'Matlock' Reviews: "show’s breezy tone should win over CBS viewers with ease"

         On September 22, 2024, CBS premieres 'Matlock', which has earned rave reviews from critics, currently holding at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the series, "Brilliant septuagenarian Madeline "Matty" Matlock, who, after achieving success in her younger years, decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within. Matty is assigned to Olympia, a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice, while Olympia's ex-husband, Julian, the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills. Matty works alongside the firm's younger associates -- the charismatic Billy and the uber ambitious Sarah -- as she endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world." The ensemble cast include Kathy Bates, Jason Ritter, David Del Rio, and Leah Lewis. But what did the critics say?

       Rob Owen of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says, "This “Matlock” isn’t really the reboot it appears to be. Unlike many CBS procedurals, this one’s lighter and while the lawyering isn’t always in the realm of reality, the show’s breezy tone should win over CBS viewers with ease."

       Cristina Escobar of RogerEbert.com notes, "This earnestness, combined with Bates’ performance and the show’s strong and consistent use of humor, makes for a good watch. “Matlock” isn’t exactly throwback TV, but it delivers on the comfort food of solving at least one complex problem in forty-two minutes. That it’s funny and heartfelt along the way just adds to the charm, particularly as the suspense mounts. Toying with our expectations of a recognizable persona like Matlock, CBS’s newest legal drama honors the original while creating something new entirely."

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

        Carly Lane of Collider praises the series, stating, "Although Madeline Matlock initially presents herself as a modest, well-meaning grandmotherly figure with an abundance of Southern charm, Bates never feels confined in the role. In fact, the CBS legal drama gives her even more opportunities to showcase the true extent of her range on-screen as the episodes (six of which were provided for review) progress. In one moment, Matty's endearingly fumbling her way through figuring out how to text a photo to her grandson; in the next, she's becoming an unexpected source of comfort for a client the firm is defending. Bates' character might give off a very specific energy at first, but she's also an observer, and, when paired with her utterly disarming personality, this allows her to notice things about people and figure out how to speak to them in a way others might overlook. But Matty's not always sage words of wisdom and pocketfuls of hard candies, either; she gets to express sadness, frustration, grief, anger, and everything in between."

        Terry Terrones of Paste Magazine writes, "Modern audiences may have a place in their heart for classic TV shows, but they still want something novel. This is an incredibly difficult maneuver to pull off, which is what makes CBS’ excellent reboot of Matlock so impressive."