Each episode of CBS’ — starring Carrie Preston in the title role, which won her a 2013 Emmy for best guest actress in a drama for the character’s appearance on — follows a similar “howdunit” premise: The audience sees a guest star commit murder, and Preston’s idiosyncratic Elsbeth Tascioni puts together the pieces to solve the mystery and bring the murderer to justice. But ‘s season finale veers from the formula, as the title character follows the wrong lead with predictably hilarious — and fashion-forward — results. Showrunner Jonathan Tolins breaks down the script.
“I always feel like an audience watches something with the question of ‘Why am I getting this information?’ ” says Jonathan Tolins. This scene, which sees our heroine meet designer Matteo Hart and retired model Nadine Clay (played by André De Shields and Laura Benanti, respectively), delivers the title character into the central mystery. “It’s bringing Elsbeth into her next stage of the investigation, developing a rapport with Nadine, and also setting up this whole fun Elsbeth fashion show,” Tolins continues.
“It also sets up Nadine becoming Elsbeth’s fashion model coach, which will give us the cat-and-mouse scene that we always do.” While is a procedural drama, it’s chock-full of humor — thanks in part to Preston’s character’s heightened eccentricities. Much of the humor, Tolins says, comes from the adept performers.
“I’m very lucky that there are three [acto.
