Matlock Season 1 Episodes 18 and 19 Review: Tricks of the Trade (Parts 1 and 2)

It’s a season finale that manages to stick with the usual formula while also having us second-guess what we clearly know is the best way to wrap things up. Matlock Season 1 Episodes 18 and 19, “Tricks of the Trade (Parts 1 and 2),” keeps us guessing until the bitter end.

Having an open ending allows the show to explore further what we learned in the back half of this season. From Matty’s deceptions to Olympia’s discoveries, there is no shortage of paths Matlock can take during Season 2.

And after this finale, I’m honestly more excited for what comes next than I ever thought possible.

Sarah Shows She Has What It Takes

First and foremost, we have to talk about Sarah and Billy. After all, they are the driving force of these episodes. If it weren’t for Sarah’s unsanctioned legal advice on the side, these two episodes wouldn’t have a case to fall back on.

And for a show like Matlock, you still need a court case to keep the plot from feeling stretched thin or dull. Therefore, when Sarah starts us off by freaking out to Billy about her client potentially accidentally killing his business partner, we know we’re in for a treat.

Paired with moments of the partnership between Sarah and Billy and Matty stepping in to help, with her own reflective flashbacks, this part of the plot reminds us where we started and where we are now.

It also highlights, really well, how much Billy’s calm, steady hand is needed to balance out Sarah’s more extreme outbursts. These two are perfect foils and show that sometimes all you need is one person who will always have your back.

Sure, Olympia is furious, but Matty smoothes it over and tells Olympia about passing Sarah over earlier in the season. It might not help Olympia’s trust in Matty, but it does soften the edges that surround Sarah and Olympia’s work relationship.

Being forced to lead the case for the defense, Sarah finds her own personal groove and gains confidence that only she could find for herself. What is most surprising is that we glimpse her soft side as she interrogates Rob’s wife. It’s a side to her we’ve only seen one time before, on Matlock Season 1 Episode 10, “Crash Helmets On.”

This case shows Sarah is headed for a great career and a more open bond with Billy. Especially after we witness the two of them nitpick to the point of confessing they love working together.

Matty and Edwin Headed for Trouble?

One of the steady components in Matty’s life has always been Edwin. Therefore, it’s heartbreaking to see them constantly biting each other’s heads off as the Wellbrexa case winds down.

It’s an interesting shift in their dynamic that shows how stressful this situation has been. Edwin has hardly said a negative word about Matty’s actions all season. 

However, it seems the two of them have reached an impasse, mainly when Matty reflects on her time at Jacobson Moore and how much she loves it. He wants her to retire and doesn’t like that she puts it back in his face that he got to finish his career, unlike her.

The real question remains: Does this shift in the tone of their relationship work? The answer is twofold. It keeps these characters dynamic, but it doesn’t work in terms of emotional weight.

This late in the game, anger and frustration feel a bit misplaced and unnecessarily delayed. For it to have the weight that the writers aim for, Edwin should’ve started being more forceful with his discord at least two episodes prior. 

We have seen him argue with her occasionally, especially as her bond with Olympia grew stronger, but it was never more than a suggestion. Now, he’s angry at her for trusting Olympia too much and wanting to continue practicing law.

It’s as if Matlock suddenly woke up and realized they could do more with the character than just having him be there.

Olympia Realizes There Are Bigger Betrayals at Work

From the word go, Skye P. Marshall’s no-nonsense portrayal of Olympia has been highly regarded. This two-part finale is no different; a case can be made that it’s of an even bigger caliber.

Between yo-yo-ing her feelings about Matty’s deceptions and making peace with just how much Julian had betrayed her, Olympia displays a multitude of emotions. All of which are perfectly executed by Marshall.

Her performance is so stellar that there are a few times throughout the finale when we start to question what is true. Sure, we have overwhelming evidence that Julian stole the documents, but did he really?

Olympia’s passive face and questionable behavior make us question everything. This suspicion is even more evident when Julian has his falling out with Senior and doesn’t bring up the Wellbrexa case, which could’ve strengthened his argument.

We go into those final moments wondering if we were wrong this whole time. This could create more drama for the next season, but it is disappointing as closure for the big what if this season. 

Therefore, we breathe a big sigh of relief when Olympia opens his safety deposit box and finds the documents. While her final confrontation with him isn’t completely resolved, it has us on the edge of our seats.

There is a hurt in Olympia’s usual confident demeanor, which is perfectly opposed by Julian’s attempts at gaining favor. It is some of the best writing on Matlock.

Stray Thoughts:

• The broken tooth element still gives me the ick just thinking about it.
• Billy’s ex-girlfriend being pregnant was definitely not on my bingo card for him.
• The second part, opening with Matty taking down the investigation wall while reflecting on the soundtrack “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, is a perfect use of music and flashbacks to remind us of why we (and Matty) are emotionally invested.

 

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Matlock Season 1 is now streaming on Paramount+ and Season 2 comes to CBS this coming Fall.

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