The first-season finale ultimately unveiled the identity of the pharmaceutical conspiracy member and brought in a significant new character along with an unexpected pregnancy revelation.
This article includes spoilers for the two-part story.
Matlock
season 1 finale
,
“Tricks of the Trade.”
Key Points
- The actor portraying the WellBrexa associate on ‘Matlock’ remembers uncovering their character’s culpability.
- Jennie Snyder Urman, the showrunner, explains each of the three major cliffhangers from the series finale: the revelation about the conspirator, Claudia’s pregnancy, and Alfie being revealed as the father.
- The showrunner hints at what’s coming up in ‘Matlock’ season 2.
Matlock
Has unleashed its most significant revelation yet.
In the season 1 finale titled “Tricks of the Trade,” the CBS legal drama ultimately unveiled the identity of its primary antagonist, or what serves as the nearest equivalent to one, during the concluding episode.
Following an entire season of
Kathy Bates
‘Madeline “Matty” Matlock covertly probing the Jacobson Moore law firm to expose which principal lawyer deliberately teamed up with the pharmaceutical corporation WellBrexa to perpetuate the opioid crisis, Olympia Lawrence (Skye P. Marshall) ultimately pinpointed the incriminating evidence: documents verifying that her husband-to-be at the time, Julian Markston, was involved in this misconduct.’
Jason Ritter
) assisted the corporation in maintaining opioids on the market.
At the peak of the episode, Olympia confronts her former partner eye-to-eye at the bank, holding crucial papers during an intense exchange. Meanwhile, Julian breaks down admitting his mistake, revealing that he followed the directives of his father, Howard ” Senior.”
Beau Bridges
) to demonstrate his value at the company.
The big WellBrexa reveal
In a conversation with
Entertainment Weekly
Ritter mentions that he experienced an overwhelming wave of emotions when showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman informed him that Julian was working with WellBrexa as a collaborator around the two-third mark of the season.
Reactions were quite varied,” Ritter mentions. “I felt thrilled about how this could impact my character. There seems to be some exciting developments coming up. However, part of me was also disappointed for his sake. I thought, ‘Oh no, not Julian!’ Even though he’s improving and gradually overcoming difficulties, more challenges appear imminent. Yet from an acting perspective, these new storylines are always thrilling.
Urman informs Entertainment Weekly that Julian was not initially intended to be the culprit when the show first began, although this choice was made relatively soon into the season. “Initially, I had my doubts. After filming the pilot episode and understanding the broader narrative, including the ongoing storyline involving Olympia and Matty and how central their romance would be to the entire series, I deliberated extensively before settling on Julian,” explains Urman. “Even then, everyone involved felt conflicted about making him the villain.”
Urman mentions that Ritter was enthusiastic to talk about Julian’s motives after hearing about the major revelation.
“We discussed the motives behind his actions—particularly the stress Julian was experiencing. Our aim was to approach this from a humanitarian perspective rather than portray him as an antagonist,” she explains. “He’s genuinely a kind individual both as a person and a character.”
that’s
What will make the scene resonate deeply is his vulnerability and the overwhelming sense of guilt for having committed what he considers to be the most egregious act of his life. The intensity with which he experiences this remorse adds layers of complexity to the conclusion. It’s not like revealing an arch-villain; instead, it’s about unveiling a person who has erred gravely but remains fundamentally human.”
Ritter states that Julian’s “scariest prospect” is Olympia discovering the concealed files.
The actor states, ‘He’s essentially begging for his life,’ indicating that he understands the gravity of the situation.
everything
It could potentially be ruined if this information was revealed. In essence, I simply attempted to adopt the mindset of experiencing immense shame and horror over something becoming public knowledge. Then envisioning the individual I hold dearest—despite our complex dynamic—possessing the power to determine my future.
Ritter mentions that even though he wasn’t certain about Julian being the WellBrexa collaborator, he had consistently made choices throughout the series indicating his character’s culpability. “From day one, I decided that Julian is someone who likes compartmentalizing everything,” the actor states.
“I’ve learned from personal experience, particularly with achieving sobriety and similar situations, that when I reflect, ‘This marks the start of a fresh chapter,’ perhaps putting in significant effort to make positive contributions can help mitigate some feelings of embarrassment,” he elaborates. “Thus, I decided for Julian that concentrating on parenting and professional responsibilities would provide financial stability for his family. While these thoughts likely cross his mind during quiet moments, causing him distress, they generally don’t weigh heavily on his daily routine; instead, he’s focusing ahead and attempting to minimize dwelling on those past issues.”
An unplanned pregnancy
The conclusion of the series similarly sets up a significant cliffhanger for Billy Martinez (played by David Del Rio): following his emotionally charged split from his long-term partner Claudia (portrayed by Bella Ortiz) and his involvement with Simone (acted by Andrea Londo), the aspiring attorney finds out that Claudia is expecting their first baby. This revelation comes as quite a shock since he was previously unaware of this pregnancy.
Urman observes, “David recently became a dad to two infants under two years old, which made me reflect on how this experience reshapes lives. Introducing such an upheaval intoBilly’s world would be incredibly valuable,” he continues.“This transition utterly transforms every aspect of one’s existence.” He adds that David reminds him vividly of those early parenting days.
my
Life seemed to take a positive turn for this individual after they broke free from Claudia. They managed to heal from the pain and rejection, and were now starting to look forward to what the future holds.
Urman hints that the plot raises numerous queries regarding Billy and Claudia’s path. “Could she be pregnant? Or might she choose not to have the baby? Plus, since he always aims to please everyone, how will his decisions align with his desires?” These elements create significant shifts for the characters heading into the following season, placing them in entirely fresh mental states. This development seems thrilling because it blends substantial comedic moments with dramatic twists, showcasing David’s versatile talent—something Urman eagerly anticipates exploring further.
Daddy’s home
If that’s not sufficient, the episode additionally includes a
third
A cliffhanger occurs when an unfamiliar visitor (Niko Nicotera) appears at Matty’s doorstep and introduces himself as the father of Matty’s grandson, Alfie (Aaron Harris). Alfie has been living with Matty and her spouse ever since his mother passed away due to drug use.
Urman states that choosing Nicotera was “simple” since Bates suggested him for the part. “She had collaborated with Niko before.”
Richard Jewell
, the showrunner shares. ‘She mentioned him to me quite early—probably during the pilot phase—and I’m certainly going to heed casting suggestions from Kathy Bates; she has excellent judgment! I’m truly looking forward to exploring their storyline and seeing what he adds to the series, particularly how his presence challenges Matty’s most cherished space: her home.’
Looking ahead
Matlock
was extended for an entire second season at CBS, and Ritter is excited to discover what happens to Julian next.
“I’m thrilled that he’ll be right at the forefront of everything happening, and what I’ve realized during this season of collaborating with Jennie is that her concepts consistently surpass mine,” explains the actor. “In my role as Julian’s representative, I work on making him relatable despite committing such an atrocious act. My task is to highlight his human side amidst this terrible deed.”
Urman already has numerous concepts prepared for season 2.
She expresses her enthusiasm, mentioning that they unexpectedly have some truly enjoyable content for Billy and Julian together, which has taken them down intriguing paths.
She also points out that the main relationship at the heart of the show still has considerable potential for development.
Urman mentions that we get to delve deeper into the grand romance between Olympia and Matty, noting that all great love stories come with unexpected developments: will they stay together or go separate ways, and can they reunite? He also points out that the bond they formed during the initial season, even though it involved a significant deception, was genuine, profound, uncommon, and profoundly impactful for both individuals.
“I believe they sensed it. Fingers crossed, the viewers picked up on it,” she goes on. “The mystery has been unveiled. They’re apart once more, and in every grand romance, we yearn for them to reunite. I’m thrilled to continue crafting towards that end.”
Season 1 of
Matlock
It is now available on Paramount+.
Read the initial article on
Entertainment Weekly