Elsbeth

Robert & Michelle King are the talented writing duo responsible for some of the best network TV shows in recent years, including "The Good Wife" and "Evil." After ending "The Good Fight," 2024 brings us yet another such spinoff of "The Good Wife," one named for that show's kooky lawyer character named "Elsbeth." The Leap Day pilot episode sets up the show's clever premise: that her title character has been designated an impartial observer of the NYPD in a formal legal consent decree to hopefully ferret out any police corruption in the ranks. But in the meantime she cannot help but help those hapless officers solve their trickiest cases. Like Columbo's classic show, we are privy to the perpetrator's machinations, but get pleasure from observing the observer, Elsbeth, investigate and determine those guilty of the crime(s). Carrie Preston is outstanding in the lead role, and Wendell Pierce excels in the role of the NY Police Captain, who may or may not be on the straight and narrow himself. I'll revisit my rating of 8/10 stars as we proceed.

I am a big fan of the Kings, and when the character Elsbeth was introduced in The Good Wife and reappeared in The Good Fight, she was entertaining and refreshing. She had an off-the-wall courtroom presence. When you first saw her on a case, you figured her defence was doomed to fail. But then she came up with a twist or re-interpretation of the facts that made all the difference. She was not in every episode of either series, and that kept her from becoming cloying.

But now the Kings feel that she merits a show of her own, and that is becoming too much of what was a good thing in smaller doses. The episodes are feeling repetitive, and things are not helped by portraying the crime (and the criminal) in the initial minutes. The rest of the show just becomes filler - how does this wacky person figure out what we already know?

Sorry, but this just doesn't measure up to the expectations that were created by Elsbeth's earlier (and occasional) appearances.

It starts with the murder. Once a body is discovered, the quirky "detective" makes "friends" with the murderer by asking advice of him or her. Even when the murderer finds the detective annoying. The detective lets on that the murderer is, in fact, the prime subject by telling him or her every new piece of evidence that is discovered. The murderer will often admit to the crime confident there is not enough evidence to convict. But of course there is. The murderer is often a person of wealth or influence. It's still a very cute show, both my wife and I enjoy it. It's just not original. But what is anymore.

First season was great with good plots for the mysteries and enjoyable acting. Second season onwards it feels like lot of plot holes are left in every mystery. Characters have a standard format and each episode just change their gender, occupation or lifestyle. Each murder arc going in the same linear direction for second season.

The acting by main lead is good but can't run the show only on that. Need a bit improvement on writing and direction. Also, the background plot for main season is lacking in 2nd season, which was shown in a good way throughout the season 1.

The first season is good and wonderfully organised for murder mystery fans!!

Elsbeth has come back. We are delighted.

For those who are not acquainted with her, it is a come-back indeed, as she is (to my knowledge) the only secondary character who has outlived not just one show (as Saul, of Better Call Saul), but two different long and successful series (The Good Wife and The Good Wife) and who has won people's heart to the extent of deservingly having her own show now.

Reencountering her in The Good Fight was a lovely surprise years ago, I remember. Meeting her again in this show promises to be truly exciting. The first episode was a pleasure, although the action seems to have a more comedic vein here than in those other productions. (Carrie Preston can do comedic passes while doing crime investigation indeed, and the hybrid works.)

The winks to fans of The Good Wife/Fight were there too. Will we meet Cary Agos here again? Oh, that could be great!

Elsbeth's kooky and loony attitude to lawyering now seems to be transferred to police internal surveillance. Don't be fooled by Elsbeth. Her brain is razor sharp, behind her apologetic, oddball and candid habit of annoyingly intruding into the work of the smart-asses who know it all. You can imagine the rest.

It may be the case that Michelle and Robert King will make it again with this new show, much to our enjoyment. I hope so.

Edit: After watching almost the whole first season, my initial impression has lost some enthusiasm. The comedic tone works in a contradictory way. I liked the "former" Elsbeth more, in a more serious environment, as the seriousness of the legal battles highlighted and added value to her oddity much more than this half-comedy, half-procedural spirit. It is watchable, though.