Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 1 recap: It is all about the Improv

Elsbeth Season 3 started off with a bang as a Late-Night comedy show murder case takes the spotlight. Beloved NYPD consultant, Elsbeth Tascioni (played by Carrie Preston), is back with her quirky detective skills as she navigates through the unexpected landscape of show business in the premiere episode of Season 3 of the hit CBS drama series. The episode titled ‘Yes, And…’ finds Elsbeth investigating a murder case involving a famous talk show host, his sidekick and the head writer of the show.

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Elsbeth Season 3 episode 1 kicks off at a glitzy Late-Night comedy show

Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 1 opens at the Way Late with Scotty Bristol, a late-night talk show helmed by Scotty (played by Stephen Colbert). Head writer, Laurel Hammond-Muntz (played by Amy Sedaris) is forced to deliver the disappointing news to her team of writers that Scotty will not use their material, once again. If the paper shredding from his room is not evidence enough.

Elsbeth is at the studio to cheer on her friend and author Sheryl (played by Marcia DeBonis), a guest on the show. As Laurel prepares her for the show, Scotty walks in. Sheryl is awestruck by Scotty and even introduces him to her jet-lagged friend Elsbeth, who is back from Scotland. But Scotty did not want to be anywhere near Elsbeth’s chirpy personality.

Elsbeth Season 3 episode moves to the talk show’s tapping. It is evident that Scotty has not read Sheryl’s book but his sidekick, Mickey (played by Andy Richter), has. As he engages in a conversation with Sheryl, Scotty interjects and takes insulting jibes at Mickey. Not to forget, this is all happening while on air. Laurel appears visibly uncomfortable witnessing her husband, Mickey, be humiliated. Later as Laurel tries to comfort Mickey, they also mention how Scotty is not giving Mickey medical leave to deal with his health problem.

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An unexpected murder takes place in Elsbeth Season 3

Laurel decides to take matters into her own hands as she heads to Scotty’s office and starts talking about their past, when the three were in an improv together. She seduces Scotty and pushes him towards the paper shredder. His tie gets caught in it and she holds the override button. Scotty gets strangled to death.

Elsbeth meanwhile returns home where Teddy (played by Ben Levi Ross) is overjoyed to see her. Teddy has given up on lawyer dreams as he has taken on a new job as an investigative journalist.

Elsbeth has very little time to herself as she is called in by Captain Wagner (played by Wendell Pierce). She also meets the new officer Grace Hackett (played by Lindsay Mendez), who moonlights as a comic.

At Scotty’s office, Elsbeth is seen searching for clues that led to the murder of the talk show host. She points out that he was listening to music and must have taken out the earphones to talk someone who came to the office. Most probably the killer. She narrates what probably happened to him, including someone pressing the shredder override button long enough to kill him. When Laurel and Mickey pass by, Elsbeth tries to ask questions, but the head writer insists they must leave due to her husband’s heart condition.

Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 1 sees Elsbeth get back to the station, where she has something for everyone from her trip to Scotland. But not everything is pleasant as before, thanks to the budgetary cuts. While the officers are not happy with the changes, they have a crime to solve. Detective Smullen (played by Danny Mastrogiorgio) and Elsbeth are taken around Scotty’s office by a page. They meet the writers, who despite having disregard for the late talk show host, would not have committed the crime for the sake of their job.

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It is all about the improv in Elsbeth Season 3

Elsbeth follows Laurel around, despite the latter’s insolence. She even asks her about Scotty’s infamous nickname for the shredder ‘Mickey 2’. Laurel recollects her time from when the three were in an improv group. Wanting to draw her in, Elsbeth asks Laurel to teach her improv, which she readily agrees. At the studio, the two have some funny back-and-forth, where Laurel teaches her the art of ‘yes and...’ in improv.

The team come upon Mickey’s elevator footage, where he is seen angrily talking about Scotty after the show. It is to be noted that it was Mickey, who had found Scotty’s body as well. While they are skeptical of Mickey, Elsbeth is suspicious of Laurel instead. She wonders if Scotty’s treatment of Mickey and the writers drove Laurel to commit the crime.

While Elsbeth is still wary of Laurel, it is Mickey who ends up questioning his wife for lying to the detectives that he wanted to quit. Alas before Laurel could find a response, Mickey dies suddenly.

Elsbeth Season 3 episode 1 sees Laurel putting the blame on her dead husband. While Smullen sees it, Elsbeth is not convinced as she catches Laurel’s ‘yes, and...’ act. Later, Elsbeth will find Laurel in the studio, where she tells her that she was responsible for Scotty’s death. Laurel denies it. Elsbeth points out the fact that though the page had cleared the shredded papers from Scotty’s office before his death, the machine was used again with shreds that matches shredder from Laurel’s office.

Meanwhile Elsbeth Season 3 episode 1 finds the budgetary cuts at the station getting impossible to overlook, as coffee gets costlier and the frequency of garbage pickup comes down. Connor (played by Daniel K. Isaac) has been making the calls, which is now being questioned by the officers. But Wagner steps in to support him.

While Elsbeth is unsure of her future, Wagner tells her that no matter the budgetary constraints, she will always be a part of the office. Elsbeth finally gets her much-needed sleep.

Watch Elsbeth Season 3 on CBS.

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