Since we're in the dead of summer, it's no secret that every fan of broadcast television is counting down the days until our favorite shows finally return with new episodes this fall. Unfortunately for Matlock fans, we will be waiting much longer than usual for our comeback to Jacobson Moore—or whatever Matty and Olympia's possible new firm might be called.
For the first time, the legal drama starring Kathy Bates won't premiere as part of the CBS fall schedule. Instead, the network has opted to debut Matlock season 3 in midseason, meaning sometime in early 2027. On the bright side, that gives the writers plenty of time to craft the new mystery that will shape the series after concluding the Wellbrexa arc.
Not to mention, now with the biggest chapter of the series' storytelling in its rearview, a lot of the characters can start fresh in the aftermath and closure of the season 2 finale. More than anyone, Sarah deserves to gain some new direction going into season 3 after being a supporting player tackling a number of the same issues throughout the first two seasons.
Sarah deserves bigger storylines in Matlock season 3
When we met Sarah in Matlock season 1, she was the high strung and go-getting junior lawyer on Olympia's team, eager to impress her confident boss in spite of her anxieties surrounding her career. Sarah makes some decent headway in learning how to slow down a bit and prove that she has what it takes to be a member of the team. But she frequently gets in her own way.
In the second season, with Billy pulled from the team, Sarah has to get used to Hunter being a quick study when he joins the team. His golden retriever energy makes him well liked by Matty and Olympia, and even though he comes off as an average dude bro, he provided some of the unexpected keys to cracking a number of their hardest cases, causing frustration in Sarah.
She's often down on herself and her abilities as a lawyer, which comes to a head in season 2 when she finds herself working with Julian and ends up beholden to Senior forcing her to spy on his son. Sarah loses Olympia's trust, leading to some deep issues between that two that put Sarah's career in serious danger. But for the most part, these are themes that have been consistent in her story.
The end of season 2 suggests that Sarah will finally learn Matty's secret, which will hopefully lead to the new direction we're craving for Sarah moving forward. She has been chipping away at character development for the past two seasons and it would be amazing to finally watch her walk into her agency and find confidence within herself in not just her career but also her life.
Sarah's adoption storyline has been teased, but she hasn't pursued finding her birth parents. She also hasn't had a love interest since she dated Kira (briefly) in the first season. Not that romantic storylines are defining aspects of a character, but since almost every other character has active love interests, Sarah should be part of that, too, as one of the show's only (or perhaps the only) queer character.
After putting in some great work in season 2, Leah Lewis should be given meatier storylines in Matlock season 3 that aren't solely based on Sarah's concerns and stresses about work. She could be the show's secret weapon if she receives material that continues to build upon what's already been explored in the first two seasons. We'll just have to wait and see if they pull the trigger.
Add us as a preferred source on Google