Matlock
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Olympia is so pissed that she becomes, frankly, excessively mean.
I love her for that.
But it doesnt start that way.
What follows is a series of chilly orders from Olympia.
Get in this cab.
Come upstairs to Jacobson-Moores abandoned office suite on the 25th floor.
Turn over your bags and your phone and your passcode.
Take this pad of paper and write down every lie youve told.
And dont donot mention your daughter.
Olympias fury in these opening scenes is terrifying.
She wont give Matty any opening to spin.
She refuses to believe anything Matty says about her actual credentials or how she constructed her new identity.
Its all what a con man would say, Olympia grumbles.
And it certainly doesnt help that Matty loses her folksy accent the moment she gets cornered.
As savvy TV viewers, we know this ice-out cant last forever.
The turnaround begins when Matty catches a break.
She orders Matty to call Edwin, on speaker, to tell him shes working late.
The truce is still uneasy.
Genuine damage has been done to Olympias psyche.
Thats not easily forgiven.
But remember what I said about Mattys shifting accent?
As we learned a few weeks ago, she imitates her sister Bitsy because it softens her personality.
But whenever she drops that act, she hardens.
She also promises to tell the press everything about Jacobson-Moores Wellbrexa mess, embarrassing Olympias family, kids included.
Thats right: Matty is willing to mess up the lives of Olympias children for her own daughters sake.
Jacobson-Moore is the only firm Amy knows, given that her husbands wealthy family does business there.
It wouldnt betoomuch of a reach to find parallels between this weeks case and the main Matty/Olympia story.
Everything about Amys situation reflects badly on Jacobson-Moores senior management, which handled both sides of the Buckleys prenup.
Management, naturally, gets pissed at Olympia for helping Amy.
But from a story-building perspective, whats most effective about this case is its urgency.
The judge is sympathetic, but the lack of hard evidence of abuse is a problem.
Enter Matty, an expert in contract law.
(She lies to them, of course, saying Olympia secretly procured this special office for her.)
The speed-running of this case is exacerbated by Amy going into labor.
As mentioned, Im taking a wait-and-see attitude on this episodes ending.
That kind of memory should turn heragainstMatty.
Then again, one of my least favorite TV-drama complications is I cant trust you anymore.
Its usually such a contrivance meant to drive temporary wedges between characters.
(Matlockcreator Jennie Snyder Urmans earlier showJane the Virgindid this frequently.)
And its been obvious in recent weeks thatMatlocks better when Matty and Olympia are aligned.
Even in this episode, Olympia enjoys brainstorming on Amys case despite how angry she is at Matty.
But I hope Olympia holds on to some of her grudge.
She now knows that, contrary to Billy and Sarahs opinion, Mattys no saint.
If she keeps that in mind, itll make their relationship and season two much richer.
Hot Doggin
Sarah struggles with how to handle a pregnant lady.
(Does she need a resting area?
But because Amy is Sarahs age, they do bond.
Their conversation about demanding partners convinces Sarah to break up with her open relationship semi-girlfriend.
Billy also decides to end things with Simone, which eases Sarahs heartbreak.
(Sarah: Shes going to be upset.
That does make me happy.)
She even makes her own letterhead.
I suspect well hear more about this next week.
And speaking of which … A major lawsuit against Wellbrexa and Jacobson-Moore.
