How to Watch ‘Elsbeth’ Season 3 Live for Free: Cast, Episodes

After a long summer hiatus, Elsbeth is back!

CBS’ spin-off of The Good Wife and The Good Fight in which Carrie Preston reprises her role as Elsbeth Tascioni is returning for its third season tonight, Oct. 12.

In Elsbeth, offbeat attorney Elsbeth uses her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner criminals while working with the NYPD on a consent decree.

The show, which utilizes an “inverted detective” format where viewers see the crime play out in full before Elsbeth and the NYPD even hit the scene, is known for a large roster of guest stars, which has included the likes of Nathan Lane, Laurie Metcalf, Alan Ruck, and Matthew Broderick.

Season 3 is getting started in the world of late night talk shows with special guest Stephen Colbert. Per CBS, “backstage tensions rise between a talk show host (Colbert), his head writer Laurel (Amy Sedaris) and her on-air sidekick husband, Mickey (Andy Richter). Also, Elsbeth meets a new police officer (Lindsay Mendez) who is an aspiring stand-up comic when off the clock.”

Elsbeth Season 3 Release Date

Elsbeth Season 3 premieres tonight, Oct. 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Next week, on Oct. 16, the series will shift to its regular time of Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET.

How to Watch Elsbeth For Free

The only way to watch Elsbeth live without cable is by using a live TV streaming service. We recommend DIRECTV, which comes with a five-day free trial before payment begins.

DIRECTV offers a number of flexible subscription options, including Genre Packs, so you can best choose which streaming plans fit your needs and budget. Plans start at $49.99/month.

You can also stream Elsbeth for free with Paramount+ Premium (one week free).

Elsbeth Cast Guide

Carrie Preston (Elsbeth) and Wendell Pierce (Captain Wagner) are the only two series regular actors returning to Elsbeth for Season 3 after Carra Patteron’s Kaya Blanke was promoted to detective at the end of Season 2. Patterson will be part of Season 3 in a recurring guest star capacity.

Known for its huge roster of guest stars, Elsbeth Season 3 already has a number of confirmed guests for Season 3, including another character from The Good Wife universe, Marissa Gold (played by Sarah Steele).

Stephen Colbert is set to appear in the season premiere as a fictional late-night host named Scotty Bristol; Amy Sedaris and Andy Richter will also guest in the premiere episode.

Other guests confirmed to appear throughout the season include Lindsay Mendez, Julia Fox, David Cross, Annaleigh Ashford, and William Jackson Harper.

Elsbeth Season 3 Episode Guide and Release Schedule

While CBS has not confirmed the episode count for Season 3 of Elsbeth, Season 2 had 20 episodes, so it’s likely Season 3 will feature around 20 episodes as well.

After its premiere, Elsbeth will shift to its regular time of Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET; here is when you can expect to see the first few episodes of the season.

• Episode 1: “Yes, And…” – Sunday, Oct. 12
• Episode 2: “Doll Day Afternoon” – Thursday, Oct. 16
• Episode 3: “Good Grief” – Thursday, Oct. 23
• Episode 4: “Ick, a Bod” – Thursday, Oct. 30

Elsbeth Season 3 Trailer

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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Decider, the New York Post, and Page Six. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, how to watch your favorite sports teams and movies on each streaming service and the very best in tech, like soundbars, to enhance your viewing experience. Not only does Angela test and compare the services, devices and merch she writes about, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and the New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews. 

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