CBS grants Elsbeth more capers with a season 2 renewal

Get ready for more of Elsbeth, as CBS has made a decision on the freshman crime show! Will the quirky crime solver be back on the case this fall? 

Robert and Michelle King made waves with their hit legal dramedy The Good Wife and its successful spin-off The Good Fight. Another show was inevitable, and they decided to focus on Elsbeth Tascioni. Carrie Preston had won an Emmy award for her recurring role as the wildly eccentric but absolute genius lawyer and focusing on her was a good idea. 

Surprisingly, rather than another legal dramedy, Elsbeth is a crime show. It’s a “reverse whodunnit” where the audience sees from the beginning who the killer is and how they pull off their crime. It then shows how Elsbeth, now working with the NYPD as part of a “consent decree,” stumbles onto the case where her unique mind allows her to start putting together clues and go after the killer. 

The show shines thanks to the guest star killers, which include Stephen Moyer, Jane Krakowski, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and more. There’s also the subplot that Elsbeth’s real reason for being in New York is to investigate Captain Wagner (Wendell Pierce) for possible corruption. The show has been doing well in the ratings and netting 11 million viewers off of streaming and live views. So does this mean a second season is coming?

Is Elsbeth renewed or canceled?

As it happens, Elsbeth has indeed earned itself a second season. Amy Risenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, shared the good news and praise for the creators and cast. 

"Elsbeth has charmed audiences with its singular blend of delightful humor, distinctive ‘how-done-it’ storytelling and the inventive, brilliant quirkiness of Elsbeth Tascioni. Executive producers Robert and Michelle King have a stellar track record for creating critically acclaimed series full of unforgettable characters and, alongside showrunner Jonathan Tolins and his writing team, have developed an incredibly entertaining and engrossing New York City-centric world for the show to explore. We are grateful to the uniquely talented cast, led by Carrie Preston, Wendell Pierce and Carra Patterson, for bringing these wonderful characters to life in the company of a world-class roster of weekly guest stars. "

So far, the show is building to the first season finale, which will likely be Elsbeth finally discovering if Wagner is truly corrupt or not. It’s also possible her sidekick, officer Kaya Blanke (Cara Patterson) may be inspired to finally become a detective after aiding Elsbeth on her cases. 

The key will be keeping to the fun formula of the killer and Elsbeth playing a cat-and-mouse game over the mystery. There are scores of great actors who can take on a guest star role, with many fans hopeful that Preston’s husband, Michael Emerson (Lost, Evil), might make an appearance. At least fans can expect more of Elsbeth and her wonderfully funny ways make this CBS show a delight for a second season.

Elsbeth airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.