‘Matlock’ Season 2 Premiere Storyline & Photo Revealed

Kelli Boyle August 25, 2025, 4:05 pm

Leah Lewis, Skye P. Marshall, Kathy Bates, and David Del Rio in 'Matlock' Season 2 Episode 1 — CBS

Leah Lewis, Skye P. Marshall, Kathy Bates, and David Del Rio in *Matlock* Season 2 Episode 1

The first storyline and photo from Matlock Season 2 have been revealed, and the mystery surrounding Alfie’s biological father is going to be addressed right away as showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman previously told us.

Here’s the logline for Matlock Season 2 Episode 1, titled “The Before Times”: “Matty questions the paternity of the man claiming to be Alfie’s father. Also, the team takes on an arson case while Olympia tries to protect Julian’s involvement in the Wellbrexa case.”

CBS revealed the first episodic details from Season 2 on August 25. Stars Kathy Bates, Skye P. Marshall, Leah Lewis, and David Del Rio can be seen in the first photo from the new season (above).

Prior to this, the latest Matlock news was Justina Machado‘s casting on August 1. Machado joins in a major recurring role, one connected to Beau Bridges‘ character.

Matlock was one of the hit new shows of 2024. Case in point: It scored the first series renewal of the season after just two episodes aired last fall. The Bates-led legal drama delivered its biggest bombshells of the season in its two-hour Season 1 finale in April on CBS. And now, the network has revealed that Matlock will return with a special premiere event on an earlier day before heading back into its Thursday slot.

Inspired by the Andy Griffith series of the same name but not a direct remake, Matlock stars Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases. Matty is assigned to Olympia (Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice, Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason 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 — the charismatic Billy (Del Rio) and the uber-ambitious Sarah (Lewis).

'Matlock': Jason Ritter Reveals Big Change in Season 2

The first episode revealed the show’s major twist: Matty is actually working undercover to uncover documents she believes were immorally buried by a lawyer at Jacobson Moore in order to keep opioids on the market. She’s fighting to avenge her daughter, who died of an opioid overdose. Matty tried to find out who buried the Wellbrexa documents all season long with her partners in crime, husband Edwin (Sam Anderson) and grandson Alfie (Aaron D. Harris). The Season 1 finale revealed the culprit while setting up new mysteries. As showrunner Urman previously told TV Insider, “You get the answer to that central question, and then, we push forward into the next season.”

Here’s everything there is to know so far about Matlock‘s future.

When does Matlock Season 2 premiere?

Matlock cast at Season 2 table read (Sonja Flemming / CBS)

Matlock Season 2 premieres Sunday, October 12, at 8:30/7:30c on CBS. Note that it’s coming out on a Sunday for Season 2 Episode 1, but it will still air on Thursdays throughout the season after that. The Matlock Season 2 premiere will be one hour long. It will be followed by the Elsbeth Season 3 premiere at 9:30/8:30c.

After the October 12 premiere, Matlock will return on Thursday, October 16, at 9/8c (its regular time) with Season 2 Episode 2, meaning fans get two episodes of Matlock in one week.

'Matlock': Will Olympia Side With Julian or Matty? Skye P. Marshall & Jason Ritter Tease Season 2

See the full CBS fall 2025 schedule here.

How many episodes are in Matlock Season 2?

Season 1 had 18 episodes, so while it’s not confirmed at the time of publication, it’s likely that Season 2 will follow suit with 18 episodes.

Who is in the Matlock Season 2 cast?

Machado will play Senior’s fourth ex-wife, Eva. Previously teased to TV Insider as a noteworthy character in the second season by Snyder Urman, Eva is formidable, smart, ambitious, and Senior’s 4th ex-wife. The one who made him swear off marriage. Eva runs Jacobson Moore’s Miami office and she arrives in New York for an emergency meeting… which she uses to her advantage.

Machado and Snyder Urman previously worked together on Jane the Virgin. Another alum of The CW series, Yael Grobglas, is a recurring guest star in Matlock.

Matlock recurring and guest stars throughout Season 1 included Beau Bridges, Eme Ikwuakor, Yael Grobglas, and more. The creator of Jane the Virgin, Snyder Urman, serves as showrunner. An official Season 2 cast list has not been announced, but expect Bates and Marshall to return alongside Anderson, Harris, Ritter, Lewis, and Del Rio. Niko Nicotera appeared as a man claiming to be Alfie’s father in the finale’s final seconds. He’s expected to return in Season 2 as well.

Fans theorized that Ritter might be leaving the series after Season 1 due to his casting in HBO‘s upcoming DC comics series, Lanterns. But Ritter confirmed to TV Insider that he’ll be in Matlock Season 2 at PaleyFest 2025 in Hollywood in March 2025.

“[My mustache is] for another show that I’m working on called Lanterns,” Ritter said, chuckling. “Mustaches can be shaved off. As soon as I’m done [with Lanterns], I’m back to Matlock.”

Snyder Urman told TV Insider earlier this year that “there are a lot of interesting new characters coming.”

“You’ll meet Senior’s [Beau Bridges] third ex-wife who he married because she was smart,” Snyder Urman said at the time. “That’s a mistake he vows he will never make again. You’ll meet her, and you’ll meet a lot of interesting new characters who are coming. I think I’ll leave it at that.”

Snyder Urman’s description matches the Eva description above, but Deadline reports that Eva is Senior’s fourth ex-wife, not third like the showrunner said. Snyder Urman and Deadline could be referring to the same character, or more than one of Senior’s ex-wives could be joining Season 2.