Matlock Season-Premiere Recap: Not What You’d Expect

As someone who grew up watching the original Matlock on UHF channels during my latchkey kid days, I must say that this new adaptation brings back fond memories. While I may not have been a die-hard fan during its initial run, the syndicated versions were comforting companions in my afternoons. Now, as a 54-year-old MeTV and Hallmark Mystery junkie, I’ve seen every episode of Matlock at least once (if not two or three times).

During the years spanning 1986 to 1995, I, a cinephile, had the privilege of witnessing one of television’s most remarkable comebacks, as Andy Griffith breathed life into the charming character of southern lawyer Ben Matlock. You might remember that I was already a household name due to my portrayal of Sheriff Andy Taylor in the hugely popular 1960s sitcom, “The Andy Griffith Show.” This series was still garnering widespread acclaim through syndication during the ’80s and ’90s (and continues to do so today). However, I found it challenging to break free from the shadow of that series until the arrival of “Matlock.

Additionally, he became part of a series of charming television detective characters who, upon first glance, seem less clever but prove to be surprisingly astute solvers of mysteries.

In the latest development, Madeline Kingston has been included in the roster. Portrayed by Kathy Bates, this character from the slightly reimagined, not-strictly-a-remake of Matlock, Maddy, is both endearing and cunningly intelligent. In the very first scene of the series’ premiere episode, she exploits her guise as an unassuming elderly woman to listen in on a high-profile New York lawyer’s phone call. Following this, she nonchalantly walks into the prestigious law firm of Jacobson Moore and reveals what she overheard – information that boosted the firm’s anticipated settlement by $4,000,000. Immediately impressed, the firm’s senior partner, often referred to as Senior (Beau Bridges), offers Maddy a two-week trial period as an associate on the spot.

Interestingly enough, there’s an unexpected turn of events. The senior individual appears to have hired someone he believes is named Madeline Matlock. However, Madeline contends that the similarity in names is merely a coincidence. She further explains that she’s resuming her legal career after a prolonged break due to a peculiar situation: her ex-husband allegedly squandered all their savings and left her to deal with an ungrateful grandson.

None of these claims is true.

In our earlier conversation, I referred to Matlock’s heroine as Madeline Kingston. At the conclusion of the first episode, Maddy secretly leaves her work colleagues and steps into a waiting limousine, which transports her to the luxurious mansion she shares with her former husband, Edwin (Sam Anderson), and their appreciative grandson, Alfie (Aaron D. Harris). Alfie played a significant role in helping Maddy devise a cunning plan following numerous viewings of Matlock. As it turns out, this affluent elderly woman has worked tirelessly to gain an associate position at Jacobson Moore due to a personal tragedy: her daughter passed away from an opioid overdose, and she suspects someone at her new firm concealed evidence that could have implicated pharmaceutical companies.

In this fresh take on Matlock, I find myself drawn to the charismatic duo of Ben and Maddy, yet I can’t help but feel there’s more beneath the surface than meets the eye. While both versions share the common theme of a seasoned attorney, they aren’t carbon copies of each other (yet). The original Matlock, played by Griffith, ran his independent law practice out of Atlanta, focusing on defending those wrongly accused of murder. In contrast, the new “Matlock,” part of a New York firm, delves into civil litigation in the pilot episode.

In essence, this particular episode of Matlock serves as an exceptional demonstration of how to craft a pilot episode that is briskly paced, logically structured, and attention-grabbing. Urman avoids overwhelming this hour’s runtime. Upon Maddy’s initial arrival at JM, she encounters the key figures within the firm, such as Julian Monroe (Jason Ritter), Senior’s son, and Elijah Walker (Eme Ikwuakor), the equity partner who chairs meetings and distributes cases. Each character is given a few scenes, just enough to create a fleeting impression of their personalities and their roles within the firm, while also hinting at potential deeper narratives that await discovery.

The following scenes delve immediately into the action, featuring an intense civil case. Maddy teams up with two other junior associates, Sarah Yang, a meticulous and ambitious lawyer (played by Leah Lewis), and Billy Martinez, a more laid-back colleague (David Del Rio). They collaborate under the guidance of Olympia Lawrence, a former high-earning attorney at JM who is now determined to demonstrate her ability to generate substantial profits for the firm through social justice causes. However, the case they’re handling, which has been ongoing for six months without any significant financial return, is beginning to strain Senior’s patience. It involves a high-profile lawsuit against the NYPD on behalf of Raymond Harris, a man who spent 26 years in prison following a coerced false confession.

In simpler terms, the character named Olympia is struggling to prove that the police arrested an innocent man due to lack of investigative resources from her law firm. Enter Maddy, who isn’t as skilled with search engines as others but excels in extracting helpful information from people by listening carefully. With remarkable speed, Maddy traces a path from an ex-prostitute to a jailed gangster, then to a former escort, and finally to a Greek restaurant owner whose emergency call about the initial crime was deliberately hidden by the police. The jury rules in favor of the plaintiff and awards $20,000,000 – more than five times what Olympia had requested.

This first episode of Matlock has one main criticism: the central case is somewhat straightforward. Compared to shows like The Good Wife, The Good Fight, or even any of the Law & Order series, a similar storyline would’ve been filled with more intricate plot twists and a more layered situation.

Despite their efforts, Urman and director-producer Kat Coiro manage to keep the narrative brisk, employing an effective technique of alternating scenes of Olympia discussing trial tactics with actual courtroom proceedings, similar to a thrilling heist film. As in previous episodes, the case’s implications for the characters take center stage. We discover that Olympia’s superiors disapprove of her new emphasis on social justice and are attempting to distance the firm from it. (It’s worth noting that the senior partners had strong reservations about the Harris case reaching trial.) Additionally, we catch a glimpse of Maddy momentarily deviating from her character when she reassures a jittery key witness that they won’t be forced to testify. Although she’s portraying someone who aspires to be a mercenary to gain Jacobson Moore’s attention and potentially work on a pharmaceutical case, Maddy’s true nature is compassionate at heart.

In the upcoming weeks, it’s sure to be intriguing to see how long Maddy maintains her disguise, given she’s delving into the lives of those she covertly investigates. Performances like Bates’ are commendable, with Maddy Matlock’s quirks – from fumbling with candies and ketchup packets to prolonging sentences in a way that makes it unclear if she’s conveying a message or merely chatting idly. From the very first scene of this episode, Maddy boasts about her ability being undervalued. Yet, everyone seems to smile and agree, only to underestimate her later on.

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In this initial episode, we predominantly follow the character named Olympia, who is involved with Elijah and in the process of divorcing Julian, her husband and father of their 8-year-old twins. Senior, despite the impending divorce, appears to still back his soon-to-be ex-daughter-in-law, though not enough to make her a full partner. Her professional choices raise some doubts – is she making amends for past mistakes or exploiting hardship for financial gain? Keep watching to find out more.

Besides mentioning the classic show “Matlock”, this episode also includes nods to “Perry Mason”, “The A-Team”, “MacGyver”, “Murder, She Wrote”, and even the popular dance “Macarena”. It’s like a blast from the past! I find it an interesting approach.

As a devoted cinephile, I’ve got to share some trivia about everyone’s favorite attorney, Matlock. Originally, Matlock graced our screens on NBC, but as the final chapter of its story unfolded, it found a new home on ABC. Fast forward to today, and you can catch the latest incarnation of Matlock on CBS. In the grand scheme of things, each network has had their turn with Matlock!

How familiar are you with the TV show Matlock? Did you watch it during its initial broadcast or catch the reruns on MeTV or Hallmark Mystery? Or is your knowledge mostly based on the running gag about the show on The Simpsons? As for me, I was a teenager and young adult during the first Matlock era. Although I was an avid fan of the Andy Griffith Show, like many Gen-X kids who spent their afternoons with syndicated TV shows on UHF channels, my primary reference for Matlock used to be The Simpsons. However, that’s not the case anymore. Since I turned 40, I’ve become a regular viewer of MeTV and Hallmark, and as a result, I’ve likely watched every original episode of Matlock at least once, if not multiple times. If this knowledge proves useful in the future, I’m ready to share it.

2024-10-16 01:54

Matlock Season-Premiere Recap: Not What You’d Expect

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