Elsbeth begins its run re-introducing a popular character as a detective (Preview)

CBS is about to unleash the new show Elsbeth, and what better day than Leap Day for a show about an offbeat investigator? Check out a preview of the pilot episode here!

For those who didn’t watch The Good Wife, Elsbeth Tascioni is an offbeat attorney who became a recurring character on that show. The bright and chipper redhead goes beyond merely eccentric, speaking in a quirky manner, easily distracted, and often seeming to have no idea what is going on around her. It’s all too easy for others to dismiss her as a harmless oddball.

But go against her in court, and those people discover too late they’re dealing with one of the greatest legal geniuses of her time who can run rings around opponents and always wins. Carrie Preston’s performance made the character a popular one for The Good Wife and its spin-off, The Good Fight. It paid off with Preston winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama. 

Fans have wanted to see more of Elsbeth, and now they will in her own spin-off. It’s an intriguing direction as rather than a legal show, the new drama from Robert and Michelle King is a crime series. Elsbeth has moved from Chicago to New York as she’s part of a “consent decree” where she oversees the NYPD for any misconduct.

However, it’s not long before Elsbeth’s quirky thought process leads her to help the NYPD crack cases as she spots clues others miss. While Captain C.W. Wagner (Wendell Pierce) isn’t a fan, Officer Kaya Blanke (Carra Patterson) becomes Elsbeth’s minder-turned-partner. 

So, how does this new show kick off its run?

Elsbeth 1x01 promo

The promo shows the first episode and how the series is a “howdunnit” where the audience sees early on who the killer is. It then shows how Elsbeth gets involved in the case and slowly unravels it. It will establish Elsbeth for newer fans and how the cops and crooks alike can underestimate her amazing skills. 

It appears each episode will have new top-line guest stars as the suspects of the week. First up is Stephen Moyer, who starred opposite Preston in the HBO series True Blood. It also establishes the first conflicts between Wagner and Elsbeth and how that leads into the show. 

Elsbeth 1x01 synopsis

The pilot episode is going to establish Elsbeth for the audience, explaining why she’s in New York and how she gets involved in crime scenes. The synopsis is standard for pilots, with more of an explanation of who Elsbeth is before touching on the crime of the week. 

It’s a different direction for the character, going from a lawyer to a detective, but it might work out. Preston still has a wonderful charm in the role and seeing her clashing with a different guest star killer every week can be fun. Plus, having it premiere on Leap Day fits the character so well, so Elsbeth might become CBS’s new surprise crime show success. 

"Carrie Preston stars as Elsbeth Tascioni, an astute but unconventional attorney who utilizes her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD. After leaving her successful legal career in Chicago to tackle a new investigative role in New York City, Elsbeth finds herself jockeying with the toast of the NYPD, Captain C.W. Wagner (Wendell Pierce), a charismatic and revered leader. Working alongside Elsbeth is Officer Kaya Blanke (Carra Patterson), a stoic and ethical officer who quickly develops an appreciation for Elsbeth’s insightful and offbeat ways. In the premiere, when a college theater student is mysteriously found dead in her high-rise New York City apartment, Elsbeth immediately suspects foul play and enters a game of wits against the victim’s popular theater director Alex Modarian (guest star Stephen Moyer) who she believes is involved. Throughout the evolution of the murder investigation, Elsbeth must balance her consent decree role with the NYPD and her uncommon methods to make her case and uncover the real killer."

Elsbeth premieres on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 10/9c on CBS. Catch up the following day on Paramount+.