Matlock

S01E13: The Chef

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 cooking, Victoria is immediately charged with his murder. Matlock agrees to defend her, and gets some good home cooking in the bargain.

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.

Episodes

Diary of a Perfect Murder

S01E01 Diary of a Perfect Murder

March 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 feelings for the accused killer.
The Judge

S01E02 The Judge

September 23, 1986 8.0 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.
The Stripper

S01E03 The Stripper

September 30, 1986 1.0 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 eventually won. Now Carla can only find...
The Affair

S01E04 The Affair

October 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 exactly what kind...
The Seduction

S01E05 The Seduction

October 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 she believes...
The Don (1)

S01E06 The Don (1)

October 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 despite threats on his own...
The Don (2)

S01E07 The Don (2)

November 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 condition, but Nicholas continues to beg...
The Sisters

S01E08 The Sisters

November 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 reluctantly agrees. The more...
The Cop

S01E09 The Cop

November 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...
The Angel

S01E10 The Angel

November 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 to an alcohol induced black-out, can't...
The Professor

S01E11 The Professor

December 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 his drunken...
Santa Claus

S01E12 Santa Claus

December 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 his building take...
The Chef

S01E13 The Chef

January 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 cooking, Victoria is immediately charged...
The Author

S01E14 The Author

January 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 attempt...
The Rat Pack

S01E15 The Rat Pack

January 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 him. After his corporate lawyers...
The Nurse

S01E16 The Nurse

February 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. She...
The Convict

S01E17 The Convict

February 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 library, Wayne Lashley enters with...
The Court Martial (1)

S01E18 The Court Martial (1)

February 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 friend.
The Court Martial (2)

S01E19 The Court Martial (2)

February 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 undercover and gets close to one of...
The Therapist

S01E20 The Therapist

March 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. He's got a...
The People vs. Matlock

S01E21 The People vs. Matlock

March 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) comes forward to announce that he...
The Photographer

S01E22 The Photographer

March 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 aren't usually his style, something...
The Reporter

S01E23 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.
The Doctors

S01E24 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 lands on...

Cast

Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Ben Matlock
Daniel Roebuck
Daniel Roebuck
Cliff Lewis
Carol Huston
Carol Huston
Jerri Stone

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