Though she only appeared in just over a dozen episodes of The Good Wife and The Good Fight, Carrie Preston’s Elsbeth Tascioni made a lasting impression.
Now, she’s back to impress us again in her own show, Elsbeth on CBS.
Good news! You don’t need to know the character from her previous roles to get into Elsbeth. On Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 1, she’s in a new city, surrounded by new people, and her backstory is presented right up front.
Behind Elsbeth’s quirky charm is a whip-smart lawyer who notices the little details and doesn’t take no for an answer.
This pilot episode gives us everything we need to fall for a new show: a compelling murder case, a likable main character, and an intriguing backstory that can carry us through a whole season.
On Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 1, we become reacquainted with Elsbeth and learn how she finds herself in New York City. She’s been sent from Chicago as an outside observer for a consent decree involving the NYPD — more on that later.
In a shocking deviation from the norm, the episode opens with a murder made to look like a suicide, and the audience knows who did it from the get-go.
Instead of solving the case alongside Elsbeth, we get to watch her in action as she pieces together clues. Will this be enough suspense to sustain us?
When we’re finally introduced to Elsbeth five minutes into the episode, we’re immediately treated to her unique style, and we know we’re in for a wild ride this season.
What’s not to love about this character? She shows up to a crime scene in a bright pink coat and a green Statue of Liberty Hat. The quirkiness is laid on thick, but Carrie Preston carries it well.
In her first conversation with an NYPD officer, the contrast between Elsbeth and the NYPD is stark.
Carra Patterson, as Officer Kaya Blanke, is the perfect foil for the over-the-top Elsbeth.
Blanke has a cool, collected, no-nonsense attitude that sets the two up as a sort of buddy-cop duo. Blanke definitely keeps Elsbeth from being too much.
Elsbeth makes it clear that she marches to the beat of her own drum as she surveys the crime scene. Ignoring multiple attempts to get her to wait in the hall, she examines evidence and asks questions.
The disdain of the detectives is clear, but Elsbeth seems to take no notice. Is she really that spacey, or does she just want to see the crime scene at any cost?
Surprisingly, no one tries too hard to get this strange woman out of an active crime scene. Unrealistic though it may be, it’s easy to suspend our disbelief for someone as charming as Elsbeth.
Finally, about ten minutes into the pilot, we get some exposition.
The lead detective on the scene calls the captain of the NYPD, who explains to him — and us — that a lawsuit following a series of false arrests by the Major Case Unit required an outside observer to assess the department.
Enter Elsbeth.
Though she seems flighty and agreeable, Elsbeth is secretly a shark. She pounces on evidence at the crime scene, noticing things none of the other detectives picked up on.
She also, unbeknownst to her, meets our killer, acting teacher Alex Modarian, played by Stephen Moyer (hello, True Blood reunion!).
We know he did it, and it quickly becomes apparent that Elsbeth suspects him, too.
She commits a pretty big policing no-on when, during a thrilling tete-a-tete in Alex’s office, she reveals details of the case. Everyone knows you don’t give the suspect a chance to cover their tracks.
The biggest detail Elsbeth reveals is that the alleged suicide texts sent by the victim contained two spaces after the period. Elsbeth argues that a young adult, like the victim, would only use one space after the period.
A murder mystery solved using grammar? We love to see it!
But did Elsbeth just compromise the entire investigation? We can see the wheels start turning as Alex considers how to cover for the grammar mishap.
None of this is following police procedure, setting Elsbeth Tascioni up as a character who will break the rules when she thinks she’s right.
You have to respect that, but will it work out for her?
On Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 1, it certainly does.
The details of the case that Elsbeth reveals to Alex only serve to fluster him as he feels her getting closer and closer to figuring him out. A flustered murderer is sure to make some mistakes, right?
Though Alex’s attempts to throw his TA under the bus convince the NYPD, who clearly just want to close the case, Elsbeth is still working behind the scenes.
Despite a demand from NYPD Captain Wagner to drop the case, she’s not ready to give up just yet.
We love a tenacious woman who fights for what’s right. Elsbeth goes to Alex to “apologize,” but she really plants the seed for her master plan.
Backed by Officer Blanke (and cementing their buddy-cop status), Elsbeth drops enough breadcrumbs to reel Alex in.
Just as she suspected, Alex makes a massive slip and is caught.
This is where we have to suspend disbelief again. Alex’s arrest is completely unbelievable.
The police actually give him the chance to sit with Elsbeth and talk about the case while they stand by patiently to arrest him. He even gets a bite of a cookie before finally being cuffed.
Alex is given one more chance to pause and gaze wistfully at Elsbeth before he’s escorted into the back of a police cruiser.
Have you ever seen a murder suspect so calm and casual? A little fight or fluster would have been nice.
But the connection between Alex and Elsbeth was undeniable, so we can forgive a little sentimentality for one last moment between the two.
So, where does Elsbeth go from here? The show is set up for a case-of-the-week format, with the overarching backstory being her observation of the NYPD.
We suspect we’ll be treated to more great Blanke/Elsbeth moments as the two build and solidify a friendship that will go beyond the workplace.
And we know Elsbeth will get up to more shenanigans each week as she relies on her quick wit, keen eye, and quirky charm to solve the crimes.
Whether you loved her appearances in The Good Wife and The Good Fight, or this is your first introduction to her, Elsbeth Season 1 Episode 1 delivers a captivating story and character we can get behind.
Let us know what you think about the show in the comments!
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Shela Ward is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow her on X.
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