Quick Answer

Andy Griffith’s legal drama Matlock ran for 9 seasons on American television.

Show Overview

Basic Facts

  • Original run: March 3, 1986 – May 7, 1995
  • Total episodes: 193 episodes plus one pilot movie
  • Networks: NBC (first 6 seasons), then ABC (final 3 seasons)
  • Star: Andy Griffith as defense attorney Ben Matlock

Why It Ended After 9 Seasons

By the early 1990s, Matlock was still performing respectably—ranking 40th out of 123 network shows—but NBC made a strategic decision to cancel it after six seasons. The show found a second life when ABC picked it up, allowing it to run for three additional seasons before concluding in 1995.

Cultural Context

A Legal Drama Staple

Matlock became one of the defining courtroom dramas of the 1980s and 1990s, known for Griffith’s folksy, small-town lawyer persona who often outsmarted opponents with down-home wisdom and sharp legal reasoning. The character was rumored to be loosely based on real-life Georgia criminal defense attorney Bobby Lee Cook.

Legacy

The show’s nine-season run made it one of the longer-lasting primetime legal dramas of its era, and it remains a staple of syndicated television and streaming platforms. In 2024, a reboot starring Kathy Bates premiered on CBS, continuing the Matlock name for a new generation.

TL;DR: Matlock aired for 9 seasons from 1986 to 1995, totaling 193 episodes plus a pilot.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.