In a September interview with The New York Times, Kathy Bates referred to her CBS series Matlock, saying, “This is my last dance.” The internet collapsed into itself at the news of her retirement from acting. But is it even true?
Bates made her TV debut on the ABC sitcom All My Children all the way back in 1984. Since then, she has sparkled in small parts in legal dramas (LA Law), comedies (Mike & Molly, The Big Bang Theory), and horror. She won her first Emmy for a guest spot on Two and a Half Men. Sure, she’s also a movie star. But Ms. Bates’ TV career has been stellar, too.
In honor of Bates’ reported “last dance,” let’s take a look at some of her most impressive and memorable television roles.
Madeline Matlock: Matlock (2024-)
Network sitcom writing can be a little too neat and tidy for some tastes, but CBS’ Matlock gives us a fun and diverse cast to enjoy. Fun trivia snuck in punctuates the age gap between Maddy and her young coworkers, and all of the cases have you really rooting for one side over another. Maddy “Matlock” is keeping big secrets from her coworkers to advance a hidden agenda, and Bates plays her with a sly charm more reminiscent of Columbo than the original Matlock Andy Griffith.
Madame Marie Delphine La Laurie: American Horror Story: Coven (2018)
Bates has played some of the most remarkable villains in TV history. La Laurie is a slave-owning, sadistic murderess kept alive by a voodoo curse from her mortal enemy. Bates gives Delphine an irresistible charm despite horrific actions—and earning her second Emmy for it. We hate her, we revel in her comeuppances—and we cannot look away. Delphine also shows up in a future season, Apocalypse, for a hot minute!