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The Worst Episodes of Matlock

Every episode of Matlock ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst 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 Worst Episode
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    Matlock Season 2 Episode 24 - The Heiress
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - The Heiress

    S2:E24

    As a young child, Allison Tate had discovered the bodies of her parents, apparently killed by an intruder. Shortly after her twenty-first birthday, she found the body of Marsha Gold, killed in a similar matter. When this thrust her back into the Linder Sanitarium in which she'd spent most of her life since her parents murdered, Bob Ranier (her father's former business partner, like an uncle to her) hires Matlock to prove that Allison is innocent of her murder. Matlock has an unlikely ally in Warren Kreitzer, an insurance attorney who is supposed to be on vacation, but will do whatever he can to protect Allison.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Matlock Season 5 Episode 21 - The Accident
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #2 - The Accident

    S5:E21

    Eugene Dobbs and Nolan Wheeler are the perfect combination -- Dobbs presents the cases, and Wheeler does all the legwork. After Dobbs is unable to keep the promises he makes to football coach John Kramer, Dobbs meets his maker one night at the office, with Kramer as the prime suspect. Matlock takes the case, in part to prove to Kramer that not all lawyers are schmucks like Dobbs, and in part because the list of people who want Dobbs dead is getting longer by the minute as Matlock and Conrad find an interesting link between Dobbs, the owner of a local water park, and Dobbs' wife.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Matlock Season 6 Episode 7 - The Suspect (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #3 - The Suspect (1)

    S6:E7

    Matlock defends a wealthy widow charged with the murder of her husband, while Michelle helps to defend a father accused of murdering the drug dealer who got his child hooked...a dealer who just happened to be a cop.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Matlock Season 6 Episode 22 - The Assassination (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - The Assassination (2)

    S6:E22

    While defending Judge Eller in his murder trial, Conrad uncovers the connection between the killing of a mayor and a pornography production using underage girls.

    Director:Christopher Hibler
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Matlock Season 7 Episode 15 - The Divorce
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - The Divorce

    S7:E15

    Duncan and Clara Farmington seemed to have the perfect marriage. Now they want to have the perfect divorce. What starts out as a simple division of property turns nasty as Leanne represents the wife and Ben the husband. At the same time, a scam artist tries to sue Matlock for millions after injuring himself on Matlock's property.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Matlock Season 7 Episode 16 - The Final Affair (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - The Final Affair (1)

    S7:E16

    Matlock invites homeless man Lenny to live with him while trying to find out if the archbishop was meant to die in a plot including an ex-football player, his wife, her lover, and the mafia.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Matlock Season 7 Episode 17 - The Final Affair (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - The Final Affair (2)

    S7:E17

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Matlock Season 7 Episode 18 - The Competition
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - The Competition

    S7:E18

    Matlock refuses to believe that a young piano player committed suicide, nor does the father of the girl who hires Matlock to find out what really happened.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Matlock Season 8 Episode 21 - The Idol (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - The Idol (1)

    S8:E21

    A lawyer who is a fan of Matlock's is accused of murdering a blackmailing P.I.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Matlock Season 8 Episode 22 - The Idol (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - The Idol (2)

    S8:E22

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Matlock Season 9 Episode 16 - The Heist (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - The Heist (2)

    S9:E16

    While at a triathlon, Matlock runs into a former client, a retired FBI agent trying to solve an old case.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Matlock Season 9 Episode 17 - The Scam (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - The Scam (1)

    S9:E17

    Cliff's old college chum Craig Browning is defending Cameron Ivers on charges of vehicular manslaughter, and is being blackmailed about an affair he had to plead his client a certain way. Craig hires Cliff to meet the blackmailer to keep his hands clean, but when Scott Aston turns out dead, suspicion turns to Cliff, who needs to find the real killers. With Jerri's help, they manage to find out that Aston worked for John Robinson and Mark Reeves, two men who frequently like to get one-up on Ivers in the business world, and that the woman Craig has been having an affair with was their secretary. Ben prepares for his fortieth reunion by dieting to fit into his old choral suit.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Matlock Season 9 Episode 18 - The Scam (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - The Scam (2)

    S9:E18

    When Cameron Ivers is killed in a hit and run accident, Matlock decides to take a closer look at Robinson and Reeves, hoping that if he can tie them to Cameron Ivers' death he'll be able to tie them to Scott Aston's death and clear Cliff. After gathering together a number of people Scott Aston had been investigating who were supposed to be dead, Matlock heads to Florida where he finds Chuck Ratner, and Cliff and Jerri learn that the people are all connected because they all turned down the same kind of life insurance. Matlock continues his quest to lose weight by his reunion, but fires his personal trainer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Matlock Season 8 Episode 10 - The Conspiracy
    6.1/10(118 votes)

    #14 - The Conspiracy

    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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  15. Matlock Season 8 Episode 16 - The Crook
    6.3/10(122 votes)

    #15 - The Crook

    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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  16. Matlock Season 4 Episode 18 - The Kidnapper
    6.4/10(130 votes)

    #16 - The Kidnapper

    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:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Matlock Season 3 Episode 7 - The Vendetta
    6.6/10(155 votes)

    #17 - The Vendetta

    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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  18. Matlock Season 5 Episode 15 - The Parents
    6.6/10(121 votes)

    #18 - The Parents

    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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  19. Matlock Season 7 Episode 11 - The Fortune (2)
    6.7/10(99 votes)

    #19 - The Fortune (2)

    S7:E11

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Matlock Season 2 Episode 10 - The Country Boy
    6.8/10(144 votes)

    #20 - The Country Boy

    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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  21. Matlock Season 3 Episode 5 - The D.J.
    6.9/10(156 votes)

    #21 - The D.J.

    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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  22. Matlock Season 7 Episode 4 - The Legacy (2)
    6.9/10(122 votes)

    #22 - The Legacy (2)

    S7:E4

    Although Josh Winfield confessed to the murder of Arthur Kendall, it doesn't take long for the police to blow holes in his story. Matlock then has Conrad take a closer look at Yolanda Bergstrom, the woman Kendall had been with not long before he died, and Conrad then finds there is another connection between Yolanda and Kendall -- her sister Sabrina. Leanne remains convinced that Charlie Matlock had nothing to do with Jake Kendall's murder, and she, Brian and Matlock all investigate the thirty year old case. Matlock continues to date Elaine, trying desperately to be the healthy, fit man he thinks she wants.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Matlock Season 8 Episode 19 - The P.I.
    6.9/10(109 votes)

    #23 - The P.I.

    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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  24. Matlock Season 1 Episode 10 - The Angel
    7.0/10(205 votes)

    #24 - The Angel

    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:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Matlock Season 1 Episode 20 - The Therapist
    7.0/10(184 votes)

    #25 - The Therapist

    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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Worst Episodes Summary

"The Heiress" is the worst rated episode of "Matlock". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Leo Penn and written by Unknown, it aired on 5/3/1988. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Accident".