Overview
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.
Created by: Dean Hargrove
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Episodes - Season 1
Episode 1: Diary of a Perfect Murder
Mar 03, 1986
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 ...
Episode 2: The Judge
Sep 23, 1986
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 l...
Episode 3: The Stripper
Sep 30, 1986
Years ago, Ben represented Jason Hardiman in his divorce proceedings, and upon his instructions, offered Carla a small fortune to relinquish custody o...
Episode 4: The Affair
Oct 07, 1986
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 Chris...
Episode 5: The Seduction
Oct 14, 1986
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 re...
Episode 6: 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...
Episode 7: The Don (2)
Nov 04, 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 ...
Episode 8: The Sisters
Nov 11, 1986
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...
Episode 9: 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 dow...
Episode 10: The Angel
Nov 25, 1986
Matlock reluctantly agrees to hire free-spirited rock star Angel after Charlene reveals she's already taken the job for them. Angel has been accu...
Episode 11: The Professor
Dec 02, 1986
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...
Episode 12: Santa Claus
Dec 09, 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 apart...
Episode 13: The Chef
Jan 06, 1987
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 te...
Episode 14: 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 ...
Episode 15: The Rat Pack
Jan 20, 1987
When Beverly Hills cookie entrepreneur Adam Gardner's girlfriend is found dead in his hot tub, the case against him looks bleak, especially when ...
Episode 16: The Nurse
Feb 03, 1987
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,...
Episode 17: The Convict
Feb 10, 1987
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 pa...
Episode 18: 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 hi...
Episode 19: The Court Martial (2)
Feb 24, 1987
As the case progresses, Ben discovers that the lieutenant and four other officers may have been involved in some kind of illegal activities. Charlene ...
Episode 20: The Therapist
Mar 03, 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 f...
Episode 21: The People vs. Matlock
Mar 24, 1987
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 ju...
Episode 22: The Photographer
Mar 31, 1987
Amy Adler had a juvenile record before becoming a photographer's assistant. When the photographer she works for is murdered, she begs Matlock to ...
Episode 23: The Reporter
May 05, 1987
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 ...
Episode 24: 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 kil...
