In CBS’s 2024 reboot of Matlock, Kathy Bates breathes life into Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a retired lawyer reentering the legal battlefield not just to win cases—but to uncover the truth about her daughter’s death. Beneath her warm Southern charm lies a sharp, strategic mind, using her grief and memory as both armor and weapon.
Unlike previous incarnations, Matty isn’t simply defending the innocent—she’s working undercover at the prestigious firm Jacobson Moore. Her personal motive? Investigating the opioid crisis that stole her daughter’s life. Her approach is subtle, emotional, and psychological, reflecting a modern-day evolution of legal drama, where backstory and heartbreak drive moral urgency.
Rather than yelling in courtrooms or dominating with force, Matty wins with empathy and cunning, making her a standout in a landscape of fast-talking attorneys. Matlock 2024 redefines what legal heroes can look like—older, wiser, and quietly unrelenting.
