Fans Receive Confusing Update on David Del Rio's Final Episode of 'Matlock'

David Del Rio, who was dismissed from Matlock in October, has left fans uncertain about when his character will make his final appearance. He played Billy Martinez in the episode aired on Thursday, December 4, on CBS. However, the storyline did not continue the unresolved discussion between Billy and his pregnant girlfriend, Claudia, from the previous episode.

With the Matlock midseason finale set for December 11, viewers are left speculating whether this will mark Del Rios last episode and how the show will explain his characters exit.

Season 2, Episode 7, titled Prior Bad Acts, focused on Matty (Kathy Bates) and Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) as they tried to secure a board vote to remove Senior (Beau Bridges) from power. Senior anticipated the move and successfully delayed the vote, forcing Matty and Olympia to rethink their strategy. Their attention then turned to locating an NDA that could implicate Senior in the Wellbrexa case. Julian (Jason Ritter) recovered the NDA along with an SD card that could help their case, while Senior enlisted Sarah (Leah Lewis) to monitor her sons actions. In the promo for the midseason finale, Sarah expresses concern to Olympia, emphasizing the importance of standing firm in crucial moments.

In this episode, Billys role was limited to assisting Olympia with the case involving her mother, Celeste (Verne Watson), and her stepfather, as well as advising Sarah on her secretive work for Senior. No progress was shown regarding his relationship with Claudia (Bella Ortiz). In the previous episode, the couple discussed a major decision about their future, but their dialogue appeared inconsistent. Claudia remarked, I dont care about getting married I have faith in us, married or not married. Billys response seemed stitched together from earlier scenes: Claudia, I do want us to get married. Their interaction ended ambiguously, with Billy stating, We were always meant to be a family.

Del Rios dismissal followed an alleged sexual assault incident involving co-star Leah Lewis. CBS confirmed that Del Rio was released from the show after the investigation concluded. Production had a scheduled break from November to December, resuming this week for the second half of Season 2. CBS has indicated that Billy Martinezs character will be written out following the hiatus. While not officially confirmed, it appears the midseason finale may serve as Del Rios last appearance, as he does not appear in promotional images or episode stills.

The scene in Episode 6 with Claudia hints that Billys potential marriage might be tied to his departure. Much of Season 2s first half was filmed before Del Rios exit, so some dialogue inconsistencies may result from creative editing to pave the way for his characters exit. Since Billy was originally intended to appear throughout the season, no additional scenes were filmed to directly address his departure. Fans have speculated that other characters, such as Olympia, might provide an explanation through dialogue replacement techniques during post-production. With production back on track for the remainder of Season 2, premiering February 26, the show has the opportunity to offer a clearer narrative for Billys exit.

Matlock airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS.

Author: Caleb Jennings