Spoiler alert for Matlock season 1, episode 6, ‘Sixteen Steps’
Matlock Episode 6, “Sixteen Steps,” opens the door to Madeline Matlock’s revenge, but the exciting development comes at the worst possible time for Kathy Bates’ character. Madeline Kingston is a retired septuagenarian lawyer who re-entered the field at the prestigious law firm of Jacobson Moore in New York City. Madeline is infiltrating the company under a false identity so she can find out who hid documents that could have taken opioids off the market years earlier, saving her daughter, Ellie. Madeline reveals in the premiere that she wants to put the person responsible in jail, as is Matlockit is the revolutionary turnaround.
Madeline is closer than ever to realizing her plan after the case in Matlock episode 6, ‘Sixteen Steps’, which hit an emotional chord. Olympia (Skype P. Marshall) and Julian (Jason Ritter) are retrying a tainted baby formula case related to the death of Anna and Vanessa Sampson’s son. THE case emphasized Julian and Olympia’s already fractured marriage the first time they dealt with this, which led to them getting divorced. When they try again, they win with Madeline’s help. The development allows Olympia and Julian to get back together, and their alliance opens the door to Madeline’s plan.
The case of Matlock episode 6 shows how delayed justice cannot resolve grief
The realization speaks directly to Madeline
Despite the victory, Matlock proves that justice cannot solve pain. Olympia and Julian lost the case the first time because the jury felt unsympathetic for parents. The lack of emotional connection occurred because neither parent came forward as a plaintiff, as they feared the scrutiny of an interrogation that would portray them as bad parents. Olympia doesn’t make the same mistake the second time and insists that a parent reports it. Anna agrees, but later experiences health problems. Vanessa, the more reserved mother, takes her place.
To evoke convincing testimony from Vanessa that ensures the jury feels sympathy for the parents, Olympia realizes she needs to take Vanessa back to a painful time when her son died. As she struggles with whether this is ethical, Madeline encourages her to move forward, aligning herself with Madeline’s morally questionable revenge plan. Olympia gets Vanessa emotional on the stand, asking about Dante, and the convincing testimony, plus causality, wins the case. However, when a jovial Madeline congratulates Vanessa on her victory, the plaintiff responds with a cold, angry look. Vanessa is deeply saddened despite her victory.
Madeline finally starts working in the pharmaceutical field with Julian
‘Sixteen Steps’ heats things up
After fixing a significant pain point in your marriage, Olympia and Julian return near the end of episode 6 of Matlock. There is a renewed joy and connection between the couple, which comes to the surface when Julian tells Olympia that he doesn’t want to leave the apartment tonight and that he should never have left the marriage. The event causes Olympia and Julian to get back together, sealing the reunion with a kiss. Although they remain discreet about their relationship, the couple has formed an alliance that is directly linked to Madeline Kingston’s secret revenge plan.
At the end of episode 6, Julian and Olympia ask Madeline if she wants to work on a pharmaceutical case. Throughout “Sixteen Steps,” Madeline provides vital information exactly when needed, proving that she is an invaluable person to have on your team. With Julian and Olympia working together again, they decide that Madeline should put her skills to work for him, which probably never would have happened if the couple were still at odds. The changing dynamic between the characters, like in episode 6, is one of the reasons why Kathy Bates Matlock show is so fun.
How Matlock Episode 6’s Case Could Affect Madeline’s Need for Revenge
The case of episode 6 is reflective for everyone involved
Matlock the case in episode 6 opens the door for Madeline to move forward with her goal. Madeline’s goal is to work on pharmaceutical cases, which is why she has been trying to get closer to Julian. While he’s in front, Madeline reportedly wants to work on pharmaceutical cases because that’s where the money is. In reality, She wants to work on pharmaceutical cases to gain access to documents, which could give her the evidence she needs to hold Jacobson Moore accountable.
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Yet, Matlock The case in episode 6 shows Madeline firsthand that getting justice for a loved one who died unjustly doesn’t ease the pain. Madeline thought that if she held the manufacturer responsible, Vanessa would feel better. In fact, Vanessa feels worse because she had to relive Dante’s death. However, as Madeline says in the episode, pain comes in wavesand she believes her parents will be happy about it later. She believes holding companies accountable for negligence is the right thing to do in the long run.
Working on the case allows [Madeline] to mourn Ellie along the way, which she needs.
Despite the victory, flaws appear in Madeline’s plan. Her husband, Edwin (Sam Anderson), begs her to cancel the installment, and she almost commits to it before Julian offers her the job on the pharmaceutical case. However, between her husband’s reservations and her own experiences in episode 6, it may become more difficult for the lawyer to continue. Still, working the comprehensive Matlock case allows her to mourn Ellie along the way, which she needs.