Warning: spoilers ahead for the Season 2 premiere of Matlock, called “The Before Times” and available streaming next day with a Paramount+ subscription.
Matlock had a big plot to pick back up with the Season 2 premiere in the fall 2025 TV schedule after two major cliffhangers in the spring: the arrival of a man claiming to be Alfie‘s father and Olympia learning that Julian stole the Wellbrexa document. Since Matty and Olympia’s dynamic was one of my favorite parts of the first season, I was nervous that they could never be the same after the Julian reveal. Well, the Season 2 premiere proved that I was worried for nothing, and “The Before Times” might be my favorite episode for Kathy Bates and Skye P. Marshall playing Matty and Olympia’s complicated relationship.
The Season 2 trailer had already revealed that Olympia would keep Julian’s secret for the sake of their kids, and it seemed all too possible that any closeness Olympia and Matty had developed in Season 1 would be gone once both dug their heels in about how to pursue the Wellbrexa case. Instead, Olympia did a pretty good job of lying to Matty about Julian and trying to refocus their efforts on only getting dirt on Senior.
Of course, “pretty good” isn’t nearly good enough to pull one over on Matty when the stakes are as high as they were in the first episode of Season 2, which ended on a twist that reminded me of the one from the pilot that won me over to Matlock in the first place. The duo was scheming together, while also secretly conducting side-schemes against each other.
The result was banter, like when Matty pointed out that she did her “missions” by herself without a lookout, as well as heartfelt moments that seem quite sincere despite the double-crossing. Plus, they’re still a powerful pair when it comes to practicing the law. I might always miss the early days of their dynamic when Olympia had no idea about Matty’s secret, but I think I’m going to love what seems to be a relationship that’s now part friendly, part adversarial, and part alliance.
This time, they both at least know that the other is playing a game. The scenario isn’t 100% Matty teaming up with Olympia or 100% Matty vs. Olympia, but something more complicated, and I’m invested in seeing what Skye P. Marshall and Kathy Bates do with it.
The final moments of “The Before Times” admittedly had the potential to blow up everything that I’ve been praising, with Matty stealing the Wellbrexa file from Olympia’s safe to send to the Times, while Olympia convinced Julian to plead to Senior for his job back so that they could dig up dirt on his dad while ideally keeping Julian’s name clean.
That said, Matlock wasn’t about to wrap up Matty’s Wellbrexa story just one episode into Season 2, and the promo that aired after the end of “The Before Times” reveals that Olympia took a precaution about the document that means a big problem for Matty and Edwin‘s plan to go to the Times. The document that Matty stole from Olympia? A fake, so the leading lady doesn’t actually have the evidence she needs. She does seem to know for sure that Olympia has it, though, so…. the plot doth thicken.
The episode description from CBS for the next installment sheds a little bit more light on what to expect. Called “Another Matlock,” this is what’s in store:
While the team is tasked with protecting a witness, Matty and Olympia square off over the Wellbrexa document. Also, Matty and Edwin contemplate whether or not to help Alfie’s father.
Fortunately, the wait for the next episode isn’t terribly long. Since CBS gave Matlock as well as Elsbeth (with Stephen Colbert as guest star opposite Carrie Preston) special Sunday night premieres, their returns to their usual Thursday night time slots means just a few days between episodes. Tune in to CBS on Thursday, October 16 at 9 p.m. ET for the second half of Matlock‘s two-part Season 2 premiere event, followed by Elsbeth at 10 p.m. ET.
