Olympia Lawrence and Madeline "Matty" Matlock [Kathy Bates] may have had a bumpy ride this season, and while they're in a better place approaching Matlock's season 2 finale, season 3 sees the pair really lock in.
The core of their issues in season 2 stems largely from Matty's deception around the Wellbrexa files, after Matty is exposed for trying to steal the files from Olympia's safe. And while Matty's intentions are good, as her aim is to get answers about the company's involvement in the opioid crisis, it hurts her relationship with Olympia and fractures the trust between the pair. At the same time, Olympia's protectiveness over her ex-husband, Julian Markston [Jason Ritter], plays a role, with Olympia finding herself covering for him amid his involvement with Wellbrexa, in an effort to protect their family. It's towards the end of the season that the pair discover that they have more in common than not, with their loyalty to the ones they love forging a bond between the two lawyers.
ScreenRant's Tatiana Hullender spoke to Skye P. Marshall, who plays Olympia on the hit CBS series, ahead of the show's season 2 finale, about what she hopes for Olympia and Matty's friendship in season 3, and the relationship she's formed with Bates off-set.
Skye P. Marshall: I hope for unity in a way that is still satisfying and messy and deeply human. And I think that's what makes our chemistry so fantastic, is that Kathy and I are quite close to Olympia and Madeline. And so, the longer the writing room knows us and becomes familiar with us, and the longer that Kathy and I become familiar with each other, the more I'm starting to see our essence show up in the scary moments of our characters. Because I never walk into that courtroom not scared. I never go into an intimate scene, or even a comedic improv scene with Kathy Bates, and not have sweaty palms. And I believe that that's what makes the chemistry so real, because neither one of us can ever expect what the other will do, because we just decide to stop acting and go in and just trust our instincts.
That's something Marshall said she wants to see more of for Olympia and Matty in season 3. She also teased a fun moment in the finale, which signals a real sisterly bond ahead for the pair.
Skye P. Marshall: You'll see in the finale that there is a scene with she and I, and we get a little tipsy. And it was one of the most joyful scenes that I have ever done with Kathy. And it's a little similar to our season one dance moment, where people just got to see them be fun, be childish, and be friends. And I want to lean more into that as well. The messiness and the vulnerability.
As for her off-set relationship with Bates, Marshall credited the legendary actress with elevating her to co-lead status on the show, with season one helping introduce Marshall to a larger audience, and season 2 cemented her place on the Emmy-nominated series.
Skye P. Marshall: Season one, I felt like it was very much me proving myself, not just to my studio and my creative team and Kathy Bates, who all blindly trusted that I could do this role without any evidentiary support to back it up. I had no content available to prove to them that I can be number two to a legend. They all had to collectively trust their instincts. And so I had a lot to prove to what I like to refer to as my destiny advocates, because I knew that this was going to propel me. And I knew that when the audience watched season one, they were coming to see Kathy Bates, but they were going to leave wondering, "Who's that Black woman on Matlock? I love some Kathy Bates, but who's that sister next to her?"
Calling Bates her "fairy godfriend," Marshall told ScreenRant that Bates advocated for her on Matlock just as much as she advocated for herself.
Skye P. Marshall: And then I knew with season two, I wanted to elevate that experience, and I wanted to be seen and to be appreciated as a co-lead of Kathy Bates because that's how she's always wanted me to be seen and presented. She pushed me into the spotlight, and she won't let me run. She won't let me run away from it. I joke, I call her my fairy godfriend, and that's exactly what she is.
Matlock's two-hour season 2 final airs Thursday, April 23, at 9:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
CBS Sets Fall Dates for ‘Marshals,’ ‘Survivor’ and More
CBS has set its fall premiere dates, and as has been the case for the past few seasons, most of the network’s lineup will launch in early October.
Reality staples Survivor and The Amazing Race will debut a bit earlier, as will 60 Minutes. But all of CBS’ scripted series are set to premiere over six days starting Oct. 4. Marshals and Tracker — the two most watched shows on network TV last season, excluding live sports — are up first that night, remaining in the Sunday night spots they occupied last season.
FBI and CIA follow on Oct. 5, with each show moving up an hour (to 8 and 9 p.m. ET/PT) from their spots last season as CBS eliminated its Monday comedy block for 2026-27. True crime show Harlan Coben’s Final Twist follows at 10 p.m.
An all-NCIS lineup remains on Tuesday nights starting Oct. 6, with newcomer NCIS: New York sandwiched between the flagship series and prequel NCIS: Origins. CBS’ two other new fall series, comedy Eternally Yours and drama Cupertino, premiere Oct. 8 along with Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage and Elsbeth. Ghosts and Matlock are set for midseason premieres, but a pair of Ghosts specials will air on Oct. 29 and Dec. 10 tied to Halloween and Christmas. The Friday lineup of Sheriff Country, Fire Country and Boston Blue debuts Oct. 9.
CBS’ fall premiere dates are below. All times are ET/PT unless noted, and new shows are marked with an asterisk.
Sunday, Sept. 13
7:30 p.m.: 60 Minutes (approximate; follows NFL doubleheader)
Wednesday, Sept. 23
8 p.m.: Survivor
Wednesday, Sept. 30
9:30 p.m.: The Amazing Race
Sunday, Oct. 4
8:30 p.m.: Marshals (approximate; follows NFL doubleheader and 60 Minutes)
9:30 p.m.: Tracker
Monday, Oct. 5
8 p.m.: FBI
9 p.m.: CIA
10 p.m.: Harlan Coben’s Final Twist
Tuesday, Oct. 6
8 p.m.: NCIS
9 p.m.: NCIS: New York*
10 p.m.: NCIS: Origins
Thursday, Oct. 8
8 p.m.: Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
8:30 p.m.: Eternally Yours*
9 p.m.: Elsbeth
10 p.m.: Cupertino*
Friday, Oct. 9
8 p.m.: Sheriff Country
9 p.m.: Fire Country
10 p.m.: Boston Blue
Saturday, Oct. 10
10 p.m.: 48 Hours
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