Matlock Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Claws

Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0

While Matlock is a series known at this point for pulling at the heartstrings, Matlock Season 1 Episode 5 had the waterworks on full blast. There were happy tears, sad tears, and even some confused tears.

Despite so many heartwarming and wrenching moments, love seems to be in the air. Some viewers may finally get their wish for Sarah to loosen up.

As great as that all is, there’s still the matter of Matlock’s plan to take down Jacobs & Moore, and Madeline Kingston just made great strides in her strategy.

Kathy Bates as âMadeline Matlockâ and Sam Anderson as — (Robert Voets/CBS)

With all the investigation and clue searching, you’d think Olympia would pick up on what’s right in front of her face. I mean that literally because Julian appears to be around every corner.

Mount Olympia Might Be Too High And Mighty To See What’s Right In Front Of Her

We’ll get to the case in a moment. First, we must discuss what is developing between Julian and Olympia. When Matlock introduced the former couple to audiences, they struggled to stay amicable during the split.

However, it’s been made abundantly clear that these two are capable of healthy co-parenting.

They even have amazing chemistry in the workplace, constantly supporting each other, like when Julian covered the fees for Olympia to have Shae on her team in Matlock Season 1 Episode 3.

So, they are great as parents and colleagues together, but they can’t make it work as a couple? I know that is an entirely different thing, but these two were madly in love at some point.

Skye P. Marshall as âOlympia Lawrenceâ — (Sonja Flemming/CBS)

It may be just me, but Julian has a better chance than Elijah. Julian and Olympia have a history, children, and property together. In the real world, that’s usually all it takes.

Olympia may be blind to the men in her life, but her ears are perked up for the women. You aren’t alone if you thought Olympia would go off on Matty after Miss Matlock scolded her.

First, seeing Matty lose it like that had viewers clutching their pearls. If she had pulled something like that two episodes ago, she definitely would’ve been fired.

Matty has been bottling her emotions for four episodes until “Claws.” She was bound to explode at some point, and maybe it was a good thing it was to Olympia despite the danger.

Thankfully, Olympia proved us all wrong by understanding and even using what Matty said during the trial.

Matlock Season 1 Episode 5 Reaffirmed What Is At Stake For Madeline

Kathy Bates as âMadeline Matlockâ — (Sonja Flemming/CBS)

Speaking of the trial, this one was all over the place. It also was not too far from the case in Matlock Season 1 Episode 1. This turned out not just to be about righting a wrong but about uncovering corruption.

The writers really had the new female warden strong-arming the victims into silence so the new warden could fund more programs for inmates.

I guess no one told her you must clear your debts before taking on any more big expenses. She’s going to be hurting for that one.

However, there was a lot of hurt to go around in this episode. Returning to the area of the city where drug users frequent just about broke Madeline and Edwin.

I’ve said before that I can’t handle when elderly people cry, and this episode hit me with the double barrel. If you were a puddle as well, sound off in the comments.

Not that the series needed it, but “Claws” also reminded audiences of the trauma and hardship Matty had to endure after losing her daughter. It put the stakes back in place.

We also got a better idea of what Matty was like when she was raising her daughter as a teenager. That episode title hits differently after you know what it’s from.

If you’ve forgotten, Matty’s (Kathy Bates) daughter got her nails done really long for senior prom and was excited to show her mother. However, when Matty saw the nails, she said, “They look like claws.”

That hit close to home. Almost everyone on the planet wishes they could take back something they said.

The funny thing is that we are more likely to remember whatever hurtful thing we said than the person we told it to.

However, after Matlock Season 1 Episode 5, Sarah may be more ready to forget the things they said than anyone else.

Who Knew It Would Take A Cute Girl To Shut Sarah Right Up?

Leah Lewis as âSarah Franklinâ — (Sonja Flemming/CBS)

My goodness, who knew Sarah would be so unbelievably bad at flirting? She was so direct and forward with her dating profile; it was a shock to see her fall apart.

Granted, we can’t blame her because Kira strutted into “Team You Three’s” office with all the confidence of a woman who knows what she wants.

Piper Curda, who plays Kira, is no stranger to taking on strong characters. With over fifteen years in the industry, she’s been in shows such as Legacies, The Flash, and NCIS: Los Angeles.

She is a very talented actress, and it looks like she will stick around to give Sarah all the feels.

Truth be told, her direct and forward personality threw me off, but that’s exactly what Sarah needs. Sarah couldn’t be with anyone who was even slightly meek. She would bulldoze all over them.

Kira also serves more of a purpose beyond making Sarah squirm and giggle like a girl with the biggest crush in the world. She’s the answer to Matty’s next step.

The Jig May Be Up For Madeline Kingston’s Days As Madeline Matlock

As you likely learned from the Matlock Season 1 Episode 5 Spoilers and the episode itself, Matty acquired a fingerprint using her sneaky old-woman ways.

As great as that is, it would be nice if Kira didn’t get in trouble for what Matty is planning. We just met the character, but I guess it’s a good thing she caught a lawyer’s eye. She may need one.

One thing that has been presented in the best way in each episode is that nothing ever goes to plan. This has led to a critical question for Matlock: How will Matty keep track of her lies?

Anyone who has told a fib knows that the best lies are based on truth and must be thought out. However, Matty has been flying by the seat of her pants.

That’s how we ended up with Matty’s late dog “Cookie.” Remember the dog Madeline made up to get close to Mrs. B? Yeah, that’s going to come back to bite her in the butt.

Hell, I’m having trouble keeping up. Let’s see, there’s the problem-child grandson, dead dog, and dead husband, oh, and she’s poor as sin, is that about it?

As great as it is to see Matty and Sam Anderson’s ( A Million Little Things) Edwin working together, those two will need Alfie’s help. Yes, the kid needs a normal life, but this plan will be dead on arrival without him.

Again, it’s great that Edwin is on board with Alfie helping after realizing how hard what they are trying to do is.

Still, seeing him break down and cry over reliving what happened to his daughter was soul-crushing. But it did what it needed to do.

It showed how Matty and Edwin’s grief is too great to let go. They have to get justice for their daughter. It’s the only way any of them can move on.

I know I’ve said that all the court cases on Matlock correlate to Matty’s journey, but this episode broke the bank in terms of emotional moments.

However, I doubt anyone is thinking about anything other than the fact that Madeline Matlock got recognized as Madeline Kingston.

To be fair, it was inevitable. The woman is in her seventies. There will be people who recognize her. Was that not considered during the planning stage?

The question is, who recognized her, and can they be trusted to keep a secret? For all we know, there could be an addition to Matty and Edwin’s team.