"Elsbeth" Is the Break You Need

Trust Me On This One

Everyone needs a break from the chaos and craziness that’s been infringing upon our peace of mind, and one of my favorite things to do to decompress these days is watch “Elsbeth.”

The CBS show, which premiered in February 2024, features Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni, a former attorney who collaborates with the NYPD to solve murders. And she is simply delightful. Kind-hearted, unconventional, and insightful, Elsbeth always gets her man or woman.

Unlike most crime shows, “Elsbeth” generally begins with us seeing the murder being committed. The twist is finding enough evidence to link the murderer to the crime.

“Elsbeth” is a very New York show- in fact much of it is filmed on the upper East Side. A few weeks ago my youngest son’s girlfriend saw an “Elsbeth” film truck on her block. She also sent me a screen shot of a scene that was filmed in the diner near her apartment that we’ve been to several times. I recommended the show to her when she was home sick, and she’s been hooked.

The guest stars are also very New York. In addition to being film stars, many of them, like Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Jane Krakowski, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson have appeared on Broadway. Although the theme of the show is murder, it’s lighthearted. I know that seems hard to believe, but it’s true. At the end of the day, I can’t watch anything too heavy or scary and this show fits the bill.

I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss Elsbeth’s wardrobe. First off, she carries several large tote bags. We never really see the contents of those bags, but I assume they contain a lot of stuff for crime solving. Or not. Who knows? Elsbeth’s clothes are so colorful. And cheerful, just like she is. I don’t know how big the closets are in her NY apartment, but she has a winter coat in every color to match her outfit DuJour. Her accessories are also fabulous- hats, scarves, etc. I don’t think I could pull off her wardrobe, but she is inspirational.

I was thinking that Elsbeth should team up with the “Only Murders In the Building” crew for an episode. How fun would that be? I’d love to help write that one.

My favorite episode was the one where someone in Scotland sees a murder being committed in NY through the Iris, a livestream installation. The Iris is based on the real-life Portal which linked NY to Dublin. And just like the Portal, the Iris has a woman who shows up every day to flash her chest. The Scot who helps Elsbeth solve the crime, also ends up becoming her love interest. It’s super romantic.

I love that Elsbeth is a little quirky. And always herself.

If you haven’t watched this little gem of a show, give it a try. I don’t think you will be disappointed.