Matlock Recap: The Nanny State

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As I delve deeper into the captivating world of Matlock, I find myself increasingly in awe of its protagonist, Matty Matlock. This season eight episode was another testament to her exceptional ability to weave intricate webs of deception while maintaining an air of innocence that leaves one questioning the very essence of truth and trust.

As we approach episode eight of the inaugural season of Matlock, with a lengthy hiatus before the next installment, one truth has become strikingly obvious: Dishonesty is no simple task. Matty Matlock must meticulously recall every detail of her self-constructed past whenever it becomes relevant in conversation, as demonstrated in this week’s episode when Olympia inquired about advice on Julian’s infidelity, considering that Matty’s fictional deceased husband, as the story goes, was unfaithful. These lies are never innocuous. At the very least, they represent a breach of trust.

It’s unlikely that the circumstance leading up to this pre-break episode is just a mere coincidence. The storyline revolves around a lie that escalates, and in this instance, Olympia discovers that her beloved nanny, Nadira (Ashley Romans), has been shunned by the upper-class mothers at her twins’ school. A website called Eyes From Afar has published unflattering, misleading photos of Nadira appearing to roughly handle a child at a playground. Olympia is considering taking action to have these images removed or filing a defamation lawsuit against the person responsible (or both). However, she wishes to keep her involvement discreet to prevent the harshest mothers at her children’s school from labeling her as a supporter of an alleged abuser.

In this legal drama, while other shows might delve deeper into themes like social media, misinformation, and cancel culture using a similar plot, “Matlock” touches on these topics to some extent. The lawyer defending Eyes From Afar effectively argues for free speech and crowd-sourced justice, even convincing the judge. However, the judge ultimately rules against Jacobson-Moore not because of the case’s merits, but due to her personal annoyance with Matlock’s character.

Instead of focusing heavily on legal matters or cultural aspects, this episode primarily revolves around Matty employing her abilities of empathy and knack for fibbing to solve the case’s underlying mystery. To start with, using a hint from Olympia, she attempts – and as mentioned earlier, unsuccessfully – to appease the judge by recalling that her own nephew has been labeled as a lifelong criminal due to a single legal mishap. (The judge: “My nephew is an idiot. Tell Olympia I send my regards.”) Later on, Matty utilizes the persona of a frail elderly woman at Olympia’s children’s school to get the receptionist to momentarily abandon her post, enabling Matty to sneak some pages from the visitors log.

In the end, the final scheme proved successful as Matty and Olympia, using a baby monitor cleverly, managed to get Lacy (Cathryn Mudon) to admit that she had falsely accused Nadira to hide evidence of an affair with one of the other mothers’ husbands. Interestingly, Nadira was unaware of this affair, making Lacy’s lies pointless and a lesson for all not to deceive.

Meanwhile, Matty continues her secretive explorations around Jacobson-Moore, on the hunt for the crucial piece of evidence that would expose Senior’s act of burying incriminating proof against Wellbrexa. Having obtained the password from Stuart she tricked last week, she attempts to print out what seems like a damning document. However, her disappointment grows when the documents printed at the office’s center end up being routed to Olympia instead. As she playfully interacts with her boss, Matty remains vigilant for an opportunity to be alone with Olympia’s luggage, hoping to find the missing evidence hidden within.

Ultimately, Matty manages to find the document, yet uncovers that it merely verifies Senior was away in Sydney with an unidentified woman during the critical arrival of the incriminating Wellbrexa files. This is disheartening as it implies either Julian or Olympia falsified his signature. The situation worsens when both Olympia and Julian become aware of Matty’s unease. To maintain Julian’s favor, she aims to secure more pharmaceutical work, but in doing so, she oversteps boundaries towards Olympia – who is irked upon learning that Julian asked Matty to supervise her during the case. Matty extends an apology and swears to serve as the trusted advisor of whichever partner she’s collaborating with on any specific assignment (and secretly places a surveillance pen on Julian’s desk).

Frequently, Matty manages to make her falsehoods seem plausible by tying them to genuine events. For instance, she attributes her flaky behavior during the case to a commitment she made to Alfie, which required her to attend his mock trial at school. Unfortunately, she couldn’t fulfill this promise due to work commitments. Matty and Olympia share an honest conversation about how their personal lives have influenced their professional paths. Olympia questions why Matty listed her appointment with Alfie as a doctor visit in the office calendar, and Matty explains that in her early days as a lawyer, women often disguised child-related appointments as health matters to prevent male superiors from using family obligations as grounds for denying promotions or wage increases.

In summary, I found this “fall finale” of Matlock to be one of its less impressive episodes. The Wellbrexa investigation made minimal advancements, and the case of the week was not particularly compelling. However, it did include a significant moment when Matty couldn’t attend Alfie’s event, and Edwin joked about covering for her “just like the old days with Ellie.” Matty’s response, filled with righteous anger, pointed out that she had also covered for him in similar situations, but he never seemed as troubled by missing those events. In contrast, Matty always felt responsible for every parenting mistake and made extra efforts to make amends.

At times, I’m concerned that Matty is so focused on avenging Ellie’s death that she may be deceiving herself about what she can truly accomplish and whether it will make a difference. However, re-entering the workforce in her 70s has offered her a fresh viewpoint on her past as a lawyer and mother. She’s gradually uncovering some truth, even if it isn’t exactly the one she initially sought.

Hot Doggin’

After Claudia, Billy’s not running at full capacity; he’d say he’s “not fully charged.” Sarah describes him as “as delicate as a cheap T-shirt from Forever 21.” However, Olympia claims he’s doing well (“People disappoint you. It’s better he knows that now.”)

For Matty the Liar, it’s impressive how convincingly she portrays her character. In this episode, she’s on a hunt for something useful from Olympia’s bag, and casually remarks, “Do you have any of those protein bars that taste like leather and are priced higher than a meal at Arby’s?

After a successful school entrance exam scam, Olympia and Matty called out: “Let’s do this, Daisy!” “Roger that, Betty!” (Informal, friendly way of communicating agreement)

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2024-12-13 07:55