Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
4.5
Leave it to Kathy Bates to give a tear-inducing, Oscar-worthy monologue that leaves everyone in the scene and at home speechless. She is a legend. She is Matlock.
Is it me, or does it feel like we should be further along than two episodes? So much has already happened in a show just now getting its feet wet.
Suffice it to say that Matlock is not holding back regarding the story. There will be no plot holes for Madeline Matlock. The writers aren’t leaving anything to chance.
The show is already addressing the issue that was on everyone’s minds after the pilot premiered, “How is she going to keep up the ruse at a prestigious law firm?
Twists And Turns Are The Bread And Butter Of Matlock
Luckily, Matlock wasted no time getting right to the issue with an anxiety dream sequence that was kind enough to wake Matty at just the right time to get ready for work. What a fun coincidence.
In the spoilers for Matlock Season 1 Episode 2, I asked why the series’ creators chose such a young actor to play the genius grandson.
Not only do I no longer care, but I get it. If the grandson were any older, he’d be less adorable and less inclined to follow his grandmother’s plans.
There is also tons of drama where there are teens. Madeline doesn’t need any distractions while she’s planning a corporate catastrophe.
So far Matlock kept the pace of the series to the max without a single second of a lull. Usually, that makes a story hard to follow, but the show has a strong grasp to keep that from happening.
At the end of both aired episodes, the montage sequence of how Matty continues to pull off her scheme is laid out in an Oceans Eleven format. I don’t know about you, but I love being spoon-fed clues after a shocking moment.
Let me turn my brain off, and then give me the goods.
Matlock Keeps A Well-Rounded Cast Despite A Cliche Or Two
Given the unknown faces from the promo for this episode, it’s safe to say we have a few more cast members coming down the pike.
We likely won’t see anyone added to the main cast. However, with a new show, especially one that takes place in a law firm, viewers can expect to see many episodic characters.
That being said, it would be nice to see more of Patricia Belcher’s Mrs. B. It’s a cliche and a trope to have a black woman play the sassy, side-eye-giving aid who works in some form of administration.
It seems like a trend, considering new shows like NCIS: Origins are still doing it. How do you feel about that? It’s an obvious plot device for comedy, but the characters tend to be fan favorites because they get all the funny, sarcastic lines.
Still, Matlock rounds out with a diverse cast who all exemplify different personalities.
Take Sarah, for example. Despite her ambitious nature and lack of tact, she shows signs of having a big heart. It’s as if the character is actively trying to avoid thinking with her feelings.
Considering it’s a man’s world, I don’t blame her.
Matlock Takes Its Time Dishing Out The Drama Rather Than Waterboarding Audiences With It
Speaking of men, the male characters in Matlock aren’t quite as fleshed out as, say, Olympia or even Sarah.
Billy’s job is to remind Sarah to apologize to Madeline whenever she says something without a filter. Then, of course, there’s Elijah. That’s Olympia’s side piece, in case you haven’t caught his name.
The only thing we know about him is that he and Olympia like each other and are trying to keep their relationship private while she finishes her divorce from Julian.
Funnily enough, Julian (Jason Ritter) has had a fair amount of screen time. Enough for audiences to see that he isn’t playing the stereotypical hateful ex.
Olympia and Julian’s arc highlights how divorced couples don’t have to be enemies. I love it when a series takes the road less traveled and shows former couples as real people, not just drama machines for writers to milk.
No doubt there’s plenty of drama coming our way. There’s no need to waterboard viewers right off the bat.
Matlock Is The Love Child Of Talented Acting And Quality Writing
We must get to the one and only Kathy Bates as Madeline Matlock. The character is as good of an actor as the woman playing her.
Matty’s tearful speech to Olympia was part of her master plan, but it was still an incredible performance. I can’t handle watching older people cry, so I was a mess.
How could anyone not tear up listening to that incredible speech? I don’t think the actors had to pretend to be that speechless.
Hopefully, Billy and Sarah won’t discover that Matty faked the waterworks. She needs as many people in her corner as she can get.
As for Madeline’s plan, Matlock pulled another fast one. You’d think we’d have learned our lesson by now.
It seemed like Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) was about to catch on to Matty’s ruse at the end, but the septuagenarian was many steps ahead of us.
Matlock is the love child of talented acting and quality writing. The cases that the series explores are one of the many things that make this show so unique.
The parallels between the cases in the series and those in the real world are not lost on Matlock’s viewers.
The cases don’t have a campy way the victim died, like in many Elsbeth episodes. There isn’t a focus on how elaborate the crime was committed, like on High Potential.
Matlock’s cases speak to the heart and humanity of the defendants and their story. They show how justice is not so easily achieved despite the truth. Matlock is the intersection of heart and head.
Hopefully, Matty gets a win soon because all that anxiety isn’t healthy for a woman her age. It’s like she said to Mrs. B at the start of the episode, “At my age, they aren’t looking for reasons to hire you. They’re looking for reasons to fire you.”
At least it looks like Matty and Olympia will finally get along. Matty made the right choice to read Olympia for filth for manipulating her. It weirdly worked in her favor.
However, I have to ding Matty for one thing. She should not have taken that call from her grandson while she was waiting in Olympia’s car.
I would not be surprised if the super lawyer had some kind of recording set up in her vehicle for referencing.
It’s only a matter of time, as the creator has said the big mystery will be solved by the end of Matlock Season 1.
Who do you think will figure out Matty’s secret first?
Which partner at Jacobson & Moore do you think hit the documents that could’ve taken opioids off the market?
Please drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this episode, and join me again when I review the next episode of Matlock!
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