Matty Makes an Enemy Out of a Friend on Matlock Season 1 Episode 10, And It’s Not Who You Think

Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

4.5

Madeline Matlock might just be the messiest chick at Jacobson Moore and that’s saying something. Still, we love to see her work her magic on those unsuspecting lawyers. But where exactly is her moral compass?

As wily and cunning as Matty is, this episode left an odd aftertaste due to one singular fact about Matty’s strategy. She’s convinced that Olympia is not a suspect as a side effect of their fully formed friendship. So, why is Matty dropping nukes on Olympia’s divorce?

From the start, the central plot of Matlock has been about claiming justice for her daughter by taking down the lawyers who allowed opioids to run rampant through the streets.

For a while, everything seemed to float around the morally grey area of things, but as Matty continues to get closer to the truth, she seems to find it easier and easier to use people.

Is Matty Kidding Herself by Taking Olympia Off the Suspect List and Gunning for Julian?

Look, I know Olympia and Julian have pretty much aired their dirty laundry all around the firm with this race over becoming a partner at the firm, but that doesn’t excuse what Matty is doing.

By the end of Matlock Season 1 Episode 9, Matty had put her foot down with Edwin that Olympia was her friend and not a suspect.

But now she is actively using Olympia’s divorce to her advantage by planting seeds of conspiracy all over her “friend,” this time with that darn pen

That said, Matty is way too deep in the chaos now to stop moving forward, especially since she is convinced that Julian is the real culprit behind the Welbrexa case.

I just don’t think Julian (Jason Ritter) is devious enough to cover up something like that. There has been no evidence in any scene he’s been in that he is a sneaky liar.

For one, he came clean to Olympia about the one-night stand he had with Shae even though he could have easily gotten away with it. Also, does anyone else have trouble picturing Julian and Shae together? Those two could not be less compatible.

Now, if you want to talk partners, Billy and Sarah have become their own dynamic duo.

As far as Matlock Cases Go, This One Was a Sneak Attack to the Heart, and Likely Left Many Viewers in Tears

Billy (David Del Rio) and Sarah may as well be attached at the hip, but that doesn’t mean they are in any way on the same path. Honestly, they’re more like complete opposites than anything.

Also, does anyone think Billy is moving on from Claudia a little too quickly? She has been the love of his life since they were kids, and he asked her to marry him. I guess Billy’s optimism is so strong that it can withstand devastating heartbreak.

Speaking of hearts broken into pieces, how crushing was the case that Olympia and the team took on in this episode? Due to his failing health, Walter, the victim, ended his life on his own terms while the woman he loved with all his heart held him till his last breath.

There was crying, and then there was the waterfall that was coming from my eyes.

This isn’t a ding on Matlock, but it would be great if there was one case that didn’t give viewers an existential crisis or leave us reaching for the tissue box.

Then again, the series wouldn’t be the hit it is if it didn’t take big swings with the story. Let’s just hope Sarah (Leah Lewis) doesn’t do some swing Matty’s.

Matty Better Hope Sarah Is All Bark and No Bite Because There Was Murder in That Associate Lawyer’s Eyes

You can’t tell me your mouth didn’t drop or your eyes didn’t widen when Sarah got in Matty’s face and threatened her with, “You’re going to regret making an enemy out of me.”

Holy crap, I was floored. We already know Sarah can be as intense as they come, but there is usually a little humor behind her Type A antics. I have a feeling those days are long gone.

In fairness, Matty did give her the case and only changed her mind to cover her tracks with Billy.

It’s not like Matty is meeting Sarah for the first time, either. How did she think the super anal-retentive associate lawyer would react after having her chance unceremoniously taken away from her?

Granted, in the end, Matty was right to let Billy present the case. You’d never know this was Billy’s first time in court by the way he delivered a performance that could give Andy Griffith‘s Matlock a run for his money.

Let’s just hope Sarah has time to cool down before the next episode. That girl had murder in her eyes. She also doesn’t look like the type to easily let a grudge go.

And just after Sarah and Matty had that heartwarming moment where Sarah shared her experiences with her grandmother developing dementia.

Oh, well. Matty has bigger priorities at the moment, anyway, and for once, they don’t have anything to do with Jacobson Moore.

Somehow, Taking A Practical Approach to the Plot Is Working Out in Matlock’s Favor as It Grounds the Story and Characters

Something I really liked about “Crash Helmets On” is that the series is taking a realistic approach to Matty and Edwin raising their grandson. With both grandparents in their seventies, it’s time they make backup plans on top of backup plans.

They should both be monitoring their health. Even with eating right and regular exercise, the best they can hope for is holding on until Alfie reaches adulthood.

The grim truth is that they’re too old to be Alfie’s only source of support.

During the earlier episodes of Matlock Season 1, I posed the question, “Where is Alfie’s father in all of this?” Well, we may very well be about to find out.

Matty and Edwin both expressed their assumption that Alfie’s father is probably an addict like their daughter was, but that feels like misdirection to me.

If Matlock excels at anything, it’s keeping the show unpredictable. At best, we can certainly guess what Alfie’s father will be like.

Personally, my money is on him being a regular guy who had a brief but memorable night with Matty’s daughter, Ellie, and has no idea they had a child together.

That’s just my guess, and I strongly encourage other viewers to post their theories in the comments so I can give a shout-out to whoever is right.

We’re still quite a few episodes from the grand finale of this incredible season, and it doesn’t look like things are slowing down any time soon.

If anything, things are getting messier and messier with Matty (Kathy Bates) at the center. Maybe it would be better for Olympia if she did up and leave for another law firm.

As the character mulled over her options, a thought occurred to me: What if Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) did leave Jacobson Moore, and Matty left with her after she completed her mission?

The CBS show is called Matlock, after all, not Jacobson Moore. As long as Matty’s cover isn’t blown, the character can technically go anywhere she damn well pleases.

Do you think Matty is going too far by using Olympia’s divorce to get the answers she needs?

Who do you think is the real culprit in the Welbrexa case?

Drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this episode, and join me again when I review another episode of Matlock!

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