Episode 7 of Matlock kicks off with Matlock dialing Edwin's number, eagerly sharing her decision to infiltrate Pharma. Her heart races with anticipation, thrilled to be at the heart of the beast and inches away from uncovering the truth. As she gets dressed for work, a sense of optimism fills the air.
At the office, her path crosses with Shae, who enlists her help in persuading Sarah to serenade the crowd at the Christmas bash. Sarah, eager to showcase a fresh facet of herself to Kira, finds herself caught in a whirlwind of thoughts. Matlock and Billy lend a supportive ear, urging her not to let overthinking sabotage her chances. Meanwhile, Sarah and Billy fret over how they'll impress Olympia in Matlock's absence.
Olympia summons Matlock, offering strategic advice on navigating the complex case. Both are eagerly anticipating Matlock's role at Pharma. Matlock reassuringly assures them that her grasp of the case, involving a young woman suing a pharmaceutical giant, is firm.
Jessie, the plaintiff, claims she fell gravely ill after participating in a drug trial, yet her symptoms were ignored by the doctors, leading to a chronic condition. Julian tasks Matlock with playing the good cop while he and his colleagues adopt a harder stance. During their strategic session, Matlock reveals her awareness of Julian and Olympia's reconciliation, agreeing to keep their secret under wraps.
Julian, on the other hand, is distressed as his father cancels his trip to oversee the case. He senses Senior undermining him by withholding information about the drug company CEO's presence. Meanwhile, Matlock observes Senior's heavy reliance on his secretary, Stewart.
During the initial meeting, Matlock charms the other lawyers involved in the case. Paige, Jessie's lawyer, outlines their case's merits, but Julian and his counterparts attack her fiercely, insisting Jessie never reported her symptoms to Dr. Blackwell. Enter Matlock, the good cop, offering a $50,000 settlement. However, Jessie pulls a surprise move, switching on her phone's camera to live stream the meeting to her followers. Matlock swiftly ducks out of the camera's view.
The lawyers paused their relentless pursuit to consult Dr. Blackwell, who clung steadfastly to his narrative. Matlock harbored doubts about his tale, yet her skepticism was a personal burden she bore alone. The legal team, recognizing the gravity of the situation, resolved to sweeten the pot for Jessie, entrusting Matlock with the delicate task of extending the offer. Reluctant due to her aversion to public scrutiny, Matlock hesitated, prompting Julian to wield the specter of her removal from the case. Faced with such a stark choice, she devised a clever ploy to stay aboard the legal ship.
Elsewhere, Sarah and Billy grappled with their own legal challenges, keeping their struggles concealed from Matlock. Billy, amid his anxieties, shared his heartfelt plan to propose to his girlfriend, a revelation that filled Matlock and Sarah with joy and a desire to lend their support. Billy's meticulous planning and his sisters' encouragement only heightened his anticipation.
Matlock soon visited Jessie and Paige, her proposition of additional funds hanging in the air. The duo promised to deliberate, and Matlock sensed she had them within her grasp. But her confidence was short-lived; Julian's urgent call shattered her calm, informing her that Paige and Jessie had launched a public onslaught against them online. They had amended their complaint and secured an emergency preliminary injunction, effectively halting the drug trials and threatening the company with millions in daily losses.
Reconverging, the lawyers found themselves in a whirlwind of blame, with Matlock bearing the brunt of it. Senior stormed into the meeting, commanding the team to secure a gag order. Julian, already furious as he had discussed this strategy with his father beforehand, vented his frustrations to Olympia, who surprisingly sided with Senior, adding salt to his wounds.
That evening, Matlock sought solace in her conversations with Alfie and Edwin, entrusting Alfie with the mission to scrutinize the footage of her meeting with Jessie and Paige, hoping to uncover their next move. Alfie's investigation revealed that Paige and Jessie had met with Dr. Blackwell's former lover, Katherine. Armed with this new information, Matlock requested Julian to postpone the deposition, but he steadfastly refused.
During the deposition, Paige and Jessie dropped a bombshell, revealing incriminating messages between Katherine and Blackwell that underscored Blackwell's deliberate concealment of Jessie's symptoms to push the drug through approval. The deposition's unexpected revelations sparked a fiery dispute between Juliana and Matlock, each contemplating the 'what-ifs' of their strategies. Summoned to Senior's office, they were unceremoniously relieved of their duties on the case.
Matlock storms into the Christmas bash, seeking solace in the bottom of a glass. Meanwhile, Shae issues an ultimatum to Sarah, daring her to serenade the room, unaware that Sarah has just persuaded Billy to abandon his quest for the perfect proposal moment and seize the day. Olympia catches up with Matlock, her eyes widening in disbelief upon learning of Julian's removal from the case. Her confrontation with Senior stirs something deep within Julian.
Amidst the comforting embrace of Billy and Sarah, Matlock's mind races, sparking an idea that propels her from the festivities. Dialing Edwin's number, she's met with the cold greeting of his voicemail. Matlock stands at a crossroads: she's uncovered a strategy to secure victory in their case, yet it would shatter Jessie's life. She had pinned her hopes on Edwin's wisdom to steer her away from this treacherous path.
Ultimately, Matlock unburdens her discovery to Julian, and together, they slip out of the party's revelry. They hustle to the judge's chambers, requesting an urgent audience. In a meticulously crafted presentation, Julian and Matlock unveil evidence proving that Blackwell and Katherine were, by legal standards, married during the period the incriminating messages were exchanged. Consequently, Jessie and Paige are barred from using these messages due to the sanctuary of spousal privilege, stripping them of their key evidence for causation. The judge rules in favor of Julian and Matlock, dealing a devastating blow to Paige and Jessie's aspirations. Matlock sternly admonishes Jessie to adhere to the gag order.
Back at the party, Kira is smitten by Sarah's soulful rendition, leading to a passionate kiss that seals their connection. Billy, spurred by courage, pops the question to his sweetheart, but to his heartbreak, she declines. Julian, in awe of Matlock's ingenuity, commends her for turning the tide of the case. Senior, equally impressed, bestows a bottle of fine wine upon Matlock, pledging to involve her more prominently in future cases.
The fellow attorneys also toast Matlock, sharing humorous anecdotes tinged with irony about how they had outmaneuvered Jessie and Paige. While pretending to be captivated by their jests, Matlock nervously manipulates her bracelet, ultimately causing it to snap. Disheartened and feeling like she is transforming into the personification of her own loathing, she retreats to her home, overwhelmed with emotion. Employing an AI replication of Senior's voice, she dials Stewart to procure the password for Senior's laptop.
Elsewhere, Julian and Olympia return to their abode following a brief, unforeseen encounter with Elijah. The episode concludes on a poignant note, with Julian confessing to Olympia that he had an affair while still married to her. As he pours out heartfelt apologies, she rises slowly, her steps faltering as she distances herself from him.
