(Warning: Spoilers ahead!)

This cursed year is drawing to a close, but at least Kathy Bates’ charmingly formidable lawyer Madeline “Matty” Matlock is back on TV. As her character’s quest for justice begins to have personal costs, it sure feels good to watch the veteran actress flex her character acting skills in a starring role.

There’s a reason why folksy underdogs like Matlock make for some of the most memorable characters on procedural television. From Columbo to Jessica Fletcher and, yes, Andy Griffith’s original Matlock, there’s something undeniably satisfying about watching these figures’ unconventional methods challenge the power and rigidity of traditional institutions.

CBS’ Matlock reboot is well-aware of this beloved archetype—in the pilot episode, Kathy Bates’ titular protag

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