The wait is nearly over — Matlock is back, and the stakes have never been higher. CBS dropped the official trailer for Season 2 and if the teaser is any indication, Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Kathy Bates) is stepping back into the courtroom and right into a minefield of secrets, cover-ups, and betrayals.
Matty and Olympia: Allies or Enemies?
One of the biggest questions hanging over Season 2 is the fragile bond between Matty and Olympia (Skye P. Marshall). Once friends and allies, the new trailer shows them walking a dangerous line between trust and destruction.
Matty reveals she’s ready to go to The New York Times with explosive information about the Jacobson Moore law firm’s opioid cover-up — including the death of her daughter. But Olympia refuses to implicate her ex-husband Julian (Jason Ritter), even as Matty points out that Julian buried a critical study under orders from his father, Senior (Beau Bridges).
“You only need leverage if we’re on opposite sides,” Matty warns after Olympia suggests holding on to the Wellbrexa document for protection. In turn, Olympia compiles a list of Matty’s “federal offenses” and threatens to brand her a “crazy old lady with no evidence.”
The Wellbrexa Scandal Heats Up
The Wellbrexa case — a thread that ran throughout Season 1 — surges back to the forefront. Julian wrestles with whether to destroy the damning document once and for all, while Olympia scrambles to protect both him and her family. But Matty, with her “mastermind-caliber” plan, refuses to let corruption stay buried.
The question isn’t just whether the truth will come out, but whether Matty and Olympia’s fragile alliance can survive the fallout.
A Family Bombshell
Season 2 also opens with a twist that shakes Matty’s personal life. In the premiere, titled The Before Times, a man shows up claiming to be the father of young Alfie. For Matty — still grieving the loss of her daughter — this unexpected visitor forces her to confront new layers of hope, pain, and family.
Meet Eva: The Wild Card
The drama doesn’t stop there. Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) joins the cast as Eva, the fourth ex-wife of Senior Markston. Eva arrives under the guise of an “emergency meeting” but quickly seizes an opportunity to shift the balance of power, stirring up chaos inside the already fractured law firm.
Emmy Buzz and Return Dates
Kathy Bates, fresh off her Emmy nomination for Season 1, may have lost the award to Severance star Britt Lower, but she’s already generating buzz for her fierce return.
Matlock Season 2 premieres with a special debut on Sunday, October 12, at 8:30/7:30c on CBS, before moving to its regular Thursday night slot on October 16 at 9/8c. Episodes will also stream on Paramount+.