Spoiler Alert for Matlock season 1, episode 7, “Belly of the Beast”
Madeline Kingston continues to stir the pot in Kathy Bates’Matlockseries, with episode 7, “Belly of the Beast,” delivering key twists to Madeline’s plan. Still, things have been getting difficult for the septuagenarian lawyer, who is infiltrating Jacobson Moore, to put whoever is responsible for hiding Wellbrexa documents in jail. As her plan progresses, Madeline has to operate with extreme caution, as the otherMatlockcharacterspose challenges to her revenge from all angles.
Madeline has faced conflict with her husband, Edwin (Sam Anderson), over advancing her plan, despite the pressure it put on her and her family. The conflict comes to a head inMatlockepisode 6when Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) and Julian (Jason Ritter) invite Madeline to work on a Wellbrexa case, the development she’s been waiting for.Olympia and Julian’sMatlockepisode 6twist is to thank for Matty’s progress at work, but the development at the end of “Belly of the Beast” will hinder the dynamic.
10Edwin And Alfie Are In Florida During Matlock’s Holiday Episode
Madeline Works Alone In Episode 7
AsMatlock’s seventh episode kicks off, there’s an air of holiday cheer — Andy Williams' “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” plays as Madeline gussies up for her first day representing Wellbrexa. As she prepares for the day, stacks of papers about Wellbrexa’s employees litter the bed, and Madeline takes a call from Edwin, who is apparently in Florida with their grandson. As such,Matlockleans into the holiday cheerin episode 7, but Madeline is braving a massive feat alone.
Madeline and Edwin know the lawyer has a massive day ahead of her, remarking she’s in the"belly of the beast,“which gives the episode its title.
Madeline assures her husband that she’s feeling healthy and confident as she perfects her look, dawning a beaded bracelet made by her daughter Ellie. The lawyer assures her husband that she hasn’t had any more panic attacks, but “Belly of the Beast” proves that Madeline’s confidence can’t save her from the horrors of Wellbrexa. Madeline and Edwin know the lawyer has a massive day ahead of her, remarking she’s in the"belly of the beast,“which gives the episode its title.
9Madeline Works Her First Wellbrexa Case With Julian
Madeline Is Off Olympia’s Team
When she arrives at Jacobson Moore that morning, it’s a new day for Madeline. She greets Billy (David Del Rio) and Sarah (Leah Lewis) before Olympia shepherds her off to Julian. As they walk her to her first meeting with the pharmaceutical team, Olympia and Julian worry about Madeline as if she were their child. Julian quizzes Madeline as Olympia assures her husband that Madeline is capable, with Madeline calling out that the couple is back together to prove it.
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While Madeline can win over Jacobson Moore’s pharmaceutical team, including Trent (Josh Archer), calling his grandma a"bitch,“she faces an uphill climb to winning over the young women suing Wellbrexa. Jessie Stevenson (Dominique Gayle) claims the drug trial she underwent for rheumatoid arthritis is to blame for her kidney failure, and the case hits close to home. However,Madeline fails to score points with Jessie, who seethes at Madeline and Julian’s good cop/bad cop scheme.
8Julian Tasks Madeline To Convince Their Plaintiff To Take A Settlement (But It Ends Poorly)
Jessie And Paige Humiliate Madeline
After the meeting ends abruptly with Jessie rejecting Wellbrexa’s $50,000 settlement offer and recording the whole thing on TikTok, Julian sends Madeline to soothe the tides. Madeline goes to Jessie’s apartment, where she lives with her attorney, Paige (Zamani Wilder). She attempts to convince the girls to accept a higher settlement so that Jacobson Moore doesn’t have to try the case in court. While it looks like the girls will take Madeline’s offer of $250K, her attempt fails miserably, compromising the case.
Eme Ikwuakor
Elijah Walker
Although she did convince the girls, they make a new development that changes their opinion, and the fallout gets blamed on Madeline. Jesse and Paige somehow gain access to texts between one of Wellbrexa’s physicians on the trial, Dr. Paul Blackwell (Mark Blackwell), and his girlfriend, a biostatistician who consulted with the physician. The texts proveJessie reported her symptoms, but Dr. Blackwell didn’t. The evidence advances Jesse’s case and shuts down Wellbrexa’s trial, causing them to lose millions.
7Senior Fires Madeline And Julian From Wellbrexa
Senior Acts Characteristically Ruthless
As Wellbrexa hemorrhages money from suspending their drug trial, Senior (Beau Bridges) fires Madeline and Julian from Wellbrexa.Jessie’s case takes a turn and becomes financially disastrousfor the company, so Wellbrexa CEO Don Halverston (Harry Zinn) meets with Senior to express his disapproval, as the big dogs have an established rapport. Stuart (Francisco Chacin) calls Madeline and Julian into Senior’s office so that the Wellbrexa head honcho can yell at them, and Senior fires them to appease Don.
You can catch up on everyMatlockepisode on Paramount+.
Julian blames Madeline for the development despite his father putting him on the chopping block to save face. Madeline felt that the girls had uncovered new information in the case and urged Julian to give her more time to figure it out. However, because Madeline wouldn’t assure him with 100% certainty, Julian neglected the septuagenarian’s advice and moved forward with disastrous effects. Olympia learns about the development amid the holiday party, confronting her father-in-law.
6Madeline Makes A Break In The Wellbrexa Case (But She Destroys Someone’s Life Over It)
Madeline’s Development Breaks Jessie’s Case
Madeline is confident they’re missing something, and the lawyer goes home to figure out what it is. Madeline searches her law books to confirm a loophole in their case. Eventually, she calls Edwin — too busy to answer — to report a bittersweet break. Madeline leaves a voicemail regardless, reporting she found the information she needs to win the case and score the necessary points with Julian and Wellbrexa to redeem herself, but she experiences significant cognitive dissonance.
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Madeline discovers that Dr. Blackwell and his girlfriend lived together in Rhode Island before, qualifying the pair as married under common law. Madeline’s development proves the spousal communications privilege protects the texts, so Jessie and Paige can’t submit them into evidence. Thus, the septuagenarian scores a win that gets Julian back on Wellbrexa and advances her plan. Still,Madeline’s discovery decimates Jessie’s chanceat getting a fair settlement, compromising the girl’s well-being for her revenge.
5Elijah Is Back At Jacobson Moore
Will Elijah And Olympia Reconnect?
Amid the festive holiday party, where nearly every story in the episode intersects and meets its fate,Elijah emerges at Jacobson Moore. The equity partner hasn’t been around since episode 4, followingOlympia and Elijah’s disheartening break-up inMatlockepisode 3. When things get messy for the couple in “The Rabbit and the Hawk,” following their split, Elijah tells Olympia that he will work out of the firm’s Dallas office for a month to give the break-up some breathing room, which was a respectable move.
Matlockseason 1, episode 1, “Pilot”
Matlockseason 1, episode 2, “Rome, in a Day”
Matlockseason 1, episode 3, “A Guy Named Greg”
Matlockseason 1, episode 4, “The Rabbit and the Hawk”
Matlockseason 1, episode 5, “Claws”
Matlockseason 1, episode 6, “Sixteen Steps”
Matlockseason 1, episode 7, “Belly of the Beast”
Matlockseason 1, episode 8, “No, No Monsters”
Matlockseason 1, episode 9, “Friends”
Matlockseason 1, episode 10, “Crash Helmets On”
July 10, 2025
Elijah’s appearance means his month in the south is up, and the former lovers will be working side-by-side at the New York firm once more. Olympia’s relationship with Elijah was discreet due to her pending divorce, as was the rekindling of her romance with Julian. As Elijah reenters the mix, Olympia has to balance two covert relationships, setting up significant hurdles for Madeline’s boss. The development at the end of “Belly of the Beast” makes Elijah’s return all the more timely, as Olympia and Julian clash.
4Madeline Breaks Down After Her First Wellbrexa Case
After she buries the smoking gun in the Wellbrexa case, Julian congratulates Madeline for a job well done. When she returns to Jacobson Moore to enjoy what’s left of the holiday party, Madeline also receives praise fromBeau Bridges' Senior character, who sends her home with a bottle of wine. While Madeline has maintained her cool despite the horrors of the case, she reaches a breaking point, which starts at the party when the other lawyers tell Madeline that Jessie and Paige are begging for Wellbrexa’s initial $50,000 offer.
The development highlights the predatory nature of the pharmaceutical industry, which Madeline wages her war against.
Madeline coyly suggests they give it to them, to which an associate suggests they counter with a Sephora gift card, and all the lawyers laugh. The development highlights the predatory nature of the pharmaceutical industry, which Madeline wages her war against. The morally bankrupt display causes Madeline to anxiously stretch her bracelet from Ellie, which breaks, spilling the beads across the floor. When Madeline arrives home, she throws Senior’s gift at her Wellbrexa planning board, reaching another breaking point.
3Billy And Sarah Have Contrasting Romance Experiences At The Holiday Party
Billy And Sarah Both Go For Love
Madeline’s associates, Billy and Sarah, seek to advance their romance at the holiday party, and there’s good and bad news on that front. Sarah overcomes her fear of looking like a dork in front of her office crush, Kira Yu (Piper Curda), and performs with her a cappella group at the holiday party. Instead of turning Kira away, the performance intrigues Sarah’s crush, who asks her to sing in the stairwell and praises the performance with the couple’s first kiss. It’s a whirlwind start for Sarah’s romance.
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In contrast, Billy suffers from a broken heart after his longtime girlfriend Claudia (Bella Ortiz) rejects his marriage proposal. Madeline confronts Billy about why he hasn’t proposed to his girlfriend inMatlockepisode 5, and he has been working up the courage to make the next move ever since. He finally gets down on one knee at the holiday party on the crying patio (which is adorned in holiday cheer thanks to Sarah’s zeal to steal Christmas decorations). Still, Claudia says no, ending Billy’s romance as Sarah’s begins.
Julian Doesn’t Say Who The Affair Was With
When Olympia and Julian arrive home from the holiday party, the love birds continue to rekindle their romance. However, a comment from Senior about their similarities doesn’t sit right with Julian, compelling him to come clean about a grave transgression. Julian tells Olympia that before they decided to separate when their tension was at an all-time high, he had an affair. Olympia doesn’t take the comment well, understandably walking away, with the development hindering their romance.
Madeline’s revenge plan could experience a lull as the couple works it out since their alliance enabled her advancement.
Olympia and Julian’s conflict could be bad news for Madeline. The lawyer has a foot in both pools, maintaining a rapport with Julian and Olympia, and has been roped into their relationship conflicts before. Olympia may forgive Julian, allowing the couple to move on, but their reconciliation probably won’t happen soon since Julian failed to mention the affair sooner. Thus, Madeline’s revenge plan could experience a lull as the couple works it out since their alliance enabled her advancement.
1Madeline Cons Senior’s Assistant Stuart Into Giving Her His Email Password
Madeline Scores Another Win For Her Revenge Plan
Despite all the drama and melancholy inMatlock’s seventh outing,Madeline still manages to move the needle forward in her secret plan, making all her tribulations worth it. The end of episode 7 reveals that when Madeline was talking to Senior at the holiday party, she covertly recorded his voice and used it to create an AI voice simulator that mimics the head of the law firm. Madeline uses the AI to call Senior’s assistant, Stuart, and convince him to give her his email password using Senior’s voice.
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Madeline makes a considerable stride in her case. Still, her proximity to Senior while on the case, even if she fumbles for a moment, allows her to strike up a relevant conversation with the head honcho. The development proves that Madeline needs to continue building her connections inMatlockto progress while flying below the radar. Thus, how things shake out between Olympia and Julian may dictate how she moves forward. Still, Alfie (Aaron D. Harris) will be thrilled with his grandma’s progress, telling her"MWBSP.”
Matlock
Cast
Matlock (2024) follows the return of Madeline Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian, to a prestigious law firm. Utilizing her unassuming demeanor and astute strategies, she navigates the legal world to win cases and uncover corruption. The series draws inspiration from the classic television series of the same name.
