The Big Picture

• The new spin-off series Elsbeth from The Good Wife will feature guest stars Jane Krakowski, Linda Lavin, Retta, and Blair Underwood.
• Linda Lavin's casting suggests that other familiar names from The Good Wife may also appear in the new series.
• Elsbeth will premiere on CBS on February 29, while The Good Wife is streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

In just about a month, the second spin-off series from The Good Wife will finally premiere and long-time fans will get to see fan-favorite Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) star in her own cases. So far, we didn't know that much about the series' cast, but today CBS revealed a slate of names who will guest star in the first season of Elsbeth. They include Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), Linda Lavin (B Positive), Retta (Parks & Recreation) and Blair Underwood (Sex and the City).

The name that stands out to fans is Lavin, who's already guest-starred on flagship series The Good Wife in a three-episode arc back in Season 6. The series had a strong slate of recurring characters, and many of them also returned to the first spin-off show The Good Fight. We still don't know how many other high-profile guest stars might show their faces again, but Lavin's casting signals to fans that we can expect to see at least some familiar names when the series debuts in late February.

Since Tascioni injected a good dose of humor during her guest episodes in The Good Wife, it's possible that Elsbeth veers more to the comedic side than the previous two shows, and the casting of comedy veterans Krakowski and Retta might be an indication of that. At the same time, courtroom drama episodes tend to vary in tone depending on which case is being handled, so there's also a chance that Retta and Krakowski costar in an episode with a lighter tone.

Who Is Elsbeth?

Elsbeth made her The Good Wife debut in the very first season of the series and became an instant fan-favorite. She resonated with the audience due to her whip-smart knowledge of the American judicial system — and its biases — and the peculiar way that her mind makes connections to crack a case. Her train of thought became such a running joke that the series ended up dedicating an episode to showing how Elsbeth's mind works. And it's possible we'll see all this again when Elsbeth premieres.

We're yet to know if Elsbeth will follow the tendency of other procedural series and roll out a new case for every episode. Considering that it will premiere on network television, chances are that the series sticks to this format in order not to lose audience. Former The Good Wife stars' possible returns are yet to be announced by CBS.

Elsbeth premieres on CBS on February 29. The Good Wife is streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

The Good Wife

Alicia Florrick has been a good wife to her husband, a former state's attorney. After a very humiliating sex and corruption scandal, he is behind bars. She must now provide for her family and returns to work as a litigator in a law firm.

Watch on Paramount+

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