There’s no shortage of unusual cases in New York City, and Elsbeth Tascioni has a knack for seeing what everyone else seems to miss.
A spinoff of The Good Wife and The Good Fight, Elsbeth follows Elsbeth Tascioni, an unconventional but brilliant attorney as she works alongside the NYPD to investigate murders across New York City. Rather than focusing on who committed the crime, the series often reveals the killer early and follows Elsbeth as she picks apart their story, noticing the smallest inconsistencies and slowly closing in on the truth.
Season 4 picks up with Elsbeth still working alongside Captain C.W. Wagner and the 11th Precinct, taking on a new slate of murder cases involving some of New York City’s most colorful characters. The new season also brings plenty of recognizable guest stars into Elsbeth’s orbit, with each case giving her a new suspect to unravel.
Elsbeth Season 4 premieres Thursday, October 8, 2026, on CBS. Before the new cases begin, get to know the Elsbeth Season 4 cast, including the returning stars and guest actors appearing this season.
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‘Elsbeth’ Season 4 Main Cast
Season 4 brings back the two characters at the center of the series:
Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni
Known from: The Good Wife, The Good Fight, Claws, True Blood, To the Bone, They/Them
Carrie Preston returns as Elsbeth Tascioni, the incredibly sharp and unconventional attorney first introduced on The Good Wife and later seen on The Good Fight. After relocating from Chicago to New York City, Elsbeth began working with the NYPD as a consent decree attorney tasked with observing the department and ensuring officers follow proper procedures.
But Elsbeth rarely stays on the sidelines. Her sharp eye for detail and ability to read people frequently draw her into murder investigations, where she typically figures out who is responsible long before she can actually prove it. Elsbeth is known for making seemingly random observations, asking unexpected questions and getting distracted by whatever catches her attention, but there is usually more going on beneath the surface.
Her cheerful demeanor and quirky personality, paired with her outrageous outfits, make her easy to underestimate, giving her an advantage over suspects who don’t realize just how closely she is watching them, and how truly brilliant she really is.
Wendell Pierce as Captain C.W. Wagner
Known from: The Wire, Superman, Selma, Suits, Jack Ryan, Thunderbolts*, Hackers
Wendell Pierce returns as Captain C.W. Wagner, the commanding officer of the NYPD’s 11th Precinct. Wagner is an experienced and respected police captain who is serious and much more practical in his approach to police work, balancing Elsbeth’s more unconventional methods.
When Elsbeth first arrives at the 11th Precinct, Wagner is far from thrilled about having a consent decree attorney monitoring his department. What he doesn’t initially know is that Elsbeth has also been secretly tasked by the Department of Justice with investigating him for possible corruption. Her suspicions ultimately prove unfounded when the real source of the corruption is uncovered within the department.
Since then, Wagner and Elsbeth have developed a much stronger working relationship, and he’s even gotten used to the quirks that come along with her being around the precinct.
Ben Levi Ross as Teddy Tascioni
Known from: tick, tick… BOOM!, Dear Evan Hansen, Ragtime
Ben Levi Ross returns as Teddy Tascioni, Elsbeth’s son and probably the most important person in her life. After being talked about for years without appearing on screen, Teddy finally made his debut in Season 2 of Elsbeth, giving viewers a chance to see Elsbeth as a mother and learn more about her life outside of work.
Teddy shares some of his mother’s intelligence and curiosity, but his more grounded personality often makes him the calmer half of their relationship. He loves his mom but can sometimes find her enthusiasm and tendency to get overly involved in his life a little overwhelming.
Season 4 finds Teddy preparing for a major change in his personal life after proposing to his boyfriend, Roy, in the Season 3 finale. With a wedding now on the horizon, Elsbeth is thrilled to help with the wedding planning, though whether Teddy wants quite as much help as she’s prepared to give is yet to be seen.
Gloria Reuben as Claudia Payne
Known from: ER, Lincoln, Raising the Bar, Mr. Robot, Boston Blue, Cloak & Dagger
Gloria Reuben returns as Claudia Payne, Captain Wagner’s wife and a prominent figure in New York society known for her philanthropy work. Claudia and Wagner are a loving Manhattan power couple, and her appearances offer a glimpse at the warmer, more personal side of Wagner that rarely comes through when he is running the 11th Precinct. Claudia also quickly forms a friendship with Elsbeth, embracing her odd personality rather than questioning it.
‘Elsbeth’ Season 4 Guest Stars
Each episode of Elsbeth brings a new case and a new group of characters into Elsbeth’s orbit, allowing the series to cycle through a steady lineup of recognizable guest stars. Season 4 guest stars include:
- Nicole Scherzinger as Serena Collyer, a renowned marriage counselor
- Nicholas Braun as the son of a legendary theater figure
- John Doman as Richard Perrick, a legendary figure in the New York theater world
- Isaac Powell as Nelson Thibodeau, a rising theater maker
- Tommy Dorfman as Klea Zane, a playwright
- Richard Thomas as Lenny Swift, a longtime theater producer
- Betsy Aidem as Sheila Perrick, a former actress
- OG Anunoby in a cameo appearance as himself
- Jemima Kirke as Winter Redgrave, the CEO of a successful lifestyle brand
- Nat Faxon as Perry Macintyre, an unpopular country club member
- Lea Michele as Darcy Miles, a Pilates instructor
- Sam Richardson as Cody Baxter, an aspiring competitive eater from Coney Island
Additional Season 4 guest stars may be announced as the season continues, with further details about their characters and roles revealed as new episodes air.
Watch ‘Elsbeth’ with DIRECTV
Elsbeth is back on the case, and there are plenty of new suspects waiting to underestimate her. Watch Elsbeth Season 4 on CBS with DIRECTV and tune in each week to see which case catches her attention next.
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