Matlock (TV Series) The Reporter (1987) User Reviews

Something different

[feindlicheubernahme · 8/10 · 11 November 2023]

This is my favourite episode of Matlock so far. It has a completely different feel to the preceding episodes. Mostly, that's because Charlene and Tyler are absent (Charlene won't be coming back, but I don't believe that's been mentioned yet.) There's not even Julie March, the state prosecutor who's had a couple of appearances.

In their stead, we get Dan Abrams, who's a likeable character. I'm glad, though, that they didn't take the common path of trying to make him into a comic relief who might have been annoying. He's actually extremely serious about both his job and his sense of justice. The comic relief part was played by his car, which would never in a million years be judged roadworthy by the authorities - or anyone else, for that matter.

I laughed when I read reb-warrior's review, where they talk about expecting Glen to be gunned down in the courthouse when Matlock gets into the life, because that is 100% what I was expecting too. I suspect it was a trick the writers deliberately used to inject a last bit of tension, but I'm glad they didn't actually go with the shock ending. In this case, the happy fairy tale ending was the right one, I feel. Really good, clever episode.

Potential spin-off character? Love the directing in this one.

[reb-warrior · 9/10 · 29 June 2023]

A man is murdered and the police arrest his wife. A reporter at the scene later asks Ben to represent the woman. Ben and the reporter work together to unravel the mystery

I love the directing on this with the typing entries. Also loved the car and street scenes. There was something a bit 70s about this episode. I don't know, but I liked it.

I thought the reporter, Dan Abrams, was a likable quirky oddball who was passionate about getting to the truth. I had wondered if this was a spinoff attempt given that Dan had a lot of screen time and was very centered in the story. Neither Tyler nor Charlene were in this. I think this could have seriously had potential as a spinoff with Dan the reporter. A bit Columbo-ish with his banged-up car He and Ben were a pretty good pairing here.

The mystery takes a stunning turn as things just aren't adding up and Ben realizes that trusted people are lying to him and that things aren't as they seem.

Did anyone else think at the end that maybe there was an alternative ending? Like maybe as Ben was heading to the elevator, Glen would be gunned down in the courthouse in a shocking ending. I mean, I don't know, I just got the feeling as Ben walked off there was almost something that was going to happen. I'm glad it didn't because it would have validated Michael Palmer, whom Ben had just confronted in the courtroom about the underhanded and utterly wrong way he went about doing his job.

Anyway, a really good one that I like a lot. 9/10.