Matlock Season 2 is adding two new characters following David Del Rio‘s exit from the series. Sarah Wright Olsen and Henry Haber will make their debuts in the second half of the season, which premieres in February. The December 11 midseason finale revealed how Del Rio’s Billy has been written out, with potential updates to come in future episodes.
Here’s everything there is to know so far about Matlock‘s future.
When does Matlock return?
Matlock returns on Thursday, February 26, at 9/8c on CBS.
Who is in the Matlock Season 2 cast?
Matlock stars Kathy Bates, Skye P. Marshall, Jason Ritter, Beau Bridges, Leah Lewis, Sam Anderson, and Aaron D. Harris. Justina Machado and Niko Nicotera are recurring guest stars, as well as Melanie Lynskey, who’s married to Ritter.
Wright Olsen and Haber’s characters are newcomers at the firm. They’ll be introduced when Matlock returns. Wright Olsen plays Gwen, an efficiency expert analyzing the firm. Haber plays Hunter, a younger associate from the floater pool who is a total bro. The characters will not appear in the midseason finale. The actors have already started filming future episodes. Snyder Urman said that Hunter brings in a new energy that the writers have been interested in for a while. She said that Hunter is not a “replacement” for Del Rio.
“We’re always bringing in new associates, new people, because we want to give our characters different energies to react to, and different obstacles to overcome,” Snyder Urman told Deadline. “And one thing that we were talking about in the writers’ room that we’ve been wanting to bring in is a bro, like a real bro.”
“What will it be like for Olympia and Matty to be around a bro?” she continued about Hunter. “They’ve been with characters that really see them as the pinnacle and do things their way. But what happens when you have somebody who spreads a little bit and shoots a basketball when he wants to have ideas flowing? What is that like in our ladies’ world? And I’ll tell you, it’s funny.”
Wright Olsen is married to Matlock executive producer Eric Christian Olsen. She’s known for roles in Parks and Recreation and American Made. Haber is an acting newcomer but has modeling experience. You can check out his Instagram here.
When was David Del Rio’s final episode of Matlock?
Del Rio was a series regular in the first two seasons before he was fired from the show in October in response to an investigation into an alleged sexual assault. The incident reportedly involved Lewis. Del Rio has denied the allegations. According to TMZ, CBS has reopened the investigation.
Del Rio appeared as Billy Martinez in the first seven episodes of Season 2, which were filmed before he was dismissed. Matlock creator Jennie Snyder Urman revealed that Del Rio’s final episode was Episode 7, which aired on December 4. Episode 8 explained Billy’s exit. A phone call with Sarah (Lewis) revealed that Billy’s pregnant partner, Claudia (Bella Ortiz), had a miscarriage, and he would be taking time to grieve with his family. A merger is looming at the Jacobson Moore law firm as well, which could impact Billy’s employment in future episodes.
“I’m not going to discuss details, but what I can talk about is in terms of the show,” Snyder Urman told Deadline. “The last episode you see him is in 7, and then you find out how Billy’s story ends, which is in a very organic way that has to do with our whole office and how things are being shaped in this merger.”
Matlock, Midseason Premiere, Thursday, February 26, 9/8c, CBS
