"Matlock" jokes about David Del Rio&x27;s departure in midseason premiere: &x27;Job eliminated&x27; Wesley StenzelFri, February 27, 2026 at 2:25 AM UTC 0 David Del Rio in 'Matlock'Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBSKey points Matlock's season 2 midseason premiere features a scene in which an HR representative named Gwen (Sarah WrightOlsen) asks the whereabouts of Billy Martinez (David Del Rio).
"Matlock" jokes about David Del Rio's departure in midseason premiere: 'Job eliminated'
Wesley StenzelFri, February 27, 2026 at 2:25 AM UTC
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David Del Rio in 'Matlock'Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBSKey points -
Matlock's season 2 midseason premiere features a scene in which an HR representative named Gwen (Sarah Wright-Olsen) asks the whereabouts of Billy Martinez (David Del Rio).
After Matty (Kathy Bates) says that the team has "got him covered," Gwen jokes, "Yay, so no need for him to return!"
Del Rio was fired from Matlock in October and was written out of the show after an investigation into an incident involving him.
Matlock is joking about the absence of David Del Rio's Billy.
The CBS legal drama returned with its season 2 midseason premiere, titled "Collateral," on Thursday night. A few minutes into the episode, Sarah (Leah Lewis) and Matty Matlock (Kathy Bates) meet with Gwen Easton (Sarah Wright-Olsen), an HR representative from Lamar and Olson, a law firm merging with Jacobson Moore.
While taking notes on the firm's personnel, Gwen asks, "Where is Billy Martinez?"
Sarah responds, "Out sick. Very, very sick. Vomiting, and he —"
"And we've got him covered," Matty interjects.
Gwen then cracks a joke about firing Del Rio's character.
"Yay, so no need for him to return!" she says. "Job eliminated."
Leah Lewis in 'Matlock'Credit: Michael Yarish/CBS
After an awkward pause, Gwen adds, "Kidding again! It was nice to meet you two."
Sarah tries to emphasize that Billy is normally at their side.
"Usually three!" she yells as Gwen leaves the office.
A few minutes later, Gwen returns to ask Sarah about the team headed by Olympia (Skye P. Marshall).
"So you and Matty and Billy all support Olympia?" she asks.
After Sarah responds affirmatively, Gwen asks, "Could she make do with two people if one of you takes the generous severance package being offered?"
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Sarah immediately shuts down Gwen's proposal.
"Unfortunately that's not going to happen," she says. "We're all very devoted to Jacobson Moore and to Olympia."
Entertainment Weekly previously reported that Del Rio abruptly exited Matlock in October after CBS investigated an incident involving him. The show continued filming without him before going on a pre-planned hiatus in November, and the creative team wrote Billy out of subsequent episodes rather than recasting the character.
Last week, EW confirmed that CBS reopened its investigation into the actor, and stood by its decision to remove him from the show after closing the renewed investigation.
At the time of his initial removal, the incident in question reportedly concerned a sexual assault allegation involving Lewis. Neither Del Rio nor Lewis has publicly commented on the situation.
Del Rio's final episode of the show was the Dec. 4 episode "Prior Bad Acts." In the following episode, the season 2 midseason finale "Call It a Christmas Gift," Billy misses work by taking a "personal day" and does not appear on screen. Toward the end of the episode, Sarah talks to him on the phone as he reveals that his girlfriend, Claudia (Bella Ortiz), has experienced a miscarriage, suggesting that Billy will take more time away from the office.
Leah Lewis and David Del Rio in 'Matlock'Credit: CBS
Lewis previously shared a vague post on social media after Del Rio's firing was initially reported in October.
"Mom is here, we're moving forward in love and strength. I'm in good hands," the actress wrote on Instagram. "Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we're moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Please, let that be the takeaway."
In December, Lewis posted a photo signifying her return to production on the show after the midseason hiatus. "And we back up and running," she wrote in a post on her Instagram Stories.
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The actress also celebrated Matlock being renewed for a third season earlier this month, expressing her thanks toward the executive producers and "to the oodles of guest stars we've had come on this show and make it SO rich every single week, and to our hard working and incredible crew that is allllways showing up with even more warmth, professionalism and creativity every season."
Matlock airs on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: February 26, 2026 at 10:09PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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