‘Elsbeth’ Season 3 Teases Revenge as Jaime Pressly Makes a Dramatic Debut md18

Elsbeth is about to welcome another Emmy winner to the fold, and she’s here for revenge. Collider can exclusively reveal three new images from the upcoming Season 3 episode “Glamazons,” featuring the stunning arrival of My Name Is Earl alum Jaime Pressly, who’s dressed to kill — perhaps literally. Accompanying her entrance into the smash-hit ABC murder mystery procedural is a familiar face in a previous guest star — Laura Benanti’s Nadine Clay, who appears ready and willing to dig into an investigation with Carrie Preston’s colorful sleuth. Both are set to arrive in New York City for Episode 9 on December 11.

In our exclusive shots, Pressly is looking quite slick, dressed in all black with an eyepatch to cap off her intimidating look. Paired with Elsbeth, who’s trying her best to see what she’s eyeing, her presence seems quite formidable as she glances over rooms full of people with clear intent. She’s playing fallen supermodel Tiff Giles, once a prominent face in the 1990s who’s returned to New York for a reunion and revenge, dragging Elsbeth into a case filled with old grudges and lies to sort through to find the answers she seeks. Opposite Clay, who sports a snazzy outfit all her own, she stands out in the otherwise colorful world that the pink-clad detective inhabits.

The return of Clay and the arrival of Giles aren’t all Elsbeth has to deal with in the upcoming episode. “Glamazons” will be Officer Hackett’s chance to shine, though it’s unknown how exactly she’ll factor into the coming case. In the wake of the departure of Carra Patterson’s Kaya Blanke as a full-time presence on the show, Lindsay Mendez’s Hackett has been among the officers Elsbeth has been working alongside this season as she takes on various colorful cases of the week. She first appeared in the premiere, as the optimistic detective dug into the death of late-night host Scotty Bristol (Stephen Colbert), and she figures to get more chances to prove Captain Wagner’s (Wendell Pierce) trust in her as Season 3 continues to progress.

Though Pressly is best known for her time as Joy Turner on My Name Is Earl, she’s bringing a hefty comedic resume to Elsbeth, previously appearing in films like Not Another Teen Movie, I Love You Man, and Joe Dirt. On television, her most recent major roles have been on the Fox mockumentary Welcome to Flatch and the long-running CBS series Mom. With an Emmy win and a nomination to her name, she fits right in with the buzzy talent that the procedural has routinely been able to haul in. Tonight’s episode, “And Then There Were Nuns,” alone will see Elsbeth go face-to-face with a strict mother superior played by none other than Oscar winner Dianne Wiest. Not only that, but Anora’s Lindsay Normington will make an appearance as the pop star who buys the failing convent that Elsbeth is snooping around, setting the stage for a complicated investigation on holy ground.

When Will ‘Elsbeth’ Season 3 Return From Midseason Hiatus?

While “Glamazons” is not the last episode of the year, Elsbeth and the rest of the CBS shows will go on a brief winter hiatus at the end of December. “A Tough Nut to Crack” will air on December 18, and then the series will return following the Winter Olympics on February 26, along with the rest of the Thursday night lineup, including Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage, Ghosts, and Matlock.

Elsbeth Season 3, Episode 9, will debut on CBS on December 11. Check out the new images in the gallery above.