Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 1 brings exciting guest stars to kick off the new case- here's all about it

CBS's police procedural dramedy Elsbeth Season 3, starring Carrie Preston, premiered on October 12, 2025, along with Matlock Season 2. From Nathan Lane to Jane Krakowski, the series is known for its popular guest appearances. Elsbeth Season 3 isn't backing down either.

Elsbeth season 3 opens with a bold twist, not just a new case but a lineup of guest stars you will want to watch. Carrie Preston's Elsbeth Tascioni now has new allies and new threats. This episode sets the tone for the season. Expect a season full of comedy, thrill, chaos, lies, betrayals, and justice.

Four new guest stars appear in the premiere episode of the Elsbeth Season 3, and they are:

• Stephen Colbert (CBS's talk show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) as a TV host, Scotty Bristol
• Amy Sedaris (Elf, Jennifer's Body, Is This Thing On?) as Laurel, Scotty Bristol's head writer
• Lindsay Mendez (All Rise, The Grotto) as Officer Grace Hackett, a new police officer and a rookie stand-up comic.
• Andy Richter (who served as a writer for the Conan show for a decade)as Mickey, Laurel's partner.

Continue reading to know more.

Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 1: New guest stars shake up the premiere

The guest roster in Elsbeth Season 3 is stacked to the brim. In the premiere episode, new guest stars add spark to the plot. Among them are Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, Lindsay Mendez, and Andy Richter. Stephen Colbert needs no introduction. In the series, Colbert plays a late-night talk show host (which mirrors his real-life profession, too), Scotty Bristol. While Sedaris plays Laurel, the head writer.

You might recognize Sedaris for her roles as Deb in Elf and as Jerri Blank in Strangers with Candy. Apart from that, she is also a renowned voice artist and has been a part of projects including Digman!, Smurfs, Bob's Burgers, Love, Death & Robots, to name a few. Some of he upcoming projects include Office Romance, Bedrock, and Kevin, to name a few. While Andy Richter plays Mickey, Laurel's partner. He is an all-rounder, a writer, a voice artist, a comedian, and a talk show announcer. You might know him from Conan O' Brien's talk show.

In Elsbeth Season 3, Lindsay Mendez plays Officer Grace, a police officer and a stand-up comic enthusiast. Mendez, a Tony-winning actress who's well known for her roles in All Rise, Station 19, and American Sports Story. She is also set to appear in a project called These Little Ones Perish.

Stephen Colbert and Andy Richter bring sharp energy to Elsbeth Season 3. The two play late-night hosts caught in chaos, blurring fiction with reality. Colbert's Scotty oozes charm and arrogance, a twisted yet playful nod to his real-life profession. Richter steps in as the sidekick, echoing his years beside Conan O'Brien. They turn the episode into a witty reflection of fame, ego, and the messy world behind a late, late-night talk show.

Elsbeth, season 3, Episode 1: A case wrapped in comedy and crime

Elsbeth, season 3, Episode 1 takes the viewers into the tumultuous world behind late-night television. It thrusts Elsbeth into a case involving the murder of a talk show host. Since the series follows an inverted detective story format/ howcatheem instead of the traditional whodunit, we get a glimpse of the crime in the first part of the episode itself.

Scotty is a non-cooperative talk-show host, and just before the show starts, he shreds the script. His head writer, Laurel Hammond-Muntz, delivers the news to the writers' team. Elsbeth is in the studio as well, but she is jetlagged after her trip to Scotland. However, she is there to cheer her friend and author Sheryl Jacobs.

During taping, it becomes clear that Scotty had not read Sheryl's book, and when his sidekick Mickey (Andy Richter) attempts to engage in a conversation, Scotty insults him. Later, Laurel, Mickey's wife, consoles him because Scotty had denied his medical leave. Laurel wastes no time and enters Scotty's office to talk about the matter. She tries to seduce him, but instead, he falls near the paper shredder. His tie gets caught, leading to his strangulation and death.

Meanwhile, we also meet Officer Grace, a new police officer and a rookie stand-up comic. When Elsbeth takes on the case, she finds clues from Scotty's office and then interrogates Laurel, Mickey, and the writers. However, Laurel insists on leaving due to her husband's poor health. Elsbeth is skeptical about Laurel, and the two even bond during the investigation over improv lessons.

Unfortunately, when Mickey dies, Laurel tries to pin the blame on her husband. Elsbeth confronts Laurel her that she was responsible for Scotty's death; however, she denies it. Elsbeth uses her impeccable skills to carve out evidence and finally solves the case. She explains how the paper's spacing in Scotty's shredder matches Laurel's.

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Also Read: Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 2: Release date news, time, streaming details, cast, and more

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