Matlock was a breath of fresh air when it premiered on CBS last year. The show holds an even more special place in the heart of its star, Kathy Bates, who returned from retirement following its resounding success. Vanity Fair profiled the celebrated actress, in which she discussed a wide range of topics related to her lengthy career in film and television. Bates is known primarily as an actor, but she has also taken on roles as a director and executive producer. From Dash & Lilly to Six Feet Under and Harry’s Law, Bates has been behind the camera on several occasions, but it’s been about 20 years since she last directed anything. That streak is about to break in Matlock Season 2, where she revealed that she will be directing an upcoming episode. However, it was not revealed which one she would direct.
“I’m doing everything I was trained to do,” Bates said of her expanding duties on the show. She has shadowed directors before and has made an effort to learn the craft and improve her skills. “She tells directors, ‘Don’t let me be good—have the gumption to challenge me to be great, because I want to be great,'” her costar on Matlock, Skye P. Marshall, said of Bates’ behavior on set. “I can imagine directors coming in for one episode, how scary that could potentially be: giving Kathy Bates an adjustment. But she goes into it wanting to consistently be a student, to learn and be pushed,” she added. With her vast knowledge in front of and behind the camera, coupled with her enthusiasm for learning, Bates is well-prepared for the task. “It’s not that I hit every note exactly right, but I get to try. And I keep trying, and I keep trying,” she said.
Prepare for an Even Bigger Second Season of ‘Matlock’
Season 1 of the highly-rated drama took big swings with even bigger payoffs. Following an explosive season finale, the subsequent season charts a new course for Matty, Jacobson Moore, and everyone affected. “Where we’re going to go is: What happens with this document is the first question; what happens to the relationship; what happens in the law firm? Everyone’s futures are in flux,” series creator Jennie Snyder Urman told The Hollywood Reporter of what Season 2 will tackle broadly. She added:
“Olympia and Matty is an epic love story, so there’s going to be twists and turns. They’re just going to be coming back together and pulling apart. We’re going to be hoping they find their way back to each other or can get past the massive betrayal that was Matty lying about all this time. Everybody is in a really, really difficult situation at the top of the next season.”
