Would Andy Griffith's Matlock Get Along With Kathy Bates' Matlock?

"Matlock" just wrapped up its second season on CBS, and it's not returning until midseason — so that gives us plenty of time to pursue a rather silly line of inquiry.

"Matlock," of course, is a reimagining of the classic legal drama starring TV icon Andy Griffith, with Oscar winner Kathy Bates taking over the title role. These two Matlocks — Griffith's Ben Matlock and Bates' Matty Matlock — are both whip-smart lawyers of a certain age who will stop at nothing to achieve justice for their clients. (Griffith's "Matlock" actually exists in the CBS "Matlock" universe, with Matty referencing the old TV show at times.) But there are plenty of differences between the two attorneys as well, which leads us to wonder: If Ben Matlock and Matty Matlock actually got in a courtroom together, would they even be able to stand the sight of each other?

We here at TVLine thought we'd dig out the old case files and take a hard look at the evidence, comparing "Matlocks" old and new to determine if Ben and Matty would be friends or enemies. Read on to hear our argument — and be sure to render your own verdict in the comments below.

Debuting on NBC in 1986 (and currently streaming on Pluto), the original "Matlock" starred the great Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock, an Atlanta defense attorney who puttered around with a folksy charm — which means you might not guess that he also graduated from Harvard Law School. In short, he was a lot sharper than he seemed, which gives him a lot in common with CBS' Matty: Both have a way of disarming people with their aw-shucks personality before going in for the kill. (Both use their advanced years to their advantage, too, lulling witnesses into a false sense of security by playing up their age.)

Like Matty, Ben was a defense attorney who worked hard to prove his clients' innocence, so they were both driven by an overriding sense of justice, too. But they lived two very different lives: While Matty lives in a mansion and rides around in a limousine, Ben saved every last dollar, living in a humble home and driving the same old Ford Crown Victoria for years. (The guy's favorite food was hot dogs, for crying out loud.) Would Ben approve of Matty's lavish lifestyle? We have our doubts.

But there's an even bigger hurdle for any potential Ben-Matty team-up...

The big twist driving the CBS "Matlock" reboot is that Matty Matlock isn't actually Matty Matlock: She's Madeline Kingston, a wealthy retiree who infiltrates a New York City law firm under a fake name to prove that it concealed a damning study in an opioid case — which Matty blames for the death of her daughter Ellie in an overdose. So what would Ben Matlock make of this grand deception? Part of us thinks he'd be put off by Matty's propensity for lying. Sure, he could bend the truth a bit himself while working on a case, but he never deceived people on this large of a scale. But part of us thinks he'd admire Matty for using her wits to avenge her daughter's death. (After all, he had two daughters himself.)

We're pretty sure Matty would see Ben as a kindred spirit and admire how he runs circles around attorneys half his age. And though Ben had a reputation for being prickly, we think he would share a laugh or two with Matty at the expense of the clueless young whippersnappers in their midst. So while there may be some minor quibbles over what to play on the radio, we could see Ben and Matty forming a strong partnership, based on their accumulated wisdom and their shared love of standing up for the little guy. Now we're not saying there'd be anything romantic between them: While Ben was a widower, Matty is happily married to her longtime husband Edwin. But we could definitely see them joining forces to make a truly formidable duo in the courtroom. (We know any prosecutor would hate to see them coming.)

We do know one thing that Matty would love to have in common with Ben: The original "Matlock" ran for six seasons on NBC and then another three seasons on ABC. That's the kind of healthy longevity that any Matlock would be happy to have.

What do you think, "Matlock" fans: Would Ben and Matty get along? Hit the comments to give us your verdict.