Matlock Star Kathy Bates Explodes Over Harry’s Law Cancellation, Drops F-Bomb

Here is one of those Hollywood stories that is both maddening and a little darkly funny: Kathy Bates is back on top with Matlock, and she is not shy about how getting her last network show axed still fuels her.

Quick refresher: Harry's Law

Back in 2011, David E. Kelley launched Harry's Law on NBC with Bates playing Harriet Korn, a blunt, brilliant lawyer who spins up her own criminal defense shop. The show ran from 2011 to 2012 and pulled in big audiences — close to 10 million viewers a week — but its strength skewed older.

Ratings vs. reality

In a new 2025 Variety interview, Bates walks through the whiplash of that era. Despite those large weekly numbers, NBC pulled the plug after two seasons because the series was not delivering the younger demo advertisers crave. She says the decision broke her heart and, at the time, she wrestled with whether to call the network out publicly.

• 2011–2012: Harry's Law airs on NBC; Bates stars as Harriet Korn; ratings average around 10 million weekly viewers.
• 2012: NBC cancels the show after two seasons, citing weak performance with younger demographics.
• A year later: At TCA, Bates unloads on the network (more on that in a second).
• 2025: In Variety, she adds new behind-the-scenes context on why the show was dropped.
• Now: Bates is headlining CBS's Matlock, which is pulling in big numbers and hardware.

The part that still stings

When Bates finally did speak up at the Television Critics Association the year after the cancellation, she did not sugarcoat it:

'I think they treated us like shit. They kicked us to the curb. They disrespected us. They disrespected our seven to 11 million viewers a week. And I think they are getting what they deserve.'

In the new interview, she adds an 'inside baseball' nugget that explains a lot about network math: she says NBC executives told her, 'We can't monetize on old people.' Her gut response, as she puts it: 'I felt like, F-- you!'

Translation: even a large, loyal audience was not enough if the age breakdown did not line up with what advertisers were paying a premium for. In other words, the show was successful — just not in the way the network valued.

Cut to now: Matlock is her victory lap

Bates has since planted her flag at CBS with Matlock. The first season reached nearly 16 million viewers across broadcast and streaming. Awards followed: she picked up a Critics Choice Award and an Emmy nomination, becoming the oldest-ever nominee for outstanding drama actress at 77.

'Success is the best revenge.'

What she is doing with that leverage

These days, Bates says she uses her clout to safeguard the work and to make sure productions support local crews in Los Angeles — a very practical takeaway from the Harry's Law saga. The cancellation may have been a gut punch, but it is clearly still shaping how she chooses her fights — and how she wins them.