Matlock Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Pilot

Kathy Bates makes the most triumphant return to television with Matlock Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot.” From the first moments until the last, she takes us on a journey of mixed emotions and quick thinking.

First and foremost, we have to mention that Bates’ Madeline “Matty” Matlock walks through the world knowing that her age is her advantage. After all, if you think about it, how often do you think negatively about someone in their 70s? Chances are not often.

What is even better about this character is that she is genuinely a very kind woman and proves her worth by taking advantage of the privileges afforded her.

Might Not Be Young, But Still Spry

From the moment she cons her way into a partners’ meeting at Jacobson Moore, Matty shows that the world only sees her as a kindly grandma figure. However, she’s quick to remind everyone that she’s more than just an “old woman.”

Matty just wants to have a chance at taking up an Associate position within the firm. There is something about Kathy Bates’ innate ability to be charming, offputting, and a ball-buster all in one that gets us to gravitate toward Matty almost immediately.

She intersperses stories of her career, family, and grievances with the world with cold, hard facts she’s been able to unearth about the Raymond Harris case. Often, her insights prove to the unsure Sarah, Billy, and Olympia that she’s well worth her salt.

Early on, it’s very clear that Matty might be using her charm to disarm not only the people resistant to help them prove their case but also her fellow lawyers. We don’t know exactly why we feel this way until almost the very end, but Bates definitely lets us know through body language that Matty isn’t just being nice to be nice.

In fact, Matty notices the most minute of details that others either ignore or don’t pick up on. In the coming episodes, this ability to see things that others don’t is going to help her work her way up the trust ladder.

While Sarah is very snippy and short with Matty at the start, it is clear by the end she respects the woman’s skill and drive for justice. Meanwhile, Billy is evidently charmed by her early on, but could that mean he’ll be the first to catch on to her alternative plan?

Who knows, but either way, the dynamic between these three associates is fun to observe.

The Drama of Olympia and Julian

One of the weakest, most frustrating parts of the episode is probably the focus on Julian and Olympia’s current divorce battle. While it’s important to know why these two partners of the firm aren’t keen on each other, the amount of time the episode spent referencing it felt heavy-handed.

Sure, Olympia using Matty to do her dirty work regarding hard custody decisions with Julian is necessary to show not only Olympia’s nature but also the development of her feelings about Matty. However, anything beyond that could’ve been brought up another time. 

The unnecessary bickering between them kind of pulls focus from the episode’s true strength, Matty’s skills as a lawyer. In fact, by the end, it feels more like a distraction so viewers don’t pick up on Matty’s wealth of knowledge about the legal system despite her claims she hasn’t practiced in 30 years. 

Again, this might be the whole purpose of putting their dirty laundry out there so prevalently. But I for one, didn’t necessarily care for it that much. 

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Jason Ritter’s performance as Julian and Skye P. Marshall’s performance as Olympia; I most certainly did. These two have fantastic chemistry together, even if they are constantly at odds—it’s what makes the bitter exes angle that much more believable.

As the season progresses, this dynamic between these two partners is going to only escalate, especially once Julian finds out Olympia is seeing Elijah. While that will continue to be interesting to see develop, let’s hope it doesn’t start to cast a shadow over Matty’s more compelling plot.

Madeline Matlock, Or Should We Say Madeline Kingston?

The best part of Matlock Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot,” is the final moments when viewers finally see the little nuggets of information Matty has dropped about her life come into full focus.

Finding out this woman isn’t who she says she is makes for great television, and Bates plays it so masterfully that we are still charmed. Learning this lie could’ve easily derailed our compassion and interest in Matty overall.

However, after all the build-up from the episode, we can see what is truly there. Madeline hasn’t lied about her knowledge or abilities within the realm of law. 

Instead, she lied about how long it has been since she’s practiced, her true identity, and her reason for wanting to be hired by Jacobson Moore. Therefore, at this point, her skills far outweigh her many lies. 

We want to see her get justice because, as it stands, we aren’t exactly rooting for Julian, Olympia, or Senior just yet, but we are rooting for Matty. Moving forward, we want to know exactly what Matty’s duplicitous behavior will bring to the story and whether or not she’ll be successful in getting justice for her daughter.

Stray Thoughts

• I went into this wanting so badly to automatically love Julian because I love Ritter. Instead, I’m on the fence because he seems nice, but there’s something underneath that kindness that makes me feel on edge.
• Beau Bridges is quite a talent in his own right; it’ll be interesting to see if we will get even more of him as the season progresses
• All the references to 80s TV warms my heart. I love it when a show recognizes that some people have a nostalgic approach to new TV.

 

 

What did you think of this episode of Matlock? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Matlock returns Sunday, October 17th at 9/8c on CBS, streaming next day on Paramount+.

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