If you thought TV had too many legal dramas as it is, you might want to make room for Matlock, starring Kathy Bates, as it’s a good one. At the time of this writing, Matlock has a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This version of the show is a gender-flipped reboot of the 1980s show of the same name starring Andy Griffith way later in his career. There are currently no ties to the old series, and with Griffith long passed away, there isn’t any hope of him showing up for a cameo.
Kathy Bates’ version stands alone, and for those who put stock in Rotten Tomatoes scores, it’s surely worth a watch. Matlock follows Madeline “Matty” Matlock, played by Bates, as she gets back to work in her 70s. The first episode debuted on September 22, but the second episode doesn’t release until October 17. For those who liked what they saw, there’s nearly a month-long wait for more. The rest of the season is set to run for 18 episodes, but there’s no reason not to suspect more to come if the Tomatometer remains this high and the viewership is there to back it up.
There’s also a good reason to want to see CBS’ Matlock continue if you’re a fan of its lead actress. Kathy Bates originally planned to retire from acting following this role, but she clarified those comments and left the door open for a return.
It Might Not Be Over For Bates After Matlock
Kathy Bates is 76 years old, so she is closer to the end of her career than she is to the beginning, but it may not be over just yet. Despite saying Matlock was going to be her last role, she told Deadline at the Emmys she’s never going to retire. Bates did say she was considering a partial retirement before Matlock, however.
“I was thinking about maybe going into semi-retirement until I got Jennie Urman’s script for
Matlock
.”
Bates has had a long, successful career that includes award-winning roles in iconic movies and television shows. She won an Oscar for her role in Misery, a Stephen King adaptation. On top of that, she played the Unsinkable Molly Brown in Titanic, the highest-grossing movie of all time, before being surpassed by Avatar. Outside of movies, she has also had high-profile roles on TV. She played Jo Bennett on The Office, and she’s appeared in multiple seasons of American Horror Story. Simply put, she’s had many great performances.
Her age hasn’t exactly slowed Bates down, as she released two films in 2023 and two more in 2024, on top of her leading role in Matlock. Fans looking to see her show up in another season of American Horror Story might not want to hold their breath, however. She last appeared in 2018’s Apocalypse, which means it has now been four seasons since we’ve last seen her show up on the show after being a mainstay for several years. That doesn’t mean she can’t make an appearance in the future, but it means she’ll have to juggle two TV shows at once.
Matlock airs on CBS and streams on Paramount+. Episode two airs on October 17.
