Matlock Episode 9 Recap: 10 Biggest Moments & Reveals

Spoiler Alert for Matlock episode 9, "Friends"

Matlock episode 9 sees Madeline and Olympia's friendship becoming stronger. The show's return from its holiday hiatus follows a tense ending to Matlock episode 8, wherein Olympia demands to know the woman her husband had an affair with after Julian's infidelity confession in episode 7. The turmoil between the couple causes a rift in Madeline's secret plan, but Olympia gets her answer in episode 9.

After emerging at the Jacobson Moore holiday party in episode 7, Elijah is back at the law firm, and Olympia is helping her former flame with his cousin's wrongful termination case. Elijah hires Shea Banfield to help Olympia's team in the outing, pushing the married couple's relationship conflict to a new extreme. With the Matlock characters' marriage in rocky territory after tension rises due to Shea and Elijah, Matlock episode 9 has a drastic conclusion that doubtlessly sets up episode 10 as one to watch.

10 Olympia Agrees To Help Elijah's Pregnant Cousin Sam

Sam Is Fighting Her Stead Track Termination

In Matlock episode 9, Olympia is helping Elijah's pregnant cousin, Sam, with a wrongful termination case. The sweet and pragmatic expecting mother previously worked for an online delivery company called Stead Track. She is fighting for her job back despite them wrongfully firing her due to an incident with her delivery truck, citing that it's a good job with necessary benefits.

Matlock's last episode was episode 8, "No, No Monsters," aired on December 12, 2024.

As with many of Olympia's cases in Matlock, she is helping someone who genuinely needs her assistance in the outing. Madeline assists her original boss with the case after her Wellbrexa snafu. Additionally, Olympia and Julian's breakup in Matlockalsocaused a setback in her secret revenge plan. That said, Madeline is right where she needs to be, as she is vital to the outcome of Sam's case.

9 Edwin Is Cautious About Madeline Staying At Jacobson Moores

Edwin Worries About Madeline's Safety

Edwin expresses his concern about his wife's secret plan after Madeline goes quasi-undercover with her boss. Edwin tells Madeline he is concerned that the longer she stays at Jacobson Moore, the greater the risk of the law firm uncovering her fraudulent identity. That said, Madeline smooths out her husband's concerns.

Madeline assures Edwin that even if Jacobson Moore found out she was lying about her identity, they wouldn't arrest a 75-year-old lady who infiltrated their company for fear of scrutiny. Madeline assumes her partner that he can be confident she is safe. Jacobson Moore wouldn't want the septuagenarian to go public with her claims of the firm's wrongdoing, is what she tells him.

8 Madeline Finds Out Julian’s Affair Was With Shea Banfield

Julian Has A One-Off Affair With Shea

Madeline and Edwin monitor the footage for mentions of Wellbrexa after planting an audio recording device that looks like a pen in Julian's office in Matlock episode 8. However, the elderly couple accidentally uncovers a secret different from their intended target. When listening to the audio surrounding a mention of Wellbrexa, Olympia reveals who Julian cheated with during their heated discussion.

It turns out that Olympia mentioned Wellbrexa when she questioned Julian about his affair with Shea Banfield, a Matlock character introduced in episode 3. Later, Olympia tells Madeline that Shea is the culprit in her husband's affair. The confession proves Olympia's trust in Madeline is evolving.

7 Sarah & Kira Encounter Their First Relationship Problem

But They Have A Sweet Solution

After their romance took off at the holiday party in Matlock episode 7, Sarah and her partner, Kira encounter their first relationship hurdle. The conflict occurs when Kira implies that her relationship with Sarah isn't exclusive. The subject arises when Sarah assumes that she and Kira will hang out after work, but her partner says she has another hang.

Understanding that Sarah is offering an exclusive relationship, Kira asks her partner if they can check in about their relationship status in one month.

Despite the conflict, the gals deal with it healthily, which is refreshing. Sarah ultimately tells Kira that she isn't seeing anyone else without enforcing any expectations of her newfound partner. Understanding that Sarah is offering an exclusive relationship, Kira asks her parner if they can check in about their relationship status in one month.

Matlock Cast	Characters
Kathy Bates	Madeline Kingston
Skye P. Marshall	Olympia Lawrence
David Del Rio	Billy
Leah Lewis	Sarah
Jason Ritter	Julian Markston
Beau Bridges	Senior
Eme Ikwuakor	Elijah Walker

Due to Sarah's uptight nature, she's happy with Kira's planning ahead. Sarah tells Kira she will send her a calendar invite, and the couple share a kiss, signaling they are as strong as ever. While Madeline is the heartbeat of the series, subplots with Billy and Sarah make Bates' Matlock show so successful.

6 Sam Was Fired From Her Delivery Job Because Her Delivery Truck Was Stolen Along With The Packages

Sam's Case Is More Complicated Than It Seems

As Olympia and Madeline investigate the specifics of Sam's case, they discover that Stead Track fired the expecting mother because her delivery truck was stolen with packages inside. Shea helps the team with the case despite the budding office conflict about her affair with Julian. The "human lie detector" believes that Sam is hiding something, and she turns out to be correct.

Madeline ultimately figures out Stead Track is framing Sam based on how they uncovered her theft.

The issue explodes when Stead Track charges Sam with stealing a package the night before the trial. Furthermore, the company can prove via a witness that Sam and her friend were working together on her shift the day the truck was taken, making it appear that Sam and her friend set up the theft. Still, Madeline ultimately figures out Stead Track is framing Sam based on how they uncovered her theft.

5 Julian Confronts Olympia About Her Relationship With Elijah

Julian Knows About Elijah

The couple's relationship conflict comes to a head as Shea discovers that Olympia knows about her relationship with Julian. When the husband checks his wife's behavior, Olympia points the finger back at Julian for creating a relationship conflict within their work environment by sleeping with a colleague. At that point, Julian finally confronts Olympia about her covert romance.

To prove her point to her husband, Olympia points out that her fling with Elijah meant nothing, accidentally offending her ex-boyfriend.

At the office, Julian brings up Elijah, implying that his wife's hands are similarly unclean from foul play in their marriage and divorce. To worsen things, Elijah walks in during the couple's heated moment, and Julian confronts the room about the romance. To prove her point to her husband, Olympia points out that her fling with Elijah meant nothing, accidentally offending her ex-boyfriend.

Despite hurting his feelings, Olympia's relationship with Elijah could take off again now that he's back. The pair rekindle their friendship as Olympia helps Elijah's cousin, and their shared experiences with Black families bond them in the endeavor. Olympia could be more motivated to make it work with Elijah now that she knows Julian cheated on their marriage, somewhat reversing Olympia's tragedy from Matlock episode 3.

4 Madeline And Edwin Disagree About Alfie's Issues In School

Madeline And Edwin Disagree In Matlock

While dealing with rising challenges at the office, Madeline also deals with issues at home with Alfie in episode 9, proving Edwin is still one of the biggest threats to Madeline's plan in Matlock. Alfie's problems at school reappear after Madeline's grandson struggled with bullies in the previous outing. The lawyer asks her husband to call the principal at the school to sort out Alfie's problems, but Edwin disagrees with the action plan.

Edwin believes that by calling the school and reporting the problem, he tells his grandson that Alfie can't handle the situation. Madeline disagrees, telling her husband that things are different now and Ellie's son doesn't have to tolerate bullying. Madeline and Edwin don't have time to flesh out the argument fully, adding to the personal matters she ignores to advance her secret revenge plan.

3 Olympia Discovers A Union Buster Involved In Sam’s Case

Sam's Union-Buster Status Is Significant

Their case takes a winning turn when Olympia's team uncovers evidence that a union buster was involved in Sam's case. Elijah's cousin was passionately fighting for her rights and the rights of her co-workers when Stead Track fired her, and the expecting mother's activism played a role in her wrongful termination. Olympia makes the winning case while their corroborating witness is on the stand.

Olympia argues that their witness is professionally employed to infiltrate companies and break apart unions before they can form.

Olympia reveals the evidence to the jury that their corroborating witness is a union buster. Olympia argues that their witness is professionally employed to infiltrate companies and break apart unions before they can form. Knowing that the skilled lawyer has him figured out, the witness confesses to Olympia's claim, and Sam wins her wrongful termination case.

2 Olympia Doesn’t Want To Work With Julian Anymore

The Husband And Wife Make A Risky Compromise

After winning Sam's wrongful termination case, Olympia confronts Julian and presents a solution to their conflict. While the divorcing couple previously tried to rekindle their flame, Julian confessed that he cheated on Olympia while they were married in a heartbreaking reveal in Matlock episode 7. Julian's confession has indelibly impacted their relationship, causing Olympia to turn against him.

Olympia's solution to Julian's infidelity and the conflict boiling over into their workplace is that the couple doesn't work together anymore. Olympia tells Julian she wants to work in separate offices, revealing she expects her husband to leave Jacobson Moore. While Julian argues that he should get to stay, the couple eventually agrees to ask the board who should stay and honor their choice.

1 Madeline Rules Out Olympia As A Suspect But Adds Shea To The List

Madeline Considers Olympia As A Friend

When all is said and done at the end of Matlock episode 9, Madeline draws a bold conclusion in the investigation that drives her secret revenge plan. While revealing to Edwin that Shea is also a suspect because she worked with Olympia and Julian on Wellbrexa, she makes another surprising development. Despite lacking concrete evidence, Madeline rules Olympia out as a suspect, convinced that her boss simply does not have it in her to do such a horrible thing.

Madeline's decision to rule Olympia out is premature, especially considering that Olympia discussed working on Wellbrexa in the outing.

Madeline's decision to rule Olympia out is premature, especially considering that she discussed working on Wellbrexa in the outing. Madeline Kingston doesn't make her decision lightly; it comes after weeks of getting to know Olympia in Matlock. That said, Olympia could still be responsible for what happened to Madeline's daughter, Ellie, which would be a heartbreaking development, given how much the pair has gone through to solidify their friendship.

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