&34;It's not romantic partners, but it's a deep, deep love for one another. And they're invested in each other,&34; Bates says. Kathy Bates and Skye P. Marshall

"It's not romantic partners, but it's a deep, deep love for one another. And they're invested in each other," Bates says.

Kathy Bates and Skye P. Marshall tease the evolution of their 'love story' on Matlock season 2

"It's not romantic partners, but it's a deep, deep love for one another. And they're invested in each other," Bates says.

By Wesley Stenzel

August 29, 2025 9:00 a.m. ET

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Kathy Bates has never worked with someone like Skye P. Marshall. And Skye P. Marshall has never worked with someone like Kathy Bates.

The *Matlock* costars were stunned to discover an instant chemistry as soon as they began filming the CBS legal procedural, which is currently shooting its second season.

"There's this chemical reaction that takes place when me and Kathy are in a scene together, the two of us," Marshall tells **. "It's this synergy that happens that I've never felt before, where I'm not thinking of my lines at all. It's just like a runner's high, and Kathy locks in as well, to the point where you'll see parts of our faces start shivering. It becomes literally a chemical reaction — we charge each other up."

Does Bates concur with Marshall's "chemical reaction" terminology? "Abso-f---ing-lutely," the Oscar winner tells EW. "There's some kind of chemistry that you just can't explain between people, and it's so precious and you wanna protect it at all costs. It's been many, many, many, many years — I don't wanna cast aspersions on any of the other people that I've worked with over the years, but this is quite unusual and *so* satisfying."

Marshall says that her connection with Bates began the first time they met to read for *Matlock*. "I walked in intimidated and immediately, when I locked eyes with her, it was this familiarity that I couldn't make sense of," she recalls. "I was like, 'What is this feeling? This is strange. This is not what I prepared for.' That has been consistent. I say to her, Maybe we were both cats in another life, and we hung out in a cool alley in New York together.'"

Kathy Bates in 'Matlock' season 2.

Sonja Flemming/CBS

A love story for the ages

For most of *Matlock*'s first season, Marshall's commanding attorney, Olympia, knew Bates' character as Matty Matlock, a folksy, widowed Southern lawyer who came out of retirement to work alongside her at the fast-paced New York firm Jacobson Moore.

But after nearly a full season of workplace collaboration and unexpected friendship, Olympia discovered Matty's bombshell secret, which the audience knew since episode 1: Her entire persona is a front for Madeline Kingston, a traumatized wealthy mother who infiltrated Jacobson Moore to investigate its role in the opioid crisis, which claimed the life of her daughter.

Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman (*Jane the Virgin*) views the relationship between Madeline and Olympia as *Matlock*'s core engine. "We are really arcing this as an epic love story," the writer-producer tells EW. "There's a ton of love underneath."

Bates agrees with Urman's "love story" framing, and notes that the characters' connection is an unusual type of love. "It's a word that we don't use in the modern day anymore: philia, which is a kind of relationship that is a deep friendship that's almost more than friends," the actress explains. "It's not romantic partners, but it's a deep, deep love for one another. And they're invested in each other."

Urman underlines how Madeline's dishonesty will fundamentally change the show's primary relationship this season. "That love story with Olympia is going to be really, really tested this year," the showrunner explains. "Depending on their choices in the premiere, they will either forge closer or further, and throughout the season. There will be times when they're very close. There will be times when they're yearning for each other. There will be times when they make it back, and there will be times when they're split apart."

Marshall says that Matty and Olympia's "love story" will be defined by "conflict and care" in season 2. "How do we face a conflict, but still care about each other?" she asks. "How do I face betrayal? It's this juggling act of emotions and responsibility that I feel Olympia carries through the season."

Jason Ritter and Skye P. Marshall in 'Matlock' season 2.

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Guilty as charged

Madeline isn't the only one who betrayed Olympia, either. At the end of the season 1 finale, Marshall's character discovered that Julian (Jason Ritter) — her ex, the father of her children, and her workplace rival whom she beat out for a partner position at the firm — was the guilty party who collaborated with pharmaceutical giant WellBrexa to hide documents that could have ended the opioid epidemic years earlier (and the documents have been sitting in his safety deposit box for years!).

"Olympia is in a tough situation at the end of the finale," Urman says. "Does she protect her family? Does she lie to Matty? Does she tell Matty the truth? What does justice look like for her? This woman is deeply devoted to justice, yet also is a human being who does not want the father of her children to go to jail and doesn't see him as only evil. So she's got a lot of complicated things to play this season."

Marshall says that she's particularly excited for audiences to see how Olympia escapes that impossible situation in the premiere. "Look forward to the journey of the WellBrexa document," she teases. "What happens when Julian and Olympia leave the bank?"

She also says that Ritter — who remains a series regular despite his character's shaky position at the end of season 1 — has even more time to shine in the upcoming season. "Jason's coming out the gate swinging, and I could not wait for them to release him because he's always had it," Marshall says of her on-screen ex. "And you're going to now see what Julian can bring when those stakes are that high. Julian has to face his choices."

Urman also sings Ritter's praises, noting how Julian's status as the WellBrexa collaborator invites heightened tension to season 2 — and how his rocky relationship with his dad, Howard "Senior" Markston (Beau Bridges), allows the audience to feel for his character despite his wrongdoing.

"I feel really lucky that we have been able to say that he is the guilty person, but also still have the audience and everyone understand why he did what he did and feel sympathy towards him," the showrunner explains. "And that's just because of the character in Jason's hands. And you'll also get to see some surprising comic moments from him — we're building up to a good piece of physical comedy for him, because we all wanted and needed it."

David Del Rio, Leah Lewis, and Kathy Bates in 'Matlock' season 2.

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Another love story

Urman also highlights that Madeline and Olympia aren't the only Jacobson Moore employees charting their love story this season, as ambitious young associates Billy Martinez (David Del Rio) and Sarah Franklin (Leah Lewis) will also get closer this year.

"I think of this show as a story about friendship romances — those people that come into your life that are maybe even more significant than your romantic partner, and it does come with certain challenges for other people in their lives," the showrunner explains. "Matty and Olympia have that, and Sarah and Billy unexpectedly started to really feel that towards each other, too."

This season, Billy will be forced to reckon with the fact that his ex, Claudia (Bella Ortiz), is pregnant, presumably with his child. Meanwhile, Sarah's previously unseen family will enter the fold, and Marshall teases that the character's unexpected courtroom victory in the season 1 finale will "bring on new rivals" as she tries to ascend the corporate ladder.

Urman is also excited about exploring new character pairings this season. "Billy and Julian have a story right in the second episode that maybe tickles Billy more than it does Julian," she teases. "Sarah and Senior have an interesting arc coming up. We really are trying to look at all of our characters, break them apart, put them with other people, and see how that affects the ecosystem."

Where the heart is

Madeline's home life with her husband Edwin (Sam Anderson) and their grandson Alfie (Aaron Harris) also remains up in the air, especially with the arrival of a mysterious stranger (Niko Nicotera) who claims to be Alfie's long-lost dad.  "What's gonna happen with Alfie's father? *Is* he his father?" Bates teases.

Urman plays coy about the identity of Alfie's dad. "We'll find out at the beginning if it is this person, or if it's a search for another person," she says. "Once we find out who Alfie's father is, and what that brings in, it'll open a whole host of things for Matty to interact with, and it fills out her daughter's story in ways she didn't know."

The show will keep Edwin highly involved in season 2, and has already shot an arc exploring his relationship with Olympia — someone who didn't know he existed for the majority of season 1. "Madeline and Edwin are going to make surprising decisions about how they move forward, and what else they need in their life," Urman says.

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Beau Bridges and Kathy Bates in 'Matlock' season 2.

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Back in the swing of things

Season 2 will maintain the case-of-the-week procedural structure that season 1 established, and Urman assures viewers that although the WellBrexa collaborator has been identified, there will still be a similar overarching mystery that carries throughout the new season.

"There's definitely more mystery," the showrunner says. "We open another door, and there's something that we are looking for specifically. It's less of a mystery who-did-what-when and more of a question we're seeking an answer to. And the ending of the season really propels the third season — should we get one — into a very different area again."

Bates is taking on additional responsibilities this season. "I'm gonna direct the last episode of the first half of the season — if I don't fall over by then," the actress says, laughing. "I've been watching a lot about how the other directors go through all of this. It's been exciting and challenging, as has been getting back into the routine."

The *Titanic* star was a little worn down after spending the summer promoting the show (though she did land an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series). "I think I'm back in the saddle now, but the first few days I felt like I was slipping and sliding on the ice a little bit," she says. "I think we were all experiencing getting our sea legs back again. But it didn't take us long to get right back in, and I've noticed that all of us now feel so comfortable in our roles that we're really beginning to play deftly."

Marshall is thrilled to be playing with her costar again. "I have a new nickname from Kathy — she calls me 'Fast Car,'" Marshall says. "I'll probably get it tattooed on me somewhere, and the license plate will say 'BATES.' But yeah, she calls me 'Fast Car' 'cause I just come in and I have this energy, and then she just comes at me as well. It's like we're playing chicken, and it's just this beautiful experience that we're getting back into season 2, except this time, with way higher stakes."

Bates says that the feeling is mutual. "When you just click with somebody who knows the kind of work you do, who understands the cost of it, who exalts in it, who can play tennis with you and hit the ball back — that's what Matty and Olympia have, and that's what we have," she says. "Working alone, you can be a star and get the accolades, but when you work with somebody you really love and you play — there's just nothing like it."

*Matlock* season 2 premieres on Sunday, Oct. 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, on CBS. The season continues on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.****

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