Matlock ended its first season with a stunning mix of cliffhangers! So how many questions are there for season 2?
Caution: This article contains SPOILERS for the Matlock season 1 finale
All season, Matlock has revolved around Madeline (Kathy Bates) working at the law firm of Jacobson & Moore. Matty is hiding how she’s searching for evidence the firm buried documents that would have gotten opioids off the street, saving thousands of lives, including Matty’s daughter.
The penultimate episode had Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) uncovering Matty’s secret. While there was obvious tension about Matty’s deception, Olympia joined Matty in her quest for answers. Matty believed that Olympia’s ex-husband Julian Jr. (Jason Ritter) had hidden the documents with Olympia trying to prove his innocence.
How Matlock season 1 came to an end
The two-hour season finale had the pair working on a murder case while Olympia also embarked on a plan to access her ex-husband’s bank account to see if he’d been lying about paying for their home by a payout from his dad (Beau Bridges).
Olympia found no evidence, calling Matty to tell her Julian was innocent. No sooner was she off the phone, however, the bank manager asked if Olympia also wanted to see Julian’s safety deposit box. Inside, Olympia was horrified to find the study Matty had been looking for.
Julian arrived to confess he’d hidden the study to try and buy favor from his father. He pointed out that all Olympia had to do was destroy it so that they could move on.
Matty was at home trying to call Olympia when the doorbell rang. On the other side was a man (Nika Nicotera) who claimed to be the father of Matty’s grandson Alfie.
That was a major shock for so many and we’ve got a lot of questions for season 2!
What will Olympia decide?
The biggest question is if Olympia decides to expose Julian and his dad or destroy the study. Speaking to TV Insider, showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman shared that “there is a big mystery that is launched at the beginning of the second season that we will be following that does extend from the first season. It’s not suddenly a brand new mystery.”
Olympia is in a hard position. She knows what Julian did was wrong and how Matty is justified in wanting justice for her daughter. At the same time, Olympia knows that if she exposes the truth, Julian is likely to go to jail, which will ruin the family. It’s truly a hard choice for Olympia and either way, she’s going to hurt someone she cares about.
Will Maddie learn the truth about Julian?
If Olympia chooses to keep quiet, we’ll have a flip of season 1 where it’s Olympia trying to keep things quiet while Matty is in the dark. But Matty is no fool and is already wary of fully trusting Olympia. She will no doubt discover the truth, and this time, Matty will feel betrayed as Olympia’s choice will shake up their friendship.
Snyder says the show is meant as “an epic love story” of Matty and Olympia’s friendship, “some push and pull” for the pair to get back to where they were. Thus, season 2 will be a big focus on if this pair can get back on the same page again.
Is that really Alfie’s dad in Matlock?
It seems that is Alfie’s birth father popping up at the end, which will add more drama to things. The question is if he’s the real guy as Matty will be suspicious. That might be driven more by her desire to keep Alfie and tension between Matty and Edwin. This will rattle the normally in-control Matty and throw her family dynamics in disarray.
If it is Alfie’s dad, the question is where he’s been all this time. Perhaps he’s a recovering addict who needed to pull himself together. There’s also the sad chance he’s a con artist or crook who’s just looking for a payday and doesn’t care about his son. That could lead Alfie to some heartache, which Matty will need to protect him from.
Will Edwin support Matty continuing?
Edwin had supported his wife on her crusade, all under the impression that once Matty discovered the truth, she’d quit the firm. He never expected Matty to love being a lawyer again and was reluctant to give it up. If Matty has to keep up the ruse for a bit, she’ll continue at the firm and Edwin won’t be happy about her putting off retirement.
Snyder assures fans the couple won’t split but hinted this could lead to a loss of control for Matty and how hard it will be to handle her family life, which is seemingly imploding just as things are going well on the legal front. This shakeup of the formula will affect season 2.
Is Julian going back to the firm?
Julian resigned from Jacobson & Moore after Olympia got the promotion he wanted, realizing nothing he did would ever please his father. Don’t worry; Ritter isn’t leaving the show, as Snyder hinted that something will force Julian “to do some groveling in order to get back for a specific amount of time.”
Could it be that Olympia has convinced her ex to join her and Matty on their crusade for more evidence? If so, he’d need to return, which would naturally be a tough task after standing up to his father. It will be good to explore this dynamic as Julian has become a tragic figure due to the revelation that he did so much for his dad, including covering up a crime and that still wasn’t enough to get his respect. Maybe Julian has decided if he can’t win his father’s love, it’s time to hit back hard? That will be an interesting turn.
Will others learn Matty’s secret?
So far, Matty’s co-workers Billy (David Del Rio) and Sarah (Leah Lewis) are still in the dark about Matty’s true identity. But neither is no fool and will notice some frostiness between Matty and Olympia. It may be that this leads them to uncover clues to Matty not being who she’s been claiming to be.
A funny bit would be the pair convinced Olympia doesn’t know about Matty and so go through some shenanigans to find more proof while keeping both “in the dark.” Seeing the pair continue to develop their friendship should be a highlight as well as when they do eventually find out the truth.
What’s coming for Billy and Sarah’s relationships?
The season 1 finale had Billy first wanting to keep things casual with girlfriend Simone. He was then jarred when his ex-girlfriend Claudia showed up to claim she was pregnant. The idea of becoming a father will clearly rock Billy as he finds himself in a love triangle.
While Sarah broke up with her girlfriend, winning her first case will give her a new sense of confidence. That may lead her to get out of the office and try and find a relationship, even if it will be hard to find a match to her high-powered persona. The wonderful friendship should continue to be a highlight of the show.
Will Matty or Senior be exposed?
The biggest question is if Matty will end up exposing Senior’s crimes. Obviously, it would be a huge scandal and bring down J&B. Senior will no doubt counter back, which might include exposing Matty. Indeed, some viewers speculate Senior already knows or at least suspects the truth about Matty and playing his own game.
While Matty has been using a few loopholes (like legally changing her name), it can be argued she’s been engaged in fraud with her acts in the firm. It can also cast doubt on her discoveries as Senior can claim this is a grieving mother falsifying evidence against him, and if Olympia and Julian don’t back her up, Matty is in trouble.
It’s a major source of tension that will make Matlock season 2 an even more epic watch than season 1 was and keep fans enthralled.
Matlock season 1 is streaming on Paramount+.