‘She’s There From Beginning To End’: As Matlock Director Opens Up About Kathy Bates’ Work Ethic, Here’s When New Episodes Return To CBS

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As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen more than my fair share of TV shows come and go. However, Matlock has managed to captivate me in a way that few others have. The recent twist in the drama, transforming it from a standard legal show to must-see TV, is nothing short of brilliant. Kathy Bates‘ performance as Matty is simply mesmerizing, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

As a devoted viewer, I can’t contain my excitement as the captivating series, Matlock, made its debut on the fall 2024 TV lineup, delivering a surprising last-minute twist that catapulted it from ordinary legal drama to unmissable television. The drama that saw Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates join CBS’s roster was an instant success, leaving fans eager for more. Unfortunately, we have to wait a bit longer before new episodes grace our screens. However, we do have some good news: Matlock will return, and multi-episode director Kat Coiro shared her praises for Bates’ dedication and exceptional performance as Matty with TopMob.

On November 21st, instead of showing back-to-back episodes of Matlock and Elsbeth on CBS, they aired an original Christmas movie titled “Nugget Is Dead? A Christmas Story” instead. Also, no new episode will air next week on Thanksgiving. However, fans can rejoice as Matlock returns to its regular 9 p.m. ET time slot on December 5th.

Although it’s disappointing to have a break from new episodes for a few weeks before the winter hiatus, ahead of the 2025 TV schedule, you can always re-watch earlier seasons of Matlock on Paramount+ with a subscription, as a refresher of what led to its early renewal.

It’s quite likely that Matlock wouldn’t have received a renewal for more episodes if it weren’t for Kathy Bates’ tireless efforts to elevate the show’s quality. Kat Coiro, who directed both the pilot and several other episodes in Season 1, commended some of Bates’ particular decisions in the final episode before the break.

Working alongside Bates, who’s more renowned for her film roles, on a serial TV show must be quite an experience, given she reprises her character every week. Coiro expresses his admiration for her in glowing terms when asked about it.

The hilarious thing is, I encountered Kathy for an intended feature, which turned out to be a lengthy four-hour session, and we stayed in contact afterwards. Regrettably, the project didn’t progress as planned. Yet, approximately half a year later, I received a call about Kathy Bates starring in Matlock – it felt incredibly fated. Working with Kathy is indescribable, as she invests so much sincerity and dedication into everything she does. One might assume that someone with her experience and achievements would grow complacent, but she truly doesn’t.

Kathy Bates boasts an impressive list of accolades, including an Academy Award won in 1990 for her role in Misery, followed by three additional nominations over the years. She’s also taken home two Emmys and two Golden Globes. Notably, she’s even been nominated for a Tony! As shared by Kat Coiro, who directed four out of six episodes of Matlock so far, their paths seemed destined to cross, and Bates has certainly left an impression since the start. Coiro further added that Bates has been impressing from the get-go.

She handles everything with a fresh, eager enthusiasm, and she’s filled with a mix of apprehension, modesty, and excitement. Truly remarkable! Moreover, her conduct on set serves as an exemplary model. She warmly greets everyone, remembers each person’s name, and stays until the end, even during another actor’s scenes. This dedication, combined with her hard work and kindness, significantly enhances the atmosphere on set, inspiring everyone to strive for excellence. It’s this admirable combination of conscientiousness and brilliance that makes Kathy such a positive influence on everyone involved in the project.

It appears that Kathy Bates is delightful to work with on set, especially given that Kat Coiro, who has directed multiple episodes of the series, attests to this. Furthermore, it seems that Bates’ character is present in nearly every scene of the show.

She really is! It’s funny, because doing any network show for 18 episodes, an hour long, it’s a lot of work. For her being 76 years old and being as vaunted as she is, I think it makes everybody go, ‘Well, I might be tired, but I’m definitely not going to complain about that when Kathy’s here for the same amount of hours.’ [laughs]

Don’t miss out! Tune into CBS this coming Thursday, December 5th at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, for the next thrilling episode of Matlock titled “Belly of the Beast.” This season, CBS is offering a variety of holiday-themed episodes, with Matlock joining shows like Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Ghosts, and Elsbeth on Thursday evenings. Additionally, both NCIS series are also part of this exciting lineup, so don’t forget to tune in!

As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled to share that you can revisit each episode of the classic series, Matlock, including the four masterfully directed by Kat Coiro, right here on Paramount+. With an impressive resume, Coiro has also steered episodes for shows like The Mick and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Recently, she opened up about Kaitlin Olson’s performance in the ABC series, High Potential, expressing her admiration.

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2024-11-22 06:38