WhileElsbethperforms well in part because of how much it stands out from the other shows in theGood Wifeuniverse, there’s one cue it needs to take from its sister shows to become a truly perfect spinoff. In some ways,Elsbethalready has begun drawing elements fromThe Good WifeandThe Good Fight. The series’ charm generally lies in its offbeat humor andColumbo-style approach to procedural storytelling, butElsbethseason 2has brought in a little more of the conspiratorial legal and political drama for which the franchise is best known.
This raises some interesting questions about what anElsbethseason 3 renewalmight look like. Carter’s subplot raises the question of otherGood Wifecharacters who could appear onElsbeth, whilethe villainous Judge Crawford hints at the show diving deeper into themes of corruption explored to a lesser extent in season 1. But whatElsbethreally needs to become the perfectGood Wifespinoff is neither narrative nor thematic in nature. Rather, all the show’s currently missing is simply one appearance byThe Good Wife’s most unsung guest star.
Elsbeth Needs To Feature Jonathan Coulton
His Style Of Music Is Perfect For The Show
Jonathan Coulton isn’t necessarily a household name, but he’s more than earned the extremely loyal following he gets from his fans. Coulton is known best for his comedic songs, generally performed in a delightfully folksy style.His songs touch on a bizarrely eclectic range of subjects, from a villain boasting about his evil lair to a simple man looking to engage in public physical relations with strangers at the park. He’s also done cover songs and parodies, although he’s probably received the most mainstream recognition as the composer forthe end credit songs of thePortalgames.
Most relevant to the topic at hand, however, is Coulton’s work in television. Not only has he composed music for multiple TV shows, but he’s made cameo appearances as well. Some of Coulton’s most notable TV work arose from his long-standing relationship withElsbethcreators Robert and Michelle King, butElsbethstill remains the onlyGood Wifeseries with which Coulton’s had no involvement. Looking back on his history with the other two shows in the franchise, it becomes clear that this needs to change.
Jonathan Coulton Played A Prominent Role In The Good Wife
His Behind-The-Scenes Inspiration Affected The Franchise For Years
Coulton’s influence can be felt across three seasons ofThe Good Wife, with Coulton even appearing in the flesh as a drunken inmate in the season 6 premiere. ButJonathan Coulton’s more fascinating contribution toThe Good Wifewas largely made offscreen, serving as the inspiration for Matthew Lillard’s character Rowby Canton. Lillard’s quirky musician character appears in seasons 5 and 7, first introduced when he’s trying to sue a series calledDrama Campfor ripping off his acoustic cover of a rap song called “Thicky Trick.”
Rowby’s first episode, “Goliath and David,” covers an intriguing aspect of copyright law in which cover songs have significantly fewer protections unless the cover artist’s actual track is stolen. It’s an interesting conversation, but it’s also exactly what happened whenGleecopied Coulton’s acoustic cover of “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot. Coulton was left in the cold on that case, butThe Good Wifeawards him some alternate universe justice by exploring the possibility he’d brought up withThe Hollywood Reporterabout what would have happened ifGleehad sampled his track rather than simply pilfering his melody.
Coulton’s Role Was Enhanced In The Good Fight
He Changed The Entire Tone Of Some Episodes
Focusing onChristine Baranski’s Diane Lockhart,The Good Fightwas the first series to spin off fromThe Good Wife. It was also the series in whichJonathan Coulton began to actively contribute his own music to the franchise. Several episodes include short, animated music videos set to songs that Coulton specifically wrote for the series. Most of these take the form of political satire, but there are also songs like “NDA,” which uses aSchoolhouse Rock-inspired theme to explain the concept of non-disclosure agreements.
If it feels like there aren’t a lot ofshows likeThe Good Fight, Coulton’s music is partly to thank for that. “NDA” specifically appears in an episode that addresses some rather heavy subject matter, andhis light-hearted music makes the corporate dismissal of a law firm’s female victims slightly easier to stomach. The episode could have come off as callous, but Coulton’s satirical approach to explaining non-disclosure agreements is a unique way of demonstrating that the series disagrees with the practices it’s showcasing. And it’s not the first time he’s performed a similar service for the show’s creators.
Jonathan Coulton Knew The Creators Before Elsbeth
Their Collaboration Extends Beyond The Good Wife Universe
Although he didn’t write any music forThe Good Wife,Coulton’s musical collaboration with Robert and Michelle King began prior to his music videos forThe Good Fight. In 2016, the Kings released the one-season political satireBrainDead. In every episode following theBrainDeadseries premiere, Coulton performed a musical episode recap. Each one incorporated his signature brand of humor, each in a slightly different way. For instance, there’s one episode in which he refuses to recap the previous events at all because they’d gotten too dark. He therefore elects to recap an episode ofGunsmokeinstead.
As odd as it is to see a random stranger strumming his guitar at the foot of a disrobed couple’s bed, it also provides insight into the sort of quirky levity Coulton could offer a show likeElsbeth.
With the show chock-full of head-exploding space bugs and cartoonishly evil senators, Coulton never runs out of material to poke fun at in each episode. InBrainDead’s series finale,Coulton makes his only physical appearance to update viewers on events such as a character’s hospitalization or the two main characters sleeping together. As odd as it is to see a random stranger strumming his guitar at the foot of a disrobed couple’s bed, it also provides insight into the sort of quirky levity Coulton could offer a show likeElsbeth.
How Elsbeth Could Feature Jonathan Coulton
He Doesn’t Necessarily Need To Appear In Person
BecauseElsbethis known for including numerous comedic guest stars,it makes the most sense for Jonathan Coulton to appear in person. Although showrunner Jonathan Tolins has previously statednot manyThe Good Wifecharacters will appear inElsbeth, that hasn’t stopped actors such as Nathan Lane returning in a new role. Coulton’s own role inThe Good Wifewas brief enough that it wouldn’t hurt the show’s immersion to simply have him play a caricature of himself, or even to have him play against type as a down-on-his-luck musician who sings about his angst in a satirical way.
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However,The Good FightandBrainDeadboth demonstrate how much Coulton can contribute to a series with his music alone. Simply writing an episode in which a song or stage musical plays a large role in NYPD’s investigation could make extensive use of Coulton’s talents. This doesn’t need to become a running theme as it did onThe Good Fight, asmerelyhearing Coulton’s voice will be a treat to franchise fans who watched the previous spinoff. And for those who missed out onThe Good Fight, Coulton’s inclusion will still complementElsbeth’s general tone rather perfectly.
Why Coulton Is Perfect For Elsbeth
Their Onscreen Chemistry Would Be Incredible
Not only does Coulton’s music feel naturally suited toElsbeth’s whimsical tone, but the series’ increasing focus on corruption would make Coulton’s inclusion feel especially well-timed.Elsbethis likely to take on more foreboding undertones asTascioni pursues the dangerous Judge Crawford, but featuring a JoCo composition could help keep the more upbeat aspects of the series alive. In this sense,his music would be doing forElsbethwhat the song “NDA” did for the season 3 premiere ofThe Good Fight. The series would be free to explore heavier political themes without losing its sense of humor.
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That said, it’s still better if Jonathan Coulton makes a physical appearance onElsbethas a guest star. Tascioni’s a naturally inquisitive character who can’t get enough of unique personalities. Given Coulton’s quirks as a songwriter, it’s not very difficult to imagine how well the two would vibe with each other. If Elsbeth can’t find intrigue in the company of a man who runs around singing about murderous robots and mind-controlling space bugs, then the show has greatly overstated her childlike fascination with the world around her. Assuming it hasn’t, there’s almost zero doubt the two would click instantly.
