'Matlock' Season 2 Premiere Review: A Tense, Twisty Return Worth the Wait

The Season Premiere of Matlock was amazing and everything fans have been eagerly waiting for since the end of Season 1. 

We pick up right where Season 1 left off, we have Matty talking to the man we assume is Alfie’s biological father. This storyline is something I was excited for at the end of S1, but not high on my priority list in comparison to the other storylines left open. But, in true Matlock fashion, they found a way to pull me in and get this storyline to the same level of intrigue as I have for other aspects of the season. 

Olympia and Matty’s relationship was one of the biggest highlights of Season 1 for me, and seeing where they are now, leaves me wondering what can happen next. Throughout the episode, the viewer gets a little bit of whiplash from how things are progressing between the two of them. In one second, Olympia and Matty will be supporting and caring for one another, then the next, you can read their body language and tell that they have ulterior motives or are trying to read the other one. It’s a fun game to play and as always, Kathy Bates and Skye P. Marshall bounce off of each other so well. Without giving too much away, the final scenes of the episode really were phenomenal and left me sitting there with my mouth agape. In a perfect world, I would love to see Matty and Olympia work this out and be able to find themselves at least somewhat back to where they were at the start of the show; but that wouldn’t be good television.

We have to see the struggle and the back and forth they go through with each other & behind closed doors. We can tell that both women still care for each other very much, but, they can’t fully trust each other, and I think that’s what’s going to carry this season. How much longer can they keep going like this? And how much longer until everyone else starts to figure out what’s going on. 

The “case of the week” for this episode was about two teenage girls who threw a party at school, but a fire broke out and burnt down their high school’s theater. This was a good and compelling story to follow for the Premiere and I think a lot of it parallel’s what’s going on between Matty and Olympia currently. One of the girls ends up turning on their friend as the case amps up and it really shatters the trust between the two girls. And throughout this process, we find out more about how each girl has motive and what their reasons were for going back to the auditorium. Similarly, the viewer sees why and how Matty and Olympia have different reasons to keep the Wellbrexa documents hidden or share them in a certain light. 

Not much Sarah or Billy content in this episode (reminder: this episode was filmed before David Del Rio was fired due to SA allegations from co-star, Leah Lewis).

Just based on how jumpy some of their story felt, it seems like they might have cut some of David’s scenes after filming. Which honestly, in my opinion, even though I enjoyed his chemistry with the cast, his character is not necessary or vital to the ongoing storyline. And his current storyline isn’t really selling me either. On the other hand, I do wish we could’ve seen some more of Sarah this episode. That’s moreso a selfish request on my behalf, but, Leah Lewis is exceptional in this role and I will always jump at the opportunity to see her on my screen. With everything going on, I am glad to see the cast and crew support her. I truly hate what she has had to endure, but I am thankful that she is still on the show and I’m wishing her love and light as she continues to grow and succeed on Matlock and other projects. 

Overall, a really solid and strong start to Matlock’s sophomore run. I am already eagerly anticipating this Thursday’s episode to see what happens next. I would give this Premiere Episode a 4.5/5 star rating. The only thing I would change is just the pacing on Sarah’s story and that’s about it. 

What did you think?

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