WARNING: Spoilers ahead for the Season 3 premiere of Elsbeth.

Stephen Colbert is already turning a major career shake-up into dramatic television fodder. In the Season 3 premiere of CBS’s Elsbeth, Colbert plays Scotty Bristol, a narcissistic late-night talk show host who becomes the episode’s murder victim — a role that feels especially meta given real-world developments.

What makes it more striking: Colbert filmed his Elsbeth scenes the very same week that CBS announced it would cancel The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Despite the timing, cast and crew say he stayed “flawless” and fully committed. Carrie Preston, star of Elsbeth, recalled being anxious about working with him so soon after the cancellation news but said Colbert’s presence energized the set.

In the episode, Scotty Bris

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