Matlock is a reimagined legal drama series that follows Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a 75-year-old woman who returns to her law career after a 30-year hiatus. The show explores themes of corporate greed and human suffering through Matty’s investigations.
A Mystery Fueled by Corporate Greed
The Show’s Premise
The series progresses and morphs into a mystery that touches on corporate greed and human suffering. It doesn’t reinvent the legal drama, but there’s enough twisting and turning to ensure that it isn’t quite all it appears to be.
A Mystery that Touches on Corporate Greed
The Show’s Themes
The show morphs into a mystery that touches on corporate greed and human suffering. It doesn’t labour the generation gap, instead using Matty’s invisibility as a superpower to explore these themes.
Availability
Matlock airs on Sky Witness in the UK and is available on Now. It can also be streamed on Paramount+ and Prime Video in Australia.
Matlock Review
A Reimagining of the Classic Series
The new TV series, Matlock, is an almost complete reimagining of the classic 1980s US legal drama. While it pays tribute to its origins in multiple ways, the show defies expectations and evolves into a more substantial and intriguing proposition.
Kathy Bates delivers a convincing performance as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a 75-year-old woman who returns to the law industry after a 30-year absence. Her character is clever, quick, tenacious, and has a habit of spotting details that others miss.
A Perfect Vehicle for Kathy Bates
The show is a perfect vehicle for Kathy Bates, who is supported by a capable cast, including Jason Ritter and Skye P Marshall as her divorcing superiors, Julian and Olympia. Beau Bridges plays the boss and owner of the law firm, who also happens to be Julian’s father.
A Reimagining of the Classic Legal Series
Matlock is an almost complete reimagining of the classic 1980s US legal series, with a few nods to its origins. The show follows Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a 75-year-old woman who returns to her law career after a 30-year hiatus.
Kathy Bates is convincing in every iteration of her character’s complicated personality. She plays Matty with cleverness, quickness, and tenacity, often spotting details that younger attorneys have missed.
A Layered Premise
The show’s premise is layered, with Matty using her age as a superpower to get what she wants. She employs various tricks, from bare-faced lying to genuine compassion, to achieve her goals. As the episodes progress, we are drip-fed more information about Matty’s life outside of law and her reasons for returning.
A Capable Cast
The show is supported by a capable cast, including Jason Ritter and Skye P Marshall as Matty’s divorcing superiors, Julian and Olympia, and Beau Bridges as the boss and owner of the law firm. While Bridges seems stilted in the pilot, he loosens up considerably when he finally joins the fold.
