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Season guide

Matlock: Season 1

24 episodes Premiered Mar 3, 1986 Updated Jul 18, 2026
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Episodes

S1·E1

Diary of a Perfect Murder

Mar 3, 1986 · 90 min

Atlanta lawyer Ben Matlock takes on the high profile case of a television reporter accused of murdering his former wife. The case is complicated when his daughter Charlene develops

S1·E2

The Judge

Sep 23, 1986 · 60 min

Ben Matlock accepts the pro bono case of Kevin Meredith, a young man accused of murdering his lover, whom Ben soon realises had a much more powerful lover.

S1·E3

The Stripper

Sep 30, 1986 · 60 min

Years ago, Ben represented Jason Hardiman in his divorce proceedings, and upon his instructions, offered Carla a small fortune to relinquish custody of their son. She refused, and

S1·E4

The Affair

Oct 7, 1986 · 60 min

Matlock represents the a maid accused of killing her employer, at the request of the man's widow. The request is a little odd, but it seems Christina Ward wants people to know exac

S1·E5

The Seduction

Oct 14, 1986 · 60 min

Matlock is hired to defend Brad Bingham, an aging football star with a reputation as a womanizer who was about to be cut from the team. Charlene is resistant to Ben's choice, as sh

S1·E6

The Don (1)

Oct 28, 1986

When Nicholas Baron, a well known mobster, is accused of murdering one of his rivals, he asks Ben Matlock to represent him. Ben initially refuses, but agrees to represent Baron des

S1·E7

The Don (2)

Nov 4, 1986

Even though they've lost a key witness, Matlock keeps defending Nicholas Baron. Daniel tries to convince Matlock that his father just can't handle any stress due to his heart condi

S1·E8

The Sisters

Nov 11, 1986 · 60 min

Harold Scully is a boring man. But at least he knows that. When he begs old acquaintance Ben Matlock to defend him on charges of murdering his wealthy wife Esther, Matlock reluctan

S1·E9

The Cop

Nov 18, 1986

Detective Joe Peters has been accused of taking bribes and murdering a fence, and also suspected in the death of a fellow cop. When it comes right down to it, one of the other cops

S1·E10

The Angel

Nov 25, 1986 · 60 min

Matlock reluctantly agrees to hire free-spirited rock star Angel after Charlene reveals she's already taken the job for them. Angel has been accused of killing her manager, and due

S1·E11

The Professor

Dec 2, 1986 · 60 min

Professor Erskine Tate wakes from a drunken stupor behind the wheel of his car. He doesn't know how he got there or what happened. When he's accused of having hit a mailman during

S1·E12

Santa Claus

Dec 9, 1986

When a down-on-his luck Santa Claus (Tom McCabe) is accused of killing the landlord who was about to evict not only him but everyone else in the apartment complex, the people in hi

S1·E13

The Chef

Jan 6, 1987 · 60 min

Michael and Victoria Edwards may be divorced, but unfortunately, she couldn't keep him from being a guest on her show. When Michael dies after testing out the dish they were cookin

S1·E14

The Author

Jan 13, 1987

Mary Ann Newton has written a book (Secret Confessions) that purports to be fiction, but upon a deeper look, it seems to be an expose on the citizens of a small town. When an attem

S1·E15

The Rat Pack

Jan 20, 1987 · 60 min

When Beverly Hills cookie entrepreneur Adam Gardner's girlfriend is found dead in his hot tub, the case against him looks bleak, especially when an eye witness points the finger at

S1·E16

The Nurse

Feb 3, 1987 · 60 min

Kathy Warren was a private nurse working for the St. Johns. One night while she was out, Peter St. John died, and when it was determined to be murder, she was the prime suspect. Sh

S1·E17

The Convict

Feb 10, 1987 · 60 min

Seven years ago Ben defended Les Matthews, who was accused of killing his friend and business partner and Ben lost. Today Matthews has been granted parole. While working in the lib

S1·E18

The Court Martial (1)

Feb 17, 1987

Ben is hired by a friend to defend his son, who is in the army, who's been charged with killing the sadistic lieutenant, whose mistreatment of his men led to the death of his frien

S1·E19

The Court Martial (2)

Feb 24, 1987 · 60 min

As the case progresses, Ben discovers that the lieutenant and four other officers may have been involved in some kind of illegal activities. Charlene who has been working undercove

S1·E20

The Therapist

Mar 3, 1987

Matlock is hired to defend a popular actor when he's accused of killing the man who ran the sex-therapy clinic where he was staying, ostensibly for releasing his name to the press.

S1·E21

The People vs. Matlock

Mar 24, 1987 · 60 min

While defending union boss Gerald O'Hara, who has been accused of murdering his chief rival for his seat (Dan Keaton), Matlock is furious when juror number seven (Harry Craven) com

S1·E22

The Photographer

Mar 31, 1987 · 60 min

Amy Adler had a juvenile record before becoming a photographer's assistant. When the photographer she works for is murdered, she begs Matlock to help her out. While pro bono cases

S1·E23

The Reporter

May 5, 1987 · 60 min

When Laurie Palmer is arrested for killing her husband, the reporter covering the case is convinced of her innocence, and goes to Ben Matlock looking for help.

S1·E24

The Doctors

May 12, 1987

Dr. David Westlake was a nasty piece of work who had a reputation for making trouble for his medical students. Any one of four men had a motive to kill Westlake, but suspicion land