For three seasons now, “Elsbeth” has chronicled the titular lawyer-turned-investigator as she uses her brilliant and peculiar mind to solve murders. That’s a far-fetched but fitting trajectory for a character who first delighted viewers on the celebrated CBS drama “The Good Wife.”
Created by Robert and Michelle King, the CBS procedural was born out of the writers watching a lot of the classic detective series “Columbo” during COVID and wanting to harness that storytelling style into a new series. Elsbeth Tascioni — the quirky lawyer first introduced on “The Good Wife,” who made frequent appearances across that show and spinoff “The Good Fight,” earning actress Carrie Preston an Emmy in 2013 — was the perfect character to anchor such a project.
“Elsbeth started off all those years ago on ‘The Good Wife’ as the comic relief. She would come in and bring this completely different energy and tone to the show,” series star Carrie Preston told TheWrap in a new installment of How She Did It, presented by CBS Studios. “[In ‘Elsbeth,’] we get to deepen the character more but yet that DNA is still there, and I love that.”
“Elsbeth” quickly deviated from the more serialized franchise where its lead character was born. The series kicked off with Elsbeth being tasked with monitoring murder investigations in a beleaguered division of the New York City police department, and rather than a whodunnit storyline, viewers know who the killer is from the start. The fun comes from seeing how Elsbeth and her confidants crack the case, often with a comedic flare.
As the seasons have progressed, Elsbeth found a knack for crime solving and a chosen family in her new colleagues, led by Wendell Pierce’s Capt. Wagner. In between murders of the week, the series also introduced Elsbeth’s son Teddy (Ben Levi Ross) and followed a couple of romantic entanglements.
But perhaps the flashiest of Elsbeth’s attributes comes in the elaborate outfits she wears and many tote bags she carries in each episode — something that has been true to the character from the very beginning.
“We love her so much and what she wears,” Michelle King told TheWrap. “She is truly her own person, she’s truly happy in her own skin and her clothes reflect that.”
“She dresses, I think, to bring joy to herself, and she feels good moving through the world in those clothes,” Preston added. “Dan Lawson, our costume designer, is a genius at that. It then affects how I move and how I speak, depending on what I’m wearing.”
And though “The Good Wife” franchise was set in Chicago, “Elsbeth” moved the action to New York City, which itself has become a main character in the series. As Elsbeth navigates a different corner of the city that never sleeps, a new world unfolds as she goes about her investigation.
“There are hundreds of worlds in New York City,” Preston said, while also touting the impressive roster of actors through the seasons as a result of shooting in NYC — which in Season 3 included “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert, “Succession” alum J. Smith Cameron, Broadway star Laura Benanti, among many others.
“The word has gotten out — and I’m very proud of this — that we are a fun place to come and work. So, I hope that we will continue to have amazing guest stars to spar with,” Preston added.
“Elsbeth” Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on Paramount+. The show will return for Season 4 this fall on CBS.
