Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0
5
My goodness, there were enough tears in Matlock Season 1 Episode 6 to fill a pool. We gasped, laughed, and cried, but most of all, we had a great time with another incredible episode.
From learning about Olympia and Julian’s past to seeing when Matty first had the idea to take down Jacobson Moore, so much was revealed in the cleverest of ways.
That said, I have to make a confession here and now. If you read previous reviews for Matlock, I thought the firm was called Jacobs & Moore.
I only realized the actual name in the beginning scene when Matty looked at the building directory.
This is why there are subtitles. I can’t be the only one who thought it was Jacobs & Moore.
You Know It’s Bad When Even Olympia Is Crying During The Trial
Speaking of the firm, they sure do find some truly heartbreaking cases to work on. It doesn’t get much sadder than two parents getting justice for the loss of their child.
Now, where have I heard a description like that before? While Matty’s and the moms’ situations were similar, there were staunch differences between Matty’s case and the one they tried in this episode.
First, there was the matter of the contaminated formula. If you’re like this TV Fanatic, you got lost during the explanation of how the formula was actually contaminated.
It was hard to focus on anything other than that sweet man, Teddy, tearing up on the stand as he realized that the cast he was wearing while holding up a pipe to save lives was what led to the contaminated formula and, ultimately, the death of the baby Dante.
I want to cry just from writing that. Still, I’m at a loss for how exactly Teddy’s cast contaminated the formula, but I don’t work in a factory.
However, if you know how, please sound off in the comments. As for Teddy, watching the tears well up in his eyes when the realization hit him was so hard. Even Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) was crying.
Matlock Is Playing Matchmaker With Its Character In The Most Organic And Fun Of Ways
Olympia had it almost as bad as Matty in this episode. Watching how she struggled the first time with this case showed the moment she decided to start being a lawyer for the right reasons.
It also shed light on Julian and Olympia’s breaking point. My hat is off to Matlock for subtly addressing the challenges that can come with being an interracial couple.
Everything Olympia was saying about the appearance of her children on the playground was one hundred percent true.
Olympia and her kids have to deal with a societal microscope that has never even crossed Julian’s mind. However, whoever Julian was in the past is not the man he is now.
Since Matlock Season 1 Episode 3, Julian has been inching towards Olympia with sweet gestures and nonstop support.
Well, things finally came to a head. Olympia and Julian are back together in a big way. Let’s hope Elijah isn’t too broken up about it when he returns from wherever the writers sent him.
Then again, love seems to be in the air, so he may have already found someone much like everyone’s favorite tense-as-hell associate lawyer.
A Lawyer Without A Prenup Is Like A Doctor Who Smokes
That’s just like Matlock to tease audiences with a possible romance for Sarah just to put it on the back burner. We need more Sarah and Kira, damn it.
On Matlock Season 1 Episode 5, we met the lovely Kira, whose flirtation with Sarah was about as subtle as a shotgun — it was hysterical. Sarah was a bumbling, love-sick child.
As weird as Sarah has been acting, that email idea of hers wasn’t a bad one. A well-crafted letter can be a very enticing thing to receive. Sarah (Leah Lewis) may be on to something when it comes to relationships.
For instance, she’s not wrong to tell Billy he should get a prenup. A lawyer without a prenup is like a doctor who smokes. They should know better, right?
Then again, Billy (David Del Rio) has a huge heart. I hate to say it, but in the real world, all a big heart gets a lawyer is a lot of debt.
There’s a reason Olympia referred to Jacobson Moore as a “Viper’s Nest” on Matlock Season 1 Episode 4. Isn’t it ironic that the more underhanded you are, the more successful you are at manipulating the justice system?
The Stars Have Finally Aligned For Madeline Matlock To Head Into The Belly Of The Beast
It’s no wonder Matty reached her breaking point in “Sixteen Steps.” Oh, that episode title hits so much harder once you know what it is about.
It was sweet that Matty put aside her feelings to help the mothers in this case receive justice for their son, Dante. But truth be told, she did it as much for herself as for them.
Did you notice the exchange between Matty and one of the moms, Vanessa, after they won the case? Matty congratulated Vanessa and said, “You got justice for your child.”
There was no missing the look of defeat on Vanessa’s face. The case was won, but her son was still gone, and she had to relive all the painful memories.
In the end, was it really worth it? Did it bring the moms the peace they deserved? That’s what was written across Matty’s face. That maybe her mission is only destroying her life.
Lord knows Edwin absolutely had a point. I mean, Matty (Kathy Bates) was so stressed out that she had a panic attack, thinking it was a heart attack.
Running into Stanley didn’t help Madeline. All that accidental “Senior Sweeties” meeting did was twist the knife in Matty’s heart. No wonder Edwin wants her to return to being just Madeline Kingston.
As a side note, when people talk about how they want to “grow old with someone,” they are talking about what Edwin and Madeline have. Those two are goals.
Still, as sweet and loving as Edwin is, we are so glad the universe, or the hands behind the show, had other plans for Madeline Matlock.
In one quick and fruitful scene, Olympia and Julian (Jason Ritter) revealed their newfound romance while delivering the news that Matty is being moved to pharma.
Talk about the stars aligning. Matty went from being nowhere near taking down Jacobson Moore to being exactly where she needed to be.
You can always count on Matlock to reward audiences with thrilling new developments. We went from a fingerprint to Matty being in the belly of the beast.
For now, we will have time to think about all these new changes while we wait for CBS‘s Matlock to return. The series is taking a break but will return with more episodes in early December.
In the meantime, relive the hilarious and thrilling misadventures of Miss Madeline Matlock, aka Mrs. Madeline Kingston, in the first six episodes of Matlock Season 1, streaming on Paramount+.
How do you think Elijah will feel when he finds out about Olympia and Julian?
What do you think Edwin will say when Madeline tells him the plan is still on?
Please drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this episode, and join me again when I bring you the next Matlock Review!
And keep an eye out for Matlock Spoilers posted before each new episode!
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