Elsbeth

By starrymag | February 29, 2024

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Robert King and Michelle King: We’re excited about doing “Elsbeth.” We love the character of Elsbeth (Carrie Preston). We also love Carrie Preston, and we’re thrilled to work with her “Elsbeth” was Jonathan Tolins in the writers room. So, it made seem like a match made in heaven. And then, as if we didn’t want more, Wendell Pierce agreed to join that marriage. Carra Patterson also joined us, who we worked in an episode of “Evil.” So, it was really fun to all get back together, and then joining that marriage (the bed is getting very crowded) was the guest stars Stephen Moyer, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jane Krakowski, Linda Lavin and Blair Underwood. And that’s because we’re only on episode 6 our 5. So, I also want to say that Wendell’s going to get a wife on the show. Wagner’s wife, who will be played by Gloria Reuben. That has been mentioned nowhere else.

 

Q) I wanted to talk to how everyone about the decision to set it up as like a “Colombo” style thing where you we know what happened first. And then Carrie, I want to know about working with Stephen Moyer again. After all these years.

 

Robert King and Michelle King: I think we’ve all discovered something about ourselves over the pandemic. We realized that every night we want to watch an episode of “Colombo” instead of the eight movies that were thrown our way. And that just got us thinking, because we always wanted to work with Carrie again, that “Elsbeth” would make it very good. And you know about that “Colombo” build – it’s a very witty build that it’s not about who done it in that Agatha Christie way. It’s a how done it of which seems just as fascinating, if not even more fascinating, because it takes a wittier approach to puzzle solving or problem solving because the audience knows where this is headed, and then you could see the bad guy or bad woman reverse and try to get back at Carrie Preston’s character before she can solve it. So, it just seemed like it wasn’t explored enough.

 

Carrie Preston: Yeah. And then, it was interesting, right after they had sort of come up with this idea for “Colombo.” Then there was this article in the New York Times where there was this reporter, Elizabeth Vincentelli, and what she was watching during Covid was reruns of “Colombo.” And then the last line of the article was, “We don’t need a reboot of Colombo. Just give Elsbeth Tascioni her own show.” So, everybody, it was in Zeitgeist and so I am the lucky recipient of said Zeitgeist. And Robert and Michelle throughout the years had said, “Oh, we would love to do something with you. We would love to do something,” and then the timing they would just bring me back periodically on “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight.” And then just all of that lined up to this moment happening. And so I’m extremely grateful. And to answer your question about Stephen Moyer, “True Blood” holds a special, special place in my heart. I mean, my career sort of took off in a way that it hadn’t before that show, and so we all bonded. We made “True Blood” kind of in a vacuum, and then it aired. It started airing. We weren’t even together, so we all like bonded over that show, and he in particular, was like a real cast leader. He and Anna [Paquin] together, real cast leaders, and he’s such a personable person. He’s so outgoing and everything. And so when they were casting this role “Elsbeth, I kept thinking, “Gosh! He would be so perfect because he’s so charming, but he can also be really dark, obviously.” But having him on set during the pilot was such a comfort to me, because the stakes are really high wanted the show to be amazing. And you know you’re nervous. And Robert and Michelle wrote this gorgeous script with these epic scenes. This is a very dialogue, heavy show. And so I really wanted somebody who really do that kind of a scene work, somebody who understood that and that’s Stephen times of the 1 billion. And so that just gave me such real security in sometimes like nerve wracking situation. It was never that on this this pilot because of Robert and Michelle and Stephen and Wendell [Pierce] and Carra [Patterson]. It was just a really beautiful experience, that pilot time of my life. Really.

 

Jonathan Tolins: I would just like to say one thing about the how done it form. One of the things that was a little bit scary when Robert and Michelle called me and asked me to take this job was, “Oh, my God! Putting together all those mysteries!” But it actually is a really fun form to work in and in our writers room. We call it “the one act play” that we open an episode with and we see how interesting can we make these characters, and this crime before Elsbeth comes into it. What do we tell the audience? What do we not tell the audience? What clues do we establish that they can try to find themselves? And which ones are we gonna hide for Elsbeth to find? So, it actually it’s a wonderful puzzle, and I think that’s one of the reasons why shows like this are so fun to watch.

 

Wendell Pierce: Picking back on what Jonathan was saying, it was like going over my head. I was so into the thriller and the whodunnit and how done it of the story. It was months later and we actually started filming. I was like, “Do you realize this is kind of like ‘Colombo?’” I was so into the crime stories, and the one acts that they put together. And then I said, “Well, this is funny, too, man.” I hope people really see and hear the humor. “Columbo” was three times as long as our show, so we have to really move to cases together.

 

Q) There’s a couple of mentions of Cary’s name in the first episode. Can you talk about the decision to reference him, and whether we’ll see him or anybody else from “The Good Fight”/ “The Good Wife” universe and your approach to balancing how much this is a standalone show versus a spin off.

 

Robert King and Michelle King: You’re talking about Cary Agos, I assume. Yes. Yes. He is referenced. We think about our friends in Chicago, but it’s not our expectation that they’re traveling to New York anytime soon. Elsbeth is on her own in New York, which is kind of part of the fun that she’s really. She’s enjoying it and enjoying it on her own. I always say I have friends in Chicago. I rarely see them. Alicia is in New York, though. Yes, yes, she’s not; however, working with the NYPD solving crimes. That’s gonna be such a bad quote that one in so many ways.

 

Q) For Carra, how does Officer Blanc’s relationship with Elsbeth evolve beyond the premiere episode?

 

Carra Patterson: It evolves pretty quickly. I think she finds this unique bond that develops right away in Elsbeth. The way I look at it, is like Elsbeth is a fun breath of fresh air that Kaya didn’t know that she needed. She’s a very dedicated – by the book NYPD officer, hoping to get the approval of her superiors and she’s not thinking anything else. As she does, she realizes that Elsbeth sees something in her and she respects that because she’s been trying to work her way up for a while. And I think a lot of people can relate to that. I know I’ve been in those positions where I think like if I just do the right thing people want notice, and it takes a while because most times people are in their own world and sometimes don’t care. Elsbeth really sees something in Kaya. And so, yeah, it’s really special. And they have this fun, interesting bond that evolves pretty quickly right away. So, I’m also looking forward. I’ve only read up to Episode 4. I haven’t even got the fifth script yet, so I’m curious to see how it continues to grow from there. But it’s already something really special.

 

Wendell Pierce: Yeah, and I’ll jump in as well, and say both Kaya and Elsbeth are underestimated by people around them, and I think that they bond in that way as well, and they see a mutual kind of support system and relationship to not a police officer kind of justify her being there. And because that Elsbeth has such a brilliant mind, I think Kaya kind of being younger sort of learns from that unorthodox way of doing things and I’m seeing the impact that it has on her as a commander. I see this thorn in my side, this woman who gives me anxiety. There are these moments of epiphany where I ultimately see how she is having an impact on this young officer that I have and it kind of spurned something in me to ask this young officer. Well, “What do you think about it? What is your investigative instinct on this?” She’s obviously having an impact on you. And I see their relationship evolve, and that kind of softens my edges and eases my concerns about who this woman is investigating my department. I see the brilliance in her, and I love that epiphany and that observation of their relationship, and how it’s growing. It’s fun.

 

Q) Elsbeth had a child in “The Good Wife.” Will that ever be addressed, or should longtime fans just assume Elsbeth’s ex-husband has custody?

 

Carrie Preston: Well, one of the first things I did was I went back and watched every episode Elspeth ever appeared in, and took notes on every bit of information that’s ever been mentioned. Her son was really only mentioned in the first episode, and we did the math. So, Teddy, which we have now named him, is in his twenties.

 

Jonathan Tolins: It’s a custody question at this point. We hope not. And, yes, he is. We will hear more about him, and Elsbeth’s relationship with him as his mom.

 

Q) Had you known that Elsbeth was going to get her own series is there anything you would have done differently with Elsbeth in the previous two series to set this up?

 

Robert King and Michelle King: I’ll speak only for myself. No, and that sounds a touch again, like “Oh, we did it all perfect, but maybe better. Just say Carrie did it all perfect.” No, I wouldn’t change a single thing. She is ready to walk into her new show exactly as she is. I would have given her an eye patch.

 

Carrie Preston: One of my favorite sayings is, “If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage,” and so it’s always about the writing for me and to have been trusted with this incredible role for fourteen years. Never knowing when I was going to play it again, has been really a truly a gift every time it comes up. And so when they came to me with this opportunity to play her all the time, to be the main course and not the side dish I found that to be a very delicious and exciting opportunity that I was ready to dive into. And also for myself, just as an actor finding out more about this woman, when you only have a certain number of scenes. There’s only so much information that you can get. But when you’re there all the time you’re learning, I’m learning just as much about her new things, or I’m discovering new things. Especially the fact that she’s in this different situation. So, she’s a bit of a fish out of water. She’s very confident in the legal world, but you know she’s finding her way in this new world, and that’s fun and exciting, too. And with Jonathan and the writers I think it’s going to be a nice new thing.This is decidedly not “The Good Wife” and not “The Good Fight.” It’s its own world. It’s lighter, it’s comedic in nature, I feel. And you’ve got this case of the week, and it’s dealing with and not politics. So, we have a bunch of different new things. So, it’s the same woman. But you don’t have to have watched those shows to dive into this show, I think.

 

Q) Given what Carrie just said about the show being in very comedic what is the balance? As you’re writing the new scripts moving forward with comedy and drama, do you want to instill dramatic moments in every episode, or is that more or an organic thing in the writers room?

 

Jonathan Tolins: I write everything funny. I can’t help it. I feel like we spent most of our lives trying to make each other laugh so that kind of happens. But when you’re dealing with murder, obviously and getting characters to the point where they will commit murder there absolutely there is drama there where we also have some investigation stuff going on in our precinct with these characters that will lead to really dramatic stuff. It’s all instinct. I have a wonderful group of writers, and that room is very good at knowing when something feels right, when something feels too much or too little and I trust that you just have to sort of…Writing is not a conscious exercise. You have to at a certain point feel like you. You get into the vibe of these characters and let the show, you know lead you.

 

Q) Can I ask a question of Wendell while we’re on the subject. What do you enjoy doing more drama or comedy?

 

Wendell Pierce: Wow! That’s a really good question. Something comedically is so difficult. I watch Carrie every day, and I’m just learning so much and it’s so difficult, and that is so satisfying when you go, “Man, that’s great work.” So, there’s that satisfaction of nailing something cremated because I think it’s that’s it’s more difficult and to have the balance that I think we have in this show is really wonderful. Because it’s those dramatic moments where you find out when people lean on humor to feel comfortable or to break through, to deal with their fear, to have the courage to do something. We call it “gallows humor.” Sometime when the two coexist. You know that two faced mask of comedy and tragedy that happens. That’s the great thing I really am enjoying about the show. I have become the chatty Kathy on the cast. But no, and it’s because of the nature of the show – all these great guest stars, and Carrie and Carra doing such great work. And I’m this guy who has to be the commander and the captain, and doing his political thing and trying to hide some of his history. And I’m like a kid in a candy store, with all the opportunities that are given in this in the show and “Elsbeth” to do drama and to do comedy and to do really cinematic stuff quiet and at the same time deal with a lot of dialogue. So, I’m enjoying the plethora of opportunities that you have given us, Robert.

 

Carrie Preston: I think it was Robert and Michelle and Jonathan. They all say it’s as if Elsbeth” is plop down in the into the middle of a very serious police procedural. So, you have this dichotomy. You know their plan. They’re sort of in the black, white, and grey tones of New York City. And then this very bright. I’m at work today. By the way, there is this very bright character down into the middle of all that. And I think that creates a really fun tension between the drama and the comedy.

 

Jonathan Tolins: Yeah, as luck would have it, I had the good fortune of working on “The Good Fight” for Robert and Michelle, and became good friends with another producer on that show Billy Finkelstein, and he asked me to work on his last show, which was “East New York,” which was a CBS New York procedural. Go figure. But I worked on that show, not realizing it was putting me in very good stead to understand how to do a CBS procedural a police show and then be able to bring. In the last year I worked on both “East New York” and “Schmigadoon!,” which I think put me in the perfect spot.

 

Q) Carrie, what do you love about this character and why do you enjoy playing her?

 

Carrie Preston: Oh, my gosh! I love her mind! This is a brilliant woman who is so mercurial, so fast, so she’s like quicksilver. She can be saying one thing, thinking another, and her body is doing a third thing. And so that is really fun to navigate, to map out to play. III spend more time in prep for this character than almost anything else I’ve ever played because I really enjoy finding how fast she is with everything, and figuring out what exactly it is that she is thinking, and why she’s saying a certain thing, and what’s making her turn this way and the writing helps with that, of course. But that’s probably my favorite thing about her is her brain.

 

Q)  But with the show centering on a new cases each week. Is there anyone at the top of your list that you love to have guest star on top of your current guest? Stars are going to be appearing already.

 

Jonathan Tolins: I didn’t? My fear is that the minute you name someone it’s never gonna happen. So, I mean, there are people that I say, Donald Trump. Say, Donald Trump.

 

Robert King and Michelle King: Let’s that’s that “The Good Fight” is over.

 

Jonathan Tolins: We’ve stopped fighting that fight. Yeah, I don’t want to name anybody although there are people that I’ve worked with in the past who I’m excited that if the show launches well and looks like a thing that people want to do I am going to woo them like crazy. Because who wouldn’t want to work with this cast in New York? The last thing I just want to say I think we can keep attracting these great actors (and I know this from working in the theater) want is they want parts with great subtext and these are parts where someone killed someone, and they don’t want to show it, and there’s nothing more fun to play than that.

 

Carrie Preston: We have these really juicy, meaty, meaty scenes. I mean, we’re not doing like little short one eighth of a page scenes. We’re doing 7-page dialogue scenes sometimes, and that’s very attractive to actors to be able to do that on television. You don’t usually get that opportunity.

 

 

*CONFERENCE CALL*