The original “Matlock,” which aired from 1986 to 1995, was a reimagining of the long-running legal drama “Perry Mason.” But instead of a wronged lawyer at the center of its case-of-the-week format, “Matlock” tapped star Andy Griffith’s ability to play deceptively non-threatening, and then, in a climactic courtroom showdown, remarkably effectively. , also lacerating. With the new version of “Matlock” on CBS, it is better to understand that it is not a reboot as much as a show with a tenuous connection to the intellectual property of its title. But nothing gets greenlit today unless it’s IP, so here we are.
But “we’re here” isn’t so bad when it’s Kathy Bates anchoring a series. She plays Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a 75-year-old lawyer who says she would otherwise enjoy retirement if her finances allowed, so she lands an initial job at a posh corporate firm in New York. (Can CBS lead to establishing a procedural anywhere else?) But his real motivation for working there — revealed at the end of the first episode — is more complicated. It is the ongoing story, while every week there is also a new client to defend.
If Ben Matlock came from his folksy charm and naturally broke, Matty’s a whore. Griffith’s portrayal became more and more unfortunate as the seasons progressed, but Bates started out a good half-decade older than Griffith was when his show was on. finishedAnd instead of using that as an excuse to dial up tropes about anger, the new show subverts it.
It’s the most compelling shift made by creator Jennie Snyder Urman (whose credits include “Jane the Virgin,” “Charmed” and “Gilmore Girls”), with Bates playing a woman who exploits all kinds of assumptions about older women. which they may or may not. whether it’s true, whether it’s overwhelmed by technology or handing out butterscotch. “There’s a funny thing that happens when women get older,” she says: “We become almost invisible.” Not that she’s complaining. “It’s useful, because no one sees us coming.”
There’s something so exciting about an actor of Bates’ caliber choosing network TV over the more prestigious glitz afforded by streaming. But this is what so many of us have been crying out for – a return to the kind of old-school series that has the potential for a long run ahead of it.
If only the show was on the level of Bates. Her considerable talent and charisma cannot bring her alone, not when the supporting characters around her feel that her existence is only gumming up the works and taking time away from the case at hand. Low-level coworkers bickering because one never bothered to learn the other’s personal details is not character development. It’s not even interesting.
“Matlock” is essentially juggling two competing narratives every episode: The case of the day and the other more hidden pursuits of Matty, which means that the momentum of the first is always interrupted by the narrative demands of the latter. It’s too bad that most shows at the moment lack confidence in the viewer’s attention span just to tell a standalone story week after week. “The Good Wife” was the last legal drama that managed to build its world, and its ongoing story arcs, with the right balance and skill. “Matlock” will need to increase the quality of its writing considerably if it has these kinds of ambitions.
Matty’s boss (Skye P. Marshall) is his toughest challenge, an enemy with a formidable hardshell exterior that masks all kinds of insecurities. Marshall looks good for the role – he has an exquisite suit and a perfect haircut – but the character is signed and Marshall is left to telegraph every thought and emotion. The fun of legal dramas is that they are full of cagey players working the angles. “Matlock” needs more. Matty can’t be the only clever one.
It’s instructive to consider some of the factors that made the original work, and where the new show struggles by comparison. Ben Matlock has never been particularly excited about taking on a new case. He was more interested in stopping for hot dogs, because a man has to eat! But then he asked for his fee of $ 100,000 and, eventually, gathered his act, maneuvering to a facade full of tension in court. The show also trafficked in desire, a place where district attorneys of course they dismiss the accusations when shown the error of their ways. Even Matlock’s cross-examinations were legal hogwash. But it was still satisfactory because it was like a cat with its prey, and it gave Griffith the opportunity to tell a history. It had a light touch, with a touch of vinegar in its home charm. “Your honor, Mr. Matlock appears to be on another of his patented fishing expeditions,” the prosecutor objected. “And if you’ll bear with me for a moment or two, I’m going to hit a big one!” comes the answer. It was just there for, oh shitjust a few mistakes. He was the center of gravity of the show, which is why he was able to eventually focus on a supporting character every so often without losing his lodestar.
The new series is not wedded to this structure, or centered on a singular or disarming personality, or even give the audience a jazzy earworm of a theme song comparable to the original. Matty’s boss gets a lot of screen time, but he’s not a theatrical litigator, so the courtroom scenes go down like a soda that’s lost its fizz. The show tries to compensate with an aggressive musical score and it’s the wrong instinct. But a few episodes in, Matty gets a shot for going toe-to-toe with a witness, and his closing argument is compelling enough that you hope the show can reorient itself to create more of those moments. The cases are often civil rather than criminal, representing an underdog fighting the system. It’s not a bad choice, but it tends to play like more seriously choice, at least compared to the rich boneheads that Ben Matlock used to take.
An iron nightingale, Matty is a creative thinker and understands people. This part is solid. And the writing is reliable enough to keep things bouncy. “You all look like my husband right before he told me he was in love with his secretary—and by secretary, I mean a prostitute.” Time out. “Butterscotch?”
Hollywood decision makers were fixated on the power of nostalgia. But what happens when the rise of streaming means the more traditional, self-contained storytelling skills all those old shows rely on go out of style and become a lost art? “Matlock” has so much potential, especially thanks to Bates. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.
“Matlock” – 2.5 stars (from 4)
Where to watch: Premieres 9 pm Sundays on CBS before moving to 9 pm Thursdays beginning October 10
Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.
