Since the first episode of CBS’s new hit legal drama Matlock, Matty (Kathy Bates) has been on the hunt for justice to avenge the death of her daughter, Ellie. After joining the law firm of Jacobson Moore, Matty has been proving her worth on cases while also covertly collecting information that will help prove that someone at the company covered up information about Wellbrexa, the pharmaceutical company responsible for Ellie’s death. So far, it’s been a slow-moving plan, but the ending of the show’s most recent episode just changed everything.

What Is “Sixteen Steps” About?

The case of the week focuses on a couple who tragically lost a child as a result of contaminated baby formula. Jacobson Moore lost the first trial two years ago, ultimately unable to prove that the company was liable in the matter. Now that the case is being retried, the team works together, seeking out old witnesses and collecting new evidence. They also convince one of the mothers, Vanessa (Ayesha Harris) to testify about her son, Dante. Ultimately, the jury is convinced and awards the heartbroken mothers a big settlement. The team is thrilled for their clients, especially Matty, who points out that justice was finally served and that they held the formula company accountable. However, to Matty’s dismay, the couple does not share her enthusiasm.

Matty Is Faced With a Hard Truth in ‘Matlock’s Latest Episode

When Matty declares success with a victorious smile, she’s met with a cold, tearful stare from Vanessa. At that moment, Matty is struck with the horrible realization that seeking justice might not fix the grief she feels about losing Ellie. Matty proceeds to have a pretty severe panic attack as she’s hit “in waves” by the grief, as she puts it earlier in the episode. Not only is it the weight of her loss that’s hitting her now, but the reality is that all the emotional pain she’s put herself through to get to where she is now may not be worth anything.

When she arrives home after believing she’s had a heart attack, her husband Edwin (Sam Anderson) is very concerned for his wife. He pleads with Matty to call off her justice plot and allow them to be like everyone else and grieve. It’s a heartbreaking scene that Anderson and Bates play so well together. Reluctantly, Matty agrees to stop so she can be there for her family. However, that plan changes when she arrives at work the next day.

What Will Matty’s New Assignment Mean for Her Future on ‘Matlock’?

When Matty runs into Julian (Jason Ritter) and Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), who have rekindled their relationship, she’s officially offered a spot working on a Wellbrexa case. Finally, her hard work has paid off and her bosses see that she deserves the spot she’s been fighting for since she started. Forgetting the promise she made to Edwin, Matty accepts the offer, seeing it as a sign that she’s right where she’s supposed to be.

This obviously sets up a major conflict between Matty and Edwin, who has been her emotional support all season. The toll of Matty’s undercover mission is getting to her, which could lead to her emotions compromising a future case, putting her plan further in jeopardy. On the other hand, this could mean that she’ll actually start getting answers about who was responsible for covering up information.

Whichever direction the show takes Matty in, it seems like it’s going to be hard to convince her not to keep going forward. Now she needs to prove she has what it takes to take on pharma cases while keeping a close eye on her colleagues. And, the biggest question of all remains: Will her coworkers find out why she’s really there, and how will they react when they learn the truth?

Matlock continues Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Paramount+.

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