‘Matlock’ Finale Served Drama, Betrayal & A Side of “Excuse Me, WHAT?!”—And Yes, That File Was Buried Deeeep
CBS said, “Let’s blow minds,” and the Matlock Season 1 finale said, “Hold my briefcase.”
Let’s rewind: Remember when the show kicked off and Kathy Bates showed up as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a sweet ol’ Southern lady just tryin’ to land a job at a law firm so she could pay the bills and raise her grandson after her daughter’s tragic passing? Yeah. Lies. All lies. That woman was more undercover than a high school narc at Coachella.
Turns out, Matty Matlock is actually Madeline Kingston, a retired legal legend with money, sass, and a secret vendetta. She infiltrated the shady law firm Jacobson Moore undercover to sniff out who buried the infamous “WellBrexa File” — a file so important it might as well have come with ominous theme music and flashing lights.
Why? Because the file allegedly held evidence that could’ve stopped a pharmaceutical company from pushing opioids like they were candy at a parade. And that company? Directly tied to the tragic death of Matty’s daughter, Ellie. So yeah… Matty ain’t just making coffee runs and filing briefs — she’s out for justice with a vengeance, and possibly a taser in her purse.
Through the season, no one at the firm had a clue that Matty wasn’t just your average wise-cracking grandma in kitten heels. But eventually, her boss Olympia (played by Skye P. Marshall and 100% not ready for this level of drama) finds out the truth, and instead of blowing the whistle, she joins Team Matty in her quest to unearth whoever pulled a Houdini on the WellBrexa evidence.
Enter: JASON RITTER a.k.a. Julian Markston, Olympia’s ex-husband and now certified document burier. Yup. This man really said, “If I can’t be your husband, let me at least be your legal scandal.”
In the final moments of the season, we find Olympia in a vault (because where ELSE do you store dramatic secrets?) face to face with Julian. He’s basically on his knees, like, “Please don’t snitch.” And Olympia? She’s got the look of a woman calculating exactly how much therapy this moment will require.
Oh, and Matty? SHE STILL DOESN’T KNOW. I know, right?? CBS really hit us with the ol’ “tune in next season or perish in suspense” move.
Jason Ritter told IconicHipster.com that halfway through the season he was clued in about his character being the guilty one, so he started acting all mysterious and shady. Like, “Is this about me hiding massive legal evidence or just stealing someone’s sandwich from the office fridge? WHO KNOWS??”
And yes, despite the whole “I QUIT!” moment, Julian will still be around in Season 2 because… well, drama doesn’t just quit, honey.
Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman teased that Season 2 is gonna be wild, even though Matty’s secret identity is now public knowledge. But don’t worry — the show is still gonna be called Matlock. Bates is still gonna serve that homespun sass with a side of legal genius. The “persona” is staying, y’all. We’re still getting Grandma Sherlock Holmes, and we are LIVING for it.
So grab your popcorn and possibly a stress ball — Season 2 is coming, secrets are spilling, and Kathy Bates is STILL the baddest courtroom baddie in sensible shoes. 🧑⚖️✨
Court is adjourned… until next season. 🎬
