Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
STARS ON SCREEN
Lawyering up: Kathy Bates (“Misery,” 1990) as Matlock? That’s what CBS is working on.
The network recently ordered two drama pilots — its first for the 2023-24 season — that would potentially add two already famous attorneys to its current roster: one of them is the “Good Fight” spinoff “Elsbeth,” starring Carrie Preston; and the other is a reboot of “Matlock,” the Andy Griffith-led procedural that originally aired on NBC (19861992) and ABC (1992-1995).
Bates, an award-winning film and television veteran whose career spans more than five decades, has been tapped to play the lead role of Madeline Matlock in what promises to be a modern take on the original series, which still lives on in syndication.
If you’re wondering why CBS would want to revive a show that aired on two network rivals, the series is owned by Viacom Productions and the rights reverted to parent company Paramount Global following the 2019 re-merger of CBS Corporation and Viacom.
CBS was also the home of the spinoff series “Jake and the Fatman,” which was based on a character from a two-part episode of “Matlock” and ran for eight seasons (1987-1992). That series spawned another spinoff, the Dick Van Dyke-led “Diagnosis: Murder” (1991-2002), which provided an explanation for Matlock’s (Griffith) penchant for eating hot dogs: the famously thrifty defense attorney lost his savings after investing in 8-track tapes (based on advice given to him by Van Dyke’s character, Dr. Mark Sloan), forcing him to get by on hot dogs.
The new “Matlock” is helmed by “Jane the Virgin” creator Jennie Snyder Urman. Here’s how CBS is officially describing it: “After achieving success in her younger years, the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline Matlock (Bates) rejoins the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within.”
As for “Elsbeth,” that pilot hails from “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight” creators Robert
and Michelle King. It marks Preston’s return to the role of attorney Elsbeth Tascioni (according to Deadline), who heads to New York, where she uses her observational skills to help corner criminals alongside the NYPD.
‘Dr. Phil’ to end: He’s been one of the most popular daytime talk show hosts for over two decades now, but Dr. Phil McGraw has decided now is the time to end the show’s run.
His daytime show, “Dr. Phil,” which launched in 2002 after several guest appearances on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” is set to wind down after 21 seasons and 31 Emmy nominations.
“I have been blessed with over 25 wonderful years in daytime television,” McGraw said in a statement. “With this show, we have helped thousands of guests and millions of viewers through everything from addiction and marriage to mental wellness and raising children. This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career, but while I’m moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do.”
Original episodes will continue to air in syndication through the 2022-23 season. After that, any airings will be “classic library episodes,” as described by distributor CBS Media Ventures, but these will include new wraparounds, guest updates and introductions from McGraw himself.
McGraw, who is also credited as co-creator, writer and executive producer of the CBS drama “So Help Me Todd,” isn’t getting out of the television business altogether. The announcement teased plans for “a strategic prime-time partnership, scheduled for an early 2024 launch.” And according to CBS Media Ventures president Steve LoCascio: “Phil is a valued partner and member of the CBS/King World family, and while his show may be ending after 21 years, I’m happy to say our relationship is not.”
Marvel-less renewal: Disneystreamer Hulu recently renewed “Marvel’s Hit-Monkey” for a second season, but you can just call it “Hit-Monkey” from now on.
The animated series, which debuted in November 2021 and streams on Disney+ in Canada, centers on a wronged Japanese macaque voiced by Fred Tatasciore (“Family Guy”). Hit-Monkey is mentored by the ghost of American assassin Bryce Fowler, voiced by Jason Sudeikis (“Ted Lasso”), as he seeks vengeance on the Yakuza underworld.
After focusing on Tokyo in Season 1, the action will be set in New York City during Season 2, and a new character voiced by Leslie Jones (“Saturday Night Live”) will be introduced.
Based on the Marvel Comics character, “Hit-Monkey” was initially produced by the nowdefunct Marvel Television, which was folded into Marvel Studios in 2019. Studio 20th Television Animation is taking over for Season 2, hence the omission of “Marvel’s” in the title moving forward, though the logo might still appear in visuals related to the series.
Back in 2019, Hulu and Marvel had announced plans for a fourshow animated series slate that consisted of “Howard the Duck,” “Tigra & Dazzler,” “MODOK” and “Hit-Monkey,” in response to Netflix’s own Marvel TV quadfecta of “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage” and “Iron Fist.” Only “MODOK” and “HitMonkey” made it into Hulu’s library, and only the latter — without “Marvel” in its title – remains.