Matlock has a lot of explaining to do when it returns this fall. The first season ended on major cliffhangers for its lead and supporting characters, clearing a path to brand new terrain in the sophomore season and leaving us with lots of questions.
Matlock stars Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who rejoins the workforce disguised as a harmless old widow in need of a job to support her teen grandson. In reality, her name is Matty Kingston, her husband is very much alive, and along with their grandson, they’re investigating the concealment of documents in a lawsuit that were buried in order to hide the truth about the addictive nature of opioids.
This is done to avenge their daughter, Ellie (Marnee Carpenter), who died of an opioid overdose years prior. Matty got the job at the Jacobson Moore law firm to figure out which lawyer at that company was responsible for this illegal act, and it was revealed in the Season 1 finale.
Matty and husband Edwin (Sam Anderson) solved the mystery with grandson Alfie’s (Aaron D. Harris) help, but not before her Andy Griffith Matlock-themed cover was blown in the penultimate episode of the debut season. Matty’s boss and now close friend, Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), caught on to the scheme and demanded the whole truth.
Matty told her everything, providing the evidence to support their theory that Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason Ritter), was the one who hid the Wellbrexa study during that high-profile drug case years before. It seemed unbelievable at first because Julian had become such an empathetic character, but the mistakes of his past came back to haunt him.
Matty and Edwin were right: Julian did hide the study, but it wasn’t a simple act. He was pressured into it by his own father, Senior (Beau Bridges), who used his son’s need for his approval to force his son’s hand in protecting their client — a client that was illegally trying to keep the truth about its addictive medicine secret. But here’s the thing: Matty doesn’t know what Olympia knows about her ex as of the end of the finale. In Season 2, Olympia will be harboring the big secret, taking on Matty’s position from Season 1.
Also a major concern was the last-minute arrival of a man claiming to be Alfie’s father, played by Niko Nicotera. With those endings and other developments from the finale, Matlock set up major questions that will be the foundation for Season 2. As we await the show’s return, here are our burning questions that need answering in Matlock‘s second season.
Is that really Alfie’s dad?
Nicotera appeared in the finale’s final seconds saying that Alfie had reached out to him out of a belief that he was his father. As Matty revealed earlier in the season, Alfie’s dad was someone who struggled with substance abuse like Ellie, but they didn’t know who he was. Edwin lied to Matty in the past to conceal the fact that Alfie’s dad once reached out. Now, he seems to be back. But is he actually Alfie’s dad?
Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman told TV Insider that there will be a paternity test in the first episode of Matlock Season 2, and the father drama will continue after that. Whether Nicotera’s character is Alfie’s dad or not, the father will be an important figure moving forward.
If that is Alfie’s dad, will Matty and Edwin lose custody?
With the resurgence of Alfie’s father comes the threat of Matty and Edwin losing custody of their grandson. Season 1 showed the traumatic memories of Matty getting legal custody of baby Alfie while Ellie was struggling with addiction and accidentally hurt her son on a hot stove. Could Matty and Edwin lose custody of Alfie to his father? Alfie has already showed interest in wanting to know his father.
Matty and Alfie’s relationship has always been strong, but Season 2 will dive into “what happens to Matty when Alfie’s mad at her, and how that feels similar or dissimilar to what it was like with Ellie,” Snyder Urman told us.
Will Julian go to jail, or will Olympia protect him?
Julian illegally concealed the Wellbrexa study from the discovery process in that lawsuit years ago. It’s been hiding in his and Olympia’s safety deposit box ever since, and he was the only one who knew that. With Olympia now in the loop, much to her dismay, their children’s futures are a top concern for both of them. Jail time for Julian is a serious threat in Season 2, Snyder Urman told us.
Olympia is hellbent on justice in her personal and professional life. Can she make an exception for the father of her children? A legal and moral scandal such as this would put a stain on their lives forever. Olympia has a huge ethical dilemma on her hands. If she reveals the truth, the father of her children could go to jail. If she doesn’t, a major wrong will not be righted. We have a feeling she won’t be able to stomach the thought of thwarting justice for the countless families who lost loved ones to opioid overdoses.
Will Senior face consequences for his part in Wellbrexa?
If Julian goes to jail for burying the Wellbrexa study, surely his father should serve time for ordering him to do so. The question is if there is sufficient evidence to prove that Senior gave that order. Will Olympia want Senior to take the fall in order to save her ex?
Will Billy and Sarah find out Matty’s secret?
Olympia is the only person at Jacobson Moore who knows Matty’s true identity — for now. Sarah (Leah Lewis) and Billy (David Del Rio) make up an important half of Olympia’s team at the firm, and we’ve already seen the mess Matty has made in order to keep her secret from these colleagues. Will it come to a point where the secret is impossible to keep from her colleagues she respects so much? Or will Matty’s desire to continue practicing law despite her Wellbrexa mission being complete make her want to come clean and start anew with Billy and Sarah?
Will Sarah get fired over her first client?
Sarah took on her first client and trial in the two-part Season 1 finale, but there are rules in place about how lawyers take on clients that she did not follow. Her work rival/Billy’s former fling, Simone (Andrea Londo), has discovered that Sarah got this client the wrong way (even though she had good intentions), and it will pose a threat to her career in Season 2. Will Simone make sure that Sarah is taken down for this fireable offense?
Will David and Claudia get back together?
Billy found out from his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Claudia (Bella Ortiz), that she was pregnant with his child in the finale. Does this mean they’ll get back together, something that might anger Simone and make her want to take Billy down at work as well?
