Autism in ‘Elsbeth’

Greetings Earthlings! 🙂

This week I’d like to take a look at the neurodivergent character Elsbeth Tascioni, a character that I have been watching for years, first as a recurring guest on The Good Wife and it’s spin off The Good Fight, and now finally in her own show Elsbeth. Played by Carrie Preston, Elsbeth is a quirky, unconventional lawyer who has been assigned to oversee the NYPD as part of an anti-corruption decree, but quickly finds that she has a knack for solving murders! Unlike conventional crime solving dramas, we see the whodunnit portion at the start of each episode, refreshingly sitting back to watch how Elsbeth is going to catch her killer (spoiler alert- she always does🙃).

So to autism- how does this show fare?

Whilst this is another show that does not directly label their lead as autistic, Elsbeth certainly displays many traits of autism and ADHD, with many autistic fans praising the show for a positive female depiction of neurodivergence and executive dysfunction. She is an endearing, unique and highly eccentric character marching to her own beat at all times, never caring what anyone else thinks. Whilst Elsbeth doesn’t tend to display signs of sensory issues, she is often oblivious to social cues, overstepping boundaries, talking about unusual subjects and regularly making people uncomfortable (I mean she’s trying to catch killers- cages need to be rattled 🤣).

She get’s distracted very easily by shiny objects and other items of interest to her, going off on tangents mid conversation and explanations, floating around in her own little bubble without any notice of how the world perceives her. What I particularly like about Elsbeth is how she notices details that no one else does, a trait which makes her incredibly adept at crime solving. Too often we focus on disability, but this show really drives home the unique skills that neurodivergents can bring to the workplace. Elsbeth’s tendency to get distracted at first appears problematic, but it is this eye for detail that makes her an excellent detective. She’s constantly underestimated by her peers for her quirkiness, but always shows her worth by the end of each episode, proving there is method in her perceived “madness”.

Autistic or not, Elsbeth is a delightful and refreshing take on the crime solving drama genre, and I highly recommend it for anyone seeking a wholesome, easy watch- you will leave with a smile on your face for certain 😀

Hope you enjoyed this post dear Earthlings!

Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

Aoife