'Elsbeth' Finally Brings Back a Core Character That Season 3 Has Been Desperately Missing

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Elsbeth Season 3, Episode 17.The third season of Elsbeth has been excellent all around: great writing, callbacks and Easter eggs for long-time fans, and an exceptional list of guest stars. Yet, in spite of its (largely) exceptional quality, something about the season hasn't felt quite right since the premiere. It has nothing to do with Carrie Preston, who, as the titular hero, has turned in some of her best performances as the character to date, nor with its supporting cast, anchored by Wendell Pierce as Captain Wagner. But then comes last week's episode, "High Class Problems," with guest star Constance Wu in a classic Wu-dunit (no applause, please), and it reveals the one thing that has been missing: Carra Patterson's Detective Kaya Blanke.

Kaya Blanke Has Been MIA for Most of ‘Elsbeth’s Season 3

We knew going into Season 3 of Elsbeth that Patterson had left the series as a regular, but would appear intermittently throughout the season. Prior to last week, "intermittently" meant once, with Blanke resurfacing in the third episode, "Good Grief," in her undercover guise as Denise Jackson, working on an operation uncovering corruption on the docks. They make covert plans to meet at the bar, and catch up on what's been happening since Kaya left for D.C. Elsbeth hands over a Loch Ness Monster plushie she brought back from Scotland for Kaya, and Kaya, in a second rendezvous at the bar, gives Elsbeth surveillance photos to help with her case. Their second meeting is interrupted by a man who recognizes Kaya as Jackson, and she leaves with him.

Wagner gifts Elsbeth a burner phone at the end of the episode, a one-time-only opportunity to call Kaya, but when she calls, Elsbeth hears, "The number you have reached is not in service. Please check the number and dial again." A concerned Elsbeth asks Wagner in the next episode if he's heard from Kaya; he has not, but assures her Kaya's probably fine. Then, infuriatingly, Kaya isn't seen or heard from again, with nothing to assuage our fears that something terrible has happened.

Finally, 12 episodes later, after Elsbeth watches a news report about the waterfront corruption sting coming to a successful close, Kaya reappears to Elsbeth's great delight. The pair pick up where they left off, with Wagner sending off the reunited "Cagney and Lacey" on a new case, and that comfortable familiarity is on full display as they slowly but surely unravel Dr. Mallory Ryan's (Wu) machinations. The episode wraps up with a heartwarming scene at Elsbeth's where they kick off a girl's night, dressed in PJs and ready to watch the Golden Years edition of Black Veil (a fun reference to "Good Grief").

The Elsbeth/Kaya Dynamic Is Hard to Replace in 'Elsbeth'

It's not like Elsbeth went downhill after Patterson left: as mentioned, the third season has been above reproach. And the decision to use a rotating group of officers and detectives to fill that vacant spot at Elsbeth's side has worked, to a degree, offering an interesting opportunity to see how Elsbeth works given different dynamics. Some have worked better than others: Detective Bobby Smullen (Danny Mastrogiorgio) is a cynic who is quick to jump to the obvious suspect, in direct contrast to Elsbeth's more drawn-out and intuitive process, has been fun. The perpetually eager and young-at-heart Elsbeth works well with the eager and young-in-actuality Officer Reese Chandler (Ethan Slater).

But the character of Kaya Blanke gives Elsbeth – the character and the show – stability. More importantly, she provides what is arguably the biggest thing that Elsbeth has been missing: a friend. The rotating partners have been great, but none have been close enough for a friendship to develop, let alone one that naturally evolves into a frozen-yogurt-and-PJs girl's night. Alec Bloom (Ivan Hernandez) was a boyfriend, but that's not the same (and as it turns out, he wasn't a very good one at that). Both Wagner and her son Teddy (Ben Levi Ross) have had Elsbeth's best interests at heart, but again, neither are that female friend and confidante that truly grounds Elsbeth.

There's been nothing concrete said about Kaya's or, in turn, Patterson's future on the series going forward, other than confirmation that she will appear in the Season 3 finale, slated for Thursday, May 21. Presumably, that means nothing has changed, and Detective Kaya Blanke remains a welcome, but intermittent, presence. This recent appearance, however, has been a stark reminder that Elsbeth works best with stability and with the presence of a close friend. If the rotating partner on the job is the new normal, though – and it does have its positives – then showrunners would do well to fill the role of the latter, sooner than later. And if we're being honest, we hope that BFF is the same BFF, Kaya, that it's been all along. Cagney needs her Lacey, after all.