The excitement for Matlock‘s season finale is at an all-time high — but what can fans expect from the big wrap-up?
In a chat with Us Weekly, director and executive producer Kat Coiro gave some juicy hints about how the first season will end. She teased, “The characters are all facing big decisions.” As the show moves forward, we get to know the main characters much better, and each one plays a big role in how the story develops.
The latest episode, which aired on November 14, showed a big shift for Matty (played by Kathy Bates). She was thinking about quitting her job at Jacobson Moore and giving up on her mission to find out which attorney hid the evidence that could have saved her daughter’s life. But just before telling Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) her decision, Julian (Jason Ritter) surprised Matty with a new case involving Big Pharma.
“This moment is really important,” Coiro explained. “After Matty’s health scare, she felt like throwing in the towel. From the very beginning, we talked about how she thought the job would be tough, but she didn’t expect to get so emotionally connected to the people she’s working with, from Olympia to Billy to Sarah — even the people in the cases she’s handling. Matty’s empathy makes her job all-consuming.”
At this point in the story, Matty is feeling drained. “The ending of the episode feels like a sign that she has to keep pushing forward,” Coiro added. “Even though she was ready to quit, this moment tells her to keep going.”
When the series first introduced Matty, her name made fans think she was the daughter of the famous Matlock from the ’80s. But as the show goes on, we learn that Matty isn’t who she seems. She’s actually Madeline Kingston, a wealthy woman going undercover at the law firm to investigate who’s responsible for her daughter’s death. Right now, she suspects people like Olympia, Julian, and Senior (Beau Bridges).
While Matty is slowly piecing together the truth, don’t expect all the big answers to come out in the finale. The good news? CBS has already picked Matlock up for a second season!
Coiro also shared how much respect she has for the show’s creator, Jennie Snyder Urman. She said, “Jennie knows everything about the show. She’s like our Matty Matlock, keeping track of all the details. What I love about her writing is that it’s all about the characters. The show moves forward in small steps, focusing on how these people grow and connect with each other.”
If you haven’t watched Matlock yet, it’s streaming on Paramount+. New episodes will return to CBS on Thursday, January 30, at 9 p.m. ET.
