CBS’ Matlock reboot has only just started airing (and added another strong female lead to the fall 2024 broadcast schedule), but there is already news about its fate.
Variety reported that CBS has renewed Matlock for season 2. Although network dramas are typically renewed or canceled in the spring, CBS could tell that this series is already a hit and thought “Everyone needs to see more Kathy Bates!” Okay, there was probably a nuanced conversation involving numbers and ratings, but that’s what I would say if I were in charge.
More people watched the Matlock pilot than any CBS pilot in over five years. The pilot had 7.73 million total viewers, which definitely explains why it was renewed after just the first two episodes aired on Sept. 22 and Oct. 17, 2024.
As Vulture pointed out, there is a huge surprise that makes this fresh Matlock even better than people thought it would be, which also makes it a must-watch TV show. Mike Benson, the chief marketing officer at CBS, told the publication, “We wanted to create something that could stand on its own and had nothing to do with the old IP.” The OG series starred Andy Grifflick as lawyer Ben Matlock, and each episode, which aired for 9 seasons from 1986 to 1995, followed an old-school case-of-the-week format. It’s awesome that the new Matlock has done something unique, even in just its first two episodes. Fans have proven they enjoy watching reboots of popular procedurals like Hawaii Five-O and Criminal Minds, but Matlock is genuinely intriguing.
Bates has been an inspiring talent in Hollywood since the 1980s, whether she’s talking about winning an Oscar for the epic horror movie Misery or playing a villain on American Horror Story. She was a smart choice to lead the Matlock reboot and her gripping presence immediately draws viewers in. As horror and thriller fans know, a stunning twist is always fun. However, if the right actor isn’t starring in a project and there’s no character arc, it’s not as impressive or powerful. Thankfully, Matlock has a lot of good things going for it. It also has a stand-out cast that includes Skye P. Marshall and Jason Ritter as law firm partners Olympia Lawrence and Julian Markston who just so happens to be going through a tough divorce (juicy!).
Fans can thank the show for ensuring we all see more of Bates on our small screens. As the actress told The Hollywood Reporter, she was “thinking about going into semi-retirement” but loved “the script” as well as “the twist of the end.” She talked about how successful the show already is and said, “I really can’t believe all this, especially at my age.” Bates shared the same thought in another interview: “How often does a 75-year-old woman get to be the head of a series? And in such a wonderful role?” Hopefully, that will change now that everyone has seen this awesome reboot.
If you haven’t checked out Matlock yet (and want to know what the massive reveal is), the time is now. The show airs on CBS on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. E.T. Along with 9-1-1 and Grey’s Anatomy, Matlock is one of the most fun and engrossing shows you could watch while celebrating that it’s almost the weekend.
CBS’ ‘Matlock’ already knows whether or not it’s coming back for season 2
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