CBS has delayed Matlock's third season to early 2027, skipping the autumn 2026 slate entirely, and has trimmed the episode order to just 13 instalments, down from 19 in Season 1 and 16 in Season 2. The move is notable given the show's strong performance, and it reflects a broader shift in CBS's scheduling strategy rather than a targeted snub of a single series.

According to Deadline, the delay stems from creative reasons, giving the production team more time for a "creative revamp" following the conclusion of the Wellbrexa storyline that ran through the first two seasons. Matlock, starring Kathy Bates and Skye P. Marshall, holds a 93% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and drew 11.9 million multiplatform viewers for its Season 2 premiere, up 2% on Season 1's figures; Bates also won a Critics Choice Award for the role. The series joins other CBS shows, including NCIS: Origins and Fire Country, being pushed to early 2027, as the network looks to space out a record number of new scripted programmes.