Matlock series premiere: Show EP on Matty’s huge secret

If you watched the new version of Matlock on CBS tonight, then you know that looks can be deceiving in so many ways. Through the first 50 minutes, the show successfully tricked us into thinking that this was a sweet, somewhat-lighthearted legal procedural starring Kathy Bates trying to get a job at a prominent firm and proving the doubters wrong.

However, as it turns out, this show is far from what it seems, to the point where the central twist may have left jaws on the floor. Madeline Matlock is actually Madeline Kingston, and so much of her identity is a ruse to infiltrate the firm and get revenge for her daughter’s death. She wants to figure out who on the legal team allowed opioids to remain out on the street; she will continue to put on her act and at the same time, work to ensure that she makes some progress.

For those wondering how this entire twist came together, showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman confirmed to Deadline that the twist was in the initial pitch way back when it was first presented:

…When I was thinking about what I would do if I were to adapt this title, I was like, what would be different? Of course, I was going to start with a female protagonist, but I didn’t want to just do a gender swapped version that wasn’t interesting. So I started to think that maybe she is using the name Matlock. I gave myself sort of a challenge. I can continue to tell the audience they’re underestimating her but then they’re fooled at the end. I knew I wanted her to have a spine of steel throughout the show, that it had real stakes, that there was something real and deep we could explore in terms of grief and loss and our responsibility to each other, the responsibility of the legal profession in terms of what is your responsibility to public health versus your job as a lawyer to not do something that would hurt your client…

This twist will define everything that is presented moving forward, and we are excited to see more of how everything progresses now. After all, the entire architecture and feel of this show could look different now that we have these two stories playing out.

Related – Get more news entering the next Matlock episode

What did you think about the big Matlock premiere twist?

Share right now in the comments! Also, remember to come back for some other updates on the way.