Nicole Scherzinger Guest Stars as a Murderous Marriage Counselor in Elsbeth Season 4

Nothing says “trust me with your marriage” quite like hiding a murderous passion, apparently.

Elsbeth is kicking off Season 4 with Nicole Scherzinger stepping into the guest-star spotlight as Serena Collyer, a renowned marriage counselor whose polished exterior is hiding something considerably messier and deadlier.

CBS has revealed details for the Season 4 premiere, appropriately titled “Crazy in Love,” which will bring Elsbeth into Serena’s orbit as she begins looking beneath the seemingly composed counselor’s exterior. And if you have watched Elsbeth for any length of time, you already know how this usually goes.

The series has built its mysteries around letting viewers in on the secret while Elsbeth slowly begins noticing all the little details that don't quite add up. The real fun isn't necessarily figuring out who did it. It's watching a very confident suspect realize that Carrie Preston's endlessly curious Elsbeth Tascioni might be much harder to fool than they initially expected.

Scherzinger feels like particularly fun casting for that formula.

Serena is described as a renowned marriage counselor, which presumably means she's pretty good at presenting herself as someone who understands relationships, emotions and how people behave. Putting someone like that across from Elsbeth could make for an entertaining battle of observation as the two women attempt to figure each other out. Of course, we already know Serena has something major to hide.

CBS says her cool demeanor conceals a “murderous and messy passion,” and that's about as Elsbeth as a character description gets. The question isn't whether Elsbeth will become suspicious. It's how long Serena can keep her secrets from her once she does.

The premiere isn't entirely focused on murder, either. Gloria Reuben will return as Claudia Payne, while another development hits much closer to home for Elsbeth: Teddy sets a wedding date.

That should give the premiere a little personal movement alongside its central mystery and could provide Elsbeth with something much happier to think about when she isn't busy trying to unravel whatever Serena has gotten herself into.

Between Scherzinger playing a potentially delicious new adversary, Claudia's return and Teddy moving forward with his wedding plans, Elsbeth has several reasons for viewers to check back in when Season 4 begins. But let's be serious. Nicole Scherzinger playing a glamorous marriage counselor with a murderous side already sold us.

Elsbeth Season 4 premieres Thursday, Oct. 8 at its new time, 9:02 p.m. ET/PT, on CBS and streams on Paramount+.