Matlock Recap: Sister Acts

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I haven’t delved much into the authentic legal aspects of the show Matlock lately, and it was somewhat questionable even when it first aired. To be fair, I’ll cut Matlock some slack regarding its portrayal of legal accuracy because it’s essentially a modern revival of the ’80s/90s version, which was essentially a weekly murder mystery series where the protagonist would often win courtroom battles by uncovering clues and ensnaring the true culprit, rather than through any impressive use of legal skills. The original Matlock bore a strong resemblance to Perry Mason, another show that tackled mysteries in a similar way. However, unlike Perry Mason who utilized his deep understanding of legal intricacies to get key evidence admitted, Ben Matlock primarily engaged in lengthy jury speeches, seemingly disregarding every objection raised.

The latest adaptation of Matlock deviates from its original in numerous aspects. Unlike before, it incorporates an ongoing narrative alongside weekly cases, focusing less on traditional crime-solving procedures and more on office politics. However, similarities can be drawn to the original series when it comes to courtroom scenes. In this version, Olympia’s team employs a unique method of representing clients through feelings, intuition, and fortunate accidents. As I noted in my footnotes last week, “good lawyering” for these attorneys often means serendipitously discovering crucial evidence. It’s somewhat similar to the portrayal of skilled poker players in films, who always seem to draw the best cards.

This current case has demanded more legal finesse than typical, but in the end, our team triumphs following a last-minute opportunity. However, this installment ranks among the series’ less compelling episodes, serving primarily as a filler before the season-defining “Matty vs. Jacobson Moore” showdown can unfold.

The team approaches the case indirectly. Olympia is involved in a legal battle against the manufacturers of Slamm’d, an energy drink containing alcohol, that has been causing numerous hospitalizations among young people. (“It gets people extremely intoxicated quickly,” a college student describes.) When Zoey Santos (played by Galilea La Salvia), a sorority sister from Fordham University, is accused of secretly adding Slamm’d to a rival’s drink at a party, resulting in the death of Violet, Olympia decides to represent Zoys as part of a broader plan to attract attention to her lawsuit.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve found the writers of Matlock brilliantly weaving humor into modern college Greek culture. They don’t shy away from poking fun at the peculiar concoctions the students call cocktails, like rum with strawberry lemonade and Sour Patch Kids. And oh, the number of Kennedys! It’s almost a trend now. Even young Sarah finds these women alien to her, with their sun-kissed glow from self-tanner and their nostalgic reference to Destiny’s Child as “the oldies.

For Olympia, it’s challenging to vouch for Zoey in the sorority because the ruthless environment often leaves the sisters with negative recollections of Zoey. Many remember instances where she humiliated them personally or publicly embarrassed a friend. This collective suspicion intensifies when it’s discovered that someone using Zoey’s ID purchased the lethal can of Slamm’d, which only strengthens the belief that she may have intentionally killed Violet.

In my previous statement, I pointed out that Jacobson Moore’s defense requires some genuine legal work. Billy and Sarah attempt to confirm Zoey’s alibi, which states she was taking selfies in the park instead of buying Slamm’d from the bodega at the alleged time, by replicating her jogging route themselves to demonstrate it’s physically unlikely for her to have reached the store so swiftly. However, a crucial piece of proof surfaces when Matty recognizes that one of the photos Billy and Sarah were scrutinizing from the sorority party is actually a “live photo.” Upon watching it for the entire second duration, they uncover in the background an image of Zoey’s ID being sneaked back into her drawer by…one of the Kennedys! (This character is portrayed by Rae DeRosa, who shares a physical resemblance with Galilea La Salvia.)

In that brief, lucky instance where understanding struck, Matty seems to offer the most significant contribution to this case. For two consecutive weeks, her mind has been preoccupied with memories of Ellie and their disputed custody hearing, leaving her mentally absent. When Olympia requests a new approach for the case, Matty surprisingly responds, “You take the lead.” Even at home, she desires Edwin to handle all difficult choices for her. She’s enveloped in a haze.

It’s not making things easier that much of her daily schedule is, as usual, focused on the quest for revenge against Jacobson Moore. This week, Matty plans to utilize the diversion of the annual office Easter egg hunt, inviting Alfie along, to secretly access the security monitor station and obtain the required information from Julian’s ID. The plan nearly falls apart when her trusted guard decides to leave work early for the hunt. In a pinch, resourceful Alfie has to pretend to be stuck in a stairwell to lure the substitute guard out of her office so Matty can slip in unnoticed. However, the plan almost derails again when Alfie panics and calls Matty, saying he lost his wallet — which includes a library card and an ice cream shop punch card with addresses near their true Westchester residence.

Mostly unnoticed by Olympia, Matty manages to grab her wallet from her office. Her comment about ice cream has no connection to Alfie’s punch card. However, the strain of the day, along with the pressure from home and work over the past few weeks, is almost overwhelming for Matty.

Nearly… until she receives some unforeseen assistance, an elderly gentleman, comfortably reclined in his custom chair, beckons Matt to join him for a shared treat. The two share laughter as they reminisce to the classic Matlock theme tune, discuss their regrets, and send sympathetic cries to the spirits of those they’ve wronged. For the elderly man, it is his late brother, who perished in a car crash the day after a heated argument between them. (He found solace by suing the car manufacturer and tire company… and winning.) For Matt, it’s Ellie. Although she doesn’t utter her daughter’s name, she nevertheless succumbs to tears.

This stunning scene featuring Kathy Bates and Beau Bridges is captivating, to the point where I’m willing to overlook any minor legal inconsistencies. The powerful character development at the heart of this series is truly commendable. I eagerly anticipate the climactic moment when these two actors – as Matty and Senior – will confront each other head-on, laying all their cards bare.

Hot Doggin’

In a more casual and engaging manner, I would say:

Matlock may not be considered high art, but it’s been interesting lately with some creative editing and storytelling techniques. For instance, three weeks ago, we saw Billy and Olympia handling separate cases simultaneously, with the dialogues in each scene seamlessly blending together. Two weeks back, we got a glimpse of Olympia interrogating her deceptive client in her imagination. Last week, Matty’s court hearing for Alfie flashed through her mind during a scene. This week, there’s a well-executed sequence where Matty guides Zoey, step by step, on what to anticipate when she gets arrested.

This week, Olympia creates a new adversary when she attempts to persuade inexperienced attorney, Andrew Park (Andrew Ghai), to abandon his case against Zoey and instead collaborate with her in taking down Slamm’d. She advises him that his “initial target” should be a formidable opponent, not a mere college student like a squirrel. He retorts by implying that perhaps she is the formidable adversary herself. Subsequently, he presents her with a bear figurine, which she later places on her desk.

Jacobson Moore’s Easter celebration is informally known as “Family Day” due to a significant number of partners being Jewish. Senior adores the event’s non-religious rabbit mascot, but Julian dislikes it because on a Family Day when he was 10 years old, Senior – in that bunny costume – announced his divorce from Julian’s mother. To perhaps soften the blow to her (possible) future ex-wife, Olympia secretly takes and conceals the rabbit head, ensuring at least Julian won’t have to confront that painful memory.

This week, Sarah’s dealing with some personal difficulties. Initially, her longtime rival Simone attempted to provoke Sarah by flirting with Kira, which didn’t help matters. Later on, the conversation about becoming exclusive with Kira didn’t turn out as well as Sarah expected.

• Whenever Senior talked about his younger brother, I pictured Jeff Bridges.

As a movie enthusiast, I must say, this episode takes a surprising turn when our protagonist Matty, who’s been avoiding calls from her sister Bitsy all day, finds an unexpected treat waiting for her – a surprisingly tasty sugar-free peach pie, left by none other than Bitsy herself. In a scene reminiscent of ‘Misery’, a stoned Matty encounters Bitsy, who drops casual mentions of Cindy Shapiro and asks for affectionate gestures like hugging her neck and expressing delight. It’s quite an entertaining twist, especially considering that the charismatic Julie Hagerty, renowned for her roles in ‘Airplane!’ and ‘Lost in America’, brings Bitsy to life on screen. So, buckle up for next week’s episode, it promises to be a rollercoaster ride!

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2025-02-28 08:27