CBS Orders ‘Matlock’ Starring Kathy Bates, ‘Good Wife’ Spin-Off ‘Elsbeth’ & Wayans Family Comedy

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In the wake of a bunch of cancellations and renewals, US network CBS has announced three pilot pick-ups which will join the broadcast line-up including a reboot of ‘Matlock‘ starring Kathy Bates, ‘The Good Wife’ spin-off ‘Elsbeth‘, and ‘Poppa’s House‘ starring the members of Wayans family.

‘Matlock’ stars Kathy Bates as the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline “Matty” Matlock, who achieved success in her younger years, and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanour and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within.

Inspired by the classic television series of the same name, the series also stars Skye P. Marshall as Olympia, Jason Ritter as Julian, David Del Rio as Billy and Leah Lewis as Sarah. The series is written by Jennie Snyder Urman (‘Jane the Virgin’), and is produced by CBS Studios.

‘Elsbeth’ sees Carrie Preston reprise her role from ‘The Good Wife’ and ‘The Good Fight’, Elsbeth Tascioni, an astute but unconventional attorney who, after her successful career in Chicago, utilizes her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD.

The series also stars Wendell Pierce as Captain C.W. Wagner and Carra Patterson as Officer Kaya Blanke. Jonathan Tolins (‘The Good Fight’) serves as showrunner and exec produces with writers and exec producers Robert King and Michelle King (creators of ‘The Good Wife’, ‘The Good Fight’, and ‘Evil’).

‘Poppa’s House’ is a multi-camera sitcom which stars Damon Wayans Snr. as the legendary talk radio host and happily divorced “Poppa” who has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host (Essence Atkins – ‘First Wives Club’, ‘Marlon’) is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son (Damon Wayans Jr. – ‘Happy Together’, ‘New Girl’), a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband. Tetona Jackson (‘Home Economics’) also stars as Nina.

Kevin Hench (‘Last Man Standing’) co-wrote the pilot with Wayans Snr. and exec produces alongside Wayans Jr., and Andy Ackerman. Kameron Tarlow produces for Wayans Jr.’s Two Shakes Entertainment.

These three pilot pick-ups come on the back of a busy week for CBS. The network first cancelled ‘SWAT’… Then a few days later un-cancelled ‘SWAT’ follow a backlash from fans and notably, the star, Shemar Moore. That was swiftly followed by the cancellation of both ‘True Lies’ and ‘East New York’, both of which only survived one season.

‘Matlock‘ and ‘Elsbeth‘ are set to air in the “Fall Season 2023” on CBS in the USA, with ‘Poppa’s House‘ airing in mid-season (i.e. Early 2024). They join the other CBS new recruit, ‘Tracker‘, which stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist who roams the country as a “reward seeker,” using his expert tracking skills to help private citizens and law enforcement solve all manner of mysteries. ‘Tracker’ will also air mid-season on CBS, being broadcast directly after the Superbowl!

‘Matlock‘, ‘Elsbeth‘, ‘Poppa’s House‘, and ‘Tracker‘ do not have a broadcaster in the UK yet, but if you want to keep track of these or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date.