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.

It lost me at the end

[Christopher370 · 2/10 · 13 August 2024]

I enjoyed the case of this episode right up until the last few minutes because I couldn't believe such a thing would happen. (SPOILER AHEAD!!)...

It was a nice twist finding out the husband was alive and his death was faked, but when it was revealed the people holding him were federal agents I was so confused and nothing made any sense.

On cross examination by Matlock, the agent on the stand reveals that the Justice Department was seriously going to send an innocent citizen to prison solely because "it had to look real"! It's so preposterous that something like this would occur.

Why couldn't they just inform the wife what was going on and hide her away or at least let her know the arrest and trial were just a ruse. But they were apparently going to let this innocent woman be convicted of a murder and go to prison just so they can crack some other kind of drug ring. It's so ridiculous that our Justice Department would allow this to happen to someone.

I really enjoyed everything up until that absurd reveal and liked the reporter and I also got the feeling he was being set up for a spin off. He was a likeable character and it probably would have made for an interesting crime series.

Another thing bugged me too. Matlock tells the reporter driving to cause an accident on the road so he could get the license plate number and then tells him to drive away after he gets it.

As a lawyer, he should know that leaving the scene of an accident is illegal and breaking the law. Overall, it's a very strange episode that could've been much better with a better explanation and reasoning of the Justice Department's motives and actions.

I still can't believe the government was ok with purposely sending an innocent woman to prison lol. Please!