This New Show Just Broke a 5-Year Record for CBS
Movieguide® Contributor
MATLOCK, a reboot of the ’80s/’90s classic legal drama, just wrangled in 7.73m viewers last Sunday.
“That was CBS’ largest audience for a non-post-Super Bowl series premiere in five and a half years, since THE CODE’s April 9, 2019 debut after NCIS,” Deadline observed. “While benefitting from some Steelers-Chargers halo effect — and free promotion via Chargers star Scott Matlock’s jersey — MATLOCK did not immediately follow the game; it aired behind its lead-out, newsmagazine 60 MINUTES.”
“Time-adjusted numbers for 60 MINUTES are not available (CBS’ primetime was delayed in a few East Coast markets), but preliminary estimates suggest that MATLOCK built upon its 60 MINUTES lead-in by about 1 million viewers,” Deadline reported. “That is another major feat for the rookie, whose premiere was pushed to this fall from last season due to the Hollywood strikes.”
The show drew more views than DANCING WITH THE STARS, SURVIVOR or RESCUE: HI-SURF, which each had less than 5m views respectively.
Movieguide® previously reported on MATLOCK:
“The series follows Madeline Matlock, who is ready to rejoin the work force. Of course, due to her age, a lot of people don’t think that she’ll be able to keep up, especially in a prestigious law firm. However, she uses those thoughts to her advantage. She’s not one to beat around the bush, and she will use her age as a way to expose corruption when people least expect it,” FanSided reported May 1.
THE BLIND SIDE actress Kathy Bates will play Madeline, AKA Matty. Skye P. Marshall, Jason Ritter and Beau Bridges will appear in roles within the law firm. Leah Lewis and David Del Rio are expected to appear, too.
Deadline added, “Bridges plays Senior, the firm’s managing partner who has an indomitable presence that immediately alters the temperature of any room. The man’s influence reaches far and wide, and although he loves his son, Julian (Ritter), he might respect his daughter-in-law, Olympia (Marshall), more.
Time will tell if the show can keep up its momentum, but it’ll likely get a good number of views for the second episode at least.
“The series…currently scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes,” TV Series Finale reported Sept. 24.
There’s also a plot twist at the end of the first episode that reveals the new show has a different premise than the original series.
But fans will have to wait a whole month for the next episode. It comes out on Thursday, October 17 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
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