Why There's No New Matlock Tonight (October 8) & When Season 3 Will Premiere

Published Oct 8, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT Zach Moser has been writing for ScreenRant since 2022, covering movies, classic TV, and streaming TV. His areas of expertise cover a wide range of genres with a particular interest in horror and drama, and the conversations around the TV and film industry. When he's not covering the latest film releases or chronicling the latest season of a new show, he's writing humor pieces for McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Slackjaw, and Points In Case or working on short stories and his second novel. There are no new episodes of Matlock tonight, and viewers are going to have to wait a few more months before they get to watch season 3. CBS's legal drama Matlock is a reimagining of Andy Griffith's 1986 NBC series of the same name, though with a trick that catapults it into something totally new. In this version of the story, Griffith's show is just as beloved as it is in real life. One of its many fans is Madeline Kingston (Kathy Bates), a retired, wealthy lawyer, grieving the tragic opioid-induced death of her daughter. Inspired by her favorite TV lawyer, Madeline reenters the workforce under the secret identity of "Matty Matlock" and begins working at a law firm that could help her unearth the truth of her daughter's death. Bates' fantastic leading performance combined with a legitimately clever twist on a celebrated classic has earned the first two seasons of Matlock a combined 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and high viewership numbers. It also earned Bates two Golden Globe nominations and one Emmy nomination. There are series-long storylines that thread through the show, but the new Matlock makes sure to leave space for case-of-the-week storytelling that the original show was known for. Matty's fight against WellBrexa continues through both seasons, even as she finds out her firm's, Jacobson Moore, culpability. Matlock season 1 premiered on September 22, 2024, running for 19 episodes and ending on April 17, 2025. Season 2 premiered a little over a year later on October 12, 2025, with 16 episodes, ending on April 23, 2026. It would follow then that Matlock season 3, which was greenlit, would debut around a similar time in 2026, but viewers are going to have to wait a while longer. Why There's No New Matlock Episode Tonight (October 8, 2026) Credit: CBS Matlock tends to air on Thursdays on CBS at either 9 pm or 10 pm, though each season premiere has aired on Sundays at either 8 pm or 8:30 pm. Season 3 won't debut on either day in October. Matlock season 3 is not debuting anytime soon as it were, unfortunately. The new season of Matlock has been moved to a midseason premiere, rather than being a part of CBS' fall lineup. Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman explained that viewers don't need to worry because she was the one who requested the switch (via EW). Urman explained that after the strong finale of Matlock season 2, the creative team wanted to take a beat and think hard about the direction of the show. The end of Matlock season 2 closes the book on many of the show's big storylines, and introduces some new avenues. Urman wants to make sure they properly plan what those avenues are. When Matlock Season 3 Will Release (& What To Expect) ABC Entertainment So when will Matlock season 3 premiere? The show is currently expected to debut sometime between January and March 2027 (via TVInsider). There will be a lot of changes to come when season 3 arrives, so a rewatch of Matlock season 2 certainly would not hurt. The end of season 2 sees Matty and Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) finally getting the information they need to arrest the senior partners at Jacobson Moore, and Matty avenges her daughter. With most of the senior partners in cuffs, and a merger imminent, Matty and Olympia's professional lives are a little less certain. They've considered the idea of starting their own law firm, and in the finale, they seem even more keen. Matlock season 3 could be a new era for the show, with a new law firm, a new big case, and more understanding between Madeline and her husband, Edwin (Sam Anderson), who likes the idea of being Matty's pretend boyfriend. Release Date September 22, 2024 Network CBS Directors Kat Coiro, Brad Silberling, Gina Lamar, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Jennifer Lynch, Jude Weng, Tessa Blake, Yangzom Brauen, Marie Jamora, Daniel Willis Cast Skye P. Marshall Olympia Lawrence Writers Nicki Renna, Jeffrey Lieber, Sara Rose Feinberg