Reviews & Ratings for
"Matlock" More at IMDbPro »

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22 out of 25 people found the following review useful:

Ben or Perry

Author: Brian Washington (Sargebri@att.net) from Los Angeles, California
7 April 2003

Much like Perry Mason, Ben Matlock was a lawyer that never lost and that's where the similarities end. The thing I love about the character of Ben Matlock is that unlike the cool and suave Perry Mason, Ben was hot-headed and cursed like a sailor, but beneath that gruff exterior was a heart of gold. Ben pretty much was just like an average guy, while Perry Mason was the cool, suave and sophisticated barrister. Also, this show pretty much had a sense of humor about it that "Perry Mason" didn't have and this gives "Matlock" an edge.

17 out of 18 people found the following review useful:

I love this show!!!

Author: Jennifer Conway from Euless, Texas
24 April 2001

I am a huge fan of Andy Griffith and Matlock! I even find myself watching it more now then I do The Andy Griffith Show. The stories are superbly written and its just really fun to watch Ben Matlock (Andy Griffith) outwit the "real" killers on the stand. My favorite episodes have to be the ones with Michelle, Conrad, and Charlene his daughter. I just wish you could buy Matlock episodes on tape and another movie would air.

14 out of 16 people found the following review useful:

Awesome show, great plots!

Author: Michael (ripcraven@aol.com) from Southern, CA
16 September 1999

Yeah, this is one of the best shows ever to be made.

It had good characters, great stories, twists, and some unexpected humor.

It's a really good show, and I'm not even over 60...or 30 for that matter.

-Guess who got me into the show though:...Grandparents. =)

9 out of 11 people found the following review useful:

GREAT SHOW!!!!

Author: Matlock-4 from MI
4 May 1999

This show is one of the best shows that ever aired on national television. Andy Griffith is superb and Clearence Gilyard also did a wonderful job. With great casting, guest stars (such as Milton Berle) this show is somewhat of a treasure. It was on for almost a decade and I wish it was on now. I hope another movie will air so I get to see my favorite actor, Andy Griffith in my favorite charecter, Ben Matlock. (Watch it on TBS and WGN both airing at noon, it will be worth it).

11 out of 17 people found the following review useful:

Watched WAY more shows than I care to admit

Author: S.R. Dipaling from Topeka, Kansas, USA
11 March 2006

For the first six seasons,I watched this show on Tuesday nights. I went through all of high school and even into freshman year in college watching these shows. I mention this because while it's tempting for me to tee of on this show for a litany of "crimes"(i.e.junk,t.v.lawyering,plot coincidences,formulaic writing,etc.),I have to say that this show was at least entertaining enough to keep it week-to-week watchable.

Andy Griffith exudes WAY too much charm and slyness as the eponymous Ben MAtlock,a crafty souther lawyer in Atlanta who always is able to get his clients to beat murder raps because they are(surprise!)innocent,and the real killer has invariably framed him/her. This,along with "Jake and the FAtman" were sort of the twin terrors of Fred Silverman and Dean HArgrove produced, safe,legalese t.v. shows of the late eighties that appealed to a mostly older demographic. While I wouldn't recommend this show overall,I will say that it's a decent time-waster if you're around the house,want the TV on and have no taste for soap operas,talk-shows,game shows(like there are many of THOSE around 'nymore)or any of the various forms of current mid-day filler,then find TBS,TNT or Hallmark and look this show up.

4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:

Best Show Ever!

Author: NaturistGirl from Canada
1 April 2011

This is one of my top shows I enjoy. If it isn't my favorite, it sure is close to it. I love old TV shows, more then todays shows, so there are a lot of old shows I enjoy.

I remember watching this at times when my Dad would watch it. I believe it used to be on every Wednesday at 1:00 PM and he would watch it every time it was on. I have season 1-4 and 6 so far and now halfway through season one. The show is very well done. None of the episodes are boring. So, if you likes shows like this, you shouldn't be disappointed.

I highly recommend it. It is a great show to watch and never as dull moment.

4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:

Great television

Author: Brownsbros3 from United States
26 December 2007

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

It is not too often that an actor can find a second signature role in his or her career, but Andy Griffith certainly did with his portrayal of Atlanta based attorney Ben Matlock. I still watch the reruns on WGN every weekday morning, before going to work. It's neat to watch how he can piece a mystery together. Some people have complained, because Matlock always seems to win. I say what is wrong with that? I guess I'm old school in watching TV, but I don't want the good guys to lose. That is one of the reasons I stopped watching The Practice, which had gotten to the point where their guilty clients were going free, and their innocent clients were going to jail. For the record, I do recall Matlock losing a couple of cases. (However, he did set it up so that his guilty clients would confess in order to keep their loved ones from going to prison.) The show lasted nine years, which actually surpassed The Andy Griffith Show. Someone get that man a hot-dog!

3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:

Season One Will Be Out On DVD In April

Author: aimless-46 from Kentucky
15 March 2008

Here it is, almost 1200 minutes of the mystery series "Matlock", 24 episodes (including the pilot) that were broadcast during NBC's 1986-1987 season. So let's forget all we know about the long run of this series and just talk about its premiere season.

Years after his run as Sheriff Andy Taylor, Andy Griffith finally got another regular job. This time he is playing Ben Matlock, an Atlanta lawyer who talks like Sheriff Andy. It's a comfortable role in a tried and true format; a mix of "Perry Mason" and "Columbo". "Columbo" veteran Dean Hargrove dreamed up the series and shared executive producer duties with Fred Silverman.

The focus is on the title character and Griffith is great fun to watch. He charms and sweet talks his way through each case, getting everyone to let down their guard because they underestimate this good old boy as much as they did the seemingly scatterbrained "Columbo". Both series revolved around the main character's ability discern something incriminating in seemingly innocent little things and to pick up on a guilty party's casual slip of the tongue.

In the "Perry Mason" tradition Matlock is not bound by the conventional rules of evidence or procedural requirements once he gets into a courtroom. He can say anything and introduce any sort of evidence simply by reassuring the judge that his line or questioning will eventually become relevant. Be prepared for the obligatory breakdowns and confessions on the witness stand. The prosecutors can only shake their heads and bluster helplessly in the face of Matlock's cunning strategy.

Matlock is assisted by the show's version of Perry Mason's Paul and Della. In season one these are his daughter and partner Charlene Matlock (Lori Lethin in the pilot-Linda Purl in the regular episodes) and his investigator Tyler Hudson (Kene Holliday). His junior partner Michele Thomas (Nancy Stafford) would not join the team as a regular until the nest season and it wasn't until 1988 that Don Knotts reprises his Barney role as Ben's neighbor Les "Ace" Calhoun.

Season One's episodes #6 and #7 (a two part story titled "The Don") featured William Conrad as District Attorney James "Fatman" McShane. The next year the producers took this character, changed his name slightly to Jason Lochinvar 'Fatman' McCabe, and with Conrad created the long-running series "Jake and the Fatman". Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

4 out of 7 people found the following review useful:

Greatest show ever next to Columbo

Author: MacgyverColumbo from United States
1 May 2007

Matlock was a great show still is to me.Matlock reminds me of Columbo a little.Big difference being Colombo you know who the killer is & Matlock being a who done it? I like both.Matlock was cool to because he had P.I's Tyler Hudson & Conrad are great & the women lawyers Michealle,Leane there are a few others.All the seasons are great but seasons 1-6 are my favorites the ones with Conrad and Tyler mostly. The stories are very well written and will keep you guessing who the killer might be? His show can also be funny at times & I love how when he gets mad at someone he'll call them a jack ass.

The Blues singer is my favorite episode season 3.

1 out of 2 people found the following review useful:

I really liked this show growing up.

Author: GreenGoblinsOckVenom86 from United States
14 October 2010

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I used to watch this show with my Grandparents. I really enjoyed it. I liked Matlock and his assistants Charlene Matlock (who is his daughter) and Tyler Hudson(Kene Holliday). In later seasons Tyler Hudson gets replaced by Conrad McMasters (Clarence Gilyrd Jr. who also happens to be Theo in Die Hard) which I don't mind. The reason I give it an 8 is because around the middle of Season 8 they replace Conrad with an inexperienced lawyer named Cliff who is supposed to be funny but comes off as a complete moron. Plus another thing I don't like is how they replaced the actress for Charlene 3 times throughout the series. Other than that a great show. Stay away from the last few seasons though.

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