It looks like Matlock is about to get very topical in its case of the week when it makes its grand return. Don't miss the details of the Matlock season 2 midseason premiere.
Like all CBS shows, Matlock has been on an extended hiatus since December 2025. But the newly released synopsis for the episode, titled “Collateral,” indicates that the main case of the week will be ripped out of the headlines as an attempt to help a client pits the firm against the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, aka ICE!
“Olympia and Matty each put together their own collateral for Julian, hoping to regain his trust after he makes a shocking discovery. Meanwhile, an injunction case takes a turn when their client is detained by ICE agents, forcing the team to shift gears to keep him with his family and prevent deportation.”
Matlock's case of the week was filmed ahead of current events
Now, it should be pointed out that this episode was filmed and finished weeks ago. However, its release couldn’t be more timely as ICE has been making headlines of the wrong sort for the last month. The agency was already being attacked for ignoring numerous laws regarding the rounding up of immigrants, some of whom were actually legal citizens. It got even worse when ICE agents killed two people in controversial circumstances.
This makes treating the agency in fiction a red-button issue that CBS will have to navigate. Indeed, it’s not hard to imagine that if another ICE-related incident were to occur in the next few weeks, CBS might very well delay this episode to avoid the controversy. Yet that would throw off another key point for Matlock.
What else is coming on Matlock?
The main storyline of the episode will have Olivia and Matty likely confronted by Julian, who has just discovered the pair working together. Olympia has been trying to dissuade Matty from releasing the files that would implicate Julian and his father in covering up their knowledge of opioid abuse. Olympia is looking out for her family, while Matty wants to see justice done.
The question is whether Julian will aid them or blow the whistle on the pair to his dad. The show will also be without David Del Rio, who was fired after accusations of assaulting co-star Leah Lewis. The last episode wrote the Billy character off with his girlfriend having a miscarriage, and likely, Billy leaves the firm to tend to her.
The episode paves the way for the introduction of Sarah Wright Olsen as an efficiency expert and Henry Haber as Sarah’s new partner, Hunter. It’s going to be a notable episode on several fronts to make Matlock's return a big one.
Matlock season 2 returns on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 9/8c on CBS.