Comedy
Animal Control
Animal Control is yet another recycled comedy about public servants who can’t seem to do anything right.
Great minds think alike.
The only problem with that statement? There have been too many minds thinking alike for far too long–and honestly, they’re not all that great.
That’s why Elsbeth left her job in Chicago as a defense attorney to join the New York Police Department. Because for the past few years, The NYPD has been raking up wrongful arrests, and the city has had enough.
The department needs fresh eyes. Fresh ears. And mostly, a fresh mind.
Elsbeth has all of the above qualifications, with the added perk that she’s defended a lot of guilty people. She knows how they think, how they operate and when they’re lying.
Oh, and she’s insanely personable and quirky.
Not everyone on the team is excited to have her, but they are excited for the results she’s promised to bring.
The NYPD hopes that her unique point of view gets the job done and uncovers corruption in the outside world… and maybe even within the police force itself.
CBS has a lot of shows about crime. About New York. About the NYPD. Did they need another?
With Elsbeth now on the CBS dockets, the network would answer would be a resounding yes. And this time, I’m prone to agree with them.
This latest TV-14 series, a spin-off from The Good Wife, is different from much of what is out there for one reason: Elsbeth is played by Emmy award winner Carrie Preston.
For a show that deals mostly with murders and how they’re uncovered, it’s weirdly … cheerful.
Elsbeth is funny, warm and easy to both like and dislike simultaneously. The series, judging by the first episode, can be violent and it occasionally includes some colorful language, social drinking and various forms of murder. It follows Elsbeth’s quirky mind as she gets to the bottom of every case and the motive of every killer.
That obviously means this isn’t a squeaky clean sit-down show for the whole family. But it’s less profane and less violent than other options with the same rating. And the lead actress provides some much needed variation that other shows just simply do not have.
Elsbeth Tascioni, a former defense lawyer out of Chicago, is hired by the New York Police Department to help them solve some ticklish crimes. Her first case is uncovering the supposed suicide of a rising actress.
A young woman is stabbed during a stage performance and artificial blood pours from her stomach. Later, that same woman is drugged and suffocated with a plastic bag taped around her head by her killer. The police believe that the woman committed suicide.
Elsbeth notices that the victim used a diaphragm the night of her murder and comments on the victim’s sex life.
A popular acting professor is known for sleeping with his students and giving his “favorites” the best parts in productions. A former student accuses the professor for caring most about which actress is most willing to “spread her legs.”
Men and women alike drink hard liquor at a bar.
A frustrated officer wonders if his superior “screwed him” by sending Elsbeth as an annoying addition to the team. Elsbeth misuses God’s name numerous times. An agent exclaims “d–n.”
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
Animal Control is yet another recycled comedy about public servants who can’t seem to do anything right.
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