Matlock episode 5’s case justifies Madeline’s morally questionable revenge plan

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Matlock season 1, episode 5Madeline’s morally questionable revenge plan was justified by the case she took on in Matlock season 1, episode 5, “Claws.” The Kathy Bates-led legal drama focuses on Madeline’s plan to avenge her daughter Ellie’s drug overdose death, and her determination to get justice for Ellie is one of the reasons why Matlock is so successful. However, since Madeline’s plan involves her infiltrating a law firm to expose the people who covered up documents related to the opioid crisis, she must lie, manipulate others, and engage in other morally questionable behaviors ​to achieve your objective.

During episode 5 of MatlockIn the first season of Madeline, Madeline took on a case at the law firm that happened close to home when Katia, Olympia’s star witness, relapsed into drug use. Not only did Madeline recognize signs of Katia’s drug use that Olympia missed, but she also tracked Katia down at a drug hangout. She also worked to prove that someone had deliberately tempted Katia to use drugs to sabotage the case. Madeline’s interactions with Katia during “Claws” triggered her sadness over Ellie’s death while also providing the strongest justification for his revenge plan.

Katia’s drug case highlights the tragedy of Madeline’s daughter’s death

Katia’s drug use in ‘Claws’ was similar to Ellie’s

Madeline was constantly reminded of Ellie’s death while interacting with Katia, highlighting how tragic it was that her daughter’s addiction led to a fatal overdose. A sequence in a drug house that Katia frequented made this point especially well, as it began with Madeline telling Edwin that she “I can’t believe we’re here again… it’s been a long time.“This repeated experience was so moving for Edwin that he cried over Ellie’s death later in the episode; furthermore, Madeline entered and found Katia in a state in which she had probably met Ellie many times before her death.

Katia’s situation in “Claws” reminded Madeline so strongly of Ellie’s death that she seemed unable to stop herself from doing things that could have derailed her revenge plan, especially when Olympia only seemed to care whether Katia would be able to testify and Madeline screamed at she who “she is not proof…she is someone’s daughter and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.” Madeline’s willingness to throw away everything she had worked for demonstrates how deeply Katia’s resemblance to Ellie was affecting her, as she almost missed the opportunity to get revenge.

Matlock Episode 5 Showing Local Impact of Opioid Crisis Excuses Madeline’s Revenge Plan

Katia’s fight in the “claws” demonstrated the impact of the crisis in real life

Madeline’s revenge plan involves unethical behavior. She is using an alias to gain access to Jacobson and Moore so she can expose their mistakes, regularly lie about her life, steal Olympia’s computer, and manipulate others into giving her valuable information or access to evidence. Additionally, your plan in Matlock He demands the help of his 12-year-old grandson, involving him in something dangerous at the expense of his grades. However, Katia’s dilemma made it clear that Madeline is taking a moral stance.

Katia’s pain and inability to resist temptation in difficult times showed the effects of the opioid crisis on those who use drugs. Bad actors deliberately manipulated Katia into relapsing despite knowing it could kill her, all so she couldn’t testify at trial about their abuses of power, just as Jacobson and Moore’s cover-up led to Ellie’s death. So the only moral thing Madeline can do in Matlock is to expose the people who traded your daughter’s life for their continued greed, and Katia’s story in “Claws” helps drive home that point.