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The Best Episodes of Matlock

Every episode of Matlock ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Matlock!

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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

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Matlock Season 7 Episode 7 - The Singer
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - The Singer

    S7:E7

    Matlock defends a producer accused of killing a singer, and treis to prove that one of the other men at the recording studio was guilty.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Matlock Season 8 Episode 13 - The Kidnapping (1)
    8.3/10(113 votes)

    #2 - The Kidnapping (1)

    S8:E13

    Abductors tries to kidnap Leanne but takes Billy instead and hold him for ransom.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Matlock Season 9 Episode 3 - The Scandal
    8.3/10(181 votes)

    #3 - The Scandal

    S9:E3

    When Matlock defends an attorney accused of murdering her boss, he also uncovers a history of sexual harrassment involving the law firm.

    Director:Frank Thackery
    Writer:Brian Alan Lane

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  4. Matlock Season 9 Episode 7 - The Dating Game
    8.3/10(110 votes)

    #4 - The Dating Game

    S9:E7

    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.

    Director:Robert Scheerer
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Matlock Season 9 Episode 13 - The Target
    8.3/10(128 votes)

    #5 - The Target

    S9:E13

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Joel Steiger

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  6. Matlock Season 9 Episode 14 - The Assault
    8.2/10(133 votes)

    #6 - The Assault

    S9:E14

    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.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Matlock

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  7. Matlock Season 9 Episode 15 - The Heist (1)
    8.2/10(121 votes)

    #7 - The Heist (1)

    S9:E15

    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.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Matlock Season 1 Episode 2 - The Judge
    8.1/10(359 votes)

    #8 - The Judge

    S1:E2

    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.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Robert Hamilton

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  9. Matlock Season 8 Episode 5 - The View
    8.1/10(121 votes)

    #9 - The View

    S8:E5

    Matlock realizes he has become a witness in a murder case involving two theater actors and an unhappy husband.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Matlock Season 9 Episode 9 - Dead Air
    8.1/10(121 votes)

    #10 - Dead Air

    S9:E9

    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.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Matlock Season 1 Episode 8 - The Sisters
    8.0/10(267 votes)

    #11 - The Sisters

    S1:E8

    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 investigating he does, the more he realises that there is something seriously wrong with Harold's two nieces, sisters Julia and Emily.

    Director:Alan Cooke
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Matlock Season 4 Episode 12 - The Buddies
    8.0/10(156 votes)

    #12 - The Buddies

    S4:E12

    After an old friend from college dies, Matlock has to investigate three college chums on the charge of murdering a hitchhiker thirty years earlier.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Matlock Season 8 Episode 4 - The Diner
    8.0/10(136 votes)

    #13 - The Diner

    S8:E4

    Matlock takes Leanne to meet Martha Jordan, the wife of his very first client back in 1962. Stan Shaw was the cook at the local diner when he was accused of killing the local sheriff after a disagreement in the diner. Charlie Matlock pushed Ben, who had recently quit his job as a district attorney to take the case, but not everyone in town was happy with the Matlocks siding with the black cook accused of killing the white sheriff. Despite Cyrus Jordan's attempts to get the Matlocks to drop his case for their own safety, father and son were determined to prove that Cyrus never killed anyone.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Matlock Season 1 Episode 23 - The Reporter
    7.9/10(173 votes)

    #14 - The Reporter

    S1:E23

    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.

    Director:Charles S. Dubin
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Matlock Season 5 Episode 19 - The Trial (1)
    7.9/10(130 votes)

    #15 - The Trial (1)

    S5:E19

    When assistant D.A. Howard Wright is murdered in his workshop, the attorney general approaches Matlock and asks him to take on the assignment of special prosecutor. With Michelle and Conrad's help, Matlock begins to investigate Wright's past, and realises the man was spending money that he could not have earned legitimately. In investigating names that Wright had left behind, Matlock finds himself embroiled in a lawsuit involving Maxwell Toys.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Matlock Season 8 Episode 8 - The Haunted (1)
    7.9/10(134 votes)

    #16 - The Haunted (1)

    S8:E8

    While Cliff investigates a suit of medical malpractice and ends up getting more involved than he should with his client, Matlock investigates the case of the mysterious Rod Greenwood, who happens to bear an eerie resemblance to a dead businessman. Soon Cliff and Matlock realise that their cases are tied together.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Matlock Season 9 Episode 1 - The Accused (1)
    7.9/10(119 votes)

    #17 - The Accused (1)

    S9:E1

    Matlock defends a journalist who killed an underworld figure in self-defense after meeting with him for an interview.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Matlock Season 9 Episode 11 - The Verdict
    7.9/10(106 votes)

    #18 - The Verdict

    S9:E11

    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.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Matlock Season 1 Episode 17 - The Convict
    7.8/10(195 votes)

    #19 - The Convict

    S1:E17

    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 his two goons, Lipton and Foley. While Lipton and Foley keep watch, Lashley tries to kill Les, but in the struggle, it's Lashley who ends up dead, and Les who ends up looking guilty. Matthews is charged with Lashley's murder and Ben wants to defend him. He sends Tyler undercover in the prison and places him with the cellmate of the man who was killed. He gives Ben evidence that not only proves Matthews is telling the truth but also who was responsible for the murder that Matthews was convicted of seven years ago.

    Director:Daniel Haller
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Matlock Season 2 Episode 2 - The Billionaire (2)
    7.8/10(171 votes)

    #20 - The Billionaire (2)

    S2:E2

    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.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Matlock Season 2 Episode 6 - The Power Brokers (1)
    7.8/10(151 votes)

    #21 - The Power Brokers (1)

    S2:E6

    Matlock reluctantly takes the case when Melinda Stuart's source is murdered. The biggest problem is that she's more interested in listening to what FBI Agent Paul Davies has to say than she is in listening to him.

    Director:Charles S. Dubin
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Matlock Season 4 Episode 1 - The Hunting Party (1)
    7.8/10(155 votes)

    #22 - The Hunting Party (1)

    S4:E1

    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.

    Director:Robert Scheerer
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Matlock Season 4 Episode 2 - The Hunting Party (2)
    7.8/10(145 votes)

    #23 - The Hunting Party (2)

    S4:E2

    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.

    Director:Robert Scheerer
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Matlock Season 4 Episode 16 - The Talk Show
    7.8/10(140 votes)

    #24 - The Talk Show

    S4:E16

    When talk show host Dan Galloway is murdered after publicly humiliating three woman on the air and firing his executive producer, there is no shortage of suspects. Nearly everyone who ever met the man wanted him dead, but it's up to Matlock to prove whether Marla, Leanne or Katherine committed the crime as he tries to prove that his own client, Lisa, did not.

    Director:Robert Scheerer
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Matlock Season 5 Episode 18 - The Formula
    7.8/10(139 votes)

    #25 - The Formula

    S5:E18

    Matlock receives a call in the middle of the night from a young man who once painted his house who claims he's been arrested for stealing the formula to cure baldness from a company who fired his friend and stole his work. Twenty-four hours later Ben gets another call from the same young man, who has been accused of murdering the man he claims he stole the formula for. The biggest problem is that none of what Jeff Duvall claims seems to be true; not only did Tim Crider not ask him to steal the formula, but he was never fired in the first place!

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Singer" is the best rated episode of "Matlock". It scored 10/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/28/1993. This episode scored 1.7 points higher than the second highest rated, "The Kidnapping (1)".