After the huge success of the first season, Elsbeth fans are ready for the police procedural to return with more murderous mayhem and shenanigans.
With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94%, the review aggregator’s consensus for the show is: “Kelly Preston’s stellar performance in The Good Wife makes her the star of the show in this affable and smart spin-off. A great detective.
The show has proven that there’s plenty of room for The Good Wife universe to expand into more shows and genres. Elsbeth contrasted the heavy intensity of “The Good Wife” with “The Good Fight.”
It has a fun and lighter tone than its sister show, but that doesn’t mean the creators won’t drop an Easter egg or two.
In fact, all of Season 1’s plot killers were actors who had previously played various roles on The Good Wife or The Good Fight.
So, in that spirit, we’ve compiled a list of The Good Wife guest stars for next season’s potential killers!
Denis O’Hare
Character: Judge Charles Abernathy
First Appearance: “The Good Wife” Season 1, Episode 2, “Undressing”
Denis O’Hare, who has been acting since 1992 and in movies since 1993, is no stranger to the rigors of Hollywood. His versatile acting skills have become the actor’s calling card.
O’Hare has been nominated for 23 awards and won 13.
The actor is also known for his various roles in Ryan Murphy’s hit horror anthology FX series American Horror Story.
How would we like to see him used? Picture this: O’Hare is an over-the-top drag queen who uses stiletto heels or toxic wigs to win stage competitions. Maybe we could make it a musical?
Matthew Lillard
Character: Robbie Canton
Episode 1: The Good Wife Season 5 Episode 11, “Goliath and David”
In television, Matthew Lillias is best known for his role as Dean Bolland in Good Girls, but he is also known for his film work in Scream and the Scooby-Doo movies Always be remembered.
Talk about a flash from the past. Can you imagine how nostalgic it would be to have this 90s icon appear on the show?
Matthew Lillard can bring the level of camp that the show is known for. Lillard has over thirty years of experience and has been a cultural staple for an entire decade.
From our perspective, Lillard is the kind of actor who could easily play a deranged stalker who unintentionally kills his own obsession and does more to lead the police to him than cover his tracks .
Renée Elise Goldbury
Personality: Geneva Pine
Episode 1: The Good Wife Season 1 Episode 12 “Painkiller”
I don’t know about you, but I want to age like the immortal Renee Elise Goldbery. Who looks so stunning in their 50s?
The actress is also known for her role as Quellcrist Falconer in Replica, and she also starred in Robert and Michelle King’s supernatural drama Wicked.
Goldbery has been in the spotlight since 1997 and rose to fame in 2015 with her role in Hamilton.
With her wide range of skills, she has the comedic flair to become a fan-favorite killer. Oh, and do we have plans for her potential cameo?
Goldbery can return Elsbeth to her days as a lawyer by playing a dishonest lawyer who kills a news source who stands in the way of one of her cases. Of course, you can imagine it!
Margot Martindale
Role: Ruth Eastman
Episode 1: The Good Wife Season 7 Episode 1 “Bond”
There are some familiar faces that pop up and make you say, “Oh, I knew them somewhere.” This is Margo Martindale, and she makes a lasting impression wherever she goes.
Martindale began her acting career in the 1980s and developed a close friendship with Kathy Bates. Martindale won seven awards, but she always came off as bad as her characters.
The actress is best known for her role as Claudia on FX’s period spy drama The Americans, but we didn’t see her playing a Russian agent in Elsbeth.
Instead, we’d like to see Martindale play an endearingly sinister suburban grandma who advises a mom on the school run. Her crime? Possibly a minivan hit and run.
Anna Gastel
Character: Judge Leisner
Episode 1: The Good Wife Season 1 Episode 16 “Fleabag”
Ana Gasteyer is one of those actresses that you can bring up in conversation, everyone knows her from a different show or movie. Maybe Saturday Night Live, maybe Mean Girls.
With a wide range of backgrounds, she is also known for her role as Susan Simonorman on the ABC-era Adam F. Goldberg sitcom The Goldbergs.
Gasteyer played multiple characters on “Saturday Night Live,” was a go-to for many imitators, and could easily transition from judge to criminal on “Elsbeth.”
Elsbeth hasn’t had a killer comedian yet, and Gasteyer would be a great role to stretch her comedic muscles. We even have a fitting title: They could call this episode “The Act of the Killer.”
Gary Cole
Character: Kurt McVeigh
Episode 1: The Good Wife Season 1 Episode 15 “Bang”
Now, almost everyone who watches television will recognize Gary Cole’s face. Again, they should, since he’s been acting for nearly forty years.
He came to prominence in the early 1990s and hasn’t stopped working since. From television to movies, Gary Cole is everywhere. He was bound to come to Elsbeth at some point.
In addition to her work on “The Good Wife,” “The Good Fight” and “NCIS,” Cole is also known for her role in Armando Iannucci’s HBO political satire comedy series “Veep.” Kent davidson famous.
Still, we don’t think he’ll talk politics again.
When I watch Gary Cole, I see him playing a corrupt priest who steals money from a church and has to get rid of a deacon who discovers his secret. But what secret could it be? A bit of a comedy. If we can tie this to his role in Office Space, we’ll give it bonus points!
Anna Camp
Character: Kate Linda West
Episode 1: “The Good Wife” Season 3 Episode 5 “Martha and Caitlins”
It’s hard to believe that an actress who plays sweet and bubbly characters is famous for playing villains. This goes to show how talented Anna Camp is.
In just over fifteen years in the industry, Camp has already starred in high-profile projects such as the Pitch Perfect series, and audiences will soon be able to watch her in the hit Netflix series YOU.
Here at TV Fanatic, we’ll never forget her role as Sarah Newlin in Alan Ball’s HBO fantasy horror drama True Blood.
Kemp has a sweet yet disturbing smile. She could bring a camp character to the show, like Jane Krakoski’s Joan in the second episode of Elsbeth Season 1. Less – if possible!
Stockart Channing
Character: Veronica Loy
Episode 1: The Good Wife Season 4 Episode 9 “Defense of Marriage”
If there is a living television and movie legend, it’s Stockart Channing. From “Grease” to “Practical Magic” and even “Knuckles,” this lovely lady puts the “acting” into the “acting.”
What do you think of your fifty-year acting career? So it’s no surprise that Channing has been nominated for 64 awards and won 17 awards.
The actress also stars as Brenda Phillips in Jeff Rake’s NBC police procedural comedy Mysteries of Laura.
Channing’s sweetness is unlike any other, but we also see her cocky side more than once.
It’ll be interesting to see her as an aggressive CEO who has to silence an intern after learning a dark secret about her boss’s past.
Mike Colter
Role: Lemon Bishop
Episode 1: The Good Wife Season 1 Episode 16 “Fleabag”
Hell, Mike Colter is a tall glass of water, but that’s not the only reason the actor is perfect for Elsbeth. Still, that’s enough for me.
Having starred in his own series and had major roles in The Good Wife and The Good Fight, Mike Colter has the talent and training to play any genre or role .
The actor is known for his roles as Luke Cage in the Netflix superhero series and Father David Acosta in “R.I.P.”
Colter’s range of roles allows him to play almost any type of role, as long as the character is shirtless.
He is already a pastor. It’s time for the actor to commit a little crime. His performance in “The Good Wife” was close, but we’d like to see him get a little darker in “Elsbeth.” Give her something extra to investigate!
While the possibilities are endless, this talented list of actors would make for amazing guest stars in Elsbeth.
The show’s next season is set to air in October, so get ready for some spooky murders in this spooky season.
Either way, you can find me glued to CBS watching Elsbeth do what she does best in the most over-the-top print known to man!
Do you see your favorite actor on this list?
Who else do you think would have been a great Elsbeth killer?
Let us know in the comments below and join us again as we tell you more about your favorite new and returning shows!