Jason Ritter, who is one of the cast members of the fan-favorite TV drama Matlock, officially confirmed to fans that he will be returning for the upcoming second season as a main cast member, relieving any worries that he was stepping away from the show.
The 45-year-old actor stars in the law drama as the character Julian Markston, acting alongside Kathy Bates as the title character, Madeline “Matty” Matlock, and others like Skye P. Marshall, David Del Rio, and Leah Lewis.
As fans anticipate the show’s return with the second season in October, some grew concerned after learning that Ritter was cast in another big project, the DC show Lanterns, set to debut on HBO next year.
Ritter Says Fans Have No Need To Worry
Ritter finally cleared up any worries or misunderstandings for fans as he spoke to TV Insider at the Three’s Company table read put on by the John Ritter Foundation.
The publication specifically asked Ritter if he would be back for the entire second seasonof Matlock, to which he excitedly said, “Yes. Absolutely. Stay tuned.”
Ritter also teased a bit of his character’s story in the new episodes, as Julian’s actions in the finale of Season 1 left fans with plenty of questions and emotions, with many disappointed in the character.
“I did get responses from people. People were upset with me, with my character, I mean,” Ritter said of viewers’ reactions to the big reveal. But he also noted that there was a range of responses, adding, “It was fun to see people saying things like, ‘Throw him in jail!’ or ‘Nooo, poor Julian.’”
Ritter’s Mustache for Lanterns Had Fans Wondering if He Was Leaving Matlock
While Ritter has officially stated that he is fully back for Matlock, the main factor that had fans wondering if he might be stepping away from the show was the bold mustache he had for his character in Lanterns.
At the start of the year, when Ritter was filming Lanterns, he showed off his mustache all over social media and seemed to really enjoy the new look. The facial hair was a stark difference from the clean-shaven look of his Matlock character Julian, but luckily, it was also easily removable.
In July, as filming for Matlock Season 2 began, Ritter shared a video officially saying goodbye to the mustache, declaring, “Bye bye moustachio, thank you for the time you spent on my face, I really learned a lot.”
“But it’s my first day back at work on #matlock and there was a big sign in the parking lot that clearly states ‘NO Moustachios beyond this point!’ with a picture of a very unpointy moustachio, and so unfortunately you were just a little too pointed for the circumstances,” he went on.
In the clip, Ritter danced to some jazzy music in a suit in what looked to be his show trailer, looking giddy to be back on set.
Matlock returns with the Season 2 premiere on Sunday, Oct. 12, before returning to its regular Thursday night time slot starting on Oct. 16.
Related: Jason Ritter Issues Direct Response to Being Called ‘Cringe’
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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