‘Matlock’ Season 3 Delayed to Early 2027, Showrunner Cites Creative Reasons

The upcoming third season of CBS's legal drama 'Matlock,' starring Kathy Bates, has been postponed and is now slated for an early 2027 release. The decision to hold the new season until 2027 was made by showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman, who cited a need for additional creative development time following the conclusion of the previous season.

Urman explained that the team required time after the second season finale to “really build the architecture” for future seasons, ensuring characters reach realistic emotional milestones and that the storytelling remains compelling. "We really thought that was important because we didn’t want to keep dragging out the same story," Urman told TV Insider, emphasizing the need to move characters forward authentically.

While 'Matlock' will not appear on CBS's fall 2026 schedule, which includes premieres for 'Tracker,' 'FBI,' 'NCIS,' 'Fire Country,' and new series like 'Cupertino,' its renewal for a third season was announced in January 2026. Filming for the new season has recently begun, according to cast member Beau Bridges.

CBS typically rolls out its midseason premieres between January and March, suggesting that 'Matlock' Season 3 is most likely to return within the first quarter of 2027. Fans can stream all previous episodes of 'Matlock' on Paramount+. The service offers two subscription tiers: Essential, which is ad-supported and costs $8.99 per month, and Premium, an ad-free option with Showtime titles and live CBS for $13.99 per month. Paramount+ can also be added to Hulu or Prime Video accounts for an additional monthly fee.