With AI at the heart of a case, Matlock Season 2, Episode 13, “The Future Is Nigh,” asks and answers whether the characters can truly know one another. This episode, written by Helen Childress & Michelle Leibel and directed by Kat Coiro, also addresses undue influence in and out of the courtroom. In doing so, Matlock continues its refreshing track record of acknowledging the nuances.
It helps that “The Future Is Nigh” doesn’t have a heavy-handed case of the week. It doesn’t need to shoehorn the procedural content into the serialized storytelling; it’s a seamless extension both ways. The AI of it all even coincides with Hunter’s job security concerns. As a Jane the Virgin fan who loves when familiar faces pop up on Matlock, it’s also particularly exciting that this episode’s case stems from guest star Yara Martinez, who played Luisa on The CW series.
MORE: Matlock Season 2, Episode 12 Review: “Living Is Layered”
Senior, Olympia, and Doing Better
“The Future Is Nigh” finds Senior at another turning point, where he still has no outward regret for his actions, yet there is broad sympathy for his overall decline. Beau Bridges pokes through to Senior’s humanity with “I’m getting old. Can’t outrun it. Not with money, with willpower. I’m scared, son.” Even so, the sentiment lands far better from Julian’s perspective. He shows accountability and vulnerability when his father doesn’t. It’s more impactful to see Julian struggle with gaining and jeopardizing Senior’s trust in him than it is to watch Senior grapple with his mortality.
There’s far more to work with in Julian’s internal struggle of manipulating his father than there ever has been with Senior. The little screen time that Senior does have on Matlock is often spent manipulating people, like Sarah, Julian, or the Wolf. There seems to be no struggle in Senior’s mind about making those choices. Meanwhile, the opposite is true with Olympia and Sarah, who finally have a conversation about Olympia’s choice to fire Sarah. Both characters’ arcs are so thoroughly represented on the show that the intricacies of that conflict work. Senior doesn’t have that foundation.
After episodes of tension, Matlock earns the delayed satisfaction of their pivotal scenes. Leah Lewis is incredible when Sarah tells Olympia, “And for you, it was just a straw.” Skye P. Marshall returns the favor when Olympia apologizes and tells Sarah, “You are worth more than your mistake.” Those scenes give them somewhere new to go, much like the scenes between Olympia and Langston. Getting to see their chemistry in action is such a delight. They’re already challenging each other, so it’s easy to be excited about where Matlock will take them.
MORE: Matlock Season 2, Episode 11 Review: ‘Tail Lights’
Matty, Joey, and Getting Stuck in the Past
Unexpectedly but excitingly, this episode also develops Ellie and Joey’s relationship in their first shared flashback. Hopefully, Matlock uses more flashbacks in the future to fill in details of their time together. It’s such an interesting way to learn more about both of them through a different lens than Matty’s memories. Even the way “The Future Is Nigh” builds a larger context around Ellie’s karaoke baby shower is impressive.
At its core, this show is about addiction, grief, justice, and the people at the intersection of all of them. Relatedly, “The Future Is Nigh” shines in Matty, Edwin, and Alfie’s conversation about AI, where Alfie admits that he would use it. Matty, Edwin, and even Joey had time with Ellie that Alfie didn’t. It’s beneficial to follow up that reminder with evidence. It’s also fascinating to watch all of that history bubble up in that Matty and Joey scene. There’s all this radical honesty that recovery supports, but that doesn’t stop it from hurting.
This show knows grief is complicated and non-linear, and it’s powerful enough to become an undue influence all on its own. After all, Vicki and her AI make a thought-provoking argument that a combination of raw materials could produce a product that helps someone through something as singular yet universal as grief. Matlock doesn’t fall on either side of the argument’s morality, often debating both simultaneously. That’s how “The Future Is Nigh” can find an emotional ending in Matty turning to the program to see Ellie.
MORE: Everything We Know About Matlock Season 2
—
