CBS is interested in more cases to be solved by Madeline “Matty” Matlock and her colleagues at Jacobson & Moore. After garnering solid viewership for the network since its premiere and strong critical reviews, CBS has decided that Kathy Bates will be back for more Matlock, which will return for the 2025-2026 broadcast season.
Per Deadline, Matlock has been renewed for a second season, becoming one of the first official renewals of the current television season. The news isn’t surprising given how well Matlock has been received since its premiere episode. After giving viewers a sneak peek of the show on Sept. 22, the episode pulled in a stellar 7.73 million viewers, making it CBS’ biggest audience for a non-post-Super Bowl series premiere in five and a half years. That is pretty impressive given the current state of network TV and the growing difficulty in producing a hit following the continued emergence of cable TV and streaming.
The vote of confidence for Season 2 also had to do with its ratings for its official time slot premiere on Oct. 17. Giving viewers enough time to sample the sneak peek episode via DVR playback and streaming allowed the second episode to pull in a solid 6.38 million viewers, showing growth of 44 percent from the same-day average in that time period last season. The episode is bound to see growth once days of cross-platform viewing are factored in, because the sneak peek grew to 10.67 million viewers after three days of cross-platform viewing.
Matlock’s Intriguing Plot-Twist Has Captivated Critics and Viewers
Matlock has managed to compel viewers early on thanks to a plot twist revealed at the conclusion of the premiere episode, which surprised critics and viewers alike. If anything, it was a sign that the new series wouldn’t just be rehashing the original show, which aired from 1986-1995. CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach commented on creator Jennie Snyder Urman’s twist for the new series and how it made the reimagining something exciting and new when the renewal news was revealed.
“This reconceived Matlock was devised by Jennie Snyder Urman with a brilliant surprise plot twist, and we knew we had something very special the moment we saw the first episode brought to life by the incredible Kathy Bates. The audience reception and critical acclaim for it has been overwhelming. We can’t wait to get started on a second season.”
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How CBS Kept Matlock Reboot Intriguing Without Giving Away Spoilers
The CBS team generated enough buzz around the Matlock reboot, and delivered strong results.
The new Matlock series exists in a universe that is familiar with the original show that starred Andy Griffith as the titular character. Madeline Kingston (Bates) is a wealthy lawyer who returns to practicing law for a very personal reason. Kingston’s daughter Ellie loved the original series and Kingston makes it her goal to take down the law firm of Jacobson & Moore from the inside because she believes that they were complicit in an opioid epidemic that ended Ellie’s life. Using the guise of a needy widow named “Matty Matlock,” Kingston helps her new colleagues tackle challenging cases to gain their trust and learn who was responsible for Ellie’s death. The series also stars Skye P. Marshall, Jason Ritter, David Del Rio and Leah Lewis.
Matlock has become one of the best-reviewed series of the new fall TV season, registering a 95 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a consensus that reads, “Case closed – this Matlock is a winner thanks to the ever-reliable Kathy Bates and the intriguing wrinkle it puts on the legendary series’ original concept.” Bates admitted that she was close to hanging up her acting act before Matlock came along. Although original reports suggested the actress was semi-close to retirement, she cleared up the misconception and expressed that she loves doing the show and hopes the series runs for many years.