Entertainment
CBS Just Gave Network TV’s Best Show a Massive Season 3 Downgrade
When you’re a big TV fan, it’s par of the course to receive some bad news every once in a while in between seasons. From shocking show cancellations to cast exits with little to no explanation, the TV world can be as unpredictable as it is entertaining. That’s been especially the case for CBS shows, as the network recently made some bold moves to its lineup, which is leaving audiences as nervous as ever.
Despite drawing in millions of viewers in its first two seasons, Matlock got some not-so-great news from its network. For starters, not only will the series premiere only in early 2027 and skip the fall 2026 schedule altogether, but Season 3 will be significantly reduced to only 13 episodes. The news is discouraging, especially for a series that has been doing so well, and the pressure is now certainly on for Season 3.
‘Matlock’ Received a Major Downgrade Before Season 3
While Season 1 of Matlock had 19 episodes, and Season 2 had 16, Season 3 will be its shortest yet with only 13 episodes. As for its schedule, Matlock will be joining other beloved CBS shows, including NCIS: Origins and Fire Country, as it gets pushed to early 2027. And while the push alone might justify the shorter season, both decisions from CBS go hand in hand. According to Deadline, the decision to push the series is for creative reasons alone. Per the outlet, the team behind the show needs more time for a “creative revamp after wrapping the major Wellbrexa storyline that dominated the first two seasons.”
Plus, with other shows receiving the same fate, it seems CBS is changing their strategy altogether. Instead of this being a targeted downgrade to Matlock directly, there’s a notable change in the network’s planning. After a record number of new scripted shows in 2025–2026, the network is reportedly trying to fit them all in a way that feels steady and cohesive.
‘Matlock’ Is One of the Best New Shows on CBS
The news of Matlock‘s shorter and delayed season might come as a surprise to fans and critics alike. After all, not only does the series hold an impressive 93% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but it was high in the ratings too, making it the all-around best new show on the network. Per The Wrap, the Season 2 premiere of Matlock brought in 11.9 million multiplatform viewers after one week of viewing, according to Nielsen big data plus panel viewing data. That was up 2% from the 11.7 million viewers averaged by Matlock’s first season.
But the series wasn’t just successful – it was great TV too. Matlock, which follows Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock as she manages to finagle her way into a job at the law firm Jacobson Moore, sees Bates in one of the best roles of her career, per Collider’s Season 1 review by Carly Lane. “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,” Lane wrote. “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.” The role went on to award Bates with a Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.
All that said, while Matlock had plenty going for it in Season 1 and Season 2, the series has been receiving some discouraging and disappointing news. But considering that Season 3 is still underway, the CBS hit has a chance to continue to bring in viewers, prove its place in the network’s lineup, and continue to show just how magnetic Bates is onscreen.
- Release Date
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September 22, 2024
- Directors
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Kat Coiro, Brad Silberling, Gina Lamar, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Jennifer Lynch, Jude Weng, Tessa Blake, Yangzom Brauen, Marie Jamora, Daniel Willis
- Writers
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Nicki Renna, Jeffrey Lieber, Sara Rose Feinberg
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Kathy Bates
Madeline ‘Matty’ Matlock
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Skye P. Marshall
Olympia Lawrence
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