Sixteen Steps – The episode opens in a flashback with Madeline “Matty” Matlock/Madeline Kingston (Kathy Bates) standing outside Jacobson Moore Law Firm. She turns and bumps into Olympia Lawrence (Skye P. Marshall) who scolds her for not watching where she is going. Later, she tells Alfie Kingston (Aaron D. Harris) that they are going to do it. He says, “Mom would be so proud.” She suggests shortening the saying to MWBSP. Edwin Kingston (Sam Anderson) approaches with hotdogs to celebrate Ellie’s birthday. She informs him of her decision to find which Jacobson Moore’s attorney concealed the Wellbrexa documents. He warns her but she insists on doing it. Edwin says they are moving to New York.

Present Day – Edwin tells Matty that he can create a mold of Kira Yu’s (Piper Curda) thumbprint with paraffin wax. She will utilize the fake thumbprint to access Jacobson Moore’s server room. Alfie announces Matty’s SeniorSweeties dating app profile has been deleted. She says Olympia and Julian got a retrial on an old case. She plans to woo him to put her on pharma where will have full access to the Wellbrexa file. Later, she arrives at the firm to find Billy (David Del Rio) and Sarah Franklin (Leah Lewis) discussing prenups. She tells them that Alfie needs braces. In unison, they say, “Tome to get on pharma.” Julian and Olympia praise each other for their ability to convince the judge to give their client a retrial. Billy and Sarah eye them suspiciously. Olympia and Julian’s Ana and Vanessa Sampson’s (Ayesha Harris) baby, Dante died after ingesting contaminated First 12 Formula. The jury ruled in the defendant’s favor. Olympia offers to let Matty off the case but she insists on helping the parents get justice. They discuss how to disprove Hard Wong (Christopher Cho). In a flashback before the first trial, Olympia promises Vanessa and Ana if they go with Jacobson Moore, they can win their case without them getting on the stand. Julian tries to correct her but she assures him that she meant it. She says they will challenge the factory’s manufacturing process. A short time later, Julian confronts Olympia about her promise that they may not be able to keep. Back in the present, Olympia informs Ana and Vanessa that they got a retrial. Ana announces their pregnancy. Vanessa says they are focusing on the future. Ana tells her that she will take the stand. Matty urges them to consider their options.

After receiving a message from SeniorSweeties, Matty warns Edwin that Stanley York (Henry LeBlanc) knows she works at Jacobson Moore. Unknowing to Matty, Olympia overhears her saying someone found her. Matty claims creditors have found out where she works. She says her husband died and left her with a lot of debt. Olympia tells her that the firm can advance her salary. Matty asks her to not tell Julian. Vanessa agrees to a new trial. Olympia informs Julian that Wong has parted ways with the factory. In a flashback, Julian speaks with the employees at the formula factory. Olympia follows a worker, Teddy, outside to the smoking area. He claims the violations were much worse than the FDA report and hardly anything was mended. She convinces him to testify in court. Back in the present, Olympia and Julian ask Teddy why Wong left the factory. Teddy suggests Wong was terminated. Olympia points out that the pipes are now copper. Teddy claims Wong replaced them before he left. Julian recalls insisting the pipes should have been anticorrosive and antibacterial.

Matty messaged Stanley to tell him that she is still married and her grandson made the dating profile as a joke. Edwin is still working on Kira’s thumbprint. Sarah continues to urge Billy to ask Claudia (Bella Ortiz) to sign a prenuptial agreement. Billy calls the FDA to request information about contaminations in stainless steel pipes. Olympia and Julia send Matty to talk to Wong. Matty makes it impossible for Wong to not talk to her face-to-face. She asks why he replaced the stainless steel pipes with copper pipes. He says the price of copper became more affordable, so he decided to make the replacement. She asks why he left the factory but he refuses to answer. She convinces him to let her utilize his bathroom. At the firm, Julian assures Olympia that they are cooperating with each other unlike during the first trial. A short time later, Matty shows Olympia and Julian a photo of Wong’s lavishly remodeled apartment. Billy points out that Wong’s annual salary was $83,000. Sarah suggests he was embezzling money from the factory. Matty says maybe that is what he wants them to think. Sarah claims to have been thinking the same thing. Billy stares at her. Later, Olympia and Julian go through their things to determine who gets what before the closing of their house. He says they could always sabotage the thermostat.

After The Verdict – Julian tells Olympia that the heating technician has been notified. She criticizes him for not supporting her when her father died. He reminds her that she asked for space. Back in the present, they discover an Thompson & Sons $350k-invoice for roof repair, authorized by Wong. They believe the repairs would have never cost that much and it is connected to their formula contamination. Later, Olympia asks Teddy what happened at the factory on June 21. He tells her that the break room ceiling caved in. She informs him of the $350k- invoice. He agrees the cost is too steep. At the firm, she tells Julian that the factory roof is covered in mold which she took a sample for testing. Vanessa volunteers to take the stand after Ana was put on bed rest after her blood pressure spiked. Matty encounters Stanley at the front desk. After giving her a photo of Ellie, he says Tommy relapsed. She gives him a few pointers on how to find Tommy. Olympia and Julian prep Vanessa for her testimony. She receives a text from Sarah saying the mold is not linked to Dante’s death. Vanessa gives dry replies to their questions. Olympia stresses the need for the jury to see her true feelings but she refuses to relive it. Outside the firm, Matty sees Olympia emerge and demands Stanley not to contact her again. She tells Olympia that he was a debt collector. Olympia questions if her approach is ethical. Matty assures her that Vanessa will be devastated if they lose but second chances are rare. Olympia asks about her relationship with Ellie. Matty describes Ellie as bigger than life. Tear-eyed, Olympia questions how a mother could recover from the loss of a child. She recalls how Teddy held up a 40-pound pipe with a fractured arm. Matty gets an idea.

In court, Teddy tells the jury that he worked for eight weeks in a cast because he was refused medical leave. He explains how he held a busted water line in place with his fractured arm which occurred during the contamination window. He confesses to not wearing gloves because it would fit over his cast. Olympia asks if he believes there was a risk of quality control with him holding the pipe. He suggests his cast made contact with an open end and introduced germs into the sterile field and the formula. Teary-eyed, he apologizes. Defense Counsel Marie Cassano (Emily Bridges) asks Teddy how long he held the pipe. He says between two or three minutes. She tells the court that the plaintiffs had constant contact with Dante until he died. Olympia yells out objection. Judge Clay Shelton (Steven Lee Allen) says, “Objection sustained.” Cassano asks Teddy if he knows how often the parents utilized sterilized water and washed their hands. Shelton calls for a recess. Matty convinces Olympia to break through Vanessa’s anger on the stand. On the stand, Vanessa explains the details of Ana’s formula regimen which she closely documented. Olympia asks Vanessa about Dante. Vanessa weeps while recalling her time with Dante. After he died, she paced around his room.

Billy agrees to ask Claudia about signing a prenup. Sarah says they would make the perfect couple. The jury is back. The jury foreman reads the verdict aloud. First 12 Formula is found negligent in maintaining the safety of its product and liable for Dante’s death. The jury awards Ana and Vanessa $3m in punitive damages and $5m for pain and suffering. Matty compliments Vanessa for holding the company responsible. Upon arriving home, Matty tells Edwin that she is having a heart attack. A short time later, a paramedic says Matty’s heart looks fine. Matty insists it was a panic attack. Edward warns her that the stress will only get worse as they get closer to solving the case. She assures him that they are so close but he disagrees. He says Ellie is one of thousands who have overdosed and she could grieve naturally like everyone else. Handing him Ellie’s phone, she insists on continuing with their investigation. He tells her that Alfie is their second chance. Elsewhere, Olympia holds up the suit that Matty spilled coffee on a while back. Julian refuses to leave Olympia again. They kiss. She is wearing the suit when she arrives at the firm. She recalls asking Julian for a divorce. Julian invites Matty to work on a new Wellbrexa case. Believing it is a sign that she is doing the right thing, she accepts the offer. The episode ends.

 

Matlock Review

The highlight of the episode was Vanessa’s touching testimony. The series becomes a cat-and-mouse game for Matty as Stanley nearly exposes her deception. A previous encounter with Matty crops up but Olympia is yet to put two-and-two together. Moving to pharma is what Matty always wanted but she will be treading on thin ice from this moment forward.

The episode deserves a 5.9 out of 10. Get more Matlock recaps here. Support our platform by clicking here. Learn what others are saying about the series here. Ask about our advertising opportunities by clicking the link.