Matlock Season 2 undergoes big script changes following actor David Del Rio’s sudden exit

CBS’s Matlock season 2 premiered on October 12, 2025, following a hit first season that averaged 16 million viewers and earned Kathy Bates an Emmy nomination for lead actress. Days before the debut, the show faced a crisis: David Del Rio, who played junior associate Billy Martinez, was fired on September 26 after allegations of sexual assault against co-star Leah Lewis.

 An internal investigation prompted his immediate removal from the Paramount lot. Writers, led by showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman, are now overhauling scripts, removing Billy’s major paternity arc and firm dynamics to write him out entirely for the season’s second half, creating a challenge to maintain the show’s narrative flow; however, the first half will still feature Del Rio's part.

Matlock, a reboot of the 1986–1995 Andy Griffith series, blends legal procedural with modern drama. Created by Urman, it follows Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Bates), a 70-something lawyer infiltrating the elite Jacobson Moore firm with hidden motives. The show thrives on its ensemble, including Skye P. Marshall as senior partner Olympia Lawrence and Jason Ritter as Julian Markston, the firm’s COO and Matty’s estranged son. 

Matlock Season 2 rewrites storylines after David Del Rio’s exit

David Del Rio played Billy Martinez, a junior associate at Jacobson Moore and part of the “junior trifecta” with Sarah Franklin (Leah Lewis) and Matty. Billy, a charismatic lawyer with a quick wit, balanced ambition with vulnerability. His season 1 arc showed him navigating firm politics and a strained relationship with ex-girlfriend Claudia, played by Bella Wholey Ortiz.

In the Season 2 premiere filmed before the allegations, Billy learns he’s the father of Claudia’s baby. Initially hesitant, he commits to co-parenting and rekindling their romance, setting up a season-long arc tied to his growth and firm dynamics. His banter with Sarah, a reserved but sharp associate and mentorship under Matty, were fan-favorite elements, grounding the show’s high-stakes cases.

Del Rio’s firing forces a major pivot. The first half of Season 2, roughly 10 episodes, has already been shot and features Billy prominently, including his full paternity revelation and early co-parenting steps. A planned hiatus began this week, with filming resuming post-Thanksgiving, giving writers six weeks to rewrite the back half. 

CBS confirmed Billy will be written out entirely, likely with a brief line about him moving away or an off-screen incident, a common move in procedurals like Law & Order. This approach addresses the practical need to excise the character swiftly, respecting the allegations' severity without delving into them on-screen. However, it risks disrupting the firm’s dynamic, as Billy’s arc, intertwined with Sarah’s mentorship, often provides comic relief in tense investigations—and Matty’s schemes, which relied on his impulsive energy for plot momentum.

The production team must now reorganize previously completed scripts, ensuring no loose ends from Billy’s personal life bleed into unresolved tension. For instance, his budding reconciliation with Claudia could wrap off-camera, perhaps via a single mention in a firm meeting, shifting focus to how it affects Sarah’s workload or emotional arc. 

Billy’s departure also ripples into broader narrative threads: his input on Olympia’s ethical dilemmas or Julian’s family reconciliations may need proxy voices, potentially streamlining subplots but diluting the layered interpersonal stakes that set Matlock apart from standard procedurals.

Writers are balancing this ethical imperative, prioritizing a safe set, with storytelling demands, ensuring the second half picks up seamlessly after the break, perhaps accelerating Matty’s overarching mystery to compensate for the shift.

With six weeks until filming resumes, CBS has time to cast a new actor, a standard practice in network TV shows like The Young and the Restless, which often swap roles quickly. A new Billy would maintain the paternity arc, Sarah’s dynamic, and Matty’s mentorship, avoiding the abruptness of a throwaway exit line.

CBS’s decision to act swiftly reflects post #MeToo accountability, but opting against a recast may prioritize optics over story. 

Matlock Season 2 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Stream next-day on Paramount+.

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