Matlock Returns: Midseason Premiere Is About to Ruin Everything
- Je-Ree
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
After a winter hiatus that felt longer than a jury deliberation, the Matlock reboot is officially back, and the stakes have never been higher. Returning with the highly anticipated Season 2, Episode 9, titled "Collateral," the series proves that Kathy Bates isn’t just carrying the show, she’s dragging it into the upper echelons of must-watch TV.
The Midseason Premiere: Legal Drama Meets High-Stakes Betrayal
When we last left the hallowed halls of Jacobson Moore, the tension was thick enough to clog a courtroom printer. Matty’s secret, that she’s a wealthy, vengeful powerhouse posing as a "down-on-her-luck" widow to take down the firm responsible for the opioid crisis is finally fraying at the edges.
In "Collateral," the return from winter break doesn't just simmer; it boils over. The episode centers on an injunction case that takes a harrowing turn when the client is snatched up by ICE agents. It’s a classic legal procedural trope but Matlock gives it a fresh coat of grit. As Olympia and Matty scramble to prevent a deportation, the real drama happens behind closed doors. Julian, played with a perfect mix of suspicion and hurt by Jason Ritter, is officially on the warpath. He’s looking for collateral and Matty is running out of ways to hide her trail.
Official logline, "Olympia and Matty each put together their own collateral for Julian, hoping to regain his trust after he makes a shocking discovery. Meanwhile, an injunction case takes a turn when their client is detained by ICE agents, forcing the team to shift gears to keep him with his family and prevent deportation."
New Blood and Efficiency Experts
Because a law firm isn't stressful enough, the show introduces Sarah Wright Olsen as Gwen, an efficiency expert. In the world of Matlock, "efficiency expert" is just code for "person who is going to make everyone's life miserable while wearing a very expensive blazer."
Adding to the drama is Hunter (Henry Haber), the new associate from the floater pool. If you were worried the show was getting too serious, Hunter’s "bro-y" energy provides the perfect comedic foil to Matty’s calculated brilliance. Watching Bates interact with a Gen Z associate who likely thinks The Matlock was a vintage clothing brand is the kind of TV gold we pay for.
Why Matlock is the Best Reboot on Television
The genius of this Matlock revival on CBS is the subversion of expectations. It’s not your grandfather’s legal drama. It’s a revenge thriller wrapped in a cozy procedural sweater. The writing is sharp, the pacing is frantic and the underlying mystery of Matty’s true identity keeps us coming back for more than just the "case of the week."
As the season progresses, the walls are closing in. Can Matty achieve her goal of destroying the firm from the inside before Julian puts the pieces together? If "Collateral" is any indication, the road to justice is going to be paved with broken friendships and very awkward office birthdays.
Matlock continues to air Thursdays at 9:00 PM ET/PT on CBS, and you can stream every episode on Paramount+ when it returns on Thursday Feb 26.
Keep it locked to The TV Cave for all your recap needs. We’ll be here, snacks in hand, waiting to see who Matty takes down next. Do you think Julian will finally expose Matty's secret before the season finale, or does she have one more trick up her sleeve?