Matlock Season 2 Episode 12 Review: The Cavalry Isn’t Coming

If there is one thing this show is good at it’s giving us the opportunity to feel sympathy for a character previously proven to be unlikable. When it comes to Matlock Season 2 Episode 12, “The Cavalry Isn’t Coming,” that character is Shae.

Previously Shae has ruffled feathers and made more enemies than friends. However, now she is in need of some good lawyers for her defense against a bribery charge, which humbles her a bit.

Even better, the lawyer in charge of the case can’t be Olympia which allows Matty a moment to shine. It’s a shift that the narrative needs from time to time, and this episode delivers.

Matty Misses Her Anniversary

Before we really dive into the case itself, I want to give some space for a character who often gets the short end of the stick, Edwin Kingston. This man stands by his woman even when she bails on their plans over and over again.

Since Matlock began we have seen Edwin put his own needs and desires aside for the sake of his wife’s vendetta to get justice for Ellie. In the past, the show hasn’t quite known what to do with him.

However, he is pivotal to Matty’s mood and motivations throughout this episode. Which finally gives Sam Anderson a chance to really stand out. 

He isn’t in the episode any more than usual, but his presence haunts the narrative. From his little excited mentions of what he plans to do for their 50th Anniversary dinner to his passive aggressive disappointment towards Matty when she’s assigned the case he influences the flow.

Honestly, when the camera turned to him eating his anniversary breakfast alone and then later, Matty comes home to an empty house I thought we were going to find out he left her. But, hearing him tell her, in his card, that he simply chose to enjoy the day with his friends instead of moping gives us hope for their marriage.

After all, Matty points out that she’s always been this way and he’s always seen and loved that about her. It’s a nice twist on the disgruntled husband trope that many shows fall into when a character is married and married to their work.

At the tail end of the episode we get to see Edwin joke with her about the missed dinner and further discuss plans for the weekend, as long as the wind doesn’t blow. The reminder simmers under the surface that he’s still upset, but his love for her rings stronger than that.

Hunter and Sarah Double Team

Another interesting aspect of this episode, that really brings forth the strength of Matlock as an ensemble, is the dynamic between Hunter and Sarah. We’ve had time to get to know Sarah over the course of these two seasons, but Hunter is extremely new.

And yet, we are endeared by them equally and for vastly different reasons. Hunter just has that naturally lovable energy that is sorely lacking on the show. Meanwhile, Sarah’s quick tongue and sharp sarcasm leave us anticipating what she’ll say next.

From the moment Hunter arrived this season, it’s been clear that Sarah’s biggest issue with him is based in missing Billy. Sarah doesn’t bond with others easily and Hunter does so naturally she’s put off by him from a jealousy standpoint.

But she also misses the friendship and close connection she had with Billy. Now, here is Hunter trying his best to bring up the energy in the room while also connecting with her, and she wants nothing of it.

Therefore, forcing them to work together on Shae’s case is a perfect catalyst for them to grow closer. By the end of the episode they might not be friends, but Sarah definitely has a deeper understanding of how Hunter operates. 

He’s not the smartest bulb in the bunch, but he must be competent enough to be hired by Jacobson Moore. This comes out strongly throughout “The Cavalry Isn’t Coming,” as Sarah discovers he knows how to get people to let their guard down and reveal information.

Sarah can respect competence. So by the time Shae’s case is dismissed thanks to information Hunter unwittingly found out, Sarah has softened up to him slightly. Like I said, they aren’t about to be friends anytime soon, but Sarah can definitely see his worth a bit more clearly now.

It doesn’t hurt that he also told her about his past, which earned him some sympathy points. 

Shae’s Case Reveals Connections to Wellbrexa

If there is something to come from Shae’s false bribery case it is that The Wolf isn’t just an enforcer he’s also an accomplice to the Wellbrexa coverup. We’ve seen The Wolf appear a few times since the show started, but honestly he’s not been much of a threat until now. 

He stands in the way of Shae getting a proper defense, showing that Jacobson Moore doesn’t care much for employees if it gets in the way of public appearance. We saw a tiny bit of this when Senior pitted Julian and Olympia against each other with the loser losing their status in the firm.

However, this is the first time it has been front-row center that Jacobson Moore would rather throw an employee under the bus if it meant sweeping unpleasant events under the rug. Never mind, that it is obvious from the start that Shae is being set up with the flimsiest of evidence.

Then, when it appears that Shae’s case might continue to drag on even with only associates handling it, The Wolf threatens Matty. Oddly enough, his threat is word for word the same threat that the scientist in Milton received before being paid off to bury the Wellbrexa study.

It’s a twist that doesn’t fully follow the show’s typical trend of it being in the final moments, but it’s a valuable twist just the same. We, and the team, now know that it isn’t Senior who directly threatened people but his enforcer.

While the Wellbrexa case continues to move at a glacial pace, one which is starting to wear on us, this reveal gives us more definitive proof that multiple people are guilty in this coverup.

Stray Thoughts:

• I didn’t want to like Julian, but my goodness this episode adds more to his likability factor.
• Olympia finally going on a date with that sexy lawyer only to get weak in the knees shaking hands with his cousin? DRAMA! I love it.
• I need the merger efficiency expert lady to disappear. She gets more and more infuriating with each passing episode.

 

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Matlock airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS.

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