CBS’ unorthodox reboot of Matlock has charmed and shocked in its first season, and the Kathy Bates-led legal procedural has earned a season 2 renewal. Based on the 1980s series of the same name, the modern reboot follows a septuagenarian lawyer named Matty Matlock (Bates) who returns to the world of law and uses her unassuming status to get to the bottom of her cases.

Though the series features the same procedural structure as its predecessor, it has the added wrinkle of exploring Matty’s mysterious backstory that involves a tragedy from her past.

Though reboots of classic shows are nothing new (Quantum Leap, Hawaii Five-0, etc.) Matlock is a truly original take because it adds an unprecedented wrinkle. In the Kathy Bates version, Andy Griffith’s ’80s Matlock exists in-universe as a TV show, and it’s not exactly a coincidence that the lead characters share a name.

On top of that, Matty Matlock isn’t a wise-cracking lawyer with a heart of gold, she’s actually a grieving mother on a mission to bring down the people responsible for her daughter’s death. This made a second season an interesting proposition, and the show was quickly renewed.

Matlock Season 2 Latest News

The Matlock Cast Has Some Great Guest Star Ideas

Though the first season of Matlock might be done airing, the cast is still hard at work. In their off-season, they have been present at events hosted by CBS and various media outlets to discuss the series. In the latest Matlock season 2 news, the cast all have exciting requests for the new season.

Both Jason Ritter and Skye P. Marshall told Entertainment Tonight that they are lobbying hard for some very specific guest stars. Both Ritter and Marshall are married to fellow actors, and they both would like to see their spouses guest star on the show.

Scheduling that might be difficult for Ritter’s wife, since Melanie Lynskey is pretty busy with Yellowjackets. Marshall’s husband, Edwin Hodge, just finished a successful run on FBI: Most Wanted, so he might be able to work in a guest spot between new projects.

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The cast of Matlock has also been interested in getting country music legend Dolly Parton to appear as a guest star on the show. Parton actually responded to their request via Entertainment Tonight. She confirmed that she knew of the interest, but when she was originally approached, her husband was very ill at the time.

Parton indicated she would still be interested in appearing on the show in the future.

Matlock Season 2 Is Confirmed

Season 2 Is Coming Soon

CBS took a big risk when rebooting Matlock, and though reboots have found success, they have also crashed and burned as well. However, the immediate success of Matlock put those worries to bed, and CBS quickly renewed the show for a sophomore season.

With the star power of Kathy Bates anchoring the show, the second episode kept the momentum going from its explosive premiere by delivering a 6.38 million viewer base. Though those numbers dropped a bit throughout the show’s 18-episode debut season (with an average of 6.1 million viewers per TV Series Finale), the immediate success necessitated a renewal.

With season 1 out of the way, the focus can finally shift to the sophomore outing, though details are still somewhat scant regarding season 2. While season 1 had a long and unusual path to the small screen, it’s expected that Matlock season 2 will be back soon, and network shows typically keep a pretty tight schedule.

Though nothing has been confirmed yet, Matlock season 2 will premiere at some point in fall 2025, a year or so after the season 1 debut in 2024. Shooting is taking place during the summer of 2025.

According to the CBS 2025 TV schedule, Matlock will retain its spot on Thursday nights for the network.

Matlock Season 2 Cast Details

Will Kathy Bates Return?

Unlike the usual network TV fare, the Matlock reboot automatically gained attention because of its A-list star. Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner Kathy Bates anchors the series as Matty Matlock (aka Madeline Kingston), and she will return in season 2.

Rumors circulated that Bates planned on retiring after calling the series her “last dance,” but she clarified her comment in an interview with People, explaining she loved the show and had been grabbed from the twist in the pilot script. She told the outlet, “I can’t believe I’m 76, and I want the show to run for another five years.”

Likewise, she’ll be joined by Skye P. Marshall as Matty’s uncertain ally Olympia, especially after she has just been made a partner at the firm. Though Jason Ritter’s Julian Markston stepped away from the firm, he’s confirmed to return in season 2. Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman confirmed the return herself.

Shortly after the season 1 finale, Urman spoke candidly about the return of Julian (Jason Ritter), who seemingly left the series by quitting the firm. “Nope, you’re going to get more,” said Urman, “there are going to be so many things that happen!“

The announcement isn’t particularly surprising, considering how integral Julian is to the lives of Senior as well as Olympia. However, it’s unclear how big Julian’s role will be in season 2, and it could be somewhat diminished since he won’t be around the office anymore.

Read Urman’s full comment here:

I mean, [going after Senior] is definitely a smart take on what Olympia would want.

Nope, you’re going to get more…. He did just quit the firm. He did just quit the firm. Yes, there are going to be so many things that happen! So many things. [Laughs]

The season 1 finale also introduced Niko Nicotera as a man claiming to be Alfie’s (Aaron Harris) father, and he’ll be back in season 2.

The prospective cast of Matlock season 2 includes:

Actor	Matlock Reboot Role
Kathy Bates	Matty Matlock
Skye P. Marshall	Olympia
Jason Ritter	Julian
David Del Rio	Billy
Leah Lewis	Sarah
Beau Bridges	Senior
Sam Anderson	Edwin Kingston
Aaron Harris	Alfie Kingston
Niko Nicotera	Alfie’s “Father”

One thing that is less easy to predict is the show’s weekly guest stars, and it’s expected that season 2 will continue the weekly casting. Like the original courtroom drama TV series, the Matlock reboot relies on the case-of-the-week format, and that requires a healthy roster of supporting and one-off guest roles to play opposite Matty and her co-workers.

If the cast gets their way, the audience could see the likes of Melanie Lynskey, Edwin Hodge, and Dolly Parton in season 3. They would add a bevy of talent to the show. Skye P. Marshall did offer up a great possibility for Parton: as Matty and her sister’s hometown friend, Cindy Shapiro, who has repeatedly been referenced.

Matlock Season 2 Story Details

Will Matty’s Secret Be Revealed To Others?

Matlock threw a twist at the audience in its debut episode, and that sort of unpredictable approach extended all the way to the season 1 finale. Now that the first season is out of the way, it has set the stage for a pretty clear direction for season 2 and left a myriad of cliffhangers unresolved.

First, Olympia got the promotion instead of her ex, Julian, and the son-of-the-boss decided to call it quits. Olympia then found the Wellbrexa study in Julian’s safety deposit box, and he confessed why he had it, meaning he wasn’t as innocent as he claimed.

This will undoubtedly change their dynamic, though Olympia is likely to shield the father of her children from prosecution in order to protect her kids. Meanwhile, Olympia and Matty’s relationship has hit a stable place, but now Olympia is the one with a big secret, having just told Matty that Julian could not have stolen the study.

This will be a heavy thing for Olympia to deal with in season 2, but as someone who loves justice in the form of class action lawsuits, Skye P. Marshall believes her character will find a creative way to deal with that.

In an interview alongside Jason Ritter for TV Insider, Marshall asserted that Olympia is the kind of person to go for the bigger threat. With Julian acting on his father’s orders, Olympia’s target will likely be Senior in season 2:

I think since day one of the pilot of Matlock, Olympia has been laser beam focused on justice. Matty has a case. There’s a victim involved. Let’s get to business, but also Julian has a dictator, right? So, who told you to do this, and who told him to do this? I think that Olympia, she represents people who don’t have the skill or the will to get justice for themselves, and she will find out who’s responsible and then get the class action from the big boys. I think she is going to go for the big fish and not let all of this fall on my ex-husband.

Finally, Alfie’s so-called father has come out of the woodwork, but it’s uncertain if he’s telling the truth since Matlock is built on its twists and turns. His presence will play into the at-home family dynamic for Matty while the series still continues its case-of-the-week format.

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Matlock Season 2 Could Put A Former Villain At Even Greater Risk Than Matty Thanks To 1 Story Detail

Matlock season 2 is already set up to take Matty on a whirlwind ride, but one of her former antagonists is in arguably much more urgent jeopardy.

While fans might have to wait a little while to see it happen, the Matlock cast has been very vocal in multiple interviews about wanting to do a musical episode. The interest was sparked by fans enjoying Ritter’s dances in his social media interviews. Marshall and Ritter are both excited about the possibility, though it’s not confirmed.

What is confirmed is a very different episode for Matlock season 2. The CBS series will cross over with another successful CBS drama – Elsbeth. Both series are set in New York, but it is not yet clear how the characters of each series will cross paths.

Season 1’s reveals haven’t completely robbed Matty of her motivation, and she hasn’t quite gotten to the bottom of the Wellbrexa case yet. Though that likely won’t anchor the show forever, it can at least continue throughout season 2 as she continues to doggedly track down the truth about her daughter’s death.

Matlock season 2 has a lot to work with, and more twists are expected sooner or later.

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Matlock

9/10

Release Date

September 22, 2024

Directors

Kat Coiro, Brad Silberling, Gina Lamar, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Jennifer Lynch, Jude Weng, Tessa Blake, Yangzom Brauen, Marie Jamora, Daniel Willis

Writers

Nicki Renna, Jeffrey Lieber, Sara Rose Feinberg

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  Skye P. Marshall

  Olympia Lawrence