Warning! This article contains spoilers for the first episode of CBS' Matlock.
CBS’Matlockreboot starring Kathy Bates has a plot twist that perfectly connects to the original Andy Griffith show.Matlockis a long-awaited reboot with a majorly successful premiere night on Sunday, July 22, 2025.TheMatlockreboot broke CBS' premiere recordwith almost 8 million viewers, the most CBS has had for a TV show premiere in five years (other than the Super Bowl).Matlockalso received a rare feat of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, proving it is successful with audiences and critics alike.
Leading up toMatlock’s premiere, it was unknown how the reboot would connect to the original and what kind of reboot the show would be. DespiteMatlock’s diverse cast of charactersand the riveting premise, the reboot was still under a lot of pressure to succeed, especially considering the history ofreboots that missed the point of the original. However,Matlock’s first episode introduced an unexpected but clevertwist that paid a special tribute to Andy Griffith’sMatlockwhile ensuring the new show remains fresh and entertaining.
How Kathy Bates' Matlock Connects To Andy Griffith’s Original Series Explained
Madeline Uses The Original Matlock Show As A Cover Story
Matlock’s “Pilot” episode reveals that Madeline Matlock’s real name is Madeline Kingston.She used Andy Griffith’sMatlockto go undercover at a law firm to avenge her daughter’s death. One of the partners at Madeline’s law firm hid documents that could have stopped the opioid epidemic, which killed her daughter. Madeline Matlock presents herself as a bumbling former lawyer who needs to improve her skills to keep up with this firm. However, the facade pays homage to Ben Matlock’s questionable but impressive skills as a lawyer, proving that Madeline is secretly much more like him than her new co-workers believe.
2024 Matlock Technically Not Being A Reboot Is So Much Better
Matlock Pays Tribute To Andy Griffith’s Show While Establishing Its Own Trajectory
CBS’Matlockis an infinitely better way to reboot classic shows and films. Instead of attempting to repeat a classic show or film with subtle changes,Matlockreveals a twist that is the perfect tribute to the original:Madeline Matlock is secretly much more like Ben Matlock than the narrative had initially suggested. When Hollywood pursues reboots and remakes of classic stories, there is often a lot of pressure to execute them flawlessly without hurting the original. Sometimes, there is a live-action adaptation of an animated classic, or a modernized version of an older film or TV show.
Matlock’s second episode will air Thursday, October 17, on CBS, establishing a regular Thursday evening schedule. Every new episode will be on Paramount Plus the following day.
Matlockchose an entirely different route when going about this reboot, which is paying off based on the widespread critical acclaim and viewership.The writers did not try to recreate the magic of Andy Griffith’sMatlock—they simply incorporated it into a new story. TheMatlockreboot perfectly tribute to the original show while establishing its own creative path. It differentiates from Andy Griffith’s show, standing on its own with some Easter eggs that honor the original. If more reboots chose to follow inMatlock’s steps, then many more reboots and remakes of classic stories would be more creative and less sloppy.
Matlock
Cast
Matlock (1986) stars Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock, a skilled but cantankerous attorney who solves criminal cases. The show blends courtroom drama with detective procedures, as each episode follows Matlock’s efforts to exonerate his clients.
