Matlock Mid-Season 1 Report Card

If you’re anything like this TV Fanatic, you were blown away by the first half of the premiere season of Matlock. To be fair, we had high expectations — the show just exceeded them.

It’s no wonder Kathy Bates is an Oscar and Emmy-winning actress. Can you imagine how excited the executives at CBS must’ve been when they landed a star as talented and prestigious as Miss Bates?

Since the start, Matlock has consistently kept viewers on their toes with twists and turns in every episode. The show is a buffet of quality writing and impressive acting skills.

This Report Card gave me a run for my money because it was hard to pick the “best” and “worst.” However, after careful consideration, I think we can all agree with the results.

You just can’t go wrong with that first episode of Matlock. The writers threw everything at the pilot, filling it to the brim with exceptional plotting.

If there is a single person out there who wasn’t tricked by the twist at the end, please, please, please sound off in the comments and give us your investigative knowledge.

Audiences were floored by the revelation that Madeline Matlock was actually Madeline Kingston. The setup was sensational.

As viewers, we should have noticed that something was amiss when the series chose to make the Andy Griffith Matlock an in-universe series.

Seeing Madeline go from the “sweet, old lady” persona to a woman on a mission was jaw-dropping. I still can’t get that look Kathy Bates made as she stared at everyone’s pictures at the end of the episode out of my head.

Let me clarify right now that by “worst,” what I actually mean is “hardest to watch.” This episode was like a knife to the heart that kept twisting until the end.

Considering it was the most recent episode before the show went on break, it’s likely still fresh in your brain. However, for those who need a refresher, I have you covered.

The firm took on a case they had previously lost a few years back. The case involved the death of an infant due to contaminated formula.

Through flashbacks, we learned where Olympia and Julian’s (Jason Ritter) divorce started and the moment Matty had the idea to take down Jacobson Moore.

There was so much in this episode that brought Matty to the breaking point. From accidentally getting recognized on a dating app to thinking she was having a heart attack, Miss Madeline came close to giving it all up.

It truly seemed like her mission was coming to an end when she saw the parents’ look of defeat despite having won the case.

Luckily, the universe, or the Matlock writers, had other ideas. The episode closed with Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) telling Matty that she was being moved to the pharma cases.

We’ll get to see Madeline Matlock head into the belly of the beast while Madeline Kingston continues to use her tricks to go unnoticed when the series returns.

I know you probably think the best twist should be the first episode, but the pilot was so good that we had to make it the best episode. However, “A Guy Named Greg” had a twist, which I’m ashamed to admit I did not see coming.

I was utterly thrown by the laptop switch. Don’t get me wrong — I knew Matty (Kathy Bates) was up to something, but I didn’t expect the switch. If you saw it coming a mile away, please flex your detective skills in the comments.

Many incredible things happened in this episode, but that laptop switch is still the only twist that threw me almost as much as the pilot.

That being said, a few viewers pointed out that there are some plot holes with the laptop switch. For example, was it a company-owned laptop? It would have a designated serial number.

One viewer pointed out that Olympia could have devices connected to her laptop that might alert her to its use or even give a location.

We’ve likely surpassed the possibility of the laptop coming back into play, but you never know with a show like Matlock.

As Olympia once said, “This place is a viper’s nest.”

This one still makes me mad. If you’re like this TV Fanatic, you were fuming after Senior pulled that underhanded move called “The Texas Two Step.”

It was bad enough that the firm represented both parties in the case, but what Senior (Beau Bridges) did was downright despicable and completely legal. How messed up is that?

Olympia just wanted to get justice for her client’s late wife. And to ensure that the units that made the wife sick were brought up to code.

Sure, Jacobson Moore is an elite law firm looking to make big money, but how do they sleep after doing something that devious? It’s no wonder Olympia had her outburst after everything was said and done.

However, one good thing inevitably came from this case. Madeline got closer to finding out who hid the documents, and she’s probably eying Senior.

I would, too, after seeing all those legal aides Senior had shredding documents before he enacted “The Texas Two Step.”

Speaking of help around the office, we must give Sarah a little shout-out. The character has really come a long way since the start of Matlock. Well, a long way for Sarah.

When we first met Sarah, her ponytail was wound so tight that one good tug would’ve pulled her whole scalp clean off. She definitely had a stick planted firmly up her backside.

However, thanks to a disturbing amount of forced involvement from Billy (David Del Rio) and Matty, Sarah is finally letting her hair down, literally. Since Kira entered the young lawyer’s life, Sarah has kept it loose.

Again, I mean loose for Sarah. She’s still the OCD hypertense mess she has always been, but at least she’s branching out and using her high-strung skills to craft flirtatious emails. Baby steps, people.

Hopefully, we’ll see more of Sarah’s (Leah Lewis) character growth with more exploration into her and Kira’s budding romance. I can see a heart-to-heart between Matty and Sarah in Matlock’s near future.

One thing is for sure, Matlock is a certified hit that people of all ages can’t get enough of. Who can blame them when Kathy Bates delivers tearful monologues in almost every episode?

Thankfully, we only have a little time to wait before CBS‘s Matlock returns with even more incredible episodes. Personally, I’d also love it if Shae made another guest appearance. That lady is crazy in the best way.

Which guest character do you hope comes back for another episode?

What has been your favorite twist of Matlock Season 1 so far?

Please drop a comment below to let me know, and join me again when I review the next episode of Matlock!

And keep a look out for the Matlock Spoilers posted before each new episode!

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