Matlock Season 2 is off to a strong start. The legal drama returned for its sophomore run on October 12, 2025, and has already surpassed the viewership of its debut season.As per a report by The Wrap, the second season premiere garnered 11.9 million views across different platforms in the first seven days of its release. On the other hand, Season 1 averaged 11.7 million views during its run.As a result, Matlock Season 2 has already surpassed the show’s first-season average. The legal drama started as a reboot of the 1980s show of the same name, but it has created its own identity and has found a dedicated fan following.Matlock Season 2 premiere beats Season 1 viewership View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMatlock Season 2 Episode 1 saw a 2% increase in viewership compared to the Season 1 average. The episode earned a total of 11.9 million views across linear and digital platforms in the first week of its release.The season premiered on a special time slot as the first episode, The Before Times, was released on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at 8:30 PM. However, the show then moved to its traditional Thursday slot from October 16.Matlock Season 2 Episode 1’s broadcast was followed by the Elsbeth Season 3 premiere, which aired on October 12 at 9:30 PM. The comedy drama received 9.2 million views, which was also better than its previous season’s average of 8.8 million views.When Matlock Season 1 debuted on CBS in September 2024, it became the most-watched series premiere on the network in years. The unprecedented ratings made the show get an instant renewal for a second season. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe series tells the story of Madeline Kingston, a retired lawyer who takes up the alias Madeline "Matty" Matlock and joins a law firm in the hope of getting justice for her deceased daughter. She knows that someone in the office colluded with a pharmaceutical corporation that was responsible for her daughter’s drug overdose.Matty tries to find out who the culprit is while working on legal cases for the firm and winning the trust of her colleagues. Her journey continues in Matlock Season 2 after Olympia Lawrence, a junior partner at the firm, learns that her former husband and senior partner, Julian Markston, is the culprit.The show has become famous for its intriguing storyline and the stellar performance of the lead, Kathy Bates. The series also stars Skye P. Marshall as Olympia Lawrence, Jason Ritter as Julian Markston, Sam Anderson as Edwin Kingston, Aaron Harris as Alfie Kingston, Leah Lewis as Sarah Franklin, Eme Ikwuakor as Elijah, Yael Grobglas as Shae Banfield, and Justina Machado as Eva. The official synopsis of the show reads:“Brilliant septuagenarian Madeline "Matty" Matlock, who, after achieving success in her younger years, decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within.”Matlock Season 2 airs new episodes on CBS on Thursdays.