Warning: This article contains SPOILERS forMatlockseason 1.Matlock’s finale was a two-part special that satisfactorily answered the driving mystery of season 1: who stole the WellBrexa files? While that important question is answered, many moreunanswered questions remain forMatlockto address. Everyone inthe cast ofMatlockhad a moment to shine in the finale, from Julian’s heartfelt confession, to Olympia’s complex relationship with Matty, to Billy’s sweet moment of friendship with Sarah.
Even with some secrets revealed, the fallout is uncertain, setting upMatlockseason 2 to be even more intense. This is not surprising considering how many plot twists season 1 featured, from the pilot to the last scene of theMatlockseason 1 finale. The stakes are higher than ever forMatlockseason 2, with Olympia having incriminating information on Matty and Julian, just as her future becomes more entangled with Jacobson Moore’s.
8Olympia Shares Shae Was The Woman Julian Cheated On Her With
Season 1, Episode 9 - “Friends”
With Shae Banfield’s gift for reading people, she’s a dangerous enemy to have, as Matty learned inMatlockseason 1, episode 3.Shae becomes a threat on both a personal and professional level when Matty learns that she was the woman Julian cheated on Olympia with. At first, Matty becomes privy to the information through the recording device she planted on Olympia, but then in the same episode, Olympia confesses the delicate secret to Matty.
Olympia confiding in Matty reveals a growing trust, which begins to weigh on Matty, who did not realize how meaningful Olympia would become to her.
While it is not shocking that Julian would have an affair - even just for one night - with someone he works with, since both he and Olympia seem to see the Jacobson Moore offices more than their condo.It’s smart storytelling to intertwine their professional and personal conflicts.Olympia confiding in Matty reveals a growing trust, which begins to weigh on Matty, who did not realize how meaningful Olympia would become to her.
7Emmalyn Belvin (Mrs. B.) Is Revealed To Be The Redditor
Season 1, Episode 15 - “Game Face”
Without the anonymous post on Reddit, Matty would have never been tipped off to Jacobson Moore’s culpability in hiding WellBrexa material that would have kept addictive opioids off the market, saving many lives, including her daughter, Ellie. InMatlockseason 1, episode 15, Matty and her husband Edwin lure the anonymous Redditor’s identity out with a phishing scam, and it’s a shock to discover it was the grumpy head of Jacobson Moore’s archives, Mrs. B.
Mrs. B is dedicated to rule-following, even in minor things like Julian circumventing office procedure to procure a better office for his assistant.This makes the reveal that she wanted someone to uncover Jacobson Moore’s wrongdoings feel aligned with her character. Matty uses Mrs. B’s specific love of Barry Manilow to persuade her to an in-person meeting.
6Billy’s Ex-Girlfriend Claudia Shares That She’s Pregnant With His Child
Season 1, Episode 19 - “Tricks of the Trade - Part Two”
I thought Billy’s arc - like Sarah’s - was going to end on a moment of personal growth, where he learns to prioritize his own needs.Billy tells Simone, Sarah’s longtime nemesis, that he wants to be single and unattached for a while, having just recently been dumped when he thought he was about to get engaged inMatlockseason 1, episode 7. In somewhat clunky groundwork, Billy reveals to Sarah that he’s been recently and casually seeing his ex, Claudia.
In the finale, Claudia arrives with news that will flip Billy’s newfound desire for freedom: she is pregnant with his child.
This might not be true, but Billy is too good of a guy to demand a paternity test.This is an uncomfortable prison for both of them, as Claudia turned down his proposal at the Christmas party. With Matty reflecting on how difficult it is to be a good mother and a working lawyer, it would be interesting to see Billy navigate similar hurdles, though hopefully in a joyful, not entrapped, way.
5Matty Convinces Olympia That Julian Planted The Recording Device
Season 1, Episode 10 - “Crash Helmets On”
Matty plants a recording device disguised as a pen in Olympia’s office, and when Olympia finds it inMatlockseason 1 episode 10, Matty leads her to believe it was Julian. This sparks a cascade of events that reveal just how far Matty is willing to go to cover her tracks. Not only does she allow this lie to further poison Olympia against Julian—especially after the revelation of his affair—but she also lets the ripple effects compromise a client’s case.
When Billy catches Matty desperately searching for the recording device, she distracts him by reassigning a case from Sarah to Billy, who is so excited he doesn’t realize this was an evasive maneuver.Sarah takes on a client outside of Jacobson Moore’s policy because she was so desperate to get trial experience,after Matty took the opportunity away from her. What starts as a minor cease-and-desist case becomes a murder trial in the finale. Luckily, Sarah wins, but I don’t blame her for overreaching after Matty’s rug pull.
4Julian Is Busted As The Person Who Hid The WellBrexa Documents
In some ways, Julian being the one to physically take the WellBrexa document felt like the most obvious but darkest path. It would have been too easy for Senior to be the sole villain, as it became increasingly clear over the course ofMatlockseason 1 that Olympia was unlikely to be involved. That left Julian: was he complicit, and was he acting on his own?
I’m gladMatlockallows the incredibly likable Julian to have made such an immoral and illegal mistake, even if it was for a deeply understandable reason, like seeking his father’s approval.
There was one moment of relief when Olympia discovered that Julian had paid for the condo with his trust, not with a payout from his father, butin what is perhaps the biggest plot twist, Julian kept the incriminating file in his safe deposit box all these years.I’m gladMatlockallows the incredibly likable Julian to have made such an immoral and illegal mistake, even if it was for a deeply understandable reason, like seeking his father’s approval.
3Alfie’s Father Unexpectedly Arrives At The Kingstons' Home
Matty and Edwin debated who should get guardianship of their grandchild Alfie if anything were to happen to them inMatlockseason 1 episode 10, but this seemed to be resolved after Matty asked her sister Mitzy in episode 15. Contacting Alfie’s father was a point of contention between Matty and Edwin earlier in the season - Edwin feared the father might be an addict who would disappoint Alfie, while Matty believed it was selfish to deny him the possibility of a meaningful relationship.
The thread of Alfie’s absentee father seemed to be dropped after Edwin lies about having lost the email address in episode 11, butit turns out Alfie took the decision out of their hands.Alfie independently reached out to his father, who shows up at Matty’s home in the very last scene of theMatlockseason 1 finale.
2Olympia Confronts Madeline About Her True Identity
Season 1, Episode 16 - “The Johnson Case”
Matlockseason 1 episode 16delivered the biggest plot twist since the pilot: Olympia corners Matty and confronts her with the evidence of her true identity as Madeline Kingston. While more groundwork could have been laid, since Olympia’s detective work is instead shown through a somewhat clunky flashback montage sequence, this was a delightful surprise that caught me off guard as written.
In fact, it was something of a relief to have confirmation that Olympia wasn’t having the wool covering her eyes as much as Matty and the audience thought.Olympia needs to be smart and observant to be the power player she is portrayed as, so her apparent naïveté felt like a plot hole as well as a contradiction to her character.
1Madeline Matlock Is Really Madeline Kingston
Season 1, Episode 1 - “Pilot”
The2024Matlockis a rebootof the original 1980s show, but the Andy Griffith series was more of a straightforward procedural.The reboot’s pilot leads viewers to think that Madeline Matlock’s tragic story of being cheated on by her spouse and needing money to raise her deceased daughter’s son by herself was the truth, until the end revealed Matlock get off the bus after one stop and into Madeline Kingston’s chauffeured limo. In fact, Matty borrowed the backstory - and accent - from her sister, Mitzy.
Matlockwill return for CBS' 2025-26 broadcast season.
The concept that Matty is undercover investigating an injustice - drawing her name from the old show - adds a brilliant layer of mystery and intrigue to what was once a standard legal procedural. WhileMatlockdoes have a case-of-the-week for some episodes, it is far more serialized, as Matty, Edwin, and Alfie work together to unravel the WellBrexa trail. This isMatlock’s most clever and original twist, elevating the show.
Matlock
Cast
Matlock (2024) follows the return of Madeline Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian, to a prestigious law firm. Utilizing her unassuming demeanor and astute strategies, she navigates the legal world to win cases and uncover corruption. The series draws inspiration from the classic television series of the same name.
