As a long-time fan of Kathy Bates, I must say her latest move to join the CBS reboot of Matlock has left me utterly bewildered yet excitedly intrigued. After dedicating the past decade to projects by industry giants like Ryan Murphy and Chuck Lorre, it’s fascinating to see her venture into uncharted territory with a procedural drama.
Over the past ten years, Kathy Bates primarily worked on television shows produced by Ryan Murphy and Chuck Lorre. However, she recently caught fans off guard when she signed up for the revival of the classic mystery show Matlock, airing on CBS this Fall. The series has been in development for a while, but its production was postponed due to strikes in 2023. Surprisingly, Bates initially planned to retire before deciding to join the crime drama.
Apart from starring in Matlock, which features Eric Christian Olsen of NCIS: Los Angeles as an executive producer, Bates had reportedly decided she was ready to leave Hollywood and retire. This decision wasn’t prompted by a desire for leisure alone, but rather stemmed from dissatisfaction with a film production project. In conversation with The New York Times, the Emmy award-winner disclosed that her recent experiences working on a movie were responsible for her retirement inclination.
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In the narrative, it’s mentioned that Bates often discussed her intense mental and physical commitment to every project she took on. It seems that this dedication may not have been appreciated within the project, although the specific project isn’t named. After wrapping up work on that unidentified project, Bates is said to have contacted her agents about retiring, a decision that lasted for several weeks, until her agents presented her with the Matlock pilot script.
Although she had no enduring fondness for the initial show featuring Andy Griffith in the lead role from 1986 to 1995, Bates found herself resonating with the portrayal of the character. In this adaptation, Matlock is a clever, cunning, and ethically sound woman who finds herself growing more unseen by society as she ages. It’s the character’s relentless pursuit of justice that the 76-year-old Bates could identify with, stating:
It seems as though everything I’ve asked for, strived for, and fought tirelessly to achieve is now requested of me. And it’s overwhelming… This feels like my final performance.
Though it might appear unexpected for a distinguished actress to fully express her talent within the framework of a CBS procedural like Matlock, this show apparently allows Bates to exhibit her dynamic energy while also providing a platform for her to express the deep emotional turmoil she’s experienced not only in her recent project but throughout her highly successful career.
Kathy Bates, having completed about two-thirds of the first 18-episode season of Matlock during the interview, disclosed that her character Matty employed her courtroom work as a means to address her deeper, personal conflicts. In a similar vein, the actress herself is using this process. As she stated:
Maybe on some deep level that’s why I was attracted to this.
It’s unfortunate to learn that Kathy Bates experienced a career setback so severe it seemed like the end of her acting journey. However, I genuinely wish that this new adaptation of Matlock brings her healing and renewal. May it serve as a reminder of the industry’s capacity for positivity and support.
It’s likely that Bates was referring to one of the four films she acted in, which were all released between 2023 and 2024. These include the Judy Blume adaptation “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”, Thaddeus O’Sullivan’s pilgrimage drama “The Miracle Club”, Castille Landon’s reunion comedy “Summer Camp”, and Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron’s rom-com “A Family Affair”. However, if she was discussing a project that she no longer has a role in or one that has been cancelled, this may not be the correct assumption.
Featuring Skye P. Marshall, Jason Ritter, David Del Rio, and Leah Lewis, the revived show titled Matlock is set to make its sneak preview debut on CBS this coming Sunday, September 22nd, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. After the initial showing, it will air regularly every Thursday starting October 17th, also at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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2024-09-09 04:07