Matlock Season 1 Episode 10 Review: Crash Helmets On

Matlock’s older age really haunts her as the team works on a case at a nursing home on Matlock Season 1 Episode 10, “Crash Helmets On.” It is a nice way to bring her relationship with Edwin and Alfie back into the fold of the show.

It also gives her clarity on how she can motivate Olympia to make the moves against Julian that Matty is gunning for regarding Wellbrexa. Things are starting to heat up, and the race is on — both for partner and lead counsel.

All in all, this episode doesn’t shy away from making each of the relationships at Jacobson Moore more complex. Starting with Matty and Sarah.

Sarah Deserves a Break

All season long, we’ve known that Sarah is a shark. She doesn’t back down from a fight, and she’s always raring to go with the next case in the hopes of getting ahead.

However, since meeting Kira, Sarah has shown bits and pieces of her softer sides. She was first to comfort Billy when his girlfriend turned down his marriage proposal, and this week, she gently helped a woman with dementia find her way back to clarity.

That being said, Matty sees this softness in her but is so focused on her own agenda that she throws aside a promise she made to Sarah in favor of Billy. I’ve been saying since day one that the longer this deception goes on the more messy it’ll be.

Matlock Season 1 Episode 10, “Crash Helmets On,” is living proof of that. Matty assumes that her end goal of not getting caught will outweigh Sarah’s disappointment at losing out on lead counsel for Audrey’s case, but she’s wrong.

The little bit of humanity that Sarah has slowly started to show as she’s gained trust in Matty and Billy is going to disappear completely now. This is a woman who has seen more than her share of heartbreak before ever stepping foot in Jacobson Moore.

She finally felt like she was making her way in the world and proving her worth. Then, in one fell swoop, Matty takes that all away from her. It’s even more devastating because it happens after Sarah opens up to her about her grandmother, which is a level of trust she doesn’t give that easily.

Double the Cases, Double the Anxiety (Or Fun)

For the first time in a while, Matlock splits its focus between two cases with Matty at the center. It makes for some great storytelling but definitely gives Matty extra anxiety.

For Audrey’s housing case, she’s treated as the senior lawyer in charge and tasked with choosing who will be lead counsel. And with Olympia’s nursing home case, she’s by the prospective partner’s side the whole time, even going undercover as a resident of the home to gain more information and access.

On top of all that, Matty also has to worry about people finding out the pen she used a few episodes ago to record Olympia and Julian is a recording device. I honestly felt anxiety just watching it all play out.

Of course Billy is the one who discovers it’s a recording device in the end. This then leads Matty to panic and take Sarah off the case, which, as we have already discussed, will have long-reaching repercussions. 

Then, there are also her worries about aging and that Alfie relies entirely on her and Edwin. She has a point; they aren’t getting any younger, and they are already in their eighties. 

Having a backup plan is never a bad idea, even if it’s something you don’t want to think about (much like Edwin). So, it’s a relief when, at the end of the episode, she is sitting there with Edwin, talking about their options between his family and hers.

At the end of the day, it’s nice to see Matty proving she’s more than just her age. And it’s good to see her friendship with Olympia is working in her favor regarding Wellbrexa. However, I’m still concerned that she might be letting that friendship cloud her judgment.

 

 

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

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Matlock airs Thursdays at 10/9c on CBS.

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