Matlock Reboot Casts Beau Bridges as CBS Series Retools Post-Strike

Matlock is calling Beau Bridges to the bench. The Emmy-winning Masters of Sex and Lessons in Chemistry star will play Senior in the Kathy Bates-led legal drama, taking over the role that Jamey Sheridan (Arrow, Grace and Frankie) played in the pilot directed by Kat Coiro (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law). Originally announced as part of the CBS 2023-2024 primetime lineup, the network pushed the Matlock reboot to the 2024-2025 season after the 2023 Hollywood writers and actors strikes. Deadline first reported the news of Bridges’ casting. 

Bridges boards a previously set cast that includes Skye P. Marshall (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Good Sam), Jason Ritter (Parenthood), David Del Rio (Maggie), and Leah Lewis (Nancy Drew).

Senior is “the firm’s managing partner who has an indomitable presence thatimmediately alters the temperature of any room,” per the character’s description. “The man’s influencereaches far and wide, and although he loves his son, Julian (Ritter), hemight respect his daughter-in-law, Olympia (Marshall), more.” 

The Matlock reboot follows Madeline”Matty” Matlock (Bates), a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in heryounger years and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious lawfirm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to wincases. Matty is assigned to Olympia, a seniorattorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice. Olympia’sex-husband, Julian, the son of the head of the firm, isintrigued by Matty and her clever skills. As Matty endeavors toestablish herself in her new high-stakes world, she works alongside thefirm’s younger associates – the charismatic Billy (Del Rio) andthe uber-ambitious Sarah (Lewis). 

CBS Studios (the Hawaii Five-0 and The Equalizer reboots) is producing the series executive produced by Bates, Jennie Snyder Urman (Charmed), Joanna Klein (Good Sam), Eric Christian Olsen (NCIS: Los Angeles) and John Will (Hulu’s Woke).