You probably thought we didn't need another reboot. Honestly, most of us did. When word first got out that Kathy Bates was stepping into the shoes—or at least the name—of Ben Matlock, the internet kind of groaned. We remembered the crusty, folksy Andy Griffith in his seersucker suit, eating hot dogs and winning cases in Georgia. It felt like another safe, dusty network play.
But then the pilot for the Kathy Bates new show, simply titled Matlock, actually aired. And everything changed.
It turns out this isn't a gender-swapped remake. It's something much weirder and way more clever. Bates plays Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a 75-year-old woman who talks her way into a job at the prestigious Jacobson Moore law firm in New York. She claims she’s a broke widow who needs to support her grandson. She uses her age like a camouflage, leaning into the "invisible old lady" trope to eavesdrop on conversations and swipe documents while people literally look right through her.
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Then comes the twist. The one that made people stop scrolling and actually pay attention.
That Ending Though: The Twist You Didn’t See Coming
If you haven't watched the first episode yet, look away. Seriously. Because the Kathy Bates new show pulls a fast one that redefines the entire series.
At the end of the pilot, we see Matty leave her "modest" life, get into a town car, and head home to a massive, sprawling estate. Her real name is Madeline Kingston. She isn’t broke. She isn’t some bumbling retiree looking for a second act. She is a woman on a mission of cold, calculated revenge.
She blames the partners at Jacobson Moore for the opioid crisis that killed her daughter. She chose the name Matlock specifically because it makes people think of the old, harmless TV show. It’s a meta-joke she uses as a weapon. She is an undercover operative in a cardigan, and it is absolutely thrilling to watch.
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Why Kathy Bates Almost Didn't Do It
Bates has been very vocal about the fact that she was basically ready to retire. She famously called this her “last dance.” After a career spanning Misery, Titanic, and American Horror Story, she was tired of the grind.
But then she read Jennie Snyder Urman’s script.
She realized the character of Matty was a way to talk about something she felt deeply: ageism. In interviews, Bates has mentioned how she felt invisible as she got older in Hollywood. In Matlock, she turns that invisibility into a superpower. She’s not just playing a lawyer; she’s playing an actress playing a lawyer. It’s a meta-performance that only someone of her caliber could pull off.
The Cast Surrounding the Legend
While Bates is the sun that everything orbits around, the supporting cast at Jacobson Moore keeps the stakes feeling real.
- Skye P. Marshall plays Olympia, Matty’s boss and a high-powered attorney who is initially the most skeptical of the new "intern."
- Jason Ritter is Julian, the son of the firm's founder, who is a bit more charmed by Matty’s folksy routine.
- Beau Bridges plays "Senior," the man at the top of the food chain and one of Matty's primary targets.
The chemistry is prickly. It’s not a "one big happy family" vibe. Olympia is dealing with a messy divorce from Julian, and the office politics are cutthroat. Matty has to navigate these egos while secretly trying to find the specific documents that prove the firm covered up the dangers of the drugs that destroyed her family.
Where the Show Stands in 2026
As of January 2026, the show is a certified juggernaut. It’s currently in its second season on CBS, and it’s pulling numbers that network TV hasn't seen in years. We’re talking over 10 million viewers per episode when you factor in the streaming on Paramount+.
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The second season has doubled down on the "mole" aspect of the story. Matty is getting closer to the truth, but the risk of her identity being exposed is higher than ever. Guest stars like Edwin Hodge have joined the fray, adding even more tension to an already crowded legal arena.
Is It Worth Your Time?
If you’re looking for a cozy mystery where everything is wrapped up in 42 minutes, this might surprise you. Yes, there is a "case of the week" element—Matty is a brilliant lawyer, after all—but the overarching revenge plot is what keeps people binging.
It deals with heavy stuff:
- The reality of the opioid epidemic and corporate greed.
- The way society discards people over the age of 70.
- The moral complexity of lying to people who are starting to become your friends.
You find yourself rooting for Matty to take these people down, even when she’s being objectively "bad" to get there. It’s a gray area that most network procedurals are too afraid to touch.
The verdict is in: The Kathy Bates new show is the rare reboot that actually has something new to say. It respects the legacy of the original Matlock by using it as a clever narrative shield, then stabs you in the front with a sharp, modern legal thriller.
If you want to keep up with Matty’s quest for justice, your best bet is to catch new episodes on CBS on Thursday nights or stream the entire first season on Paramount+ to get caught up on the clues she's been dropping. Pay attention to the background details—this show rewards the viewers who look as closely as Matty does.
Next Steps to Stay Updated: - Check the CBS Thursday night schedule for the midseason return in February 2026.
- Stream Season 1 on Paramount+ to find all the "Easter eggs" hidden in Matty's office interactions.
- Follow the official show social media for casting updates on the remainder of Season 2.