Fans Excited │ Edwin Hodge Crashes into ‘Matlock’ Season 2 – His Role Hits Close to Home

We all love us some “Matlock.” Season 2 is in full swing and Kathy Bates has absolutely and totally crushed it as the deceptive and smartly sly septuagenarian. The show has successfully rebooted a classic without making it feel like an old relic from the VHS era. But just in case you needed another reason to tune in when the show returns from hiatus on February 26, CBS just dropped a casting nugget that makes things infinitely more interesting: Edwin Hodge has officially joined the cast. 

Who Is Edwin Hodge Playing in “Matlock” Season 2?

According to the reports, Hodge is stepping into the shoes of a character named Langston. On paper, this guy sounds like the type of person you love to hate – or hate to love. Langston is described as a “smooth talker” who can show up late to a meeting and charm everyone into forgetting he kept them waiting. We all know that guy – or somebody like him. We usually date that guy against our better judgment.

But here is where it gets very “TV Land”: Langston holds a double PhD in neuroscience and philosophy. Because of course he does. Apparently, he is a deep thinker who commands attention the moment he walks into a room. It’s a sharp pivot from Hodge’s recent work, considering he just spent seasons chasing down fugitives as Special Agent Ray Cannon on “FBI: Most Wanted.” Trading in the tactical vest for a tailored suit and a philosophy degree? We will definitely love seeing his range.

Casting Edwin Hodge: The Real-Life Chemistry Factor

Here is the tea that makes this casting choice brilliant. Edwin Hodge is married to Skye P. Marshall, who plays the fierce, high-powered attorney Olympia Lawrence. The two tied the knot in 2024 and previously shared the screen on the CBS medical drama “Good Sam.”

While the network hasn’t explicitly confirmed a romantic storyline between Langston and Olympia, you don’t cast the lead actress’s husband just to have them pass each other in the hallway near the water cooler. Olympia has had a rough go of it lately – dealing with firm politics, her ex-husband Julian (Jason Ritter), and the general stress of being a rainmaker. Bringing in a character who is intellectually on her level and has built-in chemistry with the actress? That screams “romantic complication.”

If the writers are smart (and they usually are), they’re going to lean into this dynamic hard. Watching real-life couples act opposite each other adds a layer of authenticity you just can’t fake.

Why This Casting Matters for the Show

“Matlock” Season 2 is already raising the stakes. We know Matty (Bates) is digging deeper into the opioid scandal linked to her daughter’s death, and her secret investigation is getting perilously close to exposure. Yikes. Tension at the firm has been building steadily. Introducing a “wildcard” character like Langston serves a specific purpose. He’s an outsider. He’s charming. He’s smart.

Is he there to help Matty? Is he a distraction for Olympia so she doesn’t notice what Matty is up to? Or is he just there to look good and quote Kant while winning a case?

Whatever his function, Hodge is a veteran who knows how to hold his own. Beyond the “FBI” universe, you may recognize him as the only actor to actually survive the first three “The Purge” movies (a badge of honor in itself), or from his run on “Winning Time” and “The Tomorrow War.” He has the gravitas to stand toe-to-toe with powerhouses like Bates and Beau Bridges.

The show returns to CBS on February 26. We’ll watching to see if the sparks fly between Langston and Olympia – or if Matty utilizes his double PhD brain to solve a case before the opening credits roll.