Carrie Preston, Wendell Pierce: 'Elsbeth' appeals to levity, humanity

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Carrie Preston and Wendell Pierce said they believe Elsbeth , returning Thursday at 10 p.m EDT on CBS, stands apart from other mystery shows, thanks to its playful tone and positive nature.

Preston plays Elsbeth Tascioni, a Chicago lawyer assigned by the Department of Justice to oversee Captain Wagner's (Pierce) department under a consent decree as a settlement over controversial arrests.

While following Officer Kaya Banke (Carra Patterson), Elsbeth questions suspects and witnesses, helping to solve a mystery each week.

"It's just got a lighter tone," Preston told UPI in an interview in Los Angeles. "There's some positivity and there's some eccentricity."

Elsbeth was a recurring guest star on The Good Wife and The Good Fight , where her quirky persona contrasted with the serious legal dramas. As the star of Elsbeth , she remains upbeat, even when interviewing potential killers and being scolded by disapproving police.

Preston said part of the appeal to audiences is "her sense of wonder and seeing the good in people even when they've done horrible things. It's just a nice way to live I think."

Pierce said Elsbeth's strength is her ability to see the humanity of suspects. When she connects with them, they reveal more than they intend to.

"She's investigating why someone would do it, what would be their impetus," Pierce said. "She's studying it and taps into something that is unique about that person."

Though Wagner was reluctant to cooperate with Elsbeth at first, he has learned to see her value to his department after one season. The consent decree was resolved in the season finale, revealing a corrupt lieutenant, but Wagner set up Season 2 by allowing Elsbeth to continue consulting.

"There's still going to be ramifications of Lt. Noonan that I have to clean up," Pierce said of Season 2. "Though I'm trying to repair the relationship with Elsbeth, I have a lot more trust in her, so I've given her the extension in the job."

Pierce said Elsbeth's inquisitive nature can't help but set Wagner off. As the captain of a precinct under investigation, Wagner can't help but be defensive about Elsbeth's questions.

Yet, Pierce said, Wagner overcomes his initial reactions to see the value of Elsbeth on his team.

"Always get people better than you on your team because it's only going to help you and improve who you are," Pierce said. "The one thing he knows is: man, she's good."

Part of Elsbeth's positivity comes from Preston's own joy every time she got to play the role. Over 19 episodes of the previous two shows, she never expected another episode, let alone her own series.

"I would play her like it was the last time because it could have been," Preston said. "I try to approach each day as if it's a new day and maybe the last day. It keeps me from taking anything for granted in this experience."

Preston said solving murders proves to be Elsbeth's calling more than defending alleged criminals was. On the previous shows, she often was opposing counsel to the heroes.

"She can bring all of her skills as a lawyer to this profession, but for the greater good, for justice," Preston said. "Because she's defended some pretty horrible people in the past, I think she feels a little bit guilty about some of that."

Elsbeth does significantly increase Preston's workload over her guest starring roles. Driving the investigations, she now has so much dialogue to memorize that she often learns the upcoming episode while filming the current one.

"All I'm doing is standing in a corner talking to myself all day long," Preston said. "I have to use the time during the day to do that. When I get home at night, I only have time just to basically take a shower, go to bed, wake up and start all over again."