Matlock Season 2 Episode 11 Review: Tail Lights

After a few weeks of big bright moments in the Wellbrexa case, Matlock Season 2 Episode 11, “Tail Lights,” keeps things a bit more light. While there is still a twist at the end of the episode, it wouldn’t be the show if there wasn’t, overall the events don’t amount to much.

During the span of “Tail Lights,” the only new information we gain is the name of the scientist that was at Martex Behavioral Lab when it was dissolved by Senior. In the grand scheme of things this information is important, but not earthshattering.

While Matty and Julian are playing a game of role play to get vital information from Ron Hanson, Jr., Olympia is fighting her own battle against a judge who doesn’t like her.

Olympia Has to Play Nice

If there is one thing you can count on with Olympia it is that she never backs down from a fight. She also doesn’t make many friends, but at least in the courtroom she can usually survive it.

However, with the Fitzpatrick building collapse case, Olympia is fighting against the judge’s misconceptions about her. Because Olympia’s humor sometimes doesn’t translate, she finds herself on the wrong side of her sitting judge.

It’s fun to see Olympia have to really figure out a way to get the jury on her side when the judge is ruling against her left and right. While it is nothing that makes it seem as if the judge is biased, it does feel like unnecessary pressure.

That said, Olympia is the queen of cooking under pressure. She does some of her best work when the world seems stacked against her. It’s a beautiful thing to see her work her magic in this case.

Despite her efforts, it is very clear that she is going to lose the case, even before she says it out loud. Unfortunately, this is a case with very little solid evidence and that is something Olympia isn’t the most adept at making work. 

Fortunately for her, a charge of Jury Misconduct comes down the pipeline creating a mistrial. While Olympia doesn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, she does automatically assume Fitzpatrick’s lawyer was the one to do something.

The fallout from it actually being Shae is going to be extremely interesting.

Matty and Julian Share Some Laughs

When it comes to Matty, there is always something you can rely on with her and that is her disdain for Julian and his father. She plays a good game of pretend when they are at work, but ultimately she doesn’t trust Julian or like him.

Therefore, Matlock Season 2 Episode 11, “Tail Lights,” takes us for a spin in that regard because she is on a secret mission with Julian. The two have to work together to convince a scummy lawyer that Matty, I mean, Mrs. Shapiro, needs a personal injury lawyer.

It’s a fun game of pretend that is on an entirely different plane from the Matty Matlock cosplay. Matty has always been good at charming people, so it is almost too easy for her to convince Ron Hanson, Jr. to represent her against Julian in their fender bender case.

Along the way, the ice between Matty and Julian starts to thaw a bit, which sends Matty into an entirely different tailspin. She doesn’t know how to reconcile her dislike for the man because she is starting to actually enjoy her time with him.

Sure, she says to Edwin that she still doesn’t like him and that she hasn’t lost site of the goal, but that laughter and joy isn’t pretend. She does have fun with Julian when they allow themselves to destress a little and relax.

It’ll be interesting to see if the circumstances of Ron’s behavior were a direct correlation to their warmer reception of each other, or if they truly are starting to develop a mutual bond. There is no doubt in my mind we are a long ways off from either of them respecting each other, but maybe they’ll become more solidly united against Senior.

Either way, this character growth is very much needed and allows us to see a less stoic side of Julian. It’s a side he only really lets out around his kids, but seeing him full belly laugh with Matty reminds us that he isn’t entirely evil.

Matty is Growing and Evolving

One of the biggest moments of this episode definitely comes from Matty. She isn’t the same woman she was when she first walked into Jacobson Moore at the start of all this.

In fact, she has grown not only as a lawyer, but as a person as well. She has learned to be more of a team player and actually look out for those that she works with.

Seeing her flourish as a mentor to Billy and Sarah, and now with Hunter as well has been one of the background joys of this show. However, she hasn’t actually acknowledged her personal growth to herself much less anyone else.

That all changes with this episode. She opens up to both Sarah and Edwin about how she made many mistakes in her life; mostly regarding her relationship with her mother. 

To see her acknowledge that she hasn’t always been the best person makes us all proud. When all this is said and done I do believe she and Julian will have a different bond than she expected because she is a kinder person.

Being friends with Olympia, no matter how rocky that road has been, has shaped Matty to become this version of herself. And this is only just the beginning.

Matty Quotes of Note:

• “He had a stroke, not a lobotomy.”
• “You’re a puppy dog, Sarah’s a cat. Let her come to you”
• “Oh Shae how comforting for the family’s of the pancaked people.”
• “Was that his vase?”
• “Blanca made a U-Turn she went back to care for her sister. I was tail lights.”

 

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Matlock airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS.

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