(Photo: CBS)
In its first season, Matlock was one of CBS’ most-watched series, outperforming many of the network’s established shows. Will the series continue to be a winner for the network or, will the ratings fall in the show’s sophomore year? Will Matlock be cancelled or renewed for season three? Stay tuned.
A reimagining of the 1980s and 90s legal drama of the same name, this Matlock TV series stars Kathy Bates, Skye P. Marshall, Jason Ritter, and Leah Lewis. David Del Rio, Justina Machado, Sam Anderson, and Aaron Harris recur. Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Bates) is a brilliant septuagenarian who succeeded in her younger years and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm now that she’s widowed. She uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases. Matty is assigned to Olympia (Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker thirsty for justice. Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Ritter), the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills. As Matty endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world, she works alongside the firm’s younger associates: charismatic Billy (Del Rio) and the uber-ambitious Sarah (Lewis). Matty good-naturedly takes ribbing for having the same last name as the classic TV lawyer. In reality, her real name is Madeline Kingston and she is wealthy and a happily married grandmother. She’s grieving the loss of her daughter who died from an opioid overdose and is seeking retribution.
Nielsen Ratings
The Nielsen ratings are typically the best indication of a show’s chances of staying on the air. The higher the ratings, the better the chances of survival. This chart is updated as new ratings data becomes available.
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For comparisons: Season one of Matlock on CBS averaged a 0.37 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 6.16 million viewers.
Note: These are the final national ratings, including all live+same day viewing and DVR playback (through 3:00 AM). While these numbers don’t include further delayed or streaming viewing, they are a very good indicator of how a show is performing, especially when compared to others on the same channel. There can be other economic factors involved in a show’s fate, but typically the higher-rated series are renewed and the lower-rated ones are cancelled.
Your Ratings (aka Viewer Votes)
Here’s your chance to rate episodes of Matlock yourself. You can see how this show compares to others here.
TV SHOW STATUS
As of October 13, 2025, Matlock has not been cancelled or renewed for a third season. Stay tuned for further updates.
What do you think? Do you like the Matlock TV series on CBS? Should it be cancelled or renewed for a third season?