Netflix Crime Drama Alert: Experts Stunned by This Mind-Blowing New Series – Out Now!

Netflix’s New Crime Drama: A Compelling Mystery Series

As a long-time fan of murder mysteries, I’ve been following the resurgence of whodunit stories in recent years. Shows like Matlock, A Man on the Inside, Elsbeth, Only Murders In The Building, Deadloch, and more have revitalized the industry’s emphasis on puzzle-solving narratives. My wife and I recently started watching High Potential on ABC, which features a brilliant cleaning lady hired by the cops to assist their investigations. However, the show reminds me too much of Natasha Lyonne’s Poker Face, a detective series with far superior writing.

One might argue that these shows are similar, but they have distinct differences. High Potential is a gritty, albeit hilarious, character drama available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription, while Poker Face is a side project for Rian Johnson, who’s known for his twisty mysteries. Both features incredibly intelligent female lead characters who have a unique gift that allows them to see through crime scenes. And the structure of the episodes leads to a crime-of-the-week that must be solved, while also building a bigger mystery behind the scenes.

Katlin Olson and Natasha Lyonne are both outstanding at what they do. Neither of their characters care very much for authority, and they’re both comfortable bending the rules if it means they can help someone who’s distressed. They also both excel at delivering jargon, the necessary information dumps that move the mysteries through the situational-comedy pipeline. However, it’s in the writing where, in my opinion, Poker Face triumphs over High Potential, at least following the first season of the Peacock streamer.

A Glimpse into the World of High Potential

We ranked the episodes included in the first season of Poker Face, and even in the lamest of the 10-episode season, Lyonne’s Charlie Cale still finds herself in an unpredictable and murderous situation that highlights the flyover country of this great nation. Throughout the course of the season, Charlie – who has a God-given ability to sniff out when someone is lying – has been bouncing from state to state, solving crimes and helping the innocent. But she also has been staying ahead of an enforcer played by Benjamin Bratt.

You have to wait for the season finale, titled “The Hook,” to learn why Charlie’s on the run. And the way that “The Hook” connects several dots from the entire season earns a round of applause from me. Perhaps High Potential will reach a higher potential. I’m definitely intrigued by the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Morgan’s (Olson) first husband, Roman. And the cases in Season 1 of High Potential are engaging, but they can’t compete with the complexity and depth of Poker Face.

The Rise of Conclave: A Papal Thriller

The 2025 Academy Award nominations came out in January, and I was shocked to see that Conclave, which I consider one of the best movies of 2024, wasn’t nominated in several of the major categories. Sure, Edward Berger’s papal drama is up for the top prize of the night – Best Picture – and seven other categories, but I still have some Oscars complaints that I need to talk out. I know it sounds crazy to hear someone complain about a movie only receiving eight Oscar nominations, but there are three other major categories that I totally thought would include what is considered one of last year’s best thrillers.

But nope, the Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Supporting Actors races don’t include anyone from this highly rewatchable movie. I really need you to hear me out on this… I know, I should be happy that Conclave was one of the movies that received the most nominations (only Wicked, The Brutalist, and Emilia Pérez received more nods), including Best Picture, but I still can’t help but feel like the book-to-screen adaptation was snubbed in at least three of the categories I mentioned up above.

This isn’t me speaking poorly of the movies that received nominations for Best Director and other places where Conclave missed out, it’s just me bringing up the fact I honestly thought it’d at least get nominated in every major category. When it comes to the direction, cinematography, and performances by two actors long overdue for Academy Awards of their own, few movies released last year came close to touching what Conclave was able to achieve on the big screen.

Edward Berger’s Snub: A Bummer for Fans

Edward Berger didn’t get nominated for All Quiet on the Western Front at the 2023 Academy Awards, and I thought to myself, “That’s a bummer, but he’ll get them next time.” When I first started to hear about Conclave and saw footage from the then-upcoming thriller, I convinced myself that the Oscars would make things right and at least nominate the talented filmmaker in the Best Director category. I was pretty much convinced the prize was his when watching the movie and when breaking down the Conclave ending.

However, like all those cardinals vying for their chance to win the papacy only to see their name falling farther and farther down the list, it wasn’t to be for Berger this year. And I’m really bummed out and irrationally upset over it. Screenwriter Peter Straughan was nominated for his adaptation of Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, and rightfully so, but I still find it odd that Berger, who helped bring those scenes to life, was not included in the list of nominees.

The Evolution of Elsbeth Tascioni

I’m watching the shows that make up The Good Wife cinematic universe out of order, meaning, I started with Elsbeth and then decided to hop into the show that started it all in 2009. So, my understanding of this world, and Elsbeth Tascioni specifically, is a tad skewed. However, that has made bingeing the flagship show that introduced us all to Carrie Preston’s character even better.

Now, as I continue to watch these beloved CBS shows with my Paramount+ subscription, I’ve come to realize that I love them – and Elsbeth’s involvement in them – in great part because of how Preston has played this lawyer-turned-crime solver across the last 15 years. Elsbeth’s personality and unique ways of problem-solving have stayed the same since Day One.

• Carrie Preston as Elsbeth in Season 2×09
• Elsbeth’s showrunner wanted to explore the ‘darker sides’ of Carrie Preston’s character, and I think she totally crushed it

The first time this defense attorney appears in The Good Wife is during Season 1, Episode 20. She’s in the episode for only a few minutes, and she’s there to help defend Peter after he broke parole. Her distracted nature (she was asking lots of questions about Alicia’s apartment) and assertive forms of problem-solving were incredibly distinct the second we met her, and all this mirrors what we see in Elsbeth.

Then, in Episode 22 of the first season, we saw some of Elsbeth’s silly quirks – like her general confusion over the technology her son gets her and her tendency to carry at least three very large bags. All these things are pillars of what makes her, her, and they’re central to the show Elsbeth.

Considering Elsbeth’s story spans more than a decade and three shows, I figured she’d change or Preston would play her differently. However, she’s stayed consistent and clearly understands this woman at her core. That is what makes her character truly remarkable and fun to watch.



The Consistency of Carrie Preston’s Performance

What makes all this even better is that even though Elsbeth’s personality, quirks, and ways of problem-solving have stayed the same, her motivations and job have changed. That makes for a fascinating viewing experience as I move through Elsbeth’s season airing on the 2025 TV schedule and The Good Wife’s seven seasons simultaneously.

Every Thursday, I watch Elsbeth solve crimes and fight what many would consider the good fight. Then, every other day of the week, I see the cast of The Good Wife work to win – and that’s not as morally straightforward as the work the lawyer does on her new show. While Elsbeth’s work ethic and personality haven’t wavered, I’d say her morals have.

On The Good Wife, she’s a surprisingly cutthroat lawyer, and she’s willing to do what needs to be done to win a case – which has been shown as she’s defended Peter, Alicia, Will, and others. On Elsbeth, she’s trying to do what’s right and almost repent in a way for her actions as a lawyer. That juxtaposition is intriguing and creates a fantastic evolution for this character.

However, when it comes to how Carrie Preston plays her, she’s still the same. At Elsbeth’s core, she’s bubbly, honest, deeply caring, and hilarious while also being hyper-intelligent and quick-witted.