Matlock
"AMERICA'S GREATEST LAWYER. CASE CLOSED."
Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of criminal defense attorney Ben Matlock. The show, produced by The Fred Silverman Company, Dean Hargrove Productions, Viacom Productions and Paramount Television originally aired from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC; and from November 5, 1992 until May 7, 1995 on ABC. The show's format is similar to that of CBS's Perry Mason, with Matlock identifying the perpetrators and then confronting them in dramatic courtroom scenes. One difference, however, was that whereas Mason usually exculpated his clients at a pretrial hearing, Matlock usually secured an acquittal at trial, from the jury.
Actor: Andy Griffith, Julie Sommars, Clarence Gilyard Jr., Brynn Thayer, Daniel Roebuck, Kene Holliday, Linda Purl
Creator: Dean Hargrove
Country: United States of America
Type: tv
Season: 1
Episode: 1
Duration: 45m
Release: 1986
Rating: 7.1
Season 1 - Matlock
03 Mar 1986
"Ben Matlock and his daughter Charlene defend a TV journalist accused of killing his ex-wife."
1986-09-23
"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."
09 Dec 1986
"At Christmas time, a heartless businessman wants to evict the residents of an apartment building he owns, he tangles with a resident who just happens to be working as a street Santa. Later ..."
13 Jan 1987
"When a woman in a small town writes a book whose characters are actual people in the town and it becomes a best seller, the press converge on the town to interview them. And some of them ..."
03 Feb 1987
"Kathy Dawson is a private nurse working for the St. Johns. One night while she was out, the man she was taking care of, Peter St. John, died. When it was determined to be murder, she is the..."
Season 2 - Matlock
22 Sep 1987
"An American businessman based in London is killed. His son would be charged, tried, and convicted for the crime. His sister believing in her brother's innocence decides to stage a mock ..."
1987-09-22
"Matlock flies all the way the England to represent Eric Gordon, a man accused of murdering his wealthy businessman father. His sister Laura is convinced of his innocence, but brother Mitch isn't so sure."
13 Oct 1987
"Ben's assistant Cassie convinces Ben to defend a professional wrestler accused of killing a rival wrestler."
27 Oct 1987
"Ben defends a popular columnist framed for the murder of a source."
05 Jan 1988
"Ben and Michelle stay at an exclusive health spa while investigating the employees after their client is accused of killing an aerobics instructor who had an affair with her husband."
26 Jan 1988
"Matlock defends an insurance salesman who has been accused of killing his boss, who is also a softball umpire, following a bad call during a softball game."
03 May 1988
"Ben and a friend defend a young heiress who is being tried for murdering the trustee of her trust."
Season 3 - Matlock
31 Jan 1989
"A popular mayor is seen arguing with two visitors to his home, the next day he is murdered by someone dressed as a well known environmental protester. Ben Matlock, Michelle and Tyler are lured to defend the accused under false pretenses."
28 Mar 1989
"A coin dealer discovers that a man working for him has been stealing. He then demands that he returns everything that he took or pay back what he took. When he is found dead, the dealer is ..."
Season 4 - Matlock
1989-09-19
"Spencer Hamilton came to Manteo, North Carolina, as soon as he could to locate the man who killed his brother, Frank, in a supposed duck-hunting accident. When Ryan Bartell (the shooter) is found dead, Matlock heads to North Carolina to defend Hamilton, and finds an unlikely ally in local deputy Conrad McMasters."
17 Oct 1989
"Ben goes to Baltimore to help Julie defend her best friend's husband only to find that the prosecutor is Julie's ex-husband."
31 Oct 1989
"A new young director is imposed upon an aging scream queen near the end of her current movie. They argue conspicuously and vehemently about artistic differences. After the filming of the ..."
07 Nov 1989
"When a client of Ben's is taken by some con artists, he decides to get back at them. When one of them is killed and when another one decides to testify against him Ben defends him. Michelle..."
21 Nov 1989
"While Matlock investigates from the prison, Conrad buys time by impersonating the murdered inmate at a minimum security prison. Conrad is approached by thieves who were looking for the inmate to help with a job, and he plays along."
28 Nov 1989
"Matlock defends Drew, a young man who Ben believes was framed for murder. Drew doesn't make it easy, as he escapes custody and becomes a fugitive. Ben must solve the case while Drew continually interferes with the investigation."
12 Dec 1989
"On his deathbed, an old friend of Ben's begs him to reopen a cold murder case, suspecting that another of their hunting buddies is the killer."
19 Dec 1989
"A crusty old toy store owner is accused of killing his partner, whom he denigrated as too generous and soft-hearted to manage their business."
02 Jan 1990
"Prominent attorney Sandra Townsend leads a double life by \"playing the field\" and living on the edge. She winds up being blackmailed by her boyfriend to stay in the relationship, and he has..."
09 Jan 1990
"A coed student having an affair with a professor threatens him when he rudely dumps her. He is killed that same evening, and Matlock must investigate whether some cheating students had sufficient motive to kill the professor."
16 Jan 1990
"After Dan Galloway fired the executive producer and bothering three women on the air, he gets murdered..."
23 Jan 1990
"Matlock has to take the case of Alex Gordon, the paraplegic man who actually killed his wife. When Michelle and Conrad visited Alex's house..."
1990-02-13
"Matlock has to defend an arrogant young tennis professional (Dave Travis) against a charge of murdering his rival on and off the court (Victor Tomassio)."
1990-05-08
"When cookie maker Katie White announces her plans to take over a number of smaller baking companies, any one of them could be the killer. After she dies from an allergic reaction to hazel nuts, Matlock defends cookie maker Bobby."
Season 5 - Matlock
1990-09-25
"Matlock has to defend himself against a charge of murder when a judge who issued a contempt citation against him is found dead."
04 Dec 1990
"Julie is assigned to prosecute a stock broker accused of killing the man who fired him. However, she thinks that he is innocent. Julie is then shocked to find out the man apparently ..."
11 Dec 1990
"Matlock goes the distance to help a heavyweight boxing champ accused of killing a sports reporter"
Season 6 - Matlock
1991-10-18
"After a second young man dies under mysterious circumstances, Matlock continues to do his best to defend Russ Gifford, and tries to keep his animosity with the town at a minimum while Julie makes friends with the local women, and Conrad investigates the tattoo that ties the whole case together."
1991-11-29
"Matlock defends a wealthy widow charged with the murder of her husband, while Michelle helps to defend a father accused of murdering the drug dealer who got his child hooked...a dealer who just happened to be a cop."
17 Jan 1992
"While looking for a cousins cheating husband, Ben finds a photo that may help solve a murder."
1992-02-07
"Matlock retires from law after bungling up a case and forgetting his client's name. He heads out of town to do some fishing, but after a hitchhiker he gave a lift to dies mysteriously, he sticks around to investigate the case."
1992-05-08
"While defending Judge Eller in his murder trial, Conrad uncovers the connection between the killing of a mayor and a pornography production using underage girls."
Season 7 - Matlock
05 Nov 1992
"Ben and Leanne go on vacation and meet up with Leanne's college girlfriends. Murder ensues, Ben defends a stranger while Leanne suspects one of her friends is the real killer."
18 Mar 1993
"Leanne takes on the case her ex-husband Peter who is charged with the murder of his friend and boss."
29 Apr 1993
"A lawyer is accused of murdering his lover and her husband, a high school football coach and aspiring minister."
1993-04-08
"Duncan and Clara Farmington seemed to have the perfect marriage. Now they want to have the perfect divorce. What starts out as a simple division of property turns nasty as Leanne represents the wife and Ben the husband. At the same time, a scam artist tries to sue Matlock for millions after injuring himself on Matlock's property."
1993-04-29
"Matlock invites homeless man Lenny to live with him while trying to find out if the archbishop was meant to die in a plot including an ex-football player, his wife, her lover, and the mafia."
1993-05-06
"Matlock refuses to believe that a young piano player committed suicide, nor does the father of the girl who hires Matlock to find out what really happened."
Season 8 - Matlock
30 Sep 1993
"Ben defends a man against murder charges stemming from a date-rape shakedown scheme."
07 Oct 1993
"Ben defends a man against murder charges stemming from a date-rape shakedown scheme."
04 Nov 1993
"When a mouthy has-been comedian is accused of murder Matlock defends him in court."
11 Nov 1993
"Two weeks before con man Adam Spangler's appointment with the electric chair, Det. Campbell Buchard convinces Ben and Leanne to shake the eyewitness testimony that put Spangler on death row and find the real killer."
18 Nov 1993
"A dissatisfied patient is suspected of murdering her plastic surgeon, but Ben thinks otherwise."
13 Jan 1994
"Billy is kidnapped and held for ransom. Agent Wingate of the FBI is assigned to recover him."
17 Feb 1994
"Matlock's neighbor is accused of murdering a councilwoman after she publicly discloses his embezzling. The assistant DA and Matlock share commonalities but come into conflict because they're on opposite sides of the case."
28 Apr 1994
"Ben's goddaughter comes to town for her wedding, causing Ben to deal with uninvited guests, an accident from the past, Cliff's exaggerations, and a murder."
19 May 1994
"A young lawyer who apes Ben's style is involved in blackmail and murder."
Season 9 - Matlock
1994-10-13
"Matlock defends a journalist who killed an underworld figure in self-defense after meeting with him for an interview."
1994-10-20
"When Matlock defends an attorney accused of murdering her boss, he also uncovers a history of sexual harrassment involving the law firm."
1994-10-27
"An eccentric millionare tells Matlock that he couldn't solve the perfect murder if it were handed to him on a silver platter. To prove his point, he kills Matlock's friend, detective Bob Brooks, and successfully frames another man for the crime."
1994-11-03
"Michael defends U.S. senatorial candidate Carol Davis when she's accused of murdering tabloid editor Ross Buckley. Jerri goes undercover at the paper to prove that someone there may have had an even bigger motive than Carol."
1994-11-17
"When Cliff's friend Fred is accused of murdering Melissa, a woman he met through the dating service Perfect Harmony, he and Matlock take the case, and Jerri goes undercover to investigate. She sets herself up as one of the datees, much to the frustration of a loca police officer. Unfortunately, she has better luck than she hoped, as one of her dates is a killer in disguise."
1994-12-01
"Julie returns to Atlanta from L.A. for a legal conference, and when a former snitch calls her to the jailhouse and admits that she lied, Julie convinces Ben to defend the man, an admitted thief who had one cardinal rule...never break into a house when anyone is home. After Jerri talks with Susan Kellogg, a woman who lost her daughter to a hit-and-run driver around the same time that Brenda Chaney was murdered, Matlock realises there may be more to this case than meets the eye."
1994-12-08
"A radio personality is accused of killing his partner, but Ben suspects the victim's girlfriend. The only problem is that she seems to have an airtight alibi...Ray's neighbor, Mr. Yates, watched her 'find' the body."
1995-01-05
"Matlock takes the case of an ex-convict when he's arrested for robbing a bank he had robbed years before. Matt Ahern saw the whole thing, but the young boy isn't willing to tell the truth unless Matlock promises to get his father out of jail."
1995-01-12
"Katie Clark is a hot new prosecutor in town, fresh from St. Louis, but originally from Atlanta. Her first case involves prosecuting a building contractor who has been accused of murdering one of his employees, who just happens to be Clark's former lover. Despite his reservations about Clark prosecuting a former lover, Matlock agrees to let her continue on the case, impressed by her desire to not allow her personal past with Gibson to affect her judgment."
1995-02-02
"Jeri's sister Rachel comes to Atlanta looking for help when she is fired from her job as a nurse after a doctor (Gray) blames her for a mistake that cost a surgery patient her kidney. When the doctor is murdered, Rachel is blamed with the crime, and Matlock agrees to defend her."
1995-02-09
"Matlock is the unlikely witness when a boat blows up killing Judge Michael Sterns. Had it not been for Ben's sea-sickness, he would have been on the boat. Convinced that someone was out to get him and not Judge Sterns, Matlock, Cliff and Jerri take a look through some of Ben's old cases to find out who did it, and Matlock takes on the case of the man accused of the crime, a former lawyer who had been disbarred for jury tampering exactly five years earlier."
1995-02-16
"While Cliff, Jerri and Billy plan to throw Ben a surprise party for his birthday, Ben goes to the city to pick up barbecue. While there, his car breaks down, he's mugged, the phone eats his last quarter ... and by the time he is rescued by activist Stan Johnson and returned to his car, it's half-stripped and they've stolen his barbecue. Matlock is very impressed by the young man, and when he's accused of trying to kill the landlord of the apartment complex he lives in, Matlock steps in to defend him and to stand up to the landlord, who is a very respected man in the legal community."
1995-04-27
"Matlock and Jerri head out to the beach with Billy and Cliff as Cliff prepares for an upcoming triathlon. Once there, Matlock is surprised to run into retired F.B.I. agent Ed Wingate, who is investigating a case of his own. While Matlock keeps himself busy occasionally running into Ed, Cliff throws himself into the competition, and Billy throws himself at Anita Montrose, the real estate agent who rented them the beach house they're staying at. When one of the people Ed is investigating is found dead, Matlock agrees to defend his old friend."
1995-04-27
"While at a triathlon, Matlock runs into a former client, a retired FBI agent trying to solve an old case."
1995-05-07
"Cliff's old college chum Craig Browning is defending Cameron Ivers on charges of vehicular manslaughter, and is being blackmailed about an affair he had to plead his client a certain way. Craig hires Cliff to meet the blackmailer to keep his hands clean, but when Scott Aston turns out dead, suspicion turns to Cliff, who needs to find the real killers. With Jerri's help, they manage to find out that Aston worked for John Robinson and Mark Reeves, two men who frequently like to get one-up on Ivers in the business world, and that the woman Craig has been having an affair with was their secretary. Ben prepares for his fortieth reunion by dieting to fit into his old choral suit."
1995-05-07
"When Cameron Ivers is killed in a hit and run accident, Matlock decides to take a closer look at Robinson and Reeves, hoping that if he can tie them to Cameron Ivers' death he'll be able to tie them to Scott Aston's death and clear Cliff. After gathering together a number of people Scott Aston had been investigating who were supposed to be dead, Matlock heads to Florida where he finds Chuck Ratner, and Cliff and Jerri learn that the people are all connected because they all turned down the same kind of life insurance. Matlock continues his quest to lose weight by his reunion, but fires his personal trainer."
