Update: The series premiere of Kathy Bates’ new CBS series “Matlock” has grown its audience to 10.67 million viewers within three days of multiplatform viewing.
That’s up 38% from its initial live-plus-same-day linear viewership of 7.74 million on CBS alone last Sunday, according to Nielsen figures. The “Matlock” series premiere is expected to reach 11.6 million viewers after a week of multiplatform viewing, with final numbers expected in the coming days.
After its premiere stood out as CBS’ most-watched non-Super Bowl premiere in over five years during its CBS linear premiere, “Matlock” maintains its position as the network’s most-watched series premiere, excluding post-Super Bowl programming, in five years. On Paramount+ and CBS digital platforms, “Matlock” has become CBS’ second most-streamed series premiere within three days of its release, behind just “Tracker.”
Original story: Kathy Bates’ “Matlock” debuted to impressive ratings, rivaling past CBS post-Superbowl premieres over the past few years.
The law drama series scored 7.73 million viewers, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day figures. Its Sunday premiere stands as CBS’ most-watched non-Superbowl premiere in over five years, since the debut of “The Code” in April 2019, which followed “NCIS.”
In Canada, the episode was the most-watched show in terms of total viewers with nearly 1.2 million viewers.
After debuting its first episode as a sneak peek on Sunday, “Matlock” will return Thursday, Oct. 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT in its regularly scheduled night and timeslot.
The “Matlock” pilot introduced Bates as Madeline Matlock, who utilized her unassuming demeanor to make her way into a position at a prestigious law firm, Jacobson Moore.
As she fights for spot in the firm working under senior attorney Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), Matty makes herself out to be a down-on-her-luck former attorney who must return to the workforce to take care of her grandson after her daughter’s death. But, the final moments of the premiere episode reveal Matty is anything but predictable, and has a secret ulterior motive.
“The writer challenge I gave myself with ‘Matlock’ was to create this character who is constantly telling others, and the audience, that they’re underestimating her,” series creator Jennie Snyder Urman told TheWrap. “[But] underestimate her at your own risk. She’s got more going on than you think.”
In addition to Bates and Marshall, “Matlock” stars Jason Ritter as Julian, who is both Olympia’s ex-husband as well as the son of the head of the firm, as well as David Del Rio and Leah Lewis, who play the firm’s younger associates, Billy and Sarah.
“Matlock” will release Episode 2 on Thursday, Oct. 17. Episodes are also available to stream on Paramount+.
