Spoiler Alert for Matlock season 1, episode 7, “Belly of the Beast”
Matlockepisode 7, “Belly of the Beast,” delivers a heartbreaking development for Skye P. Marshall’s Olympia, simultaneously walking back a breakthrough in Madeline Matlock’s secret revenge plan. Kathy Bates' character poses as a folksy septuagenarian lawyer working at Jacobson Moore who wants the big bucks. However, theMatlockseries' game-changing twistis that Matty is Madeline Kingston, a wealthy, retired contract lawyer on a revenge mission for her daughter, Ellie. The lawyer blames the law firm for hiding sensitive documents and changing her daughter’s life.
Madeline’s end goal is to put the lawyer who hid Wellbrexa documents that could have taken opioids off the market years earlier in jail. She has established a rapport with the otherMatlockcharactersin Jacobson Moore to advance her plan while flying below the radar. She earns their trust with her unassuming demeanor to gain access to information that can support her claim, so her interpersonal relationships are the key to developing Madeline’s secret plan. Therefore, atwist in Olympia and Julian’s romance inMatlockepisode 6was advantageous to the plot, but it didn’t last long.
Olympia & Julian’s Reconciliation Has Made Madeline’s Revenge Plan Easier
Olympia And Julian Reconciled Their Marriage In Matlock Episode 6
WhenOlympia and Julian get back together inMatlockepisode 6, Madeline’s secret revenge plan is more manageable because it puts her closer to Wellbrexa. Madeline believes the pharmaceutical giant is to blame for Ellie’s death, and Jacobson Moore has an in-house legal team that represents the company. Therefore, getting closer to Julian, who represents Wellbrexa with his father, gets Madeline closer to a cache of files that could back up her case. Madeline based her plan on a post that her grandson, Alfie (Aaron D. Harris), saw on Reddit, so there’s a significant demand to back up her claim.
The 70-year-old was chipping away at her rapport with Julian, but Olympia’s connection and recommendation excelled Madeline’s standing.
The couple’s reconciliation opens the door for Madeline because Julian and Olympia form an alliance that reflects their personal development in their working relationship. Immediately after reconciling his divorce with Olympia,Julian seeks Madeline out for a pharmaceutical case. The development provesMadeline earning Olympia’s trust inMatlockwas worth it since her ally provided an entry point into Wellbrexa. The 70-year-old was chipping away at her rapport with Julian, but Olympia’s connection and recommendation bolstered Madeline’s standing.
Julian’s Cheating Confession Creates A New Conflict With Olympia
Julian tells Olympia that he had an affair before they separated inMatlockepisode 7, possibly breaking the couple up again. The couple was enjoying an otherwise cheery end to the Jacobson Moore holiday party, sharing smiles and kisses in their shared brownstone home. However, a comment from his father wasn’t sitting right with Julian at the end of the night, compelling him to come clean about his past transgression. The development is bad news for Madeline’s mission to get justice for Ellie. Their alliance accelerated her plan, butJulian’s infidelity may have broken his alliancewith Olympia.
Matlock Needs To Justify Madeline’s Secret Revenge Plan Because The Stakes Are Too High
The stakes are too high for Kathy Bates' character to continue her scheme in Matlock without further justifying Madeline Kingston’s need for revenge.
There’s no telling where Madeline will land in episode 8. However, it’s worth noting that during her final conversation withBeau Bridges' Senior character, the pair appears to have really established a good rapport. What’s concerning is that the distance between Julian and Olympia could hinder Madeline’s progress over at pharma. Matlock episode 7 doesn’t give any clue as to what Olympia’s next move is after her husband’s surprising confession. Elijah’s return could even factor into her choice.
How Olympia & Julian’s Potential Breakup Affects Madeline’s Revenge Scheme
Madeline’s Ellie Plan Is Coming Apart
If Julian and Olympia break up for good, it could be the end of Madeline’s mission for revenge on Jacobson Moore. Madeline works throughout theMatlockstoryto get as close as she has to Senior and Julian, and the plot delivers significant blows to her success in episode 7. With a permanent separation between Olympia and Julian, the couple’s working relationship could halt, and Olympia could reclaim Madeline for her team.Hopefully, the characters can figure out a fluid agreement, but it’s a delicate situation heading into the next outing.
It could be that Madeline taking a step back from becoming Olympia or Julian’s right hand inMatlockisn’t such a bad thing for now.
Madeline couldn’t guarantee her superiors' complete confidence, so hopefully,Madeline and her 12-year-old grandsonhave a backup plan. As the lawyer entangles herself in a web of lies, moving deeper into the folds of Jacobson Moore, she puts herself at risk. Regardless of Julian and Olympia’s romance outcome, Madeline’s proximity to her colleagues puts her in a position where they learn more about her, creating opportunities to poke holes in her disguise. That said, it could be that Madeline taking a step back from becoming Olympia or Julian’s right hand inMatlockisn’t such a bad thing for now.
Matlock
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Matlock (2024) follows the return of Madeline Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian, to a prestigious law firm. Utilizing her unassuming demeanor and astute strategies, she navigates the legal world to win cases and uncover corruption. The series draws inspiration from the classic television series of the same name.
