CBS is bringing Matlock back with a heavy, timely storyline.
The legal drama’s midseason premiere — Season 2, Episode 9, titled “Collateral” — will center on an ICE-related case while picking up directly after the fallout from Julian’s shocking discovery about Matty and Olympia. The episode airs Thursday, February 26, at 9/8c on CBS.
In “Collateral,” an injunction case takes an unexpected turn when the firm’s client is detained by ICE agents, putting his family at risk of separation and deportation. The development forces Matty and Olympia to shift strategies as they fight to keep the family together — a storyline that adds real-world urgency to the show’s return.
At the same time, the episode explores the emotional aftermath of Julian learning the truth about Matty and Olympia’s secret alliance. Both women attempt to regain his trust, setting the stage for new tensions and power shifts within the firm.
The episode stars Kathy Bates as Matty, Skye P. Marshall as Olympia, and Jason Ritter as Julian. It was written by Conway Preston and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro and directed by Michele LaBrucherie.
Season 2’s back half will also introduce new faces following the exit of David Del Rio. Sarah Wright Olsen joins as Gwen, an efficiency expert brought in to assess the firm, while newcomer Henry Haber appears as Hunter, a young associate described as bringing a completely different energy to the office.
Speaking earlier this year, Marshall teased that the midseason return delivers twists that rival the show’s series-opening shock, adding that the new cast members bring “a different light and energy and charisma” to the story.
CBS has already renewed Matlock for Season 3, set to air during the 2026–2027 broadcast season, solidifying the series as one of the network’s strongest new performers.
Matlock returns Thursday, February 26, at 9/8c on CBS.