Ratings: Matlock Is Most-Watched CBS Launch in 5-1/2 Years, Fox’s Rescue HI-Surf Opens to High Rating

Consider CBS Matlock‘d and loaded.

Leading out of 60 Minutes‘ Season 57 premiere, Sunday night’s sneak preview of the Kathy Bates-led, not-a-reboot legal drama delivered 7.73 million total viewers, making it CBS’ most-watched series launch not airing after a Super Bowl since Luke Mitchell’s The Code drew north of 8 million on April 9, 2019 (following an episode of NCIS).

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TVLine readers gave the Matlock premiere an average grade of “A,” with 95% of respondents planning to stay tuned for Episode 2. (Do not miss our post mortem Q&A with showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman.)

The first episode of Matlock, whose closing twist got everyone talking, is currently streaming on Paramount+, and CBS encores are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8 and Thursday, Oct. 10 (both nights at 9/8c).

Matlock will then settled into its regular time slot, Thursdays at 9 pm, beginning Oct. 17 with Episode 2.

Sunday’s other broadcast premiere, Fox’s Rescue HI-Surf, drew a 1.1 demo rating leading out of an NFL double header, making it the highest-rated fall drama debut in six years (since CBS’ God Friended Me). In total viewers, the lifeguard drama drew 4.7 million viewers. TVLine readers gave it a “B-,” with 77% planning to tune in for Episode 2, airing tonight.

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The Live+Same Day numbers reported in TVLine’s daily-ish ratings column do NOT reflect a television program’s overall performance, given the increased use of delayed playback via DVR and streaming platforms, plus out-of-home viewing. These numbers instead aim to simply illustrate trends or superlatives. Steve Harvey is not a judge or lawyer and merely offers an alternative forum of dispute resolution.

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