CBS has made a big decision on Elsbeth. Will the quirky investigator be back solving crimes for season 3?
Elsbeth was one of the bigger TV surprises of 2024. On paper it sounded like a weird idea: Carrie Preston reprising her Emmy-winning role from The Good Wife and The Good Fight as eccentric attorney Elsbeth Tascioni. Rather than have it be a legal dramedy, the series is instead a crime procedural of Elsbeth working with the NYPD to solve murders.
While ordered in May 2023, the series was put off due to the Hollywood strikes of that year. It premiered (appropriately) on Leap Day 2024 and was a quick success. The series did connect with viewers, mostly thanks to Preston’s delightful performance. It earned a second season renewal which premiered in fall 2024.
Elsbeth scores a third season renewal
Now, as part of a huge wave of renewals, CBS has confirmed that Elsbeth will be returning for a third season! Per a press release, CBS boasted the series averages 11 million multiplatform viewers, up +3% year over year.
The show has connected with fans thanks to its unique structure. Each episode opens by showing the audience who the killer is and how they did it. It then plays in Elsbeth investigating and a battle of wits to uncover the killer.
The series also wins folks over with the great bevy of guest stars as the killers, who sparkle pitted against Preston. One of the latest is Preston’s real-life husband Michael Emerson as a corrupt judge who becomes a foil for Elsbeth.
It’s a great sign of the series’ growth and will continue its unique mysteries!
What’s coming up on Elsbeth?
Elsbeth is continuing its great run of guest stars with Variety reporting Mary-Louse Parker and David Alan Grier will appear in future episodes. Parker will play “Freya, a decluttering guru with a minimalist lifestyle brand and a controlling personality. When her husband threatens her perfect sense of balance, she murders him to keep the third in their throuple all to herself.”
Meanwhile, Grier will play the owner of a mortuary who caters to the ultra-rich. According to the logline, “discretion is everything to Arthur, so when his conspiracy-minded nephew threatens to unearth the truth about a famous author’s botched funeral, he does what must be done to keep the secret buried.”
It’s likely we’ll see more guest stars coming on board and with the show so successful, they may attract more high-profile names. The series does find ways to tweak the formula and keep audiences guessing at times at how Elsbeth solves the case.
Season 3 may also continue having an overreaching story arc. Season 1 had the arc of Elsbeth secretly investigating Captain Wagner (Wendell Pierce) for corruption while season 2 has the Emerson subplot. Season 3 might continue that and could also see Elsbeth’s faithful partner Blanke (Cara Patterson) graduate to become a detective.
It’s wonderful to see TV veteran Preston enjoying the success of a starring role in a hit show and also great for mystery fans to see Elsbeth continue her run as TV’s most unique crimesolver.
Elsbeth Season 2 airs Thursdays at 10/9c on CBS.