With just one episode left before its highly anticipated season finale,CBS’s hit seriesMatlockhas delivered the most emotionally charged and narratively satisfying episode of its first season. Episode 17, “I Was That, Too,” doesn’t just reveal the truth Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) has been seeking about Matty (Kathy Bates) — it provides an absolute masterclass in acting from Marshall and Bates, blowing the emotional story wide open and setting up a finale that will deliver a genuine payoff, both for the plot and the show’s characters.At the heart of the penultimate episodeis a powerful confrontation between Olympia and Matty,layered with heartbreak, betrayal, and simmering anger, anchored by exceptional performances from these two powerhouse actors who have beendelivering outstanding performances all season long.
Olympia and Matty’s Explosive Confrontation Is the Heart of ‘Matlock’ Episode 17
Episode 17’s emotional centerpiece is thelong-awaited confrontation between Olympia and Matty, unfolding in the claustrophobic confines of a windowless conference room where Olympia is (sort of) holding Matty hostage. Despite the questionable legality of her actions, it’s impossible not to empathize with Olympia’s pain. Skye P. Marshall delivers some of her best work of the series, expertly balancingOlympia’s simmering anger and profound sense of betrayal. As she uncovers more layers of the truth — like the revelation that Matty’s husband is actually alive — Olympia begins to crack, revealing just how deeply Matty’s lies have unraveled her life, especially in Episode 10, whenOlympia discovered the recording deviceMatty had planted and falsely attributed to Julian (Jason Ritter). She describes the paranoia that followed, which later plays out in a series of emotionally raw and vulnerable flashbacks.
Opposite Marshall, Kathy Bates portrays Matty’s internal struggle with equally compelling intensity. It’s clear how much pain she’s in, not just from the fallout with Olympia, who she genuinely cares about, but also fromrevisiting the most traumatic moments of her lifeto justify her deception. At first, Olympia lashes out, convinced she’s dealing with a con artist and is unwilling to listen, and Matty quietly absorbs the accusations, fully aware she’s earned some of that anger. One particularly poignant moment comes when Edwin (Sam Anderson), unaware he’s on speakerphone, shareshow deeply Matty truly cares for Olympia.Marshall lets Olympia’s carefully guarded facade crack, revealing flickers of hurt and confusion, especially when Matty reveals why she’s really there: to uncover who buried the Wellbrexa study.The moment adds a whole new layer to Olympia’s betrayal, forcing her to question not only Matty’s motives but Julian’s as well.
The episode’s emotional peak, and perhaps the most profound moment of the series, comes after Olympia verifies the study is indeed missing and tasks Matty with helping solve a snag in the episode’s case. In a rare quiet moment, Olympia admits she doesn’t really know who Matty is. Matty pushes back, insisting that what they had was real. Then, through tears, she confesses: “I came here expecting to be invisible. People don’t see old women. But you saw me.” The admissionbrings Matty’s journey full circleand underscores just how much Olympia has done for her.Bates’ delivery is Emmy-worthy, and in classicMatlockfashion, the emotional moment also sparks a solution to the case. It’s a stunning sequence that captures why this relationship has resonated so deeply with audiences and gives us a brief moment to seethese two brilliant women work side by side again.
“It’s a Love Story Between These Two People”: ‘Matlock’ Cast and Creator Tease How Matty and Olympia’s Fallout Defines the Finale
Season 1 of the legal drama concludes with a two-hour event on CBS.
Olympia’s Decision at the End of ‘Matlock’ Episode 17 Could Change Everything Going Into the Finale
After the case wraps up,Olympia takes a quiet moment alone in her office and finally looks up Ellie’s obituary, which is the one piece of Matty’s past she couldn’t bring herself to erase. As Olympia absorbs the painful truth that this part of Matty’s story is real, tears well in her eyes. It’s a deeply emotional moment, shaped by her own experience as a mother and the growing realization that Jacobson Moore — and, by extension, Julian — may be responsible. When Julian arrives at the office shortly after, Olympia casually begins asking pointed questions about how he came into money when they bought their brownstone. It’s a subtle but telling moment thatsomething doesn’t sit right with her.
She clearly doesn’t want to believe Julian is capable of something so devastating, but Matty has already made it clear she’s prepared to take her evidence to The New York Times, which could not only destroy her family, but her career as well. In the episode’s final moments, Olympia makes a critical decision. She goes home with Matty, and the episode closes withOlympia standing at the Kingstons' doorstep. While tensions between them will no doubt linger, Olympia’s presence suggests she’s either hoping to disprove Matty’s theory or, more likely,ready to help fill in critical missing pieces that only she would know.
Right now, all signs point to Julian as the most likely suspect — but knowing the curveballsMatlockhas thrown all season,there’s almost certainly one final twist coming.Could Julian have been acting under orders from Senior (Beau Bridges), who was conveniently in Australia at the time? Was he promised something in return—or did he simply feel he had no choice but to protect himself and his family? With Olympia and Matty reluctantly united and the truth closing in, the stage is set for a thrilling, emotionally charged finalethat promises to deliver an unforgettable conclusionand will propel these characters intoa much-deserved Season 2.
The season finale ofMatlockairs this Thursday on CBS and is available the next day on Paramount+.
