This Leanne-centric episode has so many flaws and logical mistakes it's not funny. Forty-seven minutes of unbelievably out-of-character stupidity leaves this viewer angry and anxious to reach the end of my complete series binge. How is anyone supposed to believe that a high-powered Atlanta attorney, daughter of the world-famous Matlock, would shed all of her common sense because a stranger who happens to be a man paid attention to her? And I'm tired of the show runners using the North Carolina beach as a setting for people who live in suburban Atlanta! I can't help but think of all of the confused elderly viewers who must have watched this and wondered if they were losing their minds....
4 Reviews
Much ado about nothing.
reb-warrior17 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A thief steals Leanne's diary. He woos her using what he found out from the diary. Leanne realizes what he did, slaps him upside his face, and storms off. That's it. That's the entire story. Much ado about nothing!
I don't know if Andy Griffith sometimes wanted less screen time? I certainly could understand that. He's an older fella who maybe had issues where he wanted this. I don't know. He is the title character. So they would really need to be clever and have some good writing if they were doing that. I have no problem with a Leanne-centric episode. But this was kind of awful. Why not let her and Cliff investigate a murder and defend the accused in court? You know, similar to The Fatal Seduction 1 and 2. That 2-parter was pretty good.
This felt almost like an unfinished story. Like maybe part two is missing. Maybe Kevin(the thief) would be accused of murder. But no, that never happened. I almost wonder if TPTB greenlit a two-parter and filmed the first part, but then at the last minute cancelled the second part due to budgeting?
I thought it was too obvious that Kevin stole her diary. Granted she didn't realize right away that her diary was stolen. But still. This guy comes out of nowhere, wearing her favourite men's cologne, suggesting her favourite dessert, and buying her a book by her favourite poet. Then she realizes her diary was stolen. To be fair, she did eventually figure it out, but much later after she already became attached to him.
This isn't even an arc story. I checked to see if the actor playing Kevin would appear again as that character. But nope. This was his only episode. I suggest skipping this episode if you're doing a rewatch. Unless you're a diehard Leanne fan. The bits they showed of Ben were pretty good and so I gave it an extra point. 2/10.
I don't know if Andy Griffith sometimes wanted less screen time? I certainly could understand that. He's an older fella who maybe had issues where he wanted this. I don't know. He is the title character. So they would really need to be clever and have some good writing if they were doing that. I have no problem with a Leanne-centric episode. But this was kind of awful. Why not let her and Cliff investigate a murder and defend the accused in court? You know, similar to The Fatal Seduction 1 and 2. That 2-parter was pretty good.
This felt almost like an unfinished story. Like maybe part two is missing. Maybe Kevin(the thief) would be accused of murder. But no, that never happened. I almost wonder if TPTB greenlit a two-parter and filmed the first part, but then at the last minute cancelled the second part due to budgeting?
I thought it was too obvious that Kevin stole her diary. Granted she didn't realize right away that her diary was stolen. But still. This guy comes out of nowhere, wearing her favourite men's cologne, suggesting her favourite dessert, and buying her a book by her favourite poet. Then she realizes her diary was stolen. To be fair, she did eventually figure it out, but much later after she already became attached to him.
This isn't even an arc story. I checked to see if the actor playing Kevin would appear again as that character. But nope. This was his only episode. I suggest skipping this episode if you're doing a rewatch. Unless you're a diehard Leanne fan. The bits they showed of Ben were pretty good and so I gave it an extra point. 2/10.
stupid writing
mttiro29 September 2023
A major part of this whole episode is the premise that Matlock is allergic to any kind of suit except the pale gray suits he wears every day. No charcoal gray, no navy blue--nothing. My wife and I jokingly say "They had a short script that week"--so they added the ridiculously nonsensical "allergic to dark suits" scenes. Terrible writing, insulting to viewers, and unprofessional to the max.
I like Matlock, generally, but the creation of Matlock's "dumb hick" character is a major flaw., and the show succeeded only b/c of Andy Griffith's popularity. The Southern-cracker man-boy who just happens to be a genius in the courtroom is unfortunate, to say the least.
I like Matlock, generally, but the creation of Matlock's "dumb hick" character is a major flaw., and the show succeeded only b/c of Andy Griffith's popularity. The Southern-cracker man-boy who just happens to be a genius in the courtroom is unfortunate, to say the least.
Worst episode in the entire series
fwzhk25 March 2024
Easily the worst episode in the entire series. Terrible writing. Stupid plot. No humor. No murder trial. And I've heard better music on 90s porn videos. Leanne's character is still not well-defined and in this one, they make her stupid and easily fooled by an obvious conman. Then the worst part is there's actually no conclusion. It seems like the burglar/loan shark enforcer just gets away with it in the end.
Also, Atlanta is 800 miles from any decent beach, much less one that is obviously Wilmington NC, so why they thought it would be okay to have the characters taking quick trips to and from the beach is beyond me.
Also, Atlanta is 800 miles from any decent beach, much less one that is obviously Wilmington NC, so why they thought it would be okay to have the characters taking quick trips to and from the beach is beyond me.
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