It was late 2024 when Kathy Bates dropped a bombshell that felt like the end of an era. She told The New York Times that her new series, Matlock, would be her "last dance." Honestly, for those of us who grew up watching her oscillate between the terrifying Annie Wilkes and the lovable "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, it felt like a punch to the gut. But here we are in 2026, and the narrative has shifted completely.
Bates didn't just walk away. Instead, she revitalized her career in a way that’s made her the center of the television universe again. If you've been keeping up, you know that kathy bates tv shows are no longer just supporting turns or guest spots—they are the main event.
The Matlock Pivot: It’s Not Your Grandma’s Procedural
When CBS announced a reboot of Matlock, everyone assumed it would be a "case-of-the-week" snoozefest for the Sunday night crowd. We were wrong. This version, developed by Jennie Snyder Urman, stars Bates as Madeline "Matty" Matlock. But there’s a massive catch.
Matty isn’t just a "needy widow" returning to the law because she's bored. In a twist that basically broke the internet during the pilot, it’s revealed she is actually Madeline Kingston—a wealthy, sharp-as-a-tack woman on a warpath to avenge her daughter’s death from an opioid overdose. She’s infiltrating the very law firm she suspects of a cover-up.
The show has been a massive hit. It was renewed for a second season almost immediately, and that season premiered in October 2025. What’s cool is that Bates has started directing episodes for the second season, proving she’s far from "done." She’s using what she calls her "superpower"—the way society tends to ignore women over 70—as a weapon both on and off-screen.
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The Ryan Murphy Era: Where She Found Her Freak
You can't talk about her TV career without looking at American Horror Story. Ryan Murphy basically rescued Bates from a period where she felt Hollywood was done with her. She joined the troupe in Coven (Season 3) as the horrific Madame Delphine LaLaurie. It was a role that earned her a Primetime Emmy and reminded everyone that nobody does "delightfully evil" quite like her.
Over the years, she gave us a range that most actors would kill for:
- Ethel Darling (Freak Show): The bearded lady with a heart of gold and a tragic ending.
- Iris (Hotel): The depressed, overlooked hotel clerk who eventually takes charge of her own afterlife.
- Agnes Mary Winstead (Roanoke): A meta-role where she played an actress who went insane playing a character.
- Miriam Mead (Apocalypse): A literal robotic cult leader.
She wasn't in every season, but when she was there, you felt it. She has this way of grounding even the most ridiculous paranormal plotlines with raw, human emotion.
The Weird, Wild World of Harry's Law and Disjointed
Before the horror and the legal revenge, Bates tried her hand at more traditional (and some not-so-traditional) sitcoms.
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Harry's Law was a David E. Kelley creation that ran on NBC from 2011 to 2012. She played Harriet Korn, a patent lawyer who gets fired and starts a firm in a rundown shoe store. It was weirdly charming. Despite having huge ratings—it was NBC’s most-watched drama for a bit—the network canceled it because the audience skewed "too old."
Then came Disjointed on Netflix in 2017. Working with Chuck Lorre, Bates played Ruth Whitefeather Feldman, a lifelong advocate for cannabis legalization running a dispensary. Critics hated it. Fans, however, sorta loved the absurdity of seeing an Oscar winner get high on camera. It only lasted one season (20 episodes), but it remains a cult favorite for late-night binge-watching.
Why She Matters More Now Than Ever
In recent interviews, including a 2025 appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Bates clarified those retirement rumors. She isn't leaving. She’s just being more selective. She admitted that before Matlock, she had "one foot out the door" because of a bad experience on a movie set that left her sobbing on her sofa.
Television gave her a second act that the film industry didn't seem ready for. She’s now competing for (and winning) awards alongside younger stars like Anna Sawai, proving that age in Hollywood is becoming less of a barrier and more of a texture.
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Key Highlights of Kathy Bates' TV Journey
- Directing Pedigree: She didn't just start directing now. She helmed episodes of Six Feet Under, Oz, and NYPD Blue back in the early 2000s.
- The Guest Star Flex: Who could forget her as Jo Bennett in The Office? She walked into Dunder Mifflin and immediately became the most intimidating person in the room.
- Awards Dominance: She’s racked up 14 Emmy nominations. That’s not a fluke; it’s a testament to her work ethic.
Making the Most of the Bates Binge
If you're looking to catch up on her best work, here’s how to do it without getting overwhelmed.
Start with the Matlock pilot. It’s available on Paramount+ and CBS. Watch it for the twist alone. It changes the entire context of how you view her performance for the rest of the series.
Move to American Horror Story: Coven. It’s peak "Bates being scary." If you want something lighter, find the old episodes of The Big Bang Theory where she plays Amy Farrah Fowler's mother. Her comedic timing is actually ridiculous.
The "last dance" might be happening, but based on the ratings for Matlock Season 2, it’s going to be a very long song. And honestly? We’re lucky to be watching it.
Actionable Insight for Fans: If you want to stay updated on her latest projects, follow the official CBS Matlock social media accounts or check the weekly Nielsen ratings. Bates has hinted that as long as the audience shows up, she’ll keep the "door closed" on retirement. Keep an eye out for her name in the director credits of upcoming episodes—it's where she's currently focusing her creative energy.