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The Worst Episodes of Matlock

Every episode of Matlock ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Matlock!

Worst episode
S8E10 The Conspiracy
6.1123 votes
Best episode
S9E3 The Scandal
8.3185 votes
Top season
Season 9
7.9avg
Binge time
2d 18h
194 episodes
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons9

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Matlock Season 8 Episode 10 - The Conspiracy
    6.1/10(123 votes)

    S8:E10

    Matlock defends a lawyer accused of murdering an associate who'd accused him of botching a lawsuit involving toxic waster polluters.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Matlock Season 4 Episode 18 - The Kidnapper
    6.4/10(139 votes)

    S4:E18

    When Matlock is kidnapped, Michelle and Conrad go through Ben's old cases to try to figure out who is holding him hostage.

    Director:Frank Thackery
    Writer:Joyce Burditt

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  3. Matlock Season 5 Episode 15 - The Parents
    6.5/10(131 votes)

    S5:E15

    Howard and Amy have all their dreams answered when Jill plans to give them the child she was carrying. After Jill changes her mind and is found dead, Howard and Amy are the prime suspects in her murder, and Matlock sets out to prove that the birth father may have also had a motive.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Matlock Season 3 Episode 7 - The Vendetta
    6.6/10(163 votes)

    S3:E7

    Michelle is taken hostage by Ned Billings, who blames Matlock for his brother (James Billings, The Professor) committing suicide after being convicted of murder, thanks to Ben. Tyler and Julie also show up and end up as Ned's hostages, and they try to use the tactics they've seen Matlock use in courtrooms and interrogations to stay alive and convince Ned not to kill Ben.

    Director:David Solomon
    Writer:Robert Schlitt

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  5. Matlock Season 8 Episode 16 - The Crook
    6.6/10(128 votes)

    S8:E16

    A stealer is accused of murdering the man who closed the book on his thefts.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Joel Steiger

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  6. Matlock Season 2 Episode 10 - The Country Boy
    6.8/10(151 votes)

    S2:E10

    Jimmy le Grand is Matlock's favorite country singer of all time. When he's accused of a hit-and-run, Matlock leaps at the chance to defend him and to house the country legend in his own home, and soon realises that is hero has turned into an alcoholic and a generally unenjoyable person.

    Director:Charles S. Dubin
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Matlock Season 7 Episode 11 - The Fortune (2)
    6.8/10(104 votes)

    S7:E11

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Matlock Season 3 Episode 5 - The D.J.
    6.9/10(167 votes)

    S3:E5

    When radio disk jockey Arthur Saxon is accused of murdering rival D.J. Robby Moore, Michelle asks Ben to defend him. Ben agrees because Michelle swears he's the kindest, most gentlest man she's ever known, but Ben soon realises that Michelle's new boyfriend is anything but.

    Director:Tony Mordente
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Matlock Season 1 Episode 10 - The Angel
    7.0/10(226 votes)

    S1:E10

    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 even offer herself an alibi for the night. Matlock gets more and more angry when Angel continues to ignore his suggestions at toning down her life-style, but luckily he's able to get through to her before her attitude gets her convicted of murder.

    Director:Larry Elikann
    Writer:Robin Bernheim Burger

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  10. Matlock Season 1 Episode 20 - The Therapist
    7.0/10(195 votes)

    S1:E20

    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 temporary thorn in his side, though, in the form of Cassie Phillips, a law student he once made an off-hand comment to about looking him up for a job...she took him a lot more seriously than he had intended.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Matlock Season 2 Episode 3 - Blind Justice
    7.0/10(163 votes)

    S2:E3

    Michelle agrees to defend college chum Andrea Morrow after she is accused of murdering her abusive lover, Clay Graham. Matlock soon becomes convinced that the murderer was Clay's blind 'friend', Arthur Hampton, but will have a devil of a time proving how a blind man managed to carry off a near-perfect murder.

    Director:Christian I. Nyby II
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Matlock Season 7 Episode 12 - The Debt
    7.0/10(117 votes)

    S7:E12

    When Leanne's ex-husband Peter is charged with the murder of his friend and boss, once the truth comes out about Peter's possible motive in the killing, Matlock despises his ex-son-in-law more than ever.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Matlock Season 8 Episode 19 - The P.I.
    7.0/10(116 votes)

    S8:E19

    A P.I.'s daughter shoots some photos that get the wrong man accused of murder.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Matlock Season 2 Episode 8 - The Network
    7.1/10(186 votes)

    S2:E8

    Network programming chief Paul J. Bartel is murdered, leaving Hollywood baffled as to the identity of the killer. Matlock comes to town to represent the television producer accused of killing him, and finds more than his fair share of suspects. It seems everyone had a motive to kill Paul J. Bartel!

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Matlock Season 4 Episode 6 - The Clown
    7.1/10(153 votes)

    S4:E6

    Matlock agrees to defend aging clown Homer Fleming after he's charged with the murder of his long-time partner, Simon. After asking Conrad to go undercover as a roustabout at the circus, Matlock starts to realise that everyone had a very good reason to hate Simon Le Simple.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Matlock Season 2 Episode 18 - The Investigation (2)
    7.1/10(149 votes)

    S2:E18

    Craig continues to turn away from his father as Matlock keeps trying to investigate the case. When the Gentry family is almost caught in the middle of a mob war with the Hernandez family, Matlock realises that someone on the inside is pulling the strings.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Matlock Season 4 Episode 11 - The Fugitive
    7.1/10(148 votes)

    S4:E11

    Matlock takes the case of Drew Carey, a young man he has known since childhood, who is accused of murdering his uncle in a fit of drunken rage. Unfortunately, Drew has grown up into a spoiled, self-centered young man who refuses to listen to anything Matlock tells him and is determined to prove that the killer is his uncle's wife Valerie who was much younger than her husband and was having an affair with a construction worker. Despite everyone trying to tell Matlock that Drew is no good, he is convinced that somewhere inside is the sweet boy he once knew, and he truly believes that Drew is innocent.

    Director:Tony Mordente
    Writers:Bruce Shelly, Reed Shelly

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  18. Matlock Season 3 Episode 4 - The Mistress
    7.1/10(139 votes)

    S3:E4

    Matlock agrees to defend Laura McCord after she's charged with murdering her husband David in a jealous rage. He and Julie soon realise that David's lover is the key in all this, but she seems to have disappeared! Ben and Julie head to the mountains to find her, and realise that the young woman is connected to organized crime.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Matlock Season 1 Episode 3 - The Stripper
    7.2/10(260 votes)

    S1:E3

    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 work as a stripper. Jason goes to her work and again threatens to take their son Jimmy from her. When he is found at the edge of death, Carla is the immediate suspect. He is murdered while in the hospital, and Carla is the prime suspect. Ben's suspicions soon turn to a woman named Helen Shelly, but unfortunately, it's hard to find her. Doug Templitt seems to be the only one who knows where she is.

    Director:Daniel Haller
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Matlock Season 4 Episode 7 - The Star
    7.2/10(159 votes)

    S4:E7

    Catherine McKay is an aging prima donna who only had one hit movie in her career. When she's found dead, stabbed in the chest with the knife that made her famous, suspicion lands on Noel Bishop, the horror film director that wanted her off his picture.

    Director:Seymour Robbie
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Matlock Season 3 Episode 13 - The Psychic
    7.2/10(151 votes)

    S3:E13

    Matlock agrees to defend a psychic, Jennifer Holtz, who claims to have seen the murder before it ever took place.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Matlock Season 5 Episode 9 - The Brothers
    7.2/10(142 votes)

    S5:E9

    Lowell Carr is a brilliant plastic surgeon. When his partner is found murdered after the two had a loud argument about dissolving their business, he is the immediate suspect...until Matlock meets his twin brother, Gary.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Matlock Season 3 Episode 8 - The Mayor (1)
    7.2/10(140 votes)

    S3:E8

    When Chris Reardon, a man determined to bring the sixties back into the late eighties, is charged with murdering mayor Brian Barelli, reporter Paul O'Neill brings Matlock to Chicago to defend him, convinced of his innocence. Matlock reluctantly agrees to follow through with the case after realising O'Neill tricked him, because he knows that dropping the case will seriously hurt Reardon's chances.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Robert Schlitt

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  24. Matlock Season 4 Episode 19 - The Pro
    7.2/10(126 votes)

    S4:E19

    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).

    Director:Burt Brinckerhoff
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Matlock Season 1 Episode 4 - The Affair
    7.3/10(222 votes)

    S1:E4

    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 of man her husband was. Matlock is more than a little uncomfortable when it seems Charlene is developing a tendre for the woman's son Clark, an old college chum of Charlene's.

    Director:John Llewellyn Moxey
    Writer:Paul Savage

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Worst Episodes Summary

"The Conspiracy" is the worst rated episode of Matlock. It scored 6.1/10 from 123 votes. Written and directed by Unknown, it aired on November 25, 1993. This episode scored 0.3 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Kidnapper".

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