| Elsbeth | |
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| Genre | |
| Created by | |
| Starring | |
| Composers |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 37 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Carrie Preston |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | February 29, 2024 (2024-02-29) – present |
| Related | |
Elsbeth is an Americanpolice proceduralcomedy drama television series that premiered on February 29, 2024, onCBS. It is aspin-off ofThe Good Wife (2009–2016) andThe Good Fight (2017–2022), from whichCarrie Preston originated the role ofElsbeth Tascioni, an unconventional attorney who ends up working as ade facto detective.[2][3] In April 2024, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 17, 2024.[4][5] In February 2025, CBS renewed the series for a third season which premiered on October 12, 2025.[6][7]
Most, though not all, episodes ofElsbeth use the "howcatchem" mystery format rather than the traditional "whodunit", showing the audience from the start who the killer is, how and why they commit the crime, and how they are caught.[8]
The series focuses on the offbeatElsbeth Tascioni, an unconventional but astute attorney who, after a successful career inChicago, uses her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner criminals alongside theNYPD. Ostensibly assigned by theUnited States Department of Justice to oversee a monitorship orconsent decree after some controversial arrests,[9][10] her real mission initially (revealed over the course of the first season) is to investigate Captain C. W. Wagner for corruption. Most episodes use theinverted detective story format.[11]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 10 | February 29, 2024 (2024-02-29) | May 23, 2024 (2024-05-23) | |
| 2 | 20 | October 17, 2024 (2024-10-17) | May 8, 2025 (2025-05-08) | |
| 3 | 20[24] | October 12, 2025 (2025-10-12) | TBA | |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | U.S. viewers (millions) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Robert King | Robert King &Michelle King | February 29, 2024 (2024-02-29) | 4.59[25] | |||
In New York City, theatre professor Alex Modarian murders one of his students, Olivia Cherry, who threatened to expose their affair. Cloning her phone's SIM card, Alex carefully stages Olivia's death as a suicide. Chicago attorney Elsbeth Tascioni arrives to the city, sent by Department of Justice Agent Celetano, under a consent decree to observe the police, much to NYPD Captain Wagner's chagrin. Elsbeth befriends Officer Kaya Blanke, who is investigating Olivia's death, and they spot a man's deodorant in her bathroom. Suspicious of Alex, Elsbeth questions his current and former leading ladies, confirming that he had a history of inappropriate relationships with students. Suicidal texts sent from Olivia's phone contain old-fashioned sentence spacing and typos that Elsbeth ties to Alex, but the deodorant implicates his teaching assistant Todd, Olivia's boyfriend. Elsbeth is ordered to apologize to Alex, but she and Kaya dupe him into trying to plant his SIM card cloning tool in Todd's bag; caught red-handed by Wagner & Bobby Smullen, Alex is arrested.A phone call with Celetano reveals Elsbeth's real mission in NYC: investigating Wagner for corruption. | |||||||||
| 2 | 2 | "A Classic New York Character" | Robert King | Bryan Goluboff | April 4, 2024 (2024-04-04) | 5.43[26] | |||
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| 3 | 3 | "Reality Shock" | Ron Underwood | Jonathan Tolins | April 4, 2024 (2024-04-04) | 4.60[26] | |||
Skip Mason, a producer for the reality showLavish Ladies, electrocutes one of his stars, Wendy Wexler, in her bathtub when she attempts to blackmail him. Kaya, aLavish Ladies superfan, guides Elsbeth through the show, which former star Katricia quit after an inebriated on-camera meltdown. Elsbeth suspects Skip, noticing glitter from Wendy's bath on his hands and on glassware he removed from the bathroom to cover his tracks. A voicemail he left Wendy at the time of her death seems to prove he was with another star, Tracy, and he provides footage painting intern Valencia as a suspect. Kaya tracks down Katricia, who has a high tolerance for alcohol and believes Skip and Wendy drugged her to elicit a meltdown. Rewatching the show, Elsbeth realizes Skip's voicemail used an old sound clip of Tracy. At Wendy's memorial service, Tracy finds a text she sent that contradicts Skip's voicemail, and Katricia confronts Skip. He tries to intimidate her by admitting he killed Wendy, but Elsbeth reveals his confession was captured by a hidden microphone, and Skip is arrested.Elsbeth tries to get information on Wali from Lieutenant Noonan, but he proves fiercely loyal to Wagner. | |||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Love Knocked Off" | Rosemary Rodriguez | Erica Shelton Kodish | April 11, 2024 (2024-04-11) | 4.35[27] | |||
Margo Clarke, a celebrity matchmaker, coaches petty criminal Dennis Pagano to pose as perfect match for her demanding client Lainey Belfort. They are married six months later, fulfilling Margo's contract. After a year of marriage, Dennis visits Margo's home in the Hamptons and announces he will expose the con to Lainey. An angry Margo clubs him to death with a statuette of Cupid, dumping his body and the murder weapon offshore. Captain Wagner assigns Kaya to investigate the disappearance of Lainey's husband, as she is an important donor to Wagner and his wife Claudia's charitable foundation. Suspicious of Margo, Elsbeth deduces that she burned a rug to destroy evidence. Dennis' body is found and identified, leading Kaya and Elsbeth to his ex-girlfriend Tina and a file cabinet full of evidence of his transformation, which was funded by Margo. A previous magazine photoshoot of Margo's home reveals the statuette is missing; Margo hurriedly buys a replacement, but Elsbeth confronts her with the recovered murder weapon, and she is arrested.Invited to Claudia's foundation gala, Elsbeth sees Wagner with the head of FlairAll but chooses not to tell Celetano. Wagner realizes Elsbeth may be investigating him. | |||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Ball Girl" | Rob Hardy | Eric Randall | April 18, 2024 (2024-04-18) | 4.28[28] | |||
Cliff McGrath, father and coach of professional tennis player Hunter McGrath, is determined for his son to win against top-ranked Johann "Yoyo" Arnaldo. Cliff laces Yoyo's towel with nitroglycerin ointment during a tournament in NYC, noticed byball girl Ashlee, and Yoyo collapses on the court and dies. Wagner, hoping to learn about Elsbeth and her secret investigation, treats her to sushi, but anoshibori leads her to realize how Yoyo died. Ashlee approaches Cliff with a scheme to win bets on Hunter by sabotaging his opponents, and plants the incriminating towel in Yoyo's hotel room. She tips off the police, leading them to suspect Yoyo's girlfriend Irina, who reveals that she gave him erectile disfunction medication; an inadvertent adverse reaction with the ointment resulted in his death. Suspicious of Cliff, Elsbeth learns from Hunter that his late mother had the ointment, and Hunter comes to suspect his father as well. In Hunter's final match, he and Elsbeth manipulate Cliff into believing Ashlee has sabotaged his son's towel. Cliff incriminates himself, and he and Ashlee are arrested.Meanwhile, Elsbeth is conflicted after Wagner arranges a new job for her son. | |||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "An Ear for an Ear" | Nancy Hower | Zoe Marshall | April 25, 2024 (2024-04-25) | 4.28[29] | |||
Plastic surgeon Vanessa Holmes murders her protégé Astrid Olsen when she starts her own rival practice. Vanessa poses as a patient and proceeds to poison Astrid, then bludgeons her to death. Vanessa flirts with a guard at the Museum of the City of New York to establish an alibi, but the museum is later disrupted by a climate change protest. Elsbeth suspects Vanessa of arranging the fake patient's appointment using fellow surgeon Dr. Yablonsky's phone. Celetano introduces Elsbeth to Martin Wali, who believes Wagner is covering up FlairAll's illegal labor practices in exchange for bribes through his foundation. Elsbeth approaches Wagner about the alleged bribes, but he implies that her son's new job could be viewed in the same light. Paint on Vanessa's shoes is matched to paint from the museum protest, confirming her alibi, but Elsbeth realizes the fake patient's medical history actually belongs to Vanessa's wife, Carolyn. Yablonsky also confirms that Carolyn went to Astrid to correct Vanessa's work. Elsbeth finds evidence in Vanessa's trash that she splattered her own shoes, leading to Vanessa's arrest.Elsbeth lets Kaya in on her investigation into Wagner; meanwhile, Lt. Noonan accepts a bribe from FlairAll on Wagner's behalf. | |||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Something Blue" | Yap Fong-Yee | Erica Larson | May 2, 2024 (2024-05-02) | 4.23[30] | |||
Wealth management executive Ashton Hayes reveals his unethical business practices to his employee and future son-in-law, Derek. At his bachelor party, Derek blabs Ashton's secret to an exotic dancer named Capri, who was specifically hired by Ashton to test his discretion. Realizing he cannot be trusted, Ashton gets Derek drunk following the wedding and sinks him in the lake via a golf cart. Elsbeth and Kaya doubt Derek's death was accidental when his autopsy determines he suffocated. Ashton's daughter Nora confesses she cheated on Derek with Rob, the wedding choreographer. Elsbeth interviews Rob under the guise of a private dance lesson and he leads her to Capri, who in turn leads her to Ashton. Discovering dissolving tape at Ashton's country club kitchen, Elsbeth realizes Derek died as a result of Ashton gagging him with the tape, while a wedding video shows Derek wearing a watch Ashton gave him, which Ashton took back before killing him. Wagner helps lure Ashton to plant the watch at Rob's dance studio, where Elsbeth intercepts Ashton and talks him into an impromptu dance. The watch falls out and Ashton is arrested.At Elsbeth's housewarming party, Wagner reveals he suspects Noonan of being the real corrupt cop, leaving Elsbeth unsure who to believe. | |||||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Artificial Genius" | Tyne Rafaeli | Leah Nanako Winkler | May 9, 2024 (2024-05-09) | 4.20[31] | |||
Investigative journalist Josh Johnson prepares an exposé on Cerberus, a crime-reporting app led by entrepreneur Quinn Powers. Using Cerberus to create a fictional cattle prod-wielding dog-kidnapper, Quinn plays a prerecorded presentation during a virtual company meeting and sneaks away to Josh's apartment. She beats him to death with a cattle prod, destroys his article, and steals his dog to implicate the fictional dog-napper. Elsbeth becomes suspicious after neighborhood dog walker Mimi does not recognize the supposedly kidnapped dogs, while Kaya suspects Cerberus is generating posts with AI. Video of Quinn's meeting reveals that she lost her headband during the murder. Unable to find it at the murder scene, Elsbeth and Kaya find evidence leading them to Quinn's former high school friend Ellen Davis, the true creator of Cerberus. Ellen reveals data flaws that Josh discovered, which Elsbeth confirms by feeding Quinn false information which is later reported on Cerberus. When Mimi finds Josh's dog in the park and Elsbeth brings it home, she realizes the dog must have hidden the headband. Finding the headband, Elsbeth crashes a Cerberus team meeting and Quinn is arrested.Meanwhile, Wagner tells Wali his suspicions about Noonan, promising to bring the corrupt lieutenant down. | |||||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Sweet Justice" | Kevin Rodney Sullivan | Bryan Golubuff & Erica Shelton Kodish | May 16, 2024 (2024-05-16) | 4.26[32] | |||
Cocktail bar owner Joe Dillion learns from Ivy Benson, his favorite customer, about her former college roommate and bully Gemma Nelson. A vengeful Joe strangles Gemma in her sleep, but the police discover it was actually Jane Dunhill, Gemma's housesitter, who was killed. Elsbeth suspects Joe, who left a footprint at the crime scene, and Kaya links a mark on Jane's neck to Joe's bottle opener ring. Ivy's online comments toward Gemma make her a suspect, and an angry Gemma unleashes her followers on the NYPD, demanding Ivy's arrest. Joe's regulars reveal he is fiercely protective of his customers, and he admits to Elsbeth that he would do anything for Ivy. Elsbeth stages the arrest of Dion, Joe's employee, who receives a grateful kiss from Ivy, goading Joe into confessing. Joe is arrested, and Gemma's boyfriend Brad breaks up with her, exposing her bullying in a humiliating video.Wagner tells Claudia his suspicions about Noonan, and lures him into a secret meeting with FlairAll's CEO, Declan Armstrong. With Elsbeth recording the incriminating conversation, Wagner intervenes when Noonan pulls a gun, and Noonan and Armstrong are arrested. Wagner is exonerated, but orders Elsbeth back to Chicago for betraying his trust. | |||||||||
| 10 | 10 | "A Fitting Finale" | Rosemary Rodriguez | Jonathan Tolins | May 23, 2024 (2024-05-23) | 4.90[33] | |||
Retiring supermodel Nadine Clay walks her final runway at her soon-to-be-ex-husband Nick Garrison's fashion show, where photographer Ezra Tate is shot dead. Nadine explains that Ezra, her former lover, was desperate for money, and a pawn shop owner reveals Ezra was involved with gambling debts, blackmail, and a mysterious "Pangaea Project". Elsbeth surprises Nadine at the home of designer Matteo Hart, who declares Elsbeth his new muse. Nadine claims Ezra had compromising photos of her, and suspects a jealous Nick killed him. Matteo tells Elsbeth that Ezra and Nadine, as fashion students, created Pangaea Project: a misguided photoshoot of Nadine made up as different ethnicites. Nick tells the police that he suspects Ezra was blackmailing Nadine over Pangaea, and she killed him. At Matteo's fashion show, built around Elsbeth and her unique fashion sense, Elsbeth has an epiphany. She confronts Matteo with Ezra's photos of Nadine's final shoot, revealing Matteo killed him. Matteo also confesses to killing an enforcer who threatened Ezra over his debts, burying him in the backyard, and Elsbeth gives Nadine the Pangaea photos.Wagner changes his mind, fast-tracking Kaya as a detective and convincing Celetano to give Elsbeth her own position investigating corruption in NYC. | |||||||||
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | U.S. viewers (millions) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Subscription to Murder" | Nancy Hower | Jonathan Tolins | October 17, 2024 (2024-10-17) | 4.76[34] | |||
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| 12 | 2 | "The Wrong Stuff" | Aisha Tyler | Erica Shelton Kodish | October 24, 2024 (2024-10-24) | 4.45[35] | |||
While going through an exclusive private space training simulation, self-made paint billionaire Neal Dorsey is repeatedly humiliated by renewable energy CEO, Gavin Morrissey. Neal becomes bitterly jealous when his son showers Gavin with admiration, leading to Neal retaliating by putting a lithium battery in the shoe lifts of Gavin's boots. When Gavin enters a centrifuge, the battery explodes and kills him. Elsbeth investigates while dealing with a handsome fire marshal who constantly flirts with her. She quickly learns of Neal's rivalry with Gavin and the tension between Neal and his son. When Elsbeth discovers that Gavin's hoverboard stopped working shortly before his death, she theorizes the battery came from there, but Neal has already replaced it with another stolen battery. However, when Elsbeth pries out the new battery, she finds a gold pen tip that was specifically customized for Neal. The tip allows Elsbeth to seal the case and Neal is arrested.The person in the black SUV is revealed to be Elsbeth's old colleague Carter from Chicago, who tells her one of their clients from a divorce case they handled is now getting divorced a second time, and details of the previous case are causing issues with the new one. Carter strictly orders Elsbeth not to discuss either case under threat of retribution from the firm. | |||||||||
| 13 | 3 | "Devil's Night" | Robin Givens | Bryan Goluboff | October 31, 2024 (2024-10-31) | 4.84[36] | |||
Mackenzie "Mac" Altman, a former child actress turned professional party girl, wakes up on Halloween morning with no memory of the night before, except possibly killing someone. Elsbeth helps Mac retrace her steps, only for them to stumble upon the body of Mac's boyfriend Sonny Miller. Mac soon becomes the prime suspect and cannot help her own case, while her lawyer/manager Danny refuses to let Elsbeth get involved. Despite this, Elsbeth manages to track Mac's movements all the way to a bar where she was not long before Sonny was killed. Elsbeth realizes that Macdid kill Sonny, but Danny orchestrated the murder by drugging Mac at the bar and manipulating her to do it. Danny's motive was to stop Sonny from revealing that Danny had been embezzling from Mac's estate. Danny and Mac are arrested, but Elsbeth assures Mac that she cannot be held liable for the murder due to Danny incapacitating her. Lt. Connor puts up an opinion sheet at the precinct, which shows morale is low since Noonan's arrest, while suggesting Wagner's leadership skills are faltering. Connor insists this problem be corrected, which Wagner discusses with his wife while contemplating how to do so. | |||||||||
| 14 | 4 | "Diamonds Are for Elsbeth" | Mary Lou Belli | Zoe Marshall | November 7, 2024 (2024-11-07) | 4.25[37] | |||
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| 15 | 5 | "Elsbeth Flips the Bird" | Ron Underwood | Sarah Beckett | November 14, 2024 (2024-11-14) | 4.30[38] | |||
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| 16 | 6 | "Gold, Frankincense, and Murder" | Rachel Raimist | Erica Larson | December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05) | 4.40[39] | |||
Christmas-curating power couple Dirk and DeeDee Dashers are preparing to launch their new vintage decor collection. DeeDee tells Dirk she wants out of the marriage, but Dirk refuses to get a divorce out of fear that it will tarnish their brand. Dirk tells DeeDee they can officially separate after the holidays, but he covertly plans to murder her instead. However, DeeDee discovers his plan and tampers with a display's wires that end up fatally electrocuting him. Elsbeth and Kaya investigate the "accident" and soon uncover both Dirk's murder plot and his affair with an assistant to the Dashers' publicist. Elsbeth solves the case by proving that DeeDee foiled Dirk's plan by wearing black shock-proof gloves, the same ones she wore to fray the wires that killed Dirk. DeeDee is specifically implicated due to the burnt-out lightbulb breaking the color pattern that a colorblind DeeDee failed to notice. Kaya has aced her college classes and is now preparing to move out of Elsbeth's apartment, leaving Elsbeth all alone for the holidays as her son Teddy will be visiting her ex-husband this year. Meanwhile, Wagner turns to Elsbeth for ideas on Claudia's Christmas present. She ultimately suggests couple's dance lessons. Kaya and Wagner surprise Elsbeth by bringing Teddy to New York for the holidays. | |||||||||
| 17 | 7 | "One Angry Woman" | Lionel Coleman | Eric Randall | December 12, 2024 (2024-12-12) | 4.59[40] | |||
Delia Bates has a sexual rendezvous with her neighbor, Andy Mertens, in his apartment. When Delia goes to use the shower after their tryst, judge Milton Crawford enters Andy's apartment and bludgeons him to death. Delia is charged with Andy's murder and Crawford presides over her trial. Elsbeth is appointed to Delia's jury and soon notices that Crawford appears to be manipulating the proceedings in the prosecution's favor. Regardless, Elsbeth manages to find proof that someone else was at the apartment that night, though she cannot determine the identity of this individual. Nevertheless, the evidence is enough for the jury to exonerate Delia. After the trial, Elsbeth finally begins to realize Crawford may be the actual killer but has nothing to prove her suspicions. Elsbeth's son Teddy is still staying with her, and Kaya shows him around New York. Despite having a good time, Teddy insists on knowing why his mother left Chicago so abruptly, which Elsbeth struggles to explain. Lt. Connor starts trying to improve the precinct by making a big deal out of minor complaints from the detectives, but Wagner convinces him to ease up. | |||||||||
| 18 | 8 | "Toil and Trouble" | Darren Grant | Matthew K. Begbie | December 19, 2024 (2024-12-19) | 3.48[41] | |||
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| 19 | 9 | "Unalive and Well" | Nancy Hower | Leah Nanako Winkler | January 30, 2025 (2025-01-30) | 4.31[42] | |||
Alternative medicine guru Tom Murphy murders one of his clients, Cole Campbell, who was determined to prove that Tom was still using a treatment that led to the death of his sister. Tom injects the food in Cole's car with sesame oil, causing Cole to have a fatal allergic reaction. Elsbeth's investigation uncovers a litany of shady business practices. Kaya is repulsed to discover that Elsbeth suppressed evidence in the Van Ness case that proved he was a domestic abuser. During the retreat, Elsbeth suffers a breakdown. | |||||||||
| 20 | 10 | "Finance Bros" | Nick Gomez | Anju Andre-Bergmann & Eric Randall | February 6, 2025 (2025-02-06) | 4.80[43] | |||
Peter Hepson murders his own twin brother, Bill, after the latter decides to resign from the venture capital firm they started together. Peter dresses up as Bill to get into his building and takes a phone interview on a news show to establish his alibi. Elsbeth's suspicions turn to Bill after speaking with a donut vendor that Peter frequented, realizing that the vendor misidentified Bill as Peter that day. Elsbeth traps Van Ness into publicly threatening her and getting arrested for this misdemeanor. A legal consequence thereof is that he forfeits the attorney-client privilege, therefore allowing Elsbeth to defend herself against allegations of suppressing evidence. | |||||||||
| 21 | 11 | "Tiny Town" | Robert King | Zoe Marshall | February 13, 2025 (2025-02-13) | 4.62[44] | |||
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| 22 | 12 | "Foiled Again" | Sam Hoffman | Jonathan Tolins | February 20, 2025 (2025-02-20) | 4.60[45] | |||
Ethan Brooks, the new admissions director for an Ivy League university, refuses to admit any applicants that were helped by OutMatch, a college admissions coaching company. A former client of OutMatch himself, Ethan resents the company's owner Lawrence Grey for "forcing" him to pursue Ivy League schools instead of his passion for acting, so he denies all OutMatch clients as petty revenge. Recognizing the threat Ethan poses to his business, Lawrence plans an elaborate murder: Lawrence challenges Ethan to a fencing duel, only for Lawrence to tamper Ethan's helmet with enough cat dander that triggers a fatal asthma attack. Lawrence blames the university mascot, Quad Cat, for what happened to the helmet, but Elsbeth and her team quickly rule out the notion once they learn the animal washypoallergenic. | |||||||||
| 23 | 13 | "Tearjerker" | Peter Sollett | Leah Nanako Winkler | February 27, 2025 (2025-02-27) | 4.82[46] | |||
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| 24 | 14 | "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" | Robin Givens | Bryan Goluboff | March 6, 2025 (2025-03-06) | 4.78[47] | |||
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| 25 | 15 | "I See... Murder" | Rob Hardy | Sarah Beckett & Wade Dooley | March 13, 2025 (2025-03-13) | 4.74[48] | |||
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| 26 | 16 | "Hot Tub Crime Machine" | James Whitmore Jr. | Erica Larson & Jonelle Lightbourne | April 3, 2025 (2025-04-03) | 4.49[49] | |||
Decluttering expert Freya Frostad murders her husband Axel after growing jealous of his relationship to theirmutual lover Taylor. Wanting Taylor all for herself, Freya traps Axel in their hot tub and uses arobotic device to seal the opening shut, causing him to drown. | |||||||||
| 27 | 17 | "Four Body Problem" | Bille Woodruff | Erica Shelton Kodish & Sarah Beckett | April 10, 2025 (2025-04-10) | 4.54[50] | |||
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| 28 | 18 | "I Know What You Did Thirty-Three Summers Ago" | Joe Menendez | Matthew K. Begbie & Eric Randall | April 24, 2025 (2025-04-24) | 4.97[51] | |||
Flashbacks reveal that Crawford murdered Andy Mertens[a] because he was the only witness to Crawford's first killing back in 1991; Crawford killed a woman named Sherry when she rejected his advances, and he bribed Andy with a college scholarship to never speak of it. With Crawford now being vetted for the federal bench, Elsbeth and her team are more dedicated than ever to bringing him down. When Crawford gloats to Elsbeth about thwarting her before his appointment, he is fatally shot by Delia Bates. Incensed by Crawford's ability to evade justice, she delivers her own brass justice for ruining her life. The incident leaves Elsabeth traumatized, and her team is completely demoralized by the turn of events. However, Wagner tries to appeal to the group that nothing changes if they don't bother to try. | |||||||||
| 29 | 19 | "I've Got a Little List" | Lily Mariye | Erica Shelton Kodish | May 1, 2025 (2025-05-01) | 4.60[52] | |||
Rod Bedford, the anhedonic heir to a wealthy family, decides to add "getting away with murder" to his absurd bucket list. He assassinates a seemingly homeless person on the streets of New York, only to discover that he unwittingly murdered a European crown prince when he visits the crime scene. Rod uses his AI bot to frame a fringe anti-royalist group of feminists for the killing, which the chauvinist ICE agent investigating the crime falls for.The presiding judge for Elsbeth's harassment case ends up being a Crawford loyalist who blames her for his death. He abuses his power to ensure that Elsbeth is given a harsh sentence, transferring her to a detention center where some of the murderers she exposed currently reside. | |||||||||
| 30 | 20 | "Ramen Holiday" | Lionel Coleman | Jonathan Tolins | May 8, 2025 (2025-05-08) | 4.69[53] | |||
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| No. overall | No. in season | Title [54] | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [54] | U.S. viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 1 | "Yes, And..." | Joe Menendez | Jonathan Tolins | October 12, 2025 (2025-10-12) | 4.74[55] | |
Talk show host Scotty Bristol is killed in a freak accident set up by his executive producer Laurel Hammond. Fed up with his tyrannical antics, Laurel lures Scotty to his office under the guise of a tryst; she then sticks Scotty's tie in the shredder and turns it on, effectively strangling him to death. The detective on the case immediately suspects the long-suffering sidekick Mickey as the culprit, but Elsbeth ascertains that his grief over Scotty's death is genuine. | |||||||
| 32 | 2 | "Doll Day Afternoon" | Robert King | Robert King & Anju Andre-Bergmann | October 16, 2025 (2025-10-16) | 3.41[56] | |
Toy store owner Patrick Palmer tries to swindle a customer, Nolan Hurst, out of $6,000 for a rare doll. When an upset Nolan demands his money back, a scuffle for the cash ensues and leads to Patrick falling down the steps to his death. | |||||||
| 33 | 3 | "Good Grief" | Ron Underwood | Bryan Goluboff | October 23, 2025 (2025-10-23) | 3.48[57] | |
Macabre fashionista Raquel Drabowski is flummoxed when her husband Johnny shows up on her doorstep after supposedly dying in Puerto Rico. In the 18 months since his "passing", Raquel was cast on a dating show for widows and parlayed the fame into a successful career as a social media influencer. With Johnny's suspicious return now a threat to Raquel's promising new livelihood, Raquel kills Johnny by shoving him off the Staten Island ferry. | |||||||
| 34 | 4 | "Ick, A Bod" | Lionel Coleman | Erica Larson | October 30, 2025 (2025-10-30) | 3.79[58] | |
Sleepy Hollow neighbors Sharon Norman and Beryl Nix have been feuding ever since Beryl’s move to the neighborhood three years ago, as Beryl’s free-spirited nature clashes with Sharon’s rigid personality. The final straw comes at Halloween when Beryl allegedly poisons the neighborhood’s trademark maple tree, causing it to be cut down. Furious as she saw the tree as a community treasure, Sharon decapitates Beryl with a chainsaw in the haunted maze, attempting to frame the crew of horror actors Beryl hired to make the maze more extravagant. | |||||||
| 35 | 5 | "Poetic Justice" | Robin Givens | Leah Nanako Winkler | November 6, 2025 (2025-11-06) | 3.73[59] | |
Famed poet Gary Pigeon is furious when he learns his longtime patron, Delores Fienn, is planning to divert her donations from his struggling poetry journal to a rival publication. Reeling from the betrayal, Gary comes up with a solution to get his revenge; he opens the valve on Delores’s oxygen tank, then calls her from a party and tells her to write, knowing that Delores will light a cigarette for inspiration. The result causes an explosion that kills her, with Gary hoping to inherit her wealth. | |||||||
| 36 | 6 | "Bunker Down" | Nick Gomez | Erica Shelton Kodish | November 13, 2025 (2025-11-13) | 3.58[60] | |
Paranoidfintech billionaire Craig Hollis traps his crisis manager Anders Whitman in Craig's state-of-the art panic room, erratically believing that Anders will report his "indiscretions" to his company's board of directors. | |||||||
| 37 | 7 | "And Then There Were Nuns" | Peter Sollett | Matthew K. Begbie | November 20, 2025 (2025-11-20) | TBD | |
Reverend mother Constance Cabot is disgusted to learn that controversial pop star Alaïa Jade will be purchasing her convent, with the aim of turning the property into a creative studio. To stop the sale, Constance opens the unsafe bell tower, puts the nun in charge of ringing the bell on dish duty in order to reset her watch, and encourages Alaïa to view the sunset from the bell tower right as the bell is rung, knocking Alaïa to her death. | |||||||
| 38 | 8 | "Basket Case"[61] | Mary Lou Belli | Eric Randall | December 4, 2025 (2025-12-04) | TBD | |
| 39 | 9 | "Glamazons"[62] | Rob Hardy | Bryan Goluboff | December 11, 2025 (2025-12-11) | TBD | |
| 40 | 10 | "A Hard Nut to Crack"[63] | Ron Underwood | Sarah Beckett & Anju Andre-Bergmann | December 18, 2025 (2025-12-18) | TBD | |
CBS ordered a pilot in January 2023.[64] It was a straight-to-series order, withCBS Studios joining the production of the series.[65] Shortly after the premiere, creators Robert and Michelle King stated that, although the character of Elsbeth Tascioni originated onThe Good Wife, they do not considerElsbeth to be a spin-off but a "separate show" inspired byColumbo that happens to use a "character in [their] wheelhouse".[3] On April 18, 2024, CBS renewed the series for a second season.[4] On February 20, 2025, CBS renewed the series for a third season.
Carrie Preston reprises her role as Elsbeth Tascioni fromThe Good Wife andThe Good Fight. Also,Wendell Pierce joined as C.W. Wagner, and Carra Patterson joined in the role of Kaya Blanke.[66]
The Kings have indicated that, while they avoided recycling actors for different characters onThe Good Wife andThe Good Fight,Elsbeth would not adhere strictly to theGood series'shared universe, and therefore some guest stars from the earlier series, such as Linda Lavin, would appear as different characters inElsbeth.[3] On May 1, 2025, it was reported that Patterson exits as a series regular, but is set to return in a guest star capacity for the third season.[12]
After the show was ordered to series, the rest of the first season began shooting in January 2024[67] and wrapped in late April 2024.[68] The first season of the series was filmed in New York and consists of 10 episodes.[69]
During a conversation with the press and an open audience to promote the Spanish release of the whole first season, Preston stated that season 2 consists of 20 episodes.[70] Filming on the second season started on July 23, 2024.[71]
The first season ofElsbeth premiered on February 29, 2024, onCBS, though due to programming conflicts, subsequent episodes did not begin airing weekly until April 4.[72] The show is available to stream onParamount+.[2] The second season premiered on October 17, 2024 on CBS.[5] The third season premiered on October 12, 2025.[7]
In Canada, the series airs onGlobal and is streaming onStackTV.[73]
In Australia it premiered onParamount+ on April 26, 2024.[74]
In the UK it premiered onSky Witness on July 23, 2024 and Germany onSky One on August 6, 2024.
In Southeast Asia it premiered onAXN Asia on January 30, 2025 and in Italy onRai 2 on February 1, 2025.
Thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes reported a 94% approval rating with an average rating of 7.2/10, based on 31 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Carrie Preston's standout character fromThe Good Wife makes for a great detective in this amiable and clever spinoff."[75]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 71 out of 100 based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[76]
| Season | Timeslot (ET) | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | TV season | Viewership rank | Avg. viewers (millions) | 18–49 rank | Avg. 18–49 rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Viewers (millions) | Date | Viewers (millions) | ||||||||
| 1 | Thursday 10:00 p.m.(1, 3–9) Thursday 9:00 p.m.(2, 10) | 10 | February 29, 2024 (2024-02-29) | 4.59[25] | May 23, 2024 (2024-05-23) | 4.90[33] | 2023–24 | 15 | 7.45[77] | 56[c] | 0.47[77] |
| 2 | Thursday 10:00 p.m.(1–17) Thursday 9:00 p.m.(18–20) | 20 | October 17, 2024 (2024-10-17) | 4.76[34] | May 8, 2025 (2025-05-08) | 4.69[53] | 2024–25 | 21 | 11.5[78] | TBD | TBD |
| 3 | Sunday 9:30 p.m.(1) Thursday 10:00 p.m.(2–6, 8–TBA)[54] Thursday 9:00 p.m.(7)[54] | TBA | October 12, 2025 (2025-10-12) | TBD | TBA | TBD | 2025–26 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | February 29, 2024 | 0.3/4 | 4.59 | — | — | — | — | [25] |
| 2 | "A Classic New York Character" | April 4, 2024 | 0.3/4 | 5.43 | 0.19 | 2.64 | 0.53 | 8.07 | [26] |
| 3 | "Reality Shock" | April 4, 2024 | 0.3/4 | 4.60 | 0.18 | 2.84 | 0.47 | 7.44 | [26] |
| 4 | "Love Knocked Off" | April 11, 2024 | 0.3/4 | 4.35 | — | — | — | — | [27] |
| 5 | "Ball Girl" | April 18, 2024 | 0.3/4 | 4.28 | 0.22 | 3.20 | 0.50 | 7.47 | [28] |
| 6 | "An Ear for an Ear" | April 25, 2024 | 0.2/2 | 4.28 | 0.21 | 3.15 | 0.45 | 7.43 | [29] |
| 7 | "Something Blue" | May 2, 2024 | 0.3/3 | 4.23 | 0.22 | 3.20 | 0.49 | 7.43 | [30] |
| 8 | "Artificial Genius" | May 9, 2024 | 0.2/3 | 4.20 | 0.23 | 3.25 | 0.44 | 7.44 | [31] |
| 9 | "Sweet Justice" | May 16, 2024 | 0.3/3 | 4.26 | 0.21 | 3.09 | 0.47 | 7.34 | [32] |
| 10 | "A Fitting Finale" | May 23, 2024 | 0.3/3 | 4.90 | — | — | — | — | [33] |
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Subscription to Murder" | October 17, 2024 | 0.3/3 | 4.76 | 0.21 | 3.52 | 0.48 | 8.28 | [34] |
| 2 | "The Wrong Stuff" | October 24, 2024 | 0.3/3 | 4.45 | 0.20 | 3.43 | 0.47 | 7.88 | [35] |
| 3 | "Devil's Night" | October 31, 2024 | 0.3/4 | 5.82 | 0.21 | 3.26 | 0.53 | 8.10 | [36] |
| 4 | "Diamonds Are for Elsbeth" | November 7, 2024 | 0.2/2 | 5.31 | 0.20 | 3.36 | 0.42 | 7.61 | [37] |
| 5 | "Elsbeth Flips the Bird" | November 14, 2024 | 0.3/3 | 5.40 | 0.20 | 3.24 | 0.47 | 7.55 | [38] |
| 6 | "Gold, Frankincense, and Murder" | December 5, 2024 | 0.2/3 | 4.40 | 0.20 | 3.21 | 0.43 | 7.61 | [39] |
| 7 | "One Angry Woman" | December 12, 2024 | 0.2/3 | 4.59 | 0.17 | 3.17 | 0.41 | 7.76 | [40] |
| 8 | "Toil and Trouble" | December 19, 2024 | 0.2/2 | 3.48 | 0.19 | 2.99 | 0.39 | 6.47 | [41] |
| 9 | "Unalive and Well" | January 30, 2025 | 0.2/4 | 4.31 | 0.20 | 3.43 | 0.43 | 7.74 | [42] |
| 10 | "Finance Bros" | February 6, 2025 | 0.3/4 | 4.80 | 0.21 | 3.08 | 0.49 | 7.88 | [43] |
| 11 | "Tiny Town" | February 13, 2025 | 0.2/4 | 4.62 | 0.19 | 3.09 | 0.42 | 7.71 | [44] |
| 12 | "Foiled Again" | February 20, 2025 | 0.3/3 | 4.60 | 0.20 | 3.25 | 0.45 | 7.85 | [45] |
| 13 | "Tearjerker" | February 27, 2025 | 0.3/5 | 4.82 | 0.20 | 3.17 | 0.51 | 7.99 | [46] |
| 14 | "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" | March 6, 2025 | 0.3/4 | 4.78 | 0.19 | 3.22 | 0.46 | 8.01 | [47] |
| 15 | "I See... Murder" | March 13, 2025 | 0.2/3 | 4.74 | 0.21 | 3.14 | 0.44 | 7.88 | [48] |
| 16 | "Hot Tub Crime Machine" | April 3, 2025 | 0.3/4 | 4.49 | 0.21 | 3.34 | 0.49 | 7.83 | [49] |
| 17 | "Four Body Problem" | April 10, 2025 | 0.3/4 | 4.54 | 0.19 | 3.40 | 0.45 | 7.94 | [50] |
| 18 | "I Know What You Did Thirty-Three Summers Ago" | April 24, 2025 | 0.3/3 | 4.97 | 0.17 | 2.92 | 0.41 | 7.85 | [51] |
| 19 | "I've Got a Little List" | May 1, 2025 | 0.2/3 | 4.60 | 0.15 | 2.88 | 0.39 | 7.48 | [52] |
| 20 | "Ramen Holiday" | May 8, 2025 | 0.3/4 | 4.69 | 0.16 | 2.82 | 0.48 | 7.51 | [53] |
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Yes, And..." | October 12, 2025 | 0.3/3 | 4.74 | 0.19 | 2.64 | 0.52 | 7.38 | [55] |
| 2 | "Doll Day Afternoon" | October 16, 2025 | 0.1/2 | 3.41 | 0.15 | 2.37 | 0.29 | 5.78 | [56] |
| 3 | "Good Grief" | October 23, 2025 | 0.2/2 | 3.48 | 0.18 | 2.65 | 0.35 | 6.13 | [57] |
| 4 | "Ick, A Bod" | October 30, 2025 | 0.2/2 | 3.79 | 0.16 | 2.45 | 0.32 | 6.23 | [58] |
| 5 | "Poetic Justice" | November 6, 2025 | 0.2/2 | 3.73 | 0.11 | 2.04 | 0.27 | 5.78 | [59] |
| 6 | "Bunker Down" | November 13, 2025 | 0.2/3 | 3.58 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | [60] |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Golden Nymph Awards | Fiction | Elsbeth | Nominated | [79] |
| Astra Awards | Best Broadcast Network Drama Series | Elsbeth | Nominated | [80] | |
| Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series | Carrie Preston | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series | Wendell Pierce | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series | Carra Patterson | Nominated | |||
| Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series | Rosemary Rodriguez (for "Love Knocked Off") | Nominated | |||
| Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series | Jonathan Tolins (for "A Fitting Finale") | Nominated | |||
| Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Retta | Nominated | |||
| AAFCA TV Honors | Best TV Acting – Male | Wendell Pierce | Won | [81] | |
| Women's Image Awards | Drama Series | Elsbeth (for "Pilot") | Nominated | [82] | |
| Actress Drama Series | Carrie Preston (for "Pilot") | Won | [83] | ||
| Celebration of Black Cinema and Television | Actor – Series | Wendell Pierce | Honored | [84] | |
| 2025 | Artios Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Casting for a Television Pilot and First Season – Drama | Mark Saks, Findley Davidson, John Andrews | Nominated | [85] |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Television: Episodic Drama | Robert King,Michelle King (for "Pilot") | Nominated | [86] | |
| Astra Awards | Best Actress in a Drama Series | Carrie Preston | Nominated | [87] | |
| Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Ethan Slater | Nominated | |||
| Best Cast Ensemble in a Broadcast Network Drama Series | Elsbeth | Nominated |
| Episodes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Characters | |||
| Franchise |
| ||
| Related | |||
