Matlock Series Starring Kathy Bates Lands Pilot Order at CBS
Matlock is coming back to TV… but she’ll look a little different this time. (Yes, we said “she.”)
Oscar winner Kathy Bates will play the title character in a new version of Matlock, which has earned a pilot order at CBS, TVLine has learned. Andy Griffith starred as the folksy lawyer on the original Matlock, which ran for six seasons on NBC and then another three seasons on ABC.
“After achieving success in her younger years, the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline Matlock (Kathy Bates) rejoins the work force at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within,” according to the official description. The new Matlock is “inspired by the classic television series of the same name,” per CBS.
Bates is also an executive producer on the new Matlock, along with Jennie Snyder Urman (Jane the Virgin), Joanna Klein (Good Sam), NCIS: Los Angeles star Eric Christian Olsen and John Will. Bates is known for her film work in Misery, Fried Green Tomatoes and Titanic, but she’s done plenty of TV work in recent years on shows like American Horror Story and Disjointed. She even played a lawyer on the NBC drama Harry’s Law, a role that earned her a pair of Emmy nominations.
Along with Matlock, CBS also handed a pilot order to Elsbeth, a spinoff of The Good Wife starring Carrie Preston, and opened writers’ rooms for dramas Watson (about Sherlock Holmes’ famed companion) and The Pact. The network already ordered to series the Justin Hartley drama The Never Game last month.
Are you willing to argue in favor of Kathy Bates as Matlock? Or is this a great TV injustice? Make your case in the comments.
I’ll be giving that a look, just for Kathy Bates. Love her in whatever she does.
Yeah this is perfect casting. I’m just glad they aren’t making Madlock like a 25 year old. I’ll check this out.
Kathy Bates can probably pull this off….
I recall that Kathy Bates was in a show on NBC, called “Harry’s Law” which, despite respectable ratings, was canceled because – while overall viewership was good, the demo was low.
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Hope this won’t be deja vu!
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Anyway, Matlock as a woman? Eh, why not? A folksy crime show worked for Angela Lansbury! (And Dick Van Dyke! And, naturally, Andy Griffith!)
You can rewatch Harry’s Law on Freevee right now! Just finishing up the second season. Still a strong, funny and smart show.
NBC also cancelled ‘The Mysteries of Laura’ because of ageism too.
Yeah, NBC gave it a yr 2, and with a soft reboot, to try to get youg eyeballs, it continued to have high overall low 18-34 deno on a night that they could never win Wed. Use to be NBC’s black hole, fox had AI, ABC had hit comedies, CBS had Survivor and CSI NY.
Seems like a solid Idea, SOunds very little like Matlock, he was a Southern Perry Mason, running a one man firm, with a daughter in tge secretary role then a detective, had more to do with Andy Grithiff slowly living in Atlanta, plus case of the week.
Matlock had two daughters played by Linda Purl and Brynn Thayer. Both were attorneys, not secretaries.
The daughter was an associate lawyer at the firm. Conrad was the investigator.
Yeah, I watched Harry’s Law when it was on. I was really disappointed when it was cancelled.
I could see this pairing well with So help me todd if it gets renewed.
Michael….I love that idea!!
anyone else mentally hear Abe Simpsons screaming the title
100% I’m glad it wasn’t only me haha
I’ll give it a look. I’ve liked everything I’ve seen her in.
I LOVED the original Matlock, but I’ll watch Kathy Bates in anything. I pray this works out well and goes to series and then to at least 8 seasons!
Just make a new series. Why these re-boots where they change the gender or race of the main character? It isn’t necessary. Re-boots rarely succeed because fans of the original are disappointed and new viewers are at least slightly at sea about what’s going on. An actress with the caliber of Kathie Bates doesn’t need this kind of gimic. I’ll watch it because of her, not because of the title, or because it’s reportedly a reboot.
Exactly, but Kathie Bates can’t do anything for stale reruns of reruns we have seen once too often…
Thank you! I feel exactly the same. Unfortunately reboots is all they seem to be able to make these days. Too bad too, because as much as I really like Kathy Bates, I doubt I will watch, because I was such a fan of the original.
Both Matlock and Harry’s law were canceled because skewe old. This never going to series in youth obsessed times.
Matlock ran for 9 seasons/181 episodes – if this last half that long it’ll be considered a hit!
Isn’t there a new Matlock already on TV?
You might be thinking of Perry Mason, which will see Matthew Rhys continuing to play the role when season 2 premieres March 6th on HBO.
Kathy Bates is a great actress.
YAAAY ELSBETH!!! I love Carrie Preston and especially her characterization of Elsbeth from THE GOOD WIFE. Im excited about this one!
Worked for Queen Latifah playing title role in The Equalizer…why not this one?
Exactly!!! Love Queen and love Kathy…I might have to give Matlock a try!
Matlock and In The Heat of the Night are the two “old people” shows that I never got mad at my grandparents for putting on. I am here for this. Can’t wait to watch.
Same, I’d cuddle up with snacks with my dad and watch these shows. Old time favorites.
It just won’t be the same so not even going to watch.
Seems we are in the minority here, but I agree with you, Joyce.
Definitely in favor!
I cannot Wait for this!!
I hope that this flops bigtime. To me it is really disrespectfully to reboot a TV series and then just take the name. None of what they state they have planned for it has anything whatsoever to do with the original Matlock. If they want to do it, then just call it a new series with a new name and don’t trash the old series.
I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you!
Exactly why I won’t be watching.
According to Deadline, this new show and its heroine will have a tie to the original Matlock. I’m just wondering what the tie in is. Matlock was one of my all time favorite shows, so I hope what they’re doing turns out pretty good, especially with Kathy Bates in it. I just wish they stopped doing these reboots. Why not do a new lawyer show with a taste of what Perry Mason, Matlock and some of these out popular Legal Show.
He had 2 daughters on the show neither had kids to my memorie, both left show before 94, could be a sister never mentioned or a identity theft, I guess easiest answer is a estranged wife post series
I am excited to see the new Matlock with Kathy Bates. I like her acting and watched Matlock before. When will it start?
Bates was great in Harry’s Law, it had very strong viewership numbers but low in the demo. Is this for CBS proper (linear) or Paramount+?
Only seniors would watch this and that’s not the 18-49 demo.
At this point only seniors watch over the air tv. With CW giving up on demo, I think just eye balls is what they want
I’m not a senior & I watch over the air tv.
Matlock Reboot? Nothing new? Nothing original? Nothing worth watching? Tons of writers on Amazon with super stories, and you dredge up this ancient history? How many cancelations last year? Even the advertisements are few and constant repeats. Did you notice any loss of audience?
I’ll watch Kathy Bates in anything!
Kathy Bates will do the character great justice. Hopefully the writers will write great scripts. Looking forward to this program.
Ugh, can we S T O P with the gender-flipping?
Thank you!
Loved Kathy Bates in Harry’s Law so I will definitely give this a shot. And I did love the Original Matlock series concept