In a world of wondering why Hollywood chooses to remake or reboot popular shows rather than create something new and original, CBS' Matlock's answer to that question is that they can do both. As a gender-swapped reboot of the television series Matlock that came out in 1986, this drama does more than take the same concept and switch some roles around. Unlike the original series, this version follows Matty Matlock, or as she is really called, Matty Kingston, on a journey to avenge her late daughter. When Matty discovers that someone at a law firm hid documents that could have prevented her daughter's death, she decides to get a job at the company to discover which of the firm's significant lawyers at Jacobson Moore, Olympia, Julian, or Howard, was responsible for keeping the documents hidden.
Matlock doubles as an episodic case-of-the-week drama while keeping the continuous subplots of various personal details, such as Matty's investigation into her bosses, Olympia and Julian's relationship struggles surrounding their pending divorce and dynamic as co-parents, Matty's relationships to her husband and grandson, and the work friendships between Matty's co-associates Sarah and Billy. Each of the characters and relationships in the show holds strongly on their own, allowing various connections to be fleshed out over the course of the season, such as Matty's growing friendship with Olympia that she struggles to reconcile with the idea that Olympia may be the one responsible for her daughter's death, or how Billy and Sarah rely on the other to help prove themselves in the firm. As the season continues, Matlock even offers a bigger glimpse at the dynamic between Matty and Julian, as Julian acts as a background character who mostly exists within Olympia's plot for the majority of the first half of the season. Matlock, in several ways, is an ideal portrayal of what a reboot can and should be.
CBS' portrayal is not a retelling of the original series, nor is it trying to be. The 2024 iteration works to be its own show, perhaps inspired by the original, but not tying itself so closely as to prevent the newer series from existing within its own right. These storylines and characters have a life of their own, and the decision to include Matty's ulterior motive twist does show a positive service in offering extra layers to the central character. Ultimately, Matlock is a fun addition to the CBS Thursday night line-up, as it offers mystery, drama, and comical moments that give the audience something fun to look forward to.