The Verdict Is In: Everything We Know About The Matlock Season 2 Return Date And Cast (Updated 2025)

The highly anticipated return of the legal procedural hit, Matlock, is officially scheduled for a Season 2 premiere in late 2025, bringing Academy Award winner Kathy Bates back to the small screen as the brilliant, septuagenarian defense attorney. The CBS reboot, which took a fresh, gender-flipped approach to the classic Andy Griffith series, has been renewed and is set to kick off its second season with a special Sunday night debut before settling into its regular weekly slot. This article, updated in December 2025, breaks down the complete release schedule, the full cast list, and the latest plot revelations for the new season.

The reimagining of the beloved 1986–1995 legal drama has captivated a new generation of viewers, focusing on Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a formidable lawyer who stages a late-career comeback. The first season left fans with plenty of unanswered questions, and the upcoming 2025 season promises to dive even deeper into the mystery surrounding Matty’s true identity and her unorthodox methods of seeking justice. Get ready to mark your calendars for the most shocking courtroom drama of the year.

Madeline “Matty” Matlock: A Complete Biography of the New Lead

The central figure of the CBS legal procedural is a stark departure from the original Ben Matlock, offering a character layered with mystery, ambition, and a hidden past. Kathy Bates, who also serves as an executive producer, embodies this complex role with her signature blend of warmth and steel.

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• Full Name/Alias: Madeline “Matty” Matlock.
• Real Identity: Madeline Kingston.
• Role: Highly successful, septuagenarian lawyer who decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious New York law firm, ostensibly to find a new purpose.
• True Motivation: Matty, whose real name is Madeline Kingston, is secretly investigating a past injustice that led to her original downfall, using her "Matlock" persona as a cover.
• Career Background: Achieved significant success in her younger years before a mysterious, career-ending incident forced her into early retirement.
• Character Traits: Brilliant, eccentric, deceptively sweet-looking, and a master of disguise and manipulation in the pursuit of the truth.
• Show Connection: The series acknowledges the existence of the original Andy Griffith character, Ben Matlock, as a beloved fictional TV lawyer, further emphasizing the "reimagining" status of the new show.

The Shocking Matlock Season 2 Release Date and Schedule

The question on every fan's mind—"when does Matlock return?"—now has a concrete answer, with CBS confirming the air date and a unique schedule for the Season 2 premiere.

The official premiere date for Matlock Season 2 is Sunday, October 12, 2025.

This date is set to kick off the CBS Premiere Week with a special sneak peek episode. The network is giving the legal drama a prime spot to maximize viewership before it returns to its regular weekly timeslot.

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Season 2 Premiere Details

• Premiere Date: Sunday, October 12, 2025.
• Special Premiere Time: 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.
• Network: CBS (and available for streaming on Paramount+).
• Regular Timeslot: The show will return to its regular Thursday night timeslot for subsequent episodes.

Fans should note a minor interruption in the schedule later in the year. The second season is expected to take a short, two-week hiatus in November 2025 to accommodate the Thanksgiving holiday programming, but it will quickly return with new episodes before the end of the year.

Behind the Bench: Cast, Characters, and Creative Team

The success of the Matlock reboot is not just down to Kathy Bates' captivating performance; it is also a testament to a strong ensemble cast and a high-caliber creative team. The second season introduces new faces while bringing back the core team at the prestigious law firm.

The Returning Matlock Cast

The core ensemble of the legal procedural will be back to navigate the complex cases alongside Matty Matlock. Their dynamic, particularly the tension between Matty’s unorthodox methods and the firm's corporate structure, is a major focus.

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• Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock / Madeline Kingston.
• Skye P. Marshall as Olympia Lawrence: A powerhouse attorney and Matty’s primary contact at the firm, who often finds herself managing Matty's unconventional strategies.
• Jason Ritter as Julian Markston: The ambitious and slightly entitled son of the firm’s founder, who is constantly trying to prove himself.
• Beau Bridges: Plays a recurring role, adding veteran star power to the cast.
• Leah Lewis: A key member of the firm's younger generation.
• Sam Anderson: Also returns in an undisclosed role.
• Aaron D. Harris: Completes the returning main cast.

New Faces for Season 2

To inject fresh energy and new challenges into the narrative, Season 2 is adding at least two major new characters:

• Sarah Wright Olsen joins the cast as Gwen, an efficiency expert. Her character is tasked with analyzing the firm's operations, which is sure to put her in direct conflict with Matty’s less-than-efficient, but highly effective, methods.
• Henry Haber has also been announced as a new addition to the Season 2 cast.

The Creative Minds: Showrunners and Executive Producers

The show's unique tone—a blend of classic courtroom drama with modern, character-driven mystery—is largely credited to its creative leadership. The series was developed by Jennie Snyder Urman, known for her work on *Jane the Virgin*, and she serves as the showrunner.

The team of executive producers is extensive, ensuring a high-quality production value. It includes:

• Jennie Snyder Urman
• Kathy Bates (the star herself)
• Joanna Klein
• Eric Christian Olsen (a former *NCIS: Los Angeles* star)
• John Will
• Kat Coiro

The Matlock Reboot: An Unorthodox Success Story

The original series, which aired from 1986 to 1995 and starred Andy Griffith as the folksy, hot dog-loving defense attorney Ben Matlock, is an iconic piece of television history. The 2024 CBS reboot, however, is an "unorthodox" reimagining rather than a direct continuation.

The primary difference is the gender-flipped lead and the core mystery. While the original focused on Ben Matlock's case-of-the-week brilliance, the new series centers on Madeline Matlock's ongoing personal mission. The original Ben Matlock was a Southern gentleman known for his cheapness and his distinctive light-colored suit. The new Matty Matlock is a wealthy, septuagenarian powerhouse operating in the high-stakes world of New York law, using a fake alias (Madeline Kingston) to get close to the people she suspects were involved in her past professional tragedy.

This twist, where the lead is not just solving crimes but also operating under a cover to pursue a long-term goal, adds a compelling, serialized element that was absent from the original procedural format. Fans of the new series are eager to see how the Season 2 narrative will unravel the truth about Madeline Kingston and the master plan that brought her back to the courtroom.