10 Best Carrie Preston TV Shows & Movies All Elsbeth Fans Have to Watch

Even though Elsbeth has been officially renewed for a second season, and all fans of the quirky and chaotic investigator will see her again, that doesn't mean there won't be a long hiatus. Now, back to the normal television schedule, the second season of the show will premiere in the fall, at the beginning of the new 2024/25 season.

If you don't remember seeing Carrie Preston before, or your knowledge is limited by The Good Wife and The Good Fight, which were Elsbeth's predecessors, here's the list of movies and TV shows to fill in the blanks and watch before season 2 arrives.

And Then I Go (2017)

Even though Carrie Preston's role in this movie is very small, that doesn't make it any worse. And Then I Go has been praised by critics not only for its intriguing and exciting plot, but also for its strong social commentary on the problem of bullying and violence in schools leading to tragedy. It may not be an easy movie to watch, but it is a necessary one.

Daisy Winters (2017)

With young star Sterling Jerins and Brooke Shields as her mother, Carrie Preston plays the aunt of an 11-year-old girl named Daisy. Watching her mother's endless battle with cancer, Daisy has become unnaturally obsessed with all things death-related, and now has a very different outlook on life than her peers.

True Blood (2008-2014)

As Arlene Fowler, a waitress at Merlotte's, Carrie Preston has made a huge impact on this iconic vampire TV show produced by HBO that sends a strong anti-discrimination message. She was in the cast of True Blood from the beginning to the end in 2014 and has been nominated twice for prestigious TV awards as part of the ensemble.

That Evening Sun (2009)

This film is a touching yet heartbreaking story of an old man who returns to his farm rather than spend his last day in a nursing home, only to find that his son has rented the property to his longtime nemesis. Clinging to the life he once had, he tries to get the family out, but ends up ruining what's left of his life.

Equity (2016)

Preston's role in the movie is so small that you may not even notice her appearance, as you will already be engrossed in the story of Naomi Bishop, an investment banker struggling to work her way to the top of the Wall Street ladder. When she has to deal with a prosecutor who thinks she is corrupt, Bishop learns how to play dirty.

Claws (2017-2022)

What's interesting about Claws is that Polly Marks was not only a fun role for Carrie Preston to play, but also an opportunity to get back into directing. The actress was credited as the director of a couple of episodes, building a story about five manicurists who wade into the dangerous waters of organized crime and go against both the law and the lawless.

The Holdovers (2023)

One of the latest hits with Preston, critically acclaimed to the point of making a good round across the awards season, The Holdovers is a movie about a strict classics teacher who is forced to chaperone a handful of students with nowhere to go over the Christmas break. A great choice for those looking for peace and humanity.

Dr. Death (2021-2023)

All true crime lovers will be captivated by this anthology series created by Patrick Macmanus. The first season told the story of Christopher Duntsch, an American neurosurgeon who was convicted after permanently mutilating his patients, and the second season was all about the case of Paolo Macchiarini, who experimented on his patients.

When We Rise (2017)

This miniseries provides an in-depth look at the struggle of members of the LGBTQ+ community in the United States from the 1970s to the 2010s. While there were some historical inaccuracies, the ABC-produced show filled in many of the gaps left in the history of civil rights courses in colleges and schools.

Guinevere (1999)

Although this movie was released in the wake of the romcom era, it is far from the genre. This story is as romantic as it is heartbreaking, following the young and naive Harper Sloane, portrayed by Sarah Polley, in her first true love and the first big break of trust that follows shortly after.