Family Day has arrived at Jacobson Moore, and as expected, things do not go smoothly. Matty (Kathy Bates) debates whether she should bring her grandson Alfie (Aaron Harris) to the office.
She worries about the risks involved, especially since she is secretly investigating Julian’s (Jason Ritter) whereabouts on the day the Wellbrexa case documents disappeared.
If anyone at the firm connects Alfie to her plans, it could make things more difficult for her. However, Alfie is determined to help, and his charm wins her over. He insists that his presence will be an asset to her mission.
Matty eventually agrees, believing that bringing him could work in her favor. Her goal is to run Julian’s ID badge and find out where he was when the documents went missing. But this is not an easy task.
Matty is already dealing with her own personal struggles, still shaken from her recent confrontation with Edwin (Sam Anderson) about Ellie’s overdose. She carries the weight of her guilt while also trying to keep her professional composure.
Meanwhile, Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) and YouThree are handling a difficult case. A sorority girl is charged with manslaughter after allegedly drugging her roommate with a dangerous alcoholic energy drink.
Olympia is eager to remove this harmful drink from the market through a class-action lawsuit. However, the case takes an unexpected turn, and it only adds to Matty’s emotional burden.
With so much happening at once, Matty needs to find a way to keep herself together. But as the day unfolds, she discovers that balancing her personal life, family obligations, and professional responsibilities is no easy task.
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A Sorority Scandal Stirs Up Matty’s Guilt
Olympia has a strong desire to hold corporations accountable for dangerous products. She believes that the alcoholic energy drink involved in the case is a serious hazard. However, the case takes a complicated turn when a sorority girl, Zoey (Galilea La Salvia), is arrested for allegedly giving a drink to her roommate, who later died.
If Zoey is convicted, it could set a precedent that puts all the blame on individuals rather than on the company producing the harmful drink. This would weaken Olympia’s legal argument against the product.
The team works hard to prove Zoey’s innocence, and their efforts pay off. They discover that another sorority member was actually responsible for spiking the drink. A key piece of evidence—a photograph showing one of Zoey’s sorority sisters putting her ID back in a drawer—proves that Zoey did not purchase the fatal drink.
Despite clearing Zoey’s name, the situation deeply affects Matty. Seeing Zoey’s guilt over her roommate’s death reminds Matty of her own guilt about Ellie’s overdose. Throughout the case, she experiences flashbacks to her confrontation with Edwin.
His words still haunted her, especially when he accused her of being reckless. These thoughts distract her, making it difficult to focus. Olympia notices that something is wrong, but Matty refuses to open up.
Luckily, Billy (David Del Rio) and Sarah (Leah Lewis) work efficiently to help wrap up the case. Their keen observational skills help secure the evidence that ultimately proves Zoey’s innocence. However, their ability to work well together in the courtroom does not extend to their personal lives, where things are far more complicated.
Billy and Sarah Struggle with Romantic Complications
Billy and Sarah may be excellent partners in court, but their personal relationships are messy. Billy has been secretly seeing Simone (Andrea Londo), Sarah’s biggest rival. While Billy enjoys their relationship, he also tries to convince Simone to stop making Sarah’s life difficult. Simone refuses, making it clear that she has no interest in easing tensions.
Sarah begins to suspect something is going on, and her fears are confirmed when she catches Billy and Simone coming out of the supply closet together. She had already noticed lipstick on Billy’s collar, but now she knows for sure that Simone is the woman he has been seeing. This realization leaves her feeling betrayed.
However, she does not have much time to dwell on Billy’s actions because she is facing her own romantic dilemma. Sarah finally has a conversation with Kira (Piper Curda) about their relationship status. She wants commitment, but Kira does not believe in monogamy.
Kira asks if Sarah could consider an open relationship, but Sarah knows this would not work for her. She has difficulty trusting people, and an open relationship would only make things worse.
Sarah faces a tough decision. If she cannot accept Kira’s lifestyle, their relationship may be over. It is a painful realization because they shared a strong connection. Unfortunately, their differences may be too great to overcome.
Alfie’s Distraction Helps Matty Gather Evidence
With Family Day in full swing, employees bring their loved ones to the office for a non-denominational Easter celebration. Alfie convinces Matty to bring him along, allowing her to execute her plan. While everyone is busy enjoying the festivities, Matty sneaks down to the security station to check Julian’s ID card.
To create a distraction, Alfie locks himself in the stairwell, causing a wave of panic in the office. While staff rush to assist him, Matty takes advantage of the chaos and prints out Julian’s movements from the day the Wellbrexa files went missing.
Meanwhile, Olympia finally meets Alfie, which causes her to ease up on Matty. However, Matty makes a questionable choice later in the day when she checks in on Senior (Beau Bridges). He is getting high in his office, yelling for his assistant to bring him a pillow. Instead of walking away, Matty joins him.
They share a deep conversation about their regrets, and Senior encourages her to apologize to Ellie as if she were still alive. Matty follows his advice, delivering a heartfelt apology. She does not reveal the full story to Senior, but he seems to suspect that there is more to her past than she is admitting.
Matty’s Sister Arrives Without Warning
After a stressful day, Matty returns home, still feeling the effects of getting high. She immediately grabs a pie from the kitchen counter and starts eating. She does not realize that it is her sister Bitsy’s (Julie Hagerty) signature recipe.
Bitsy had been calling Matty repeatedly, but when Matty did not answer, she decided to fly in unannounced. Now, Matty must figure out how to continue her investigation without getting Bitsy involved. While Alfie has already proven to be helpful in her schemes, Bitsy could add a new layer of chaos.
Bitsy’s unexpected arrival will undoubtedly shake things up. With Julie Hagerty playing the role, her presence is sure to bring humor and excitement. As Matty tries to juggle her personal and professional responsibilities, she must now deal with her sister’s involvement as well.
Matlock airs Thursdays at 10 PM on CBS. Episodes will be available for streaming the next day on Paramount+.
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