'Matlock' review: Kathy Bates is a master in lovable legal procedural, with surprising twists

If you weren't particularly excited about the reimagined Matlock series starring Kathy Bates, think again. The show, created by Jennie Snyder Urman (Jane the Virgin), is far more than just a gender swapped version of the Andy Griffith series. It's fun, emotional and has surprising twists for a legal procedural.

An important distinction is that this new series has very little to do with the show that premiered in 1986. Think of this as its own completely new concept, with a few nostalgic references to the past.

Matlock release date: Matlock premieres on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Global in Canada and CBS in the U.S.
Showrunner: Jennie Snyder Urman
Cast: Kathy Bates, Skye P. Marshall, Jason Ritter, David Del Rio, Leah Lewis, Beau Bridges, Sam Anderson, Aaron D. Harris

What is 'Matlock' about?

Bates plays Madeline "Matty" Matlock, a woman in her 70s who's looking to get back into the workforce, specifically in a position with prestigious law firm Jacobson Moore.

"There's this funny thing that happens when women age, we become damn near invisible," Matty says in the first episode. "Nobody sees us coming."

Proving her point, that's exactly how Matty manages to not just sneak past security into the firm's office, but also walk right into a meeting with the most senior people in the firm, persuading them to give her a job.

Matty is assigned to work under Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), who's trying to prove that social justice cases can be profitable for the company. Matty works alongside youngsters Billy (David Del Rio) and Sarah (Leah Lewis), both of whom are trying to work their way up in the firm, specifically by attempting to impress Olympia at every turn.

In a more personal and messy storyline, Olympia is in the process of divorcing Julian (Jason Ritter), the son of the firm's managing partner Senior, played by Beau Bridges. But Olympia is also seemingly a little too flirty with her coworker Elijah (Eme Ikwuakor).

Each episode of Matlock is centred around a new case, with Matty proving how cunning and sharp she is, even when people underestimate her abilities due to her age.

But as viewers learn by the end of the first episode, Matty's motivation for returning to work are more interesting and complicated than she leads on.

Is 'Matlock' worth watching?

It's difficult for any procedural, legal or otherwise, to really stand out. They're all based on a formula that's repeated in so many different shows every single year. While Matlock stays in the appealing coziness of the familiar, the show's ability to instantly make you feel invested in Matty's story makes the series easy to love.

I tend to cringe when there's a show focused on generational differences, specifically when the comedy stems from things like an older person not understanding technology, or the lingo used by younger people. It just feels stale an unoriginal.

But Matlock doesn't feel dull like so many other shows with a similar setup. Yes, Matty is the oldest person at the firm. She has to adjust to the way her new workplace functions and there are elements of her job she's less savvy with. But Matty is too-well developed as a character to fall into any overused aging tropes.

We already know Bates is a master of her craft and can transform into a wide variety of characters in different genres. In Matlock, she swings from humour, to anger, to heartbreaking sadness with ease, fully showing all edges of Matty as a person. It works so well that you instantly want to root for this character, even in just one episode — and that feeling deepens as the season progresses.

Alongside Bates is a talented supporting cast. Skye P. Marshall's really goes toe-to-toe with Bates as Olympia, and Jason Ritter plays Julian with a level of complexity where you're not entirely sure if you should love him or hate him, which is appealing to explore in the show.

The pace of the series is quick, with just enough intricacy to keep you actively engaged in the story. The stakes of each legal case feels real, which is often lacking in similar shows. Even if you're not particularly a fan of the legal drama, Matlock is absolutely worth your time to check out.

Most importantly, it proves we should absolutely be making space for older actors — especially women — to lead TV shows that have really meaty, dynamic stories, with well-crafted and complicated characters.