User Reviews

This show is fun,it's columbo 2.0 but with a goofier columbo. Like columbo,she immediately knew who did it in episode number one. I love the humor and goofiness of Arlene. Lol (sorry,couldn't resist) the show is refreshing and reminds me of the greats in my day. Columbo,McCloud,Hart to Hart,McMillion and Wife and so forth. Only 1/2 way through first episode and definitely hooked. I hope the writing holds up,it gets an audience and runs for a long time. It's really rare we get a show the last few years that's not trying to push some agenda on me. I will definitely be watching every episode. Give it a try.

Emmy winner Carrie Preston stars in her own series about the Chicago attorney moving to New York City and serve as outside observer. I think the Kings wanted to explore the character in a different light than a courtroom. The episode begins with the actual crime. The audience knows the murderer and why before she does. Unlike Columbo, we don't get enough time as the episode is only a hour long. I love Carrie Preston though. Her character of Elsbeth is quite quirky and entertaining. She does grown on you, She had a history of defending criminals. It was only the first episode. Elsbeth was taking in the city as a first time tourist.

Wife and I watched the first episode and immediately fell in love with Elsbeth. While she reminds us of Columbo, she is her own person and we love it. She is quirky and devilish. She has kind of a gleam in her eyes that lets you know there is a lot going on behind them. She is witty, funny and possesses the wonder of a child and the disposition of someone I would like as a friend in real life. You learn from the beginning she has seen a lot but does not appear to let it darken her view of the world around her. So far the cast of characters come off as reasonable and for TV surprisingly realistic. We are patiently waiting for the next episode and hope the show continues to shine.

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.

I loved this character from the first time on The Good Wife and then when she moved on to The Good Fight I was thrilled. I am so pleased that "Elsbeth" now has her own show. Notice several reviewers complained that it was just "Columbo" and no police work was shown. That is because it is NOT a "cop show", she is an attorney. Carrie said in an interview that when presented with playing the character 14 years ago a "Columbo type" character is exactly how it was described to her, so obviously the Kings have done a wonderful job with the character and the show.

Carrie Preston is wonderful. Evertytime I see her my day is better. I hope this show is given a true chance to succeed because it can. I hate we have to wait a month to be able to see it on a weekly basis but I will be watching for sure. EXCELLENT.

If you loved Elsbeth on The Good Wife or The Good Fight, you'll really love her here, on her own show. I was thrilled when this show was announced and it did not disappoint.

The Kings have done a masterful job of continuing Elsbeth's quirky character. The show most definitely has a Columbo feel to it, as the who-dunnit part is revealed to the viewer early in the show. As always with the Kings, the writing is fantatic!

And let's talk about Carrie Preston. She is just spectacular as Elsbeth. She has now played this character for over 14 years over three different shows and I can't but smile every single time she's on the screen. Ten stars from me!

Elsbeth (Carrie Preston) is so infectious. Her character's zest for life and people makes me want to smile, stand up and cheer. Cannot wait to see how the show progresses. Also love that Arlene and Bill (True Blood) were back together for episode one. The chemistry between the characters was top notch for the first episode. All of them acted perfectly together. No over acting or lull in the scenes (for me). And of course, it does not hurt that the show is created by The Kings, who are simple amazing with mixing drama, comedy, and crime all together. Hopefully, this show will last a while. Entertaining.

I tried three episodes and am giving up now. It was clear from the beginning that this was a remake of the old Columbo series with Peter Falk---using a female lead. The bumbling detective but always knowing and apprehending her suspect. Plus it's a little too formulaic---the reason I don't like Blue Bloods and other series. Her voice is frankly annoying--the tone and the Fargo-like Frances McDormand accent. Layering the crazy fashion sense and tote bags is a ploy and then we can add in the TV series McCloud, starring Dennis Weaver in the 1970s show that had outsider/cowboy coming to Manhattan to settle up the district scores. I do like Only Murders In The Building, the late Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul : even Monk was a great and engaging show. This series is missing something.

Absolutely a 10/10 for the first episode!

No time was wasted; the pacing was superb. I was captivated throughout the entire hour, and it just breezed by.

The writing is exceptionally clever and humorous, ensuring a constant smile. Surprisingly, a character that might be perceived as annoying is actually comes off quite charming.

The only critique is the portrayal of police competence or engagement. However, one could argue that this mirrors real-life situations, considering what we know about the police... and their gross mishandling of things.

Additionally, it's reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, who consistently highlights the police's incompetence in noticing small details.

A typical fish out of water show,about an individual who knows way too much(despite their profession)the clues and resolve come too quick.

Her quirky,eccentric style does eventually wear thin,but have watched also worse.

As the season goes on,perhaps her style will change.

Murder She Wrote..Jessica Fletcher she is not!

Reminds me of the Spencer Sisters before you even get into the mystery,the credits are already rolling.

I mean come on.. Scooby-Doo gave us better,but writers once had talent & originality.

The guest stars are almost better than leads,which isn't overall good.

It this makes it.. I'm being generous to season 3,that be a network miracle.

If bored watch otherwise,watch a better mystery show.

I've watched Columbo and he definitely wears down the bad guy, I see some of that "spark" with this series but ...The overall crimes are interesting, the storytelling I hope will improve. I watched about 6 episodes. Carrie /Elsbeth toned down the quirk in latter episodes TY. I do not appreciate the derogatory "boomer" references and it turns me off; nope not a boomer, but show some respect because writers who came before, can write circles around those today. Officer Blanke is actually my fav character, she seems the most authentic, realistic of all: young but smart and observant, open-minded, respectfully defiant and helpful. The actress is capturing that. I will give the show a few more episodes before deciding.

I was hesitant about this show; because Elsbeth, in my mind wasn't a main character. A little of her goes a long way, I thought. I was wrong.

Carrie Preston was just the right mix of zany with the ability to pull back a bit and let the story take center stage. I thought she and the show were excellent.

The supporting actors were seamless and it felt like they all were in a mid-season groove even with the first episode

I enjoyed every minute of the premiere. I love the mix of comedy and drama. I was involved in the crime part of it but laughed a few times, too.

Well-written, entertaining, with a bit of a bounce. I can't wait to see the next episode.

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.

We were all pleasantly surprised by the fresh take on the Columbo (1971) "reverse mystery" formula with Poker Face (2023), and here we have CBS's attempt at that sub-genre with mixed feelings.

For those unaware, the "reverse mystery" is not a "whodunnit" but a "howcatchem." In this format, the crime is depicted first in full view of the audience. There is no doubt "who did it." The fun them comes when the detective comes in and finds all the "little" things the killer gets wrong, and we get to watch as the "perfect crime" slowly unravels. Peter Falk as Columbo did this to great affect - with his little questions, constant "one more thing" jibes, and the reveal - that point where the killer know's the game is up - is more often than not very satisfying. Not so much here.

Now introduce Elsbeth Tascioni ( Carrie Preston ) who is well-known to those who follow the The Good Wife (2009) franchise. She's a quirky somewhat "neruodiverse" lawyer who has a special point of view of the world, and has a talent for seeing the little things.

Now Elsbeth is "on loan" to monitor the NYPD, and manages to ease her way into leading an investigation into a murdered actress. I have no love of New York or the NYPD, but I do take exception with law enforcement being depicted as out-right incompetent. There's a perfect crime scene, where the killer has covered all the bases to make the murder appear a suicide. Open and shut - where's the donuts. Only Elsbeth comes in and finds three or four completely obvious clues that suggest that the suicide might be murder. Of course, the cops are all bothered and unimpressed by her insights. "Wait in the hall," she's repeatedly told. But she's having none of it, and continues to poke-and-prod and even does a "one more thing" bit.

While I'm overall happy with this show - shot beautifully to make you believe that every day is sunny in New York (it's not) - the writing is extremely weak and it shows. No spoilers here, but - come on - the mystery is so shallow that it almost seems the killer didn't have to work so hard. The "little things" that Elsbeth notices are so obvious and in plain sight, a trained police detective would have to be completely incompetent not to notice them.

This show is almost-but-not-quite family friendly. The violence is subdued, and the killer goes (in classic Columbo fashion) with calm and grace, even asking "where did I slip up?" So, no fist fights, no car chases, no shouting matches. Only disdain for Elsbeth to go "wait in the hall."

I have overall hopes for this show that it will improve. This installment was weaker than the weakest of Columbo episodes. Here's hoping the mysteries can get deeper and the "howcatchem" can be satisfying again.

Definitely a female Colombo but uniquely done. I loved every moment of it.

This is a crime procedural so always ends with the crime solved. You know who the murderer is and you just watch Elsbeth put together the clues, and solve the crime. Elsbeth is quirky and charming, and just like Colombo she gets in the face of the murderer, constantly bothering and irritating them as she gathers the clues.

The supporting cast is great. Puts a smile on your face. I like that this show is light and doesn't take itself seriously. While there's always a murder to solve, there's comedy as well. Great show!

So this is not a serious procedural drama with great legal savvy, but a delightful witty comedy/drama with the charming Carrie Preston . I stopped watching The Good wife during her time in that show, so I was not familiar with the character. The show is more in the Columbo or Monk presentations , and does have some clever writing and a bunch of actors who add to the show. But ultimately it is the quirkiness and presence of Carrie Preston that makes this show work. This is one that I will definitely tend to watch.

I did not like the silly promotional snippets the network offered as I almost didn't watch because they were annoying.

1st episode her psychopathology really put me off. Like the writer went way overboard letting us know she was not right. Smart, intuitive, but a kook. In much the same way Monk was. I think Columbo was far more normal. IMHO. 2nd, 3rd episodes, her brilliance was turned up, and the nuttiness eased up, just a tad.

I hope the remaining cast is whittled down, and 5 or 6 major characters developed further. At first I was thinking "1 and done," but after the next 2, I'm probably going to watch it for a while. Hoping she is made more complex, as well. Remember Monk and Trudy, his dead wife. Was Elsbeth always this way, or did a life tragedy, push her towards a 'home.'

Bottomline.........if you liked Monk, you'll love this.

6.5 so far.

Episode #1 Good wholesome entertainment. Elsbeth is a modern day female Lieutenant Frank Columbo. I enjoyed this much more than I expected. Stephen Moyer was great and it was even better to not hear him say, Sookie... every other line.

I am eagerly awaiting for episode #2 & meanwhile, I shall watch episode #1 of The Good Wife considering that I had no idea that Elsbeth is a Spin-off character from that show. Let's see if The Good Wife lives up to it's IMDB rating. I can't believe that I never gave The Good Wife a look, but at that time 2009 -2016 my house GiGs were nonstop. Anyways, I got the time and place to take it in.

Cheers from My Home Sweet Home, Cancún México!

I really love television series created by Kings. I expected that the another spin-off of "The Good Wife" series would also be a legal and political drama, but not an inverted detective story in the "Columbo" style.

In fact, the 1st episode causes more associations with the 6th and 8th episodes of the "Poker Face" series. At some point, there is even a feeling that Natasha Lyonne's character in a horse costume is about to climb the white staircase.

By the way, I would like to see Lyonne in this show as an guest star.

As a result, it turned out to be a not bad series about a charismatic and loved by many character, but so far it does not corresponding to cinematic style of Kings.

These comments are regarding the Pilot. I'm so, so delighted to see the return of Elspeth! My gawd she so hilarious. She's my absolute favorite goofball with an outsized brain. I remember thinking she was a Columbo in bright colors on The Good Wife. She's a delight to watch while exercising your own powers of observation. As some others have already mentioned, the show pacing was perfect from the start. That is no small feat as there are thousands of who-done-it shows in the past. The cast is great and the arrogance of the killer also reminds me of Columbo. Im buckled in for this ride. Thoroughly entertaining and so much fun!

On The Good Wife (2009) and The Good Fight (2017), Elsbeth was a terrific character who won cases by using her brilliance and ability to come up with unique solutions to tough cases others couldn't find.

That's not so in this series. Here she solves the same generic, run-of-the-mill, Murder She Wrote type simple crimes other amateur detectives have been solving on TV for years.

And they're so easy to solve, anyone could do it, except, of course, the actual trained detectives who look like idiots as they miss obvious clues every step of the way.

I'm shocked and disappointed that the same creators who produced Good Wife/Fight and Evil (2019) approve such amateurish boring scripts and cartoon villains.