A Traitor in Thine Own House

This episode ingeniously matches the new case for Olympia & Matlock to the machinations within the firm: they're investigating corporate espionage involving trade secrets stolen from their client, an oddball hippy-dippy Save the Planet type who is a friend of company boss Beau Bridges. Meanwhile, everyone's favorite enemy Shae (the delightfully tall and sinister semi-regular Yael Grobglas) is investigating Matty's background with the help of Matty's new enemy, her goofy young colleague Sarah (Leah Lewis).

The plot twists resolving both investigations are quite surprising, even involving Matty's resourceful husband Edwin (Sam Anderson), whose role on the show is expanding. Beau Bridges returns as the boss with his good ole boy attitude effectively creating suspicion: is he really the bad guy behind the opioid coverup that cost Matty & Edwin their daughter's life?

The writing staff on "Matlock" does a terrific job in maintaining interest in the activities and competition between all the half dozen-plus set of regular characters, while keeping Beau's story quite mysterious, for now.

Ep 11 finally brings the legal stakes - and the firm's internal tension - back to the forefront. Matty and Olympia tackle a corporate espionage case involving a tech startup and stolen trade secrets, cleverly echoing the show's larger themes of trust and betrayal.

Kathy Bates is at her calculated best, using subtle composure to navigate accusations and strategy; her performance here may be the season's most compelling yet. Meanwhile, Olympia shines with quiet tenacity, proving she's not just a legal mind but a moral one too.

The case's smart structure - blending straightforward claims with underlying office politics - makes this episode feel both fresh and rhythmically tight. It's not a knockout, but it restores some much-needed forward momentum and reminds why Matlock thrives on courtroom intrigue.