Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for Matlock Episode 12.The truth finally comes out on Matlock, but it isn’t the truth that Matty (Kathy Bates) was hoping for. There isn’t a new breakthrough on the Wellbrexa investigation, but a child custody case at the firm brings up painful memories of Matty and Edwin’s (Sam Anderson) battle to get custody of their grandson Alfie (Aaron Harris).
The case also strikes a nerve with Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) and Julian (Jason Ritter), who get an up-close look at how destructive their divorce will be for their children if they don’t start playing fair with each other. Meanwhile, Billy (David Del Rio) gives Sarah (Leah Lewis) the cold shoulder, which pushes her to next-level paranoia. It’s an episode about coming together for multiple key partnerships in the series, but the latest case only exposes a major weakness in Matty’s most important relationship: her marriage to Edwin.
The Case of the Week Hits Close to Home in ‘Matlock’ Episode 12

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The partner race has Olympia and Julian scrambling to get as many wins as they can before the vote. That puts them on opposite sides of the aisle in this case, as Olympia defends a mother, Paloma (Greta Quispe), suing her wealthy husband for more child support. Julian represents the husband, Bruno (Mauricio Mendoza), and takes it personally that Olympia is digging into Bruno’s finances because she is still pushing for a forensic investigation of Julian’s accounts.
Things go nuclear when Paloma tries to take her and Bruno’s son, Tenoch (Enzo Fabiani), to Mexico to see her dying father. Bruno had paid a neighbor to spy on Paloma and thus is able to have her and Tenoch apprehended at the airport for breaking the custody agreement. Paloma tries to barricade herself and Tenoch in the Jacobson Moore office, which would have meant ultimately losing custody of the boy. Fortunately, Matty is able to channel the anguish from her own custody battle and convinces Paloma to show up to court.
By the time Matty and Paloma make it to the courtroom, Olympia and Julian have been arrested for contempt of court because they turn the case into a sparring match to air their own dirty laundry. The time-out allows them to have a heart-to-heart about what they’re doing and how they don’t want to end up like Bruno and Paloma. Julian is still in the dark about Olympia believing he bugged her office, but she agrees to back off the investigation of his finances if they agree to be honest with each other from now on. Julian and Olympia getting on the same page allows them to work out a settlement agreement for Bruno and Paloma, as well as shared custody and more child support for Paloma to get more child support. It’s the agreement that’s best for Tenoch rather than either of his parents. Julian and Olympia may not have gotten back together, but they find a civil middle ground, which may be even better.

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Sarah and Billy Get Back on the Right Track in ‘Matlock’ Episode 12

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The case also marks a big change for Billy and Sarah. At the start of the episode, Billy declared that they could be polite coworkers, but he had no interest in being Sarah’s friend after she insulted him so badly. Sarah tried to channel her frustration into being the best mentee that Olympia has ever had, but in true Sarah fashion, it was way too much. I know it’s supposed to be the comedic element of the episode, but in the real world, Sarah would have been fired or moved to another team for the amount of boundary-crossing she did with Olympia in the name of humor.
Sarah’s paranoid and manic behavior isn’t helped by her law school nemesis, Simone (Andrea Londo), being hired as Julian’s junior associate. Sarah is convinced that Simone is there to destroy her, and Simone immediately gets under Sarah’s skin with a backhanded comment about Sarah’s breath. Then, to up the ante, Simone steals Sarah’s mints to make her extra panicked. When Sarah approaches Billy with her theory, he immediately shuts her down and calls her toxic for constantly pursuing vendettas against people instead of focusing on her job.
However, Billy changes his tune when he runs into Simone in the elevator and sees Sarah’s mints in her purse. When Sarah also discovers that Bruno is surveilling Paloma through the nosy neighbor, Billy is impressed enough to lower his walls. The associates are back to being YouTwo again, at least for now, but Simone psychologically tormenting Sarah isn’t enough to stop Billy from going out to drinks with her. Can Billy and Sarah’s newly rebuilt friendship withstand him dating her nemesis? We’ll see how much Sarah actually grew in this episode when she finds out Billy and Simone are more than work acquaintances.
Matty and Edwin Have Their Most Important Fight Yet in ‘Matlock’ Episode 12

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Everyone may have been making up at the office, but Matty is in a big fight at home. As we learn, she and Edwin sued their daughter Ellie (Marnee Carpenter) for custody of Alfie when he was 18 months old. The toddler burned himself on the stove, and it was enough for Matty to demand that she and Edwin take him in. Edwin was hesitant about pushing that hard, but Matty wouldn’t hear otherwise, even when Ellie begged for another chance.
The custody battle was Ellie’s last straw. When she realized that Alfie was going to be taken from her, she fell off the wagon and overdosed. The guilt comes in a fresh wave for Matty as she works on Paloma’s case, but it’s also fresh in Edwin’s mind because he found the e-mail from the man he suspected to be Alfie’s father. Edwin is terrible at keeping secrets, though, and his stressed-out behavior pushes Matty to go snooping. She finds the e-mail he lied about by the end of the episode and immediately confronts her husband, but the fight evolves into rehashing the custody battle. At the emotional climax, Edwin admits that he sometimes blames Matty for Ellie’s overdose.
The confession is a slap in the face for Matty, though it’s obvious she already feels guilty for pushing the custody battle as hard as she did. The revelation proves why the Wellbrexa case is so important for Matty. If she can find the corporate drug pushers and hold them accountable, then she can lessen her guilt over taking Alfie from her daughter at her lowest moment. Maybe this painful experience will help refocus Matty on her original goal – but will she be able to do it if Edwin isn’t 100% on her side? Edwin is Matty’s most important ally in this whole endeavor, and the ends do not justify the means if he isn’t in her corner at the end of the day.
Matlock continues Thursdays at 9 PM on CBS. Episodes are available the next day on Paramount+.

Matlock

Makeups and breakups shake up Matty’s world in Matlock Episode 12.

Release Date

September 22, 2024

Network

CBS

Writers

Jennie Snyder Urman

Pros & Cons

Three cheers for YouTwo getting back on the same page.
The Billy and Simone spark is MESSY and interesting.
The case delivers an emotionally gratifying piece of Matty’s lore.

Sarah is way too over the top in this episode and loses the grounding.
No one loves the miscommunication trope that’s plaguing Julian and Olympia.
There hasn’t been enough movement in the Wellbrexa case.