Elsbeth is finally back on CBS in the 2025 TV schedule with the Season 3 premiere, and it’s a tall order for the show to match the fun of the first and second season premieres. The drama recruited not one but three excellent guest stars to do just that, with The Late Show‘s Stephen Colbert joined by Amy Sedaris and Andy Richter. Colbert will be playing a late night TV host, and leading lady Carrie Preston spoke with CinemaBlend about the role that was “specifically” written for him as well as the comedy trio of guests.
The Season 3 premiere is called “Yes, And…,” and drops Elsbeth into the world of late-night comedy, but she’s in for a whole lot more than laughs when a tragic twist brings her backstage with the NYPD. Colbert plays late night talk show host Scotty Bristol, while Amy Sedaris is head writer Laurel and Andy Richter is on board in a role that’s right up his alley: talk show sidekick Mickey.
Colbert’s casting was announced shortly after the cancellation of The Late Show, leading to some fun theories about what he could bring to Elsbeth. When I chatted with Carrie Preston ahead of the Season 3 premiere, I had to ask: what should fans expect from the longtime Late Show host in a scripted TV show? She shared:
Stephen Colbert [is] an actor first. He was on all these shows, he was on Strangers with Candy. He was in the whole world of of doing improv and theater and film and TV and that kind of thing, so he’s a really great actor. I think it was really fun for him to come on to something that is scripted, because he’s been doing this unscripted show that he has to kind of be himself, and he’s a host and all that. So [showrunner] Jon Tolins wrote this specifically for him. Obviously, he’s drawing from his own experience, but it’s a totally different character than who he is. I think he had a ball, just doing really fun writing and working with his old friends.
So, the character of Scotty Bristol was written for Colbert, but that doesn’t mean the fictional host of Way Late with Scotty Bristol is interchangeable with the real-life host of The Late Show. It remains to be seen until the Season 3 premieres on Sunday, October 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET if Scotty is on board as a murderer, a victim, or just a cameo. A sneak peek at his character certainly indicates that he’s not quite as affable as the real-life host/actor. And he’s not the only comedic great mixed up in the drama!
Carrie Preston went on to share that “Yes, And…” wasn’t exactly a first meeting for Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and Andy Richter, and fans are in for a treat with Elsbeth recruiting many more celebrity guest stars than usual for a single episode. (With the exception of the star-studded musical Season 2 finale, anyway.) The Good Wife Emmy-winner shared:
Amy Sedaris, who’s also in the episode, and Andy Richter, they all go way back. They’re old friends, and then the episode is about three old friends. They have a falling out in the episode, and then there’s another little layer in there that Stephen Colbert’s character is a big fan of Merrily We Roll Along, the musical, and the musical is about three friends who have a falling out. So there were many layers and little Easter eggs in there that were delightful to play, and I’m sure it was fun for them to play those as well.
How fitting is it for the Season 3 premiere of Elsbeth to tie to a hit Broadway musical? After all, the Season 1 premiere starred Stephen Moyer as a murderous theater director, and the Season 2 premiere – a.k.a. one of my favorite Elsbeth episodes of all time – featured Nathan Lane as an opera lover driven to murder by an audience member with poor theater etiquette. Why shouldn’t Season 3 kick off with a case connected to the entertainment industry, complete with a tie to musical theater?
For a look at how Stephen Colbert’s character has the late night charm that The Late Show fans know well but also some less lovable traits, take a look at the sneak peek below:
The Season 3 premiere of Elsbeth airs on Sunday, October 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS, and streams next day with a Paramount+ subscription. This will be a big week to celebrate for Elsbeth, as Carrie Preston’s drama will return to its regular Thursday night time slot on October 16, giving fans two new episodes in less than seven days. As for whether Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and/or Andy Richter will return… well, that depends on what goes down in the first episode of the fall!