Elsbeth showrunner Jonathan Tolins has explained why more characters from The Good Wife and The Good Fight haven’t come back for this latest spinoff. The cast of Elsbeth mostly consists of new characters to the franchise, with the titular protagonist, Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) being the only returning cast member from the two previous shows. So far, the series has only had one guest appearance from Christian Borle, who returned to his role as Carter Schmidt for two episodes. As for other stars, their potential return status is currently up in the air.
Speaking with ScreenRant, Tolins explained the difficulty around bringing characters from The Good Wife and The Good Fight onto Elsbeth while justifying them traveling from Chicago to New York. The showrunner said ideas had been considered for how to make it work, but said he’s proud they were able to enhance the main character with her son, Teddy (Ben Levi Ross), teasing that Easter eggs are still on the table too. Check out what Tolins had to say below:
ScreenRant: There are several connections to The Good Wife and The Good Fight in Elsbeth. Have there been discussions about other characters from that universe you’re hoping to include?
Jonathan Tolins: There have been some. It’s hard. I worked on the last five years of The Good Fight, and of course, I was a big fan of The Good Wife. It’s tricky because, the way our show is built, we would love to have more characters from there come on, but it also has to be realistic, for television, at least. They’re all in Chicago. We’re in New York.
I’m always open to it. I will say there have been times where we’ve explored it and it just didn’t work out because people are busy and there are scheduling and budget considerations. But it may. I’m very proud of what we’ve done with Teddy because was all we heard on Elsbeth’s second episode of The Good Wife was that she had a son, but he was never named or anything.
We took that one line and have now created this mother-son relationship that we’re having a lot of fun with. What we said a lot last year, and I hope people know this, is that you don’t have to know The Good Wife or The Good Fight to enjoy our show, but we like to throw an Easter egg in every once in a while.
What Tolins’ Statement Means For Elsbeth’s Future Guest Stars
Will More Familiar Faces Show Up In The Future?
Borle’s brief return as Carter is the only time a character from previous shows has appeared in the latest series. Based on Tolins’ statement, it seems the biggest hurdle is offering a story excuse for characters located in Chicago to see Elsbeth in New York, especially now that their stories have come to a close. Since efforts have been made to get some stars back, it appears the right story hasn’t clicked just yet. While it likely won’t happen in season 2, a possible Elsbeth season 3 could be enough time for some elements to come together properly.
However, the show’s focus isn’t on making references to the older series, instead forging its own path in developing its new storylines. Even so, Teddy’s appearance shows the series is willing to address past ideas established in the other two shows, even if characters themselves haven’t returned. While Ross’ role in Elsbeth remains recurring, his appearance still offers a connection to The Good Wife and The Good Fight by acknowledging the story elements of everything that came before. This implies a possible future for the series where Teddy and Carter are just the start for past references.
Our Take On Elsbeth Not Having Many Characters From Past Shows
It Helps The Show Stand Out, Despite Potential For More References
Although Elsbeth could have more concrete references to The Good Wife and The Good Fight in the future, the nods to the story it’s already embraced helps the series stand out on its own. However, there is potential for more returnees in the future, something Tolins’ statement means could happen if the right circumstances present themselves. For now, though, it appears the procedural will be focusing on its own characters and stories, with an open door for past characters to come back later on.
