Elsbeth Season 3 found a way to replace one of its main characters who departed last season, and it's brilliant. While the hit crime comedy series from CBS made headlines ever since its debut season by incorporating notable guest stars through the years, the core of the story relies on its main cast, led by Carrie Preston's titular lawyer, Carrie Patterson's Kaya Blanke, and Wendell Pierce's Captain Wagner. However, Season 2 surprised fans when it announced that Patterson's Kaya will no longer be a series regular in Season 3.
Elsbeth Season 2 saw Kaya transition from a police officer to a full-fledged NYPD detective, which means that she has a larger responsibility on her hands. Season 2, Episode 19 saw Kaya accepting a position from Captain Kershaw to join an elite task force as an undercover agent, cementing her exit as a series mainstay. While Season 3 explained her absence, it also introduced her temporary replacement.
Elsbeth Season 3, Episode 1 confirmed that Kaya had already started her undercover work for the elite task force, meaning that she is off the grid and can't be contacted directly by her friends and family. This meant that Elsbeth had a new police officer assigned to assist her during her investigation for the New York Police Department (NYPD).
The Season 3 premiere introduced Officer Grace Hackett (played by guest star Lindsay Mendez) as the officer assigned to keep Elsbeth in line. Captain Wagner pointed out that she's "well-suited" for the job because she is a stand-up comedian in her spare time.
Grace Hackett serves as Kaya Blanke's temporary replacement in Elsbeth Season 3, Episode 1, which continues the trend of different officers working alongside the titular lawyer (which includes Wicked star Ethan Slater in Elsbeth Season 2, Episode 17).
Hackett and Elsbeth shared a strong bond right from the get-go, using their shared interest in movies and jokes as their foundation. The case of the week also hits close to home for Hackett, considering that she was a fan of Stephen Colbert's character/murder victim, Scotty Bristol. Hackett also provided valuable insight about the case, mainly due to her knowledge of comedy writing and the entertainment industry.
If anything, Elsbeth's Season 3 proves that Hackett, like Kaya Blanke, is a good match for Elsbeth because she managed to keep up with her antics and banter throughout the episode.
Elsbeth is a spin-off of The Good Wife, and it follows the titular character as a consultant for the NYPD to oversee and help them solve high-profile murder cases. The series stars Carrie Preston, Wendell Pierce, Daniel O. Connor, Molly Price, and Lindsay Mendez. Elsbeth Season 3 premiered on CBS on October 12, 2025.
Will Kaya Blanke Return in Elsbeth Season 3?
TV Insider and Elsbeth showrunner Jonathan Tolins confirmed that Carra Patterson's Kaya Blanke will return in Season 3, Episode 3, but details about her comeback are (obviously) still being kept under wraps.
The showrunner also confirmed in his conversation with TV Insider that they are going to "keep trying to get [Kaya] as often as they can" for Season 3 while also sharing that Officer Grace Hacket will return "a number of times" this season:
"I’m not being cagey. A lot of it depends on scheduling and people’s lives and how the story goes. All I’ll say is, we love the character of Kaya. We love the relationship between Elsbeth and Kaya, and we love Carra Patterson, so we’re going to keep trying to get her as often as we can. That’s what I’ll say. But we are also introducing fun new characters. We have a new uniformed officer in the premiere, played by Lindsay Mendez, who’s wonderful as Grace Hackett, and she’ll be back a number of times. We have some of the people that we introduced last year. We’re going to be introducing a new detective later on this season, so we mix it up."
While it may be limited, Kaya's confirmed return in Elsbeth Season 3 is an exciting development. It promises to recapture the show's roots by reviving the dynamic interplay between Elsbeth and Kaya that made the series stand out.
Meanwhile, the confirmation that more "new characters" will arrive allows the show to introduce fresh stories and character dynamics in addition to the stacked guest star lineup that continues to be one of the main highlights of Elsbeth in its weekly release.
