season of the TV Land original sitcom Hot in Cleveland premiered on January 19 and ended on August 31, 2011.

After being on hiatus since March 23, 2011, Hot in Cleveland returned on June 15, 2011, to air the remaining 12 episodes of season 2 ending on August 31, 2011.

While in jail, Elka reveals that her late husband was involved with a crime family after she recognizes a fellow inmate named Diane.

But that isn't the only revelation coming from Elka, for it turns out that she also had a tryst with Rick, the neighbor and The Plain Dealer columnist who tried to seduce Melanie in the first season.

After deliberating on it, she agrees, but when she sees his shrine to his late wife, she concludes that Max is not ready to marry again and consequently breaks things off with him for good, returning home to face her trial with the support of the girls.

On top of that, she tells Elka after being arrested by Pete for taking money in a rummage sale drug deal (she sold a guy Victoria's "chill pills") that she was a shoplifter as a teenager.

During a panic situation where the girls are scared about a criminal whom Victoria wooed under Joy's name possibly breaking into their house, Joy accidentally shoots a man by tossing Elka's gun; which is loaded and instantly shoots the leg of the man, who turns out to be her long-lost son, Owen, to whom she reluctantly introduces herself.

To add insult to injury, Melanie also finds out that Hank, the married plumber she met back in the first season, is Pete's older brother and still has feelings for her.

She finally lands a regular job as a feature reporter at a local news station, despite the role initially being a bad fit for her.

[5] The guest stars for the second half of season two are: Buck Henry, Dick Van Patten, John Mahoney (reuniting with Frasier co-star Jane Leeves), Doris Roberts, Jennifer Love Hewitt, George Wendt, Mindy Cohn, Richard Burgi, Antonio Sabàto Jr. and Michael McMillian.

[11] Elka meets up with an old friend (Mary Tyler Moore) while she is in prison and Melanie, Joy and Victoria hold a fundraiser to raise the money to pay her bail.

The girls head back to Los Angeles when Victoria books a part on All My Children, so Melanie uses the opportunity to sell her old house.