Matlock (2024) s01e03 Episode Script
A Guy Named Greg
1
Previously on Matlock
- Sorry, who are you?
- Madeline Madlock.
Like the old TV show.
Why do you want to work at my firm?
I need to make some money
because I'm bitter and broke.
Good evening, Mrs. Kingston.
There she is, our conquering hero.
You'd be a lot less cheery if you knew
how I talked about you at work.
Gambling, cheating. Not to mention dead.
So, when do you get
to work on drug cases?
I have to build up a little trust first.
One of those three hid documents
that could've taken
opioids off the market
ten years earlier.
Think of how many lives
that could have saved.
Including our daughter's.
Trust comes hard to me.
And that's not fair when
we're working together,
which I'm glad we are doing.
Me, too.
- I think we got it.
- I knew it. Let's go.
MATTY: You wanted passcodes, kid?
Well, now we know how to
get into Olympia's phone.
MATTY: Okay, married, two kids.
NYU grad.
What else you got there, kiddo?
ALFIE: Uh, he coaches
his son's Little League.
They have a terrible record.
How's the profiling going?
Well, we haven't found
our way in just yet.
Used to be a Marine
Oh. Hang on.
Yeah
Now that's something I can work with.
OLYPMIA: Joelle Miller.
- What do we know?
- Okay, her court questionnaire says
I read it, I'm looking
for deeper insight.
He said/she said cases
are all about nuance.
Here's what I found: Joelle
Miller was fired two years ago
and posted repeatedly that
it was, quote, "so unfair."
Good. So, she'll be empathetic
to a wrongful termination case.
Not so fast. I went back
further and Joelle couldn't make
her cousin's graduation four years ago,
but posted on Instagram,
"Congratulations. Can't wait
to see you make it rain at "
Lock Stone Capital.
Ms. Miller, you told the court
that you have no relationship
to the defendant's firm,
but doesn't your cousin work at
one of their branches in San Diego?
Oh, Laura? W-we hardly talk anymore.
Hmm. So you wouldn't have a problem
delivering a guilty
verdict against her company?
I mean, that wouldn't
make Thanksgiving awkward?
Move to strike for cause.
Zach Brammer. No red
flags on his questionnaire
or Instagram and I went
back five years, so
Fraternity brother was #MeToo'd.
Peremptory challenge on juror ten.
Tony Lambiase is up next and
I got him at a candlelight
vigil for Take Back the Night.
Relax, research is her thing.
We all have our things.
Peremptory challenge on juror 16.
Steer clear of Peter Harper.
Peremptory challenge on juror 26.
We need 41, we need 41.
Yes. We'll accept 41 as our final juror.
Good job, you three.
BOLDING: Looks like we have our jury.
I'd like to thank everyone for
(PHONE RINGING)
Whose phone is that?
(RINGING)
(RINGING)
Oh, I'm so sorry,
Judge Bolding, it's me.
Oh, for heaven's sake,
I thought that was the silence button.
- God, I can't believe this.
- (RINGING)
I, uh
(RINGING)
It's asking for my code again.
- Turn that off right now!
- MATTY: Locked out?
- Oh, fudge it.
- (MUFFLED RINGING)
(GALLERY CHUCKLING)
You were saying, Judge Bolding?
I was saying no phones in
my courtroom from now on.
MATTY: It worked.
The judge banned all phones from court
for the rest of the trial.
Well, to a bad job, well done.
(CHUCKLES)
ALFIE: Well, step one is well done.
Now you have to get Olympia's phone
so you can unlock her computer.
And access her emails. I know, I know.
You're stressing me out, kid.
- So, tomorrow?
- Yep, when Olympia's in court.
And I don't have to be there
because I pissed off the
Honorable Judge Bolding.
I'm thrilled. This
case is such a stinker.
- Why's that?
- Sexual harassment,
wrongful termination and shaky evidence.
To win, you have to be a nun.
Lose, you set us back 50 years.
Well, what's the plaintiff like?
Nice girl. Not a nun.
What's wrong with this shirt, again?
It's just a teensy bit loud, darlin'.
Course, not as loud as my phone.
And I'm, again, so sorry about that.
Ah, stop. I'm just glad
it was you and not me.
I'm usually the chaos agent.
That's why I'm so nervous to testify.
I feel like I'm gonna
say the wrong thing.
Just tell the truth.
You know? But just maybe,
maybe in a jacket, yeah?
So nobody gets distracted
by those boobies.
But isn't that the point?
I can have my boobies out
and it shouldn't matter.
I'm just messing with you, Matty.
I understand perception.
(BILLY CHUCKLES)
Um
Did either of you notice Olympia
overlook me during voir dire?
I absolutely nailed the research.
I mean, I was playing 3D chess
while you two were playing tic-tac-toe.
But she said "good job, you three."
- Does she not like me?
- What's not to like?
Should I ask her?
No, definitely not.
- I'm going to.
- I assumed.
How's the split?
- Way better.
- Mm.
Julian and I are finally getting along.
I was talking about your jury.
Oh, I know.
But I'm happier about
Julian than the jury,
which could go either way.
Elijah, how long till November?
So we can
study that jury.
- Hey, Julian.
- JULIAN: Hey.
Heard you have a tight margin
on your he said/she said.
You know who you should get?
Don't say the Meerkat.
JULIAN: I wasn't going
to say the Meerkat
because you're the only
one who calls her that.
He's just jealous because
his nicknames don't stick.
Mine? They stick.
Because she makes them stick,
to the point of discomfort
- That is not true.
- Our dry cleaner?
- Riverboat Ron.
- It caught on. Admit that it caught on.
All right, I'm, uh, taking off
before you give me a nickname.
(LAUGHTER)
JULIAN: He just challenged you.
Big E?
Mm-mm.
Fine, but I'm serious about the Meerkat.
- Ah
- Ah, Shae. She owes the firm pro bono hours.
Hard pass.
All right.
OLYMPIA: Oh. Alex, you look great.
All right, let's go.
Olympia, real quick.
So I'm sure you noticed
how I crushed voir dire.
And it's not that I need credit
because I am not that kind of person.
But I just wanted to
make sure that I didn't
do anything to make you
displeased with my work.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
- You know what you did.
(ELEVATOR CLOSES)
Here are the hard copies of
those emails you asked for.
And were you referring
to the mistake that I made
on the Zander brief?
I corrected it.
I didn't think you would notice.
It wasn't the Zander brief.
Everyone ready?
Good luck, everybody.
And just a reminder, no phones.
I'll keep them safe.
Wait, you're not coming?
Um, Judge Bolding isn't a fan of mine,
so I just, uh, best
not give him a reason
to rule against us. Right, boss?
Actually, I think you should come.
Alex finds you comforting
and she has a tough day
of questioning ahead.
(DOOR OPENS)
No. I had no interest in Jeremy.
I wasn't attracted to him,
but more importantly, he was my boss.
I
could never imagine being
with him in that way.
OLYMPIA: Let's talk
about the holiday party.
- You were drinking?
- ALEX: Yes.
Everyone was, heavily. That's
just the way our work parties go.
And when did you first
encounter your boss
Jeremy Brooks?
Early on, he came up to me,
complimented me on my dress,
how it "made my body look banging."
Was that the first time
he used comments like that?
ALEX: No. He would always be at my desk
or seeking me out on work trips.
It made me really uncomfortable.
But I never reported it
because this was my dream job.
In your own words, Alex,
tell us what happened in the coat closet
the night of the holiday party.
(MOUTHS)
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
ALEX: Well,
around midnight,
I started to feel sick,
so I went to go get my coat.
And Jeremy followed me.
And, um, he got handsy,
I guess you would say.
I tried to push him
off, but he kept coming,
and he touched my butt and
breasts and pulled down my dress
Do you think that he was just
trying to "help you stand up"?
Absolutely not.
I-I was drunk, but I knew
exactly what he was doing.
And the only reason why
he stopped is because
I threw up on the floor.
OLYMPIA: And then what?
The next day after it happened,
I went into a meeting,
and Jeremy was there,
and I had a panic attack.
And then they kept happening,
so I tried avoiding him,
which meant skipping out on meetings.
So, yeah, my work slipped.
But my work slipped
because of what he did.
I shouldn't have been fired,
he should have been.
OLYMPIA: No further questions.
Ms. Ramos, you stated earlier
that you would never
jeopardize your career
by dating someone you
work with, is that correct?
- Yes.
- Could you tell me the nature
of your relationship with Derek Liu?
ALEX: Uh
Um, Derek and I dated
for about six months
- And did you work together?
- ALEX: Uh, sort of, yeah.
DEFENSE COUNSEL: Well, I mean,
it's a yes or no question, right?
Were you or were you not
in a romantic
relationship with Derek Liu
while you both were working at the firm?
Yes, but I
You also testified that
you could never imagine
having a romantic relationship
with your boss Mr.
Brooks, is that correct?
- Yes, that's correct.
- Permission to approach the bench
with some sensitive
impeachment evidence?
Your Honor, this is a video
that Ms. Ramos and Mr. Liu made
while they were dating.
It just came into our possession.
But it does contain
some delicate content
that proves she lied under oath.
If that is what I think it is,
it is highly prejudicial.
I'll review it,
and if it proves she lied
under oath, not much I can do.
Rules are rules.
Hey, boss?
Quick question.
If I spank you with
this training manual,
can I get a promotion?
(ALEX MOANING IN VIDEO)
Fix your face.
Why didn't you tell us that
you dated someone at the firm?
Because we met before he was hired.
And I broke up with
him a couple weeks after
he got the job at Lock Stone
because he got the job there.
I-I can't even imagine what
you must be thinking of me.
Oh, I'm not one to judge.
OLYMPIA: But the jury definitely is.
Fair or not, you lost a
lot of credibility up there.
Right. That's why I was thinking
They attacked Alex,
so we need to attack Jeremy, too. Right?
And I noticed some
inconsistencies in his résumé,
coinciding with some
old social media posts
where it looks like he's
volunteering at the park.
I saw that. #doinggoodthesedays.
- What does that ?
- Well, it's a park where I know they do
court-ordered community service.
Look, I know Jeremy
doesn't have a record,
but maybe it was sealed.
So I thought we three can
go down to the precinct
and see what we can dig up.
That's a great idea, Billy. Go.
In the meantime, I
need to lure the Meerkat
out of whatever cave
she's currently hiding in.
MATTY: Who the heck is the Meerkat?
Shae Banfield, the
firm's jury consultant.
She's incredible.
A master of body language,
facial expressions,
- neurolinguistics
- A legit human lie detector.
Huh. That's not possible.
That's what I thought, but she's insane.
She can tell if someone's
even thinking about lying.
Billy, do they know you're coming?
Oh, they know every move I make,
whether I tell them or not.
So, what's her thing?
No eye contact? Too much eye contact?
Is she one of those pheromone people?
You know, 'cause there's
some shoddy science
You're under arrest! You have
the right to remain adorable.
Well, you must be
Billy's sister Natalie.
Look at my little pechocho precioso.
Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay.
And this is my mom
Grace. You know Sarah.
And this is
The famous Matty. It's so nice
to meet his work abuela.
- Ma, did you look up the name I sent?
- Yeah.
The, uh, record is
sealed, so I can't tell you
what the conviction was for
or even if he had a conviction at all.
But I can tell you you were right.
The vest he's wearing in
those pictures is state-issued.
- MATTY: Smart kid you got there.
- Right?
I don't know why he had
to go and be a lawyer.
Mom, could you look up the
Park Department's employee
who was responsible for that park
during the time Jeremy was there?
Sure. That I can do.
Say, Natalie, uh,
these two were going on
about a human lie detector.
I mean, that just sounds
like a load of malarkey to me.
- Did you ever run across a person like that?
- Nah.
They don't come work here.
They go to bougie law firms
where they get paid the big bucks.
Huh.
I really appreciate you assigning
your pro bono hours to this.
I'm sure you do.
'Cause based on the voir dire record
and the trial transcript,
I estimate that sex tape
cost you at least four jurors.
(SIGHS HEAVILY)
Should have called me in sooner.
- Wouldn't have changed what happened today.
- No.
But it would have gotten you
a bigger margin to begin with.
Ah, anyway, that's
all, what do they say?
Water under Gramercy Tavern?
- Oh, is that what they say?
- I'm just eager to get into court
and observe the panel for myself.
- Hmm.
- I'll be able to tell
who we can win back. I'm always right.
Oh, except for Gramercy Tavern.
Oh, I was right about that.
(GROANS)
This is Shae. She'll be
helping with our jury.
Did you find anything useful?
Jeremy's sudden urge to volunteer
was definitely court-ordered.
Now, the records are sealed,
but we got the list of
supervisors for each park
and then cross-referenced it
with the dates of his
social media posts.
So we know which employee
signed off on his community service.
- An older woman named Marla Freeport.
- Excellent.
You three go and interview Marla
and try and find
anything. Anything useful.
SHAE: Wait. Matlock, is it?
- You're staying with us.
- Actually, um,
I'm a pretty good interviewer,
not to toot my own horn.
Toot away. But you know
what you're terrible at?
Not reacting to sex tapes.
And we can't let the image
of a scandalized old lady
linger in the jury's mind. Right?
So, while Olympia tries to
win them back on the stand,
you're going to sit right next to Alex.
Show the jury that you support her.
And her orgasms.
Which I certainly do,
believe you me, but, uh
aren't you worried that it's
gonna look a little engineered?
Pupils are dilated, your voice is tight,
and you're perspiring ever so slightly.
Why are you nervous?
Because I'm worried
I messed up the case.
First with my phone, then with my face.
But if you think it'll be
helpful for me to come to court,
say no more, I'm coming.
OLYMPIA: As the head of HR,
what, if anything,
did your department do to
investigate Alex Ramos' claim?
- (SHAE CLEARS THROAT)
- MS. PARK: After she reported it,
we spoke to Mr. Brooks,
and we concluded it was a situation
with a lot of smoke but no fire.
The alleged attacker
said he didn't do it,
so you believed him. Case closed?
DEFENSE COUNSEL: How many
negative performance reviews
were logged in about Ms.
Ramos before she decided
to come forward with this claim?
- Four.
- And were all four of those
- made by Mr. Brooks?
- No.
The other two came from a
senior VP Sheryl Mathers.
Yes, I filed those two claims.
Her reports were late
and riddled with mistakes,
plus she missed meetings.
And just to be clear, you didn't try
to hit on Ms. Ramos
or grope her, did you?
No, I did not.
(LAUGHTER)
How long have you worked
directly with Ms. Ramos?
A little over three years.
In all that time, how many
bad reports did she turn in?
Before the ones that you described.
None that I can recall.
OLYMPIA: How many meetings did she skip?
MATHERS: None that I can recall.
So the first time her
performance slipped was January,
just after the holiday party?
Yeah. Alex was drinking
a lot that night,
but it was because she was
gonna have to be around Jeremy.
OLYMPIA: So why not just stay home,
- skip the party entirely?
- You can't.
It's a party culture. Showing up counts.
Ms. Ramos claims her termination
was a form of retaliation
for reporting Mr. Brooks,
but you're here today,
so the firm can't be too retaliatory.
Objection. Outside the scope.
BOLDING: Sustained.
DEFENSE COUNSEL: No further
questions, Your Honor.
OLYMPIA: Wait, I only have two jurors?
- Why?
- Well, you picked up one,
but you lost your three swing votes.
- Tell me the how.
- Juror seven uncrossed his legs
when defense counsel spoke,
signaling an openness to the content,
but when you got up, he
leaned back and to the right.
A clear sign he disengaged.
Juror six kept closing her eyes
when you had Ms. Park on the stand,
and juror three took less notes
when you were talking to
Isabel, and by the end he was
- doodling.
- Enough!
Okay, just tell me, how
do I get the majority back?
Not happening. They don't like you.
I wasn't there when you lost them,
but trust me, you don't have them now.
But, look, there's good news, too.
They really like her.
In my opinion, Matty should
try the rest of the case.
Matty, to try this case?
- Mm-hmm.
- Now, that's ridiculous.
Amen. Hallelujah. I'm rustier
than a pitchfork in a pool.
- Moving on.
- OLYMPIA: Agreed.
If big if the jury prefers Matty,
it's because she's been pulling focus.
So the answer is not
to involve her more,
it's to get her out of
the courtroom entirely.
- Did you find anything?
- Got confirmation.
Jeremy was convicted of a crime,
and it was for groping,
which means a history
of forcible touching.
The park ranger's
willing to take the stand,
and she has all her
notes from back then.
Wow. Okay, fill me in on the way.
We can still make it to Bolding's
chambers before lunch ends.
Has anybody seen my phone?
SHAE: Grabbing lunch at Gramercy Tavern.
I'll look for it there.
See you back in court.
MATTY: Oh, shoot.
You know, you should go ahead.
Judge Bolding was a Marine,
so he runs a tight schedule.
I just took a, a page
out of Sarah's playbook.
You know, I did a little research
on the judge after the phone incident.
S-Sorry.
My dad was a Marine.
He died recently.
Anyway, um,
please find my phone.
Uh, yeah.
Send the flowers.
BILLY: Bad news.
Bolding didn't go for it.
Said any indication of a past
criminal record is too prejudicial.
MATTY: Prejudicial? The
man let in a sex tape.
Rule 609.
Alex lied on the stand
and impeached herself.
That's why he did it.
Damn.
Olympia's got to score
some real points with Derek
- to move that needle.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Let me know how it goes.
Hey.
Derek, once you began
working at Lock Stone Capital,
how long before you and Alex broke up?
Maybe two, three weeks.
Why did things end?
Alex wasn't comfortable
dating someone at the office.
OLYMPIA: So, what, leaking the video
was some kind of revenge porn?
No. (SIGHS)
I was pissed about the breakup,
showed some colleagues the video,
word got around, I guess.
I feel so badly.
It shouldn't have gotten out.
Agreed.
Was boss and employee
the only role-playing
you two took a part in?
No, we did a lot of that
stuff: doctor and patient,
vampire and virgin, pirate and sailor.
And does that role-playing
reflect what you want in real life?
No. That's that's
why they're fantasies.
Because they're things you wouldn't do.
Things you wouldn't do.
Thank you, Derek.
You were right. We need Matty.
Talk about timing. I was
just down in reception
getting a coffee, I heard
these were for Olympia,
- so I grabbed 'em.
- Oh, thank you so much.
Uh, the card's not even signed.
Oh, shoot. No good deed.
You know, I bet you can
still catch the delivery guy.
Between you and me, he was about
as quick as a herd of turtles.
Okay, thanks. I'll try to catch him.
Yup.
♪
♪
(QUIETLY): Right.
Okay.
Tell Julian to stop calling me Big E.
It sounds like Biggie,
and I don't think he realizes it.
How'd it go in court?
- Walk with me.
- Huh?
Come on, come on, come on,
come on, come on, come on.
ELIJAH: So, the case.
It's a mess, actually.
My client had a workplace romance
that came back to bite her.
I guess that's why
they're not recommended.
And that's why we're
waiting till November.
We're not gonna be messy.
We're being thoughtful and deliberate.
- Right. Yes.
- Yeah.
Uh, so, listen,
Big E
- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
- what are you doing tonight?
(CHUCKLING)
- Matty?
- Ah!
- Well
- OLYMPIA: What are you doing?
I heard you were coming back
and burning the midnight oil,
so I thought I'd get
you a cup of coffee.
It was just a friendly gesture
We are not friends! We are colleagues.
And I don't need a coffee,
I need a working computer.
Let me take it to I.T.
- Let it go.
- Okay.
- I'm sorry.
- Look.
I actually need you for
something much more important.
You're trying this case.
What?
Shae was right. I lost the jury.
- Oh, you'll get 'em back.
- Mm-mm.
- No, I haven't tried a case in 30 years.
- Oh, no, I know, I know.
But it's like, it's like riding a bike.
You know? Down a cliff. With no brakes.
- (QUIET MUMBLING)
- Okay, I'm joking.
We are going to get
you back up to speed.
- Why are you so jittery?
- (SIGHS)
Shae,
I know you're good at your job,
and I'm trying to be good at mine, too.
Which means I have to get the
details of this case straight,
which is a little hard to
do while I'm being stared at.
Okay, see, that feels true.
I can't believe my Park
and Rec witness got booted.
I can't believe that Matlock's
been here for ten days
and gets to try a case
while I've been here
for ten months churning
out rock star product,
and because of some
- Okay, good talk.
- SARAH: Real quick.
Was it because I used your name
at Cafe Carmellini to get a table?
Because I was actually just
trying to sign a client
That's not it, nor is this the time.
Were you able to fix it?
Sorry, boss. Laptop's totally fried.
Wha ?
Big E.
- Let's be done with that.
- (CHUCKLES)
I thought you were done for the day.
I'm gonna help Olympia.
Heading up to the mock trial room.
- It's all-hands-on-deck.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Going to the same place, Little J.
I'm sorry they can't fix your laptop.
But you have everything saved, right?
In the company cloud?
No. Not everything.
ELIJAH: Well, looks like you roped
us both in. (CHUCKLES)
Thank you for helping.
Julian, you're playing defendant.
- Elijah, you're opposing, and Shae is
- Hey, Matty, you're up.
- Let's see that cross.
- MATTY: Great.
Perfect. Uh, let's see.
- I'll start with
- Don't give us your road map.
Right, uh, of course.
Um, Mr. Brooks, how many
drinks had you had ?
- Objection. Foundation.
- SHAE: Sustained.
Got to lay the groundwork first.
(SIGHS) Of course. Um
- Isn't it true that ?
- ELIJAH: Objection. Leading the witness.
Right. Right. Sorry. Okay.
Um, Mr. Brooks,
- walk me through the night of the party
- OLYMPIA: Too broad.
Scope. All right? Keep it narrow.
You've got this. I saw that résumé
Just never tried this
type of case, that's all.
What else is going on?
- Nothing.
- No.
- I can feel it. Something's off.
- Nothing's off.
No, and if I can feel
it, the jury will feel it.
You might as well say it,
- I'm going to find out.
- It's nothing. It's not
- You're not being honest, Matty, why?
- Because I'm faking it!
The truth is, I don't think
we should have taken this case.
Back in my day,
we put up with comments
like that all the time.
And if they got bad, we avoided the guy.
We didn't get drunk at a holiday party
and end up alone with him.
(ALEX GASPS)
Oh, God.
♪
I'm so sorry.
It's generational.
We just put up with
different things then.
Matty, I don't care
what "certain things"
you did or did not put up with.
Or what you did or did not
miss out on as a result,
which may or may not have
contributed to the fact
that you had to go back to work at 75.
The only thing I want
my daughter to have
to put up with is
extreme professionalism.
Yes, I could have chosen
a different client,
I could have chosen
a more perfect client.
But I want this win on the
books because Alex is messy.
And I want my daughter
to be able to be messy.
You think that.
Is that what this is
about? Your daughter?
I
assume there is some sort of issue
since your grandson is living with you?
The issue is, his parents
died in a car accident.
I'm sorry.
No, this isn't about me.
Exactly. Or your feelings.
So put 'em aside,
just like I had to put mine aside
and accept the fact that,
despite all my experience
or the fact that I am two
and a half times better
than everyone around me, I have
to let you try my case.
- I, I never wanted to be there.
- Yeah, well, guess what.
After your phone went off,
I had to have you there.
Because some jurors laughed,
and I didn't want them to
think that I was being mean
to the sweet little old white lady
who made a simple mistake.
How can I make this right?
Go home.
Brush up on procedure.
Build your cross step-by-step.
And tomorrow don't just give 'em hell,
give them the damn heavens,
limbo, and everything in between.
Because Alex deserves a win.
♪
- Aw
- EDWIN: So, how's it going?
Well, considering I
was a contract lawyer
my whole career and never
set foot in a courtroom?
I have to figure out a
way to convince the jury
that Jeremy Brooks isn't
one of the good guys.
Hmm.
My inexperience can't
be why we lose this case.
It won't be.
Because pressure is where
you thrive, Madeline Kingston.
You do impossible things every day.
Nobody ever sees you coming.
- True, that.
- So you just go in there
and give 'em the full monty.
Or I guess maybe I
should say the full Matty?
- No, you shouldn't.
- (CHUCKLES)
And yes, I will.
Good.
- Hey, you know who I've been thinking about a lot?
- Hmm?
Greg Owens. You remember that guy?
(SCOFFS) Oh, that guy.
Yes, I do.
(CHUCKLES)
Maybe he wasn't that funny.
Hmm?
Anyway, just figuring things out.
Step-by-step.
♪
Sorry, I forgot my notepad.
Hello, Mr. Brooks.
Hello.
Oops, I need my glasses.
Uh (CHUCKLES) There we go.
(LAUGHTER) Sorry.
Thanks for your patience.
Okay.
(SIGHS)
As senior vice president,
are you in charge of hiring?
Yes.
- And why did you hire Alex?
- JEREMY: Well,
she had a strong résumé,
good recommendation,
- good interview.
- Got it.
So you thought she was a good candidate?
And a
a good person, is that a qualification?
I'd say so, yes.
MATTY: And do you mind telling us
what your definition
of a good person is?
Just so we're all on the same page.
Someone who works hard,
is nice and honest,
- and wants to do well.
- Agreed.
And would you say a good person is
self-sacrificing at work?
- Sure.
- Somebody who,
- who goes the extra mile?
- Yes.
And what about someone
who steals from the firm?
It's oh, wait, that's (CHUCKLING)
That's obviously not.
Oh. I, uh, meant to
cross that off my notepad.
Okay, um
But I guess I could ask,
what about a criminal? Good person?
I assume no.
I assume the same.
Would you label yourself a good person?
Yes.
MATTY: Got it.
Just a tiny bit confused,
um, so bear with me.
You said
criminals are not good people,
and then you said you define
yourself as a good person.
- Objection. Relevance?
- MATTY: Permission to approach
the bench, Your Honor, regarding
sensitive impeachment evidence.
DEFENSE COUNSEL: This is ridiculous.
He already weighed in on
my client's past criminal history.
It's inadmissible.
Oh, I think lying under
oath is a whole lot worse.
That's how you got your sexy video in.
Rule 609.
Right, Your Honor?
Rules are rules.
Your client impeached
himself. I'll allow it.
Mr. Brooks, have you ever been
convicted of sexual assault?
Answer the question, Mr. Brooks.
JEREMY: Um
yes.
But it was expunged.
Good thing I didn't cross
that question off my list.
♪
Whew, good job getting
the Parks and Rec evidence
in through the back door.
It helped. A lot.
But it's all gonna come down to closing.
Oh, I emailed you mine last night.
And I got it,
but I'd like to go another
way, if that's okay.
As long as you win the case.
MATTY: I'm just gonna
start off by saying,
if I seem a little nervous,
I am.
Because I know what many
of you are thinking.
This girl, my client
Alex is sloppy. Careless.
Maybe even a little to blame?
And I know you're thinking this
because I started out
thinking the same thing.
I mean, frankly, I didn't get it.
Back in my day, if somebody
tried to kiss you in a closet,
sounded like a Tuesday.
In fact, we had a code name for bosses
who liked to cop a feel.
"Pants," as in "wear them."
I guess we were just a
little tougher back then.
You know, no trigger warnings.
We just played cards with
the hand we were dealt.
No big deal.
At least that's what I thought.
And then I remembered Greg.
At least that's what I'll call him here.
Greg was a big shot lawyer
when I was just starting out,
and he'd make these
silly comments.
"Maybe Matty should sleep
with opposing counsel to win."
Stuff like that.
And then, one night,
I was working late and
I went to the break room
to get a coffee,
and, uh
well, without getting
into too much detail,
he crossed a line.
So I went home
and I told my husband what happened.
Sort of.
What I said was,
"Greg got fresh with me."
And, man, those five
words did a lot of work.
But I was fine,
and we even laughed about
what a buffoon he was.
And then we decided that
I'd just stay out of his way.
That's what I did. Easy peasy.
And then I made decisions like
"don't focus on litigation,"
because that's what Greg specialized in.
So I hid,
I decided that drafting
contracts made me happy.
You know, it's funny.
It seemed like a small thing back then.
Completely subverted my dreams.
Which isn't small at all, is it?
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
my initial judgment of Alex
came from my bias.
'Cause I'm from a different generation,
I assumed things about her,
things that were not true.
You know what is true?
Alejandra Ramos is
incredibly hardworking.
She loved her job.
She was good at it
and she should have been
able to continue doing it.
And the reason she
couldn't was Jeremy Brooks.
And I want to leave
you with one last thing.
I know one of our big questions is
why Alex waited so long to
report what Jeremy Brooks did.
But you see, I don't think
that's the real question at all
because that question
answers itself, doesn't it?
I mean, we all know what
happens to whistleblowers,
and it ain't pretty.
I mean, sometimes they
even have intimate tapes
shown in public courtrooms.
The real question is,
how bad must it have been
for Alex to risk everything
and finally report it?
Nice closing, Counselor.
♪
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor. But
first we have a question.
BOLDING: Go ahead.
Can the jury award more than
the plaintiff has requested?
♪
Wait for it.
Wait for it.
$9 million!
Ha! Ooh, baby.
(LAUGHS)
If I didn't know any better,
I'd think we were becoming friends.
We're not, we're just colleagues
who occasionally dance over
- their $9 million verdict.
- Yeah!
(LAUGHS)
My final report for the case file.
Thank you.
You were right. Matty was the call.
I'm always right.
Why did you agree to help me, Shae?
Oh, you know,
it's not easy finding pro
bono hours around these parts.
Whoa.
You broke eye contact.
You started walking,
creating a physical distance
between the two of us.
I'm no expert,
but I'd say that you were
lying.
(DIALOGUE INAUDIBLE)
I'll show you mine if you show me yours.
Tell the truth about Gramercy Tavern.
Okay, fine.
That night, at the recruiting dinner,
I told Senior that
he shouldn't hire you.
I didn't think it was a culture fit.
Meaning you didn't like me.
Or trust you. Exactly.
But
clearly, I was wrong.
You are quite the culture fit.
Well, your case wasn't pro bono.
Julian paid my full fee
out of his own pocket.
Yeah, I know.
Which is why I'll give you
one last piece of advice.
Whatever you're doing with Elijah
be careful.
(DOOR OPENS)
(SIGHS)
Heard you won.
Well, my client did.
Me? I don't know.
I get it.
I know you do,
which makes what I'm
about to say even harder.
I was fooling myself into thinking that
November was gonna make everything okay.
Yes, I will officially be divorced,
but Julian will still be pissed,
and things will still be messy,
and he is the father of my children.
I have to put my family first.
- Olympia
- No, no.
It's not just that.
I can't be the center of gossip.
This is my career.
I need people talking about
the quality of my work,
not my love life.
I'm not gonna beg you.
That's what makes this so hard.
Olympia, hi.
So, I was getting in the elevator,
and then it hit me.
It's all the exclamation
points in my emails,
right? I mean, it's juvenile,
it's unprofessional. That's it.
You want to know what you did?
Yes.
You've told me five mistakes
that you've made, unsolicited.
You're so eager to get ahead that
it's clouding your judgment,
and that's why I don't trust you.
Yet.
♪
Your discovery was a game changer.
(LAUGHING): Okay. Want
me to call your mom?
She gave me her number, and she's been
texting me the cutest baby photos.
Don't you dare. (LAUGHS)
And we both know you won the case today.
Now, see?
Sarah would've taken that victory
and used it to negotiate
a corner office,
and you can't even say,
"Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am"?
I don't think that means
what you think it does.
But you're right.
I may have a bit of
an impostor syndrome.
Everybody here went to an Ivy,
and I went to city college,
and, uh, my cop connections
are the only reason
they hired me to begin with, so
That's a bunch of hooey, Billy.
You've got great instincts,
you're resourceful.
And the fact that you went to
city college and ended up here?
That's a lot more impressive
than taking the Harvard express.
Hell, let me see that diploma.
Okay, okay.
Nice.
We're gonna hang it right there.
Tomorrow. Got to get home.
ALFIE: Just stay away from her.
Oh, I plan to. Trust me.
So, how's it going, kiddo?
Did you find an email that said,
"I hid the documents"?
Nope, but I'm gonna read through
everything on Olympia's computer.
♪
Matty?
- Ah!
- What are you doing?
MATTY: Oh, I'm so sorry.
She was really worried about
something she didn't back up.
It could be this.
Found it buried in an
unmarked folder on a zip file.
Everything else is
labeled and organized.
Open it, kid.
MAN: Ollie baby, it's Dad.
I know you've been
nervous about your test,
but don't forget you're two and a
half times as good as everyone else.
So you go in there and
don't just give them hell.
Give them the damn heavens, limbo,
and everything in between.
We're not friends.
Previously on Matlock
- Sorry, who are you?
- Madeline Madlock.
Like the old TV show.
Why do you want to work at my firm?
I need to make some money
because I'm bitter and broke.
Good evening, Mrs. Kingston.
There she is, our conquering hero.
You'd be a lot less cheery if you knew
how I talked about you at work.
Gambling, cheating. Not to mention dead.
So, when do you get
to work on drug cases?
I have to build up a little trust first.
One of those three hid documents
that could've taken
opioids off the market
ten years earlier.
Think of how many lives
that could have saved.
Including our daughter's.
Trust comes hard to me.
And that's not fair when
we're working together,
which I'm glad we are doing.
Me, too.
- I think we got it.
- I knew it. Let's go.
MATTY: You wanted passcodes, kid?
Well, now we know how to
get into Olympia's phone.
MATTY: Okay, married, two kids.
NYU grad.
What else you got there, kiddo?
ALFIE: Uh, he coaches
his son's Little League.
They have a terrible record.
How's the profiling going?
Well, we haven't found
our way in just yet.
Used to be a Marine
Oh. Hang on.
Yeah
Now that's something I can work with.
OLYPMIA: Joelle Miller.
- What do we know?
- Okay, her court questionnaire says
I read it, I'm looking
for deeper insight.
He said/she said cases
are all about nuance.
Here's what I found: Joelle
Miller was fired two years ago
and posted repeatedly that
it was, quote, "so unfair."
Good. So, she'll be empathetic
to a wrongful termination case.
Not so fast. I went back
further and Joelle couldn't make
her cousin's graduation four years ago,
but posted on Instagram,
"Congratulations. Can't wait
to see you make it rain at "
Lock Stone Capital.
Ms. Miller, you told the court
that you have no relationship
to the defendant's firm,
but doesn't your cousin work at
one of their branches in San Diego?
Oh, Laura? W-we hardly talk anymore.
Hmm. So you wouldn't have a problem
delivering a guilty
verdict against her company?
I mean, that wouldn't
make Thanksgiving awkward?
Move to strike for cause.
Zach Brammer. No red
flags on his questionnaire
or Instagram and I went
back five years, so
Fraternity brother was #MeToo'd.
Peremptory challenge on juror ten.
Tony Lambiase is up next and
I got him at a candlelight
vigil for Take Back the Night.
Relax, research is her thing.
We all have our things.
Peremptory challenge on juror 16.
Steer clear of Peter Harper.
Peremptory challenge on juror 26.
We need 41, we need 41.
Yes. We'll accept 41 as our final juror.
Good job, you three.
BOLDING: Looks like we have our jury.
I'd like to thank everyone for
(PHONE RINGING)
Whose phone is that?
(RINGING)
(RINGING)
Oh, I'm so sorry,
Judge Bolding, it's me.
Oh, for heaven's sake,
I thought that was the silence button.
- God, I can't believe this.
- (RINGING)
I, uh
(RINGING)
It's asking for my code again.
- Turn that off right now!
- MATTY: Locked out?
- Oh, fudge it.
- (MUFFLED RINGING)
(GALLERY CHUCKLING)
You were saying, Judge Bolding?
I was saying no phones in
my courtroom from now on.
MATTY: It worked.
The judge banned all phones from court
for the rest of the trial.
Well, to a bad job, well done.
(CHUCKLES)
ALFIE: Well, step one is well done.
Now you have to get Olympia's phone
so you can unlock her computer.
And access her emails. I know, I know.
You're stressing me out, kid.
- So, tomorrow?
- Yep, when Olympia's in court.
And I don't have to be there
because I pissed off the
Honorable Judge Bolding.
I'm thrilled. This
case is such a stinker.
- Why's that?
- Sexual harassment,
wrongful termination and shaky evidence.
To win, you have to be a nun.
Lose, you set us back 50 years.
Well, what's the plaintiff like?
Nice girl. Not a nun.
What's wrong with this shirt, again?
It's just a teensy bit loud, darlin'.
Course, not as loud as my phone.
And I'm, again, so sorry about that.
Ah, stop. I'm just glad
it was you and not me.
I'm usually the chaos agent.
That's why I'm so nervous to testify.
I feel like I'm gonna
say the wrong thing.
Just tell the truth.
You know? But just maybe,
maybe in a jacket, yeah?
So nobody gets distracted
by those boobies.
But isn't that the point?
I can have my boobies out
and it shouldn't matter.
I'm just messing with you, Matty.
I understand perception.
(BILLY CHUCKLES)
Um
Did either of you notice Olympia
overlook me during voir dire?
I absolutely nailed the research.
I mean, I was playing 3D chess
while you two were playing tic-tac-toe.
But she said "good job, you three."
- Does she not like me?
- What's not to like?
Should I ask her?
No, definitely not.
- I'm going to.
- I assumed.
How's the split?
- Way better.
- Mm.
Julian and I are finally getting along.
I was talking about your jury.
Oh, I know.
But I'm happier about
Julian than the jury,
which could go either way.
Elijah, how long till November?
So we can
study that jury.
- Hey, Julian.
- JULIAN: Hey.
Heard you have a tight margin
on your he said/she said.
You know who you should get?
Don't say the Meerkat.
JULIAN: I wasn't going
to say the Meerkat
because you're the only
one who calls her that.
He's just jealous because
his nicknames don't stick.
Mine? They stick.
Because she makes them stick,
to the point of discomfort
- That is not true.
- Our dry cleaner?
- Riverboat Ron.
- It caught on. Admit that it caught on.
All right, I'm, uh, taking off
before you give me a nickname.
(LAUGHTER)
JULIAN: He just challenged you.
Big E?
Mm-mm.
Fine, but I'm serious about the Meerkat.
- Ah
- Ah, Shae. She owes the firm pro bono hours.
Hard pass.
All right.
OLYMPIA: Oh. Alex, you look great.
All right, let's go.
Olympia, real quick.
So I'm sure you noticed
how I crushed voir dire.
And it's not that I need credit
because I am not that kind of person.
But I just wanted to
make sure that I didn't
do anything to make you
displeased with my work.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
- You know what you did.
(ELEVATOR CLOSES)
Here are the hard copies of
those emails you asked for.
And were you referring
to the mistake that I made
on the Zander brief?
I corrected it.
I didn't think you would notice.
It wasn't the Zander brief.
Everyone ready?
Good luck, everybody.
And just a reminder, no phones.
I'll keep them safe.
Wait, you're not coming?
Um, Judge Bolding isn't a fan of mine,
so I just, uh, best
not give him a reason
to rule against us. Right, boss?
Actually, I think you should come.
Alex finds you comforting
and she has a tough day
of questioning ahead.
(DOOR OPENS)
No. I had no interest in Jeremy.
I wasn't attracted to him,
but more importantly, he was my boss.
I
could never imagine being
with him in that way.
OLYMPIA: Let's talk
about the holiday party.
- You were drinking?
- ALEX: Yes.
Everyone was, heavily. That's
just the way our work parties go.
And when did you first
encounter your boss
Jeremy Brooks?
Early on, he came up to me,
complimented me on my dress,
how it "made my body look banging."
Was that the first time
he used comments like that?
ALEX: No. He would always be at my desk
or seeking me out on work trips.
It made me really uncomfortable.
But I never reported it
because this was my dream job.
In your own words, Alex,
tell us what happened in the coat closet
the night of the holiday party.
(MOUTHS)
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
ALEX: Well,
around midnight,
I started to feel sick,
so I went to go get my coat.
And Jeremy followed me.
And, um, he got handsy,
I guess you would say.
I tried to push him
off, but he kept coming,
and he touched my butt and
breasts and pulled down my dress
Do you think that he was just
trying to "help you stand up"?
Absolutely not.
I-I was drunk, but I knew
exactly what he was doing.
And the only reason why
he stopped is because
I threw up on the floor.
OLYMPIA: And then what?
The next day after it happened,
I went into a meeting,
and Jeremy was there,
and I had a panic attack.
And then they kept happening,
so I tried avoiding him,
which meant skipping out on meetings.
So, yeah, my work slipped.
But my work slipped
because of what he did.
I shouldn't have been fired,
he should have been.
OLYMPIA: No further questions.
Ms. Ramos, you stated earlier
that you would never
jeopardize your career
by dating someone you
work with, is that correct?
- Yes.
- Could you tell me the nature
of your relationship with Derek Liu?
ALEX: Uh
Um, Derek and I dated
for about six months
- And did you work together?
- ALEX: Uh, sort of, yeah.
DEFENSE COUNSEL: Well, I mean,
it's a yes or no question, right?
Were you or were you not
in a romantic
relationship with Derek Liu
while you both were working at the firm?
Yes, but I
You also testified that
you could never imagine
having a romantic relationship
with your boss Mr.
Brooks, is that correct?
- Yes, that's correct.
- Permission to approach the bench
with some sensitive
impeachment evidence?
Your Honor, this is a video
that Ms. Ramos and Mr. Liu made
while they were dating.
It just came into our possession.
But it does contain
some delicate content
that proves she lied under oath.
If that is what I think it is,
it is highly prejudicial.
I'll review it,
and if it proves she lied
under oath, not much I can do.
Rules are rules.
Hey, boss?
Quick question.
If I spank you with
this training manual,
can I get a promotion?
(ALEX MOANING IN VIDEO)
Fix your face.
Why didn't you tell us that
you dated someone at the firm?
Because we met before he was hired.
And I broke up with
him a couple weeks after
he got the job at Lock Stone
because he got the job there.
I-I can't even imagine what
you must be thinking of me.
Oh, I'm not one to judge.
OLYMPIA: But the jury definitely is.
Fair or not, you lost a
lot of credibility up there.
Right. That's why I was thinking
They attacked Alex,
so we need to attack Jeremy, too. Right?
And I noticed some
inconsistencies in his résumé,
coinciding with some
old social media posts
where it looks like he's
volunteering at the park.
I saw that. #doinggoodthesedays.
- What does that ?
- Well, it's a park where I know they do
court-ordered community service.
Look, I know Jeremy
doesn't have a record,
but maybe it was sealed.
So I thought we three can
go down to the precinct
and see what we can dig up.
That's a great idea, Billy. Go.
In the meantime, I
need to lure the Meerkat
out of whatever cave
she's currently hiding in.
MATTY: Who the heck is the Meerkat?
Shae Banfield, the
firm's jury consultant.
She's incredible.
A master of body language,
facial expressions,
- neurolinguistics
- A legit human lie detector.
Huh. That's not possible.
That's what I thought, but she's insane.
She can tell if someone's
even thinking about lying.
Billy, do they know you're coming?
Oh, they know every move I make,
whether I tell them or not.
So, what's her thing?
No eye contact? Too much eye contact?
Is she one of those pheromone people?
You know, 'cause there's
some shoddy science
You're under arrest! You have
the right to remain adorable.
Well, you must be
Billy's sister Natalie.
Look at my little pechocho precioso.
Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay.
And this is my mom
Grace. You know Sarah.
And this is
The famous Matty. It's so nice
to meet his work abuela.
- Ma, did you look up the name I sent?
- Yeah.
The, uh, record is
sealed, so I can't tell you
what the conviction was for
or even if he had a conviction at all.
But I can tell you you were right.
The vest he's wearing in
those pictures is state-issued.
- MATTY: Smart kid you got there.
- Right?
I don't know why he had
to go and be a lawyer.
Mom, could you look up the
Park Department's employee
who was responsible for that park
during the time Jeremy was there?
Sure. That I can do.
Say, Natalie, uh,
these two were going on
about a human lie detector.
I mean, that just sounds
like a load of malarkey to me.
- Did you ever run across a person like that?
- Nah.
They don't come work here.
They go to bougie law firms
where they get paid the big bucks.
Huh.
I really appreciate you assigning
your pro bono hours to this.
I'm sure you do.
'Cause based on the voir dire record
and the trial transcript,
I estimate that sex tape
cost you at least four jurors.
(SIGHS HEAVILY)
Should have called me in sooner.
- Wouldn't have changed what happened today.
- No.
But it would have gotten you
a bigger margin to begin with.
Ah, anyway, that's
all, what do they say?
Water under Gramercy Tavern?
- Oh, is that what they say?
- I'm just eager to get into court
and observe the panel for myself.
- Hmm.
- I'll be able to tell
who we can win back. I'm always right.
Oh, except for Gramercy Tavern.
Oh, I was right about that.
(GROANS)
This is Shae. She'll be
helping with our jury.
Did you find anything useful?
Jeremy's sudden urge to volunteer
was definitely court-ordered.
Now, the records are sealed,
but we got the list of
supervisors for each park
and then cross-referenced it
with the dates of his
social media posts.
So we know which employee
signed off on his community service.
- An older woman named Marla Freeport.
- Excellent.
You three go and interview Marla
and try and find
anything. Anything useful.
SHAE: Wait. Matlock, is it?
- You're staying with us.
- Actually, um,
I'm a pretty good interviewer,
not to toot my own horn.
Toot away. But you know
what you're terrible at?
Not reacting to sex tapes.
And we can't let the image
of a scandalized old lady
linger in the jury's mind. Right?
So, while Olympia tries to
win them back on the stand,
you're going to sit right next to Alex.
Show the jury that you support her.
And her orgasms.
Which I certainly do,
believe you me, but, uh
aren't you worried that it's
gonna look a little engineered?
Pupils are dilated, your voice is tight,
and you're perspiring ever so slightly.
Why are you nervous?
Because I'm worried
I messed up the case.
First with my phone, then with my face.
But if you think it'll be
helpful for me to come to court,
say no more, I'm coming.
OLYMPIA: As the head of HR,
what, if anything,
did your department do to
investigate Alex Ramos' claim?
- (SHAE CLEARS THROAT)
- MS. PARK: After she reported it,
we spoke to Mr. Brooks,
and we concluded it was a situation
with a lot of smoke but no fire.
The alleged attacker
said he didn't do it,
so you believed him. Case closed?
DEFENSE COUNSEL: How many
negative performance reviews
were logged in about Ms.
Ramos before she decided
to come forward with this claim?
- Four.
- And were all four of those
- made by Mr. Brooks?
- No.
The other two came from a
senior VP Sheryl Mathers.
Yes, I filed those two claims.
Her reports were late
and riddled with mistakes,
plus she missed meetings.
And just to be clear, you didn't try
to hit on Ms. Ramos
or grope her, did you?
No, I did not.
(LAUGHTER)
How long have you worked
directly with Ms. Ramos?
A little over three years.
In all that time, how many
bad reports did she turn in?
Before the ones that you described.
None that I can recall.
OLYMPIA: How many meetings did she skip?
MATHERS: None that I can recall.
So the first time her
performance slipped was January,
just after the holiday party?
Yeah. Alex was drinking
a lot that night,
but it was because she was
gonna have to be around Jeremy.
OLYMPIA: So why not just stay home,
- skip the party entirely?
- You can't.
It's a party culture. Showing up counts.
Ms. Ramos claims her termination
was a form of retaliation
for reporting Mr. Brooks,
but you're here today,
so the firm can't be too retaliatory.
Objection. Outside the scope.
BOLDING: Sustained.
DEFENSE COUNSEL: No further
questions, Your Honor.
OLYMPIA: Wait, I only have two jurors?
- Why?
- Well, you picked up one,
but you lost your three swing votes.
- Tell me the how.
- Juror seven uncrossed his legs
when defense counsel spoke,
signaling an openness to the content,
but when you got up, he
leaned back and to the right.
A clear sign he disengaged.
Juror six kept closing her eyes
when you had Ms. Park on the stand,
and juror three took less notes
when you were talking to
Isabel, and by the end he was
- doodling.
- Enough!
Okay, just tell me, how
do I get the majority back?
Not happening. They don't like you.
I wasn't there when you lost them,
but trust me, you don't have them now.
But, look, there's good news, too.
They really like her.
In my opinion, Matty should
try the rest of the case.
Matty, to try this case?
- Mm-hmm.
- Now, that's ridiculous.
Amen. Hallelujah. I'm rustier
than a pitchfork in a pool.
- Moving on.
- OLYMPIA: Agreed.
If big if the jury prefers Matty,
it's because she's been pulling focus.
So the answer is not
to involve her more,
it's to get her out of
the courtroom entirely.
- Did you find anything?
- Got confirmation.
Jeremy was convicted of a crime,
and it was for groping,
which means a history
of forcible touching.
The park ranger's
willing to take the stand,
and she has all her
notes from back then.
Wow. Okay, fill me in on the way.
We can still make it to Bolding's
chambers before lunch ends.
Has anybody seen my phone?
SHAE: Grabbing lunch at Gramercy Tavern.
I'll look for it there.
See you back in court.
MATTY: Oh, shoot.
You know, you should go ahead.
Judge Bolding was a Marine,
so he runs a tight schedule.
I just took a, a page
out of Sarah's playbook.
You know, I did a little research
on the judge after the phone incident.
S-Sorry.
My dad was a Marine.
He died recently.
Anyway, um,
please find my phone.
Uh, yeah.
Send the flowers.
BILLY: Bad news.
Bolding didn't go for it.
Said any indication of a past
criminal record is too prejudicial.
MATTY: Prejudicial? The
man let in a sex tape.
Rule 609.
Alex lied on the stand
and impeached herself.
That's why he did it.
Damn.
Olympia's got to score
some real points with Derek
- to move that needle.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Let me know how it goes.
Hey.
Derek, once you began
working at Lock Stone Capital,
how long before you and Alex broke up?
Maybe two, three weeks.
Why did things end?
Alex wasn't comfortable
dating someone at the office.
OLYMPIA: So, what, leaking the video
was some kind of revenge porn?
No. (SIGHS)
I was pissed about the breakup,
showed some colleagues the video,
word got around, I guess.
I feel so badly.
It shouldn't have gotten out.
Agreed.
Was boss and employee
the only role-playing
you two took a part in?
No, we did a lot of that
stuff: doctor and patient,
vampire and virgin, pirate and sailor.
And does that role-playing
reflect what you want in real life?
No. That's that's
why they're fantasies.
Because they're things you wouldn't do.
Things you wouldn't do.
Thank you, Derek.
You were right. We need Matty.
Talk about timing. I was
just down in reception
getting a coffee, I heard
these were for Olympia,
- so I grabbed 'em.
- Oh, thank you so much.
Uh, the card's not even signed.
Oh, shoot. No good deed.
You know, I bet you can
still catch the delivery guy.
Between you and me, he was about
as quick as a herd of turtles.
Okay, thanks. I'll try to catch him.
Yup.
♪
♪
(QUIETLY): Right.
Okay.
Tell Julian to stop calling me Big E.
It sounds like Biggie,
and I don't think he realizes it.
How'd it go in court?
- Walk with me.
- Huh?
Come on, come on, come on,
come on, come on, come on.
ELIJAH: So, the case.
It's a mess, actually.
My client had a workplace romance
that came back to bite her.
I guess that's why
they're not recommended.
And that's why we're
waiting till November.
We're not gonna be messy.
We're being thoughtful and deliberate.
- Right. Yes.
- Yeah.
Uh, so, listen,
Big E
- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
- what are you doing tonight?
(CHUCKLING)
- Matty?
- Ah!
- Well
- OLYMPIA: What are you doing?
I heard you were coming back
and burning the midnight oil,
so I thought I'd get
you a cup of coffee.
It was just a friendly gesture
We are not friends! We are colleagues.
And I don't need a coffee,
I need a working computer.
Let me take it to I.T.
- Let it go.
- Okay.
- I'm sorry.
- Look.
I actually need you for
something much more important.
You're trying this case.
What?
Shae was right. I lost the jury.
- Oh, you'll get 'em back.
- Mm-mm.
- No, I haven't tried a case in 30 years.
- Oh, no, I know, I know.
But it's like, it's like riding a bike.
You know? Down a cliff. With no brakes.
- (QUIET MUMBLING)
- Okay, I'm joking.
We are going to get
you back up to speed.
- Why are you so jittery?
- (SIGHS)
Shae,
I know you're good at your job,
and I'm trying to be good at mine, too.
Which means I have to get the
details of this case straight,
which is a little hard to
do while I'm being stared at.
Okay, see, that feels true.
I can't believe my Park
and Rec witness got booted.
I can't believe that Matlock's
been here for ten days
and gets to try a case
while I've been here
for ten months churning
out rock star product,
and because of some
- Okay, good talk.
- SARAH: Real quick.
Was it because I used your name
at Cafe Carmellini to get a table?
Because I was actually just
trying to sign a client
That's not it, nor is this the time.
Were you able to fix it?
Sorry, boss. Laptop's totally fried.
Wha ?
Big E.
- Let's be done with that.
- (CHUCKLES)
I thought you were done for the day.
I'm gonna help Olympia.
Heading up to the mock trial room.
- It's all-hands-on-deck.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Going to the same place, Little J.
I'm sorry they can't fix your laptop.
But you have everything saved, right?
In the company cloud?
No. Not everything.
ELIJAH: Well, looks like you roped
us both in. (CHUCKLES)
Thank you for helping.
Julian, you're playing defendant.
- Elijah, you're opposing, and Shae is
- Hey, Matty, you're up.
- Let's see that cross.
- MATTY: Great.
Perfect. Uh, let's see.
- I'll start with
- Don't give us your road map.
Right, uh, of course.
Um, Mr. Brooks, how many
drinks had you had ?
- Objection. Foundation.
- SHAE: Sustained.
Got to lay the groundwork first.
(SIGHS) Of course. Um
- Isn't it true that ?
- ELIJAH: Objection. Leading the witness.
Right. Right. Sorry. Okay.
Um, Mr. Brooks,
- walk me through the night of the party
- OLYMPIA: Too broad.
Scope. All right? Keep it narrow.
You've got this. I saw that résumé
Just never tried this
type of case, that's all.
What else is going on?
- Nothing.
- No.
- I can feel it. Something's off.
- Nothing's off.
No, and if I can feel
it, the jury will feel it.
You might as well say it,
- I'm going to find out.
- It's nothing. It's not
- You're not being honest, Matty, why?
- Because I'm faking it!
The truth is, I don't think
we should have taken this case.
Back in my day,
we put up with comments
like that all the time.
And if they got bad, we avoided the guy.
We didn't get drunk at a holiday party
and end up alone with him.
(ALEX GASPS)
Oh, God.
♪
I'm so sorry.
It's generational.
We just put up with
different things then.
Matty, I don't care
what "certain things"
you did or did not put up with.
Or what you did or did not
miss out on as a result,
which may or may not have
contributed to the fact
that you had to go back to work at 75.
The only thing I want
my daughter to have
to put up with is
extreme professionalism.
Yes, I could have chosen
a different client,
I could have chosen
a more perfect client.
But I want this win on the
books because Alex is messy.
And I want my daughter
to be able to be messy.
You think that.
Is that what this is
about? Your daughter?
I
assume there is some sort of issue
since your grandson is living with you?
The issue is, his parents
died in a car accident.
I'm sorry.
No, this isn't about me.
Exactly. Or your feelings.
So put 'em aside,
just like I had to put mine aside
and accept the fact that,
despite all my experience
or the fact that I am two
and a half times better
than everyone around me, I have
to let you try my case.
- I, I never wanted to be there.
- Yeah, well, guess what.
After your phone went off,
I had to have you there.
Because some jurors laughed,
and I didn't want them to
think that I was being mean
to the sweet little old white lady
who made a simple mistake.
How can I make this right?
Go home.
Brush up on procedure.
Build your cross step-by-step.
And tomorrow don't just give 'em hell,
give them the damn heavens,
limbo, and everything in between.
Because Alex deserves a win.
♪
- Aw
- EDWIN: So, how's it going?
Well, considering I
was a contract lawyer
my whole career and never
set foot in a courtroom?
I have to figure out a
way to convince the jury
that Jeremy Brooks isn't
one of the good guys.
Hmm.
My inexperience can't
be why we lose this case.
It won't be.
Because pressure is where
you thrive, Madeline Kingston.
You do impossible things every day.
Nobody ever sees you coming.
- True, that.
- So you just go in there
and give 'em the full monty.
Or I guess maybe I
should say the full Matty?
- No, you shouldn't.
- (CHUCKLES)
And yes, I will.
Good.
- Hey, you know who I've been thinking about a lot?
- Hmm?
Greg Owens. You remember that guy?
(SCOFFS) Oh, that guy.
Yes, I do.
(CHUCKLES)
Maybe he wasn't that funny.
Hmm?
Anyway, just figuring things out.
Step-by-step.
♪
Sorry, I forgot my notepad.
Hello, Mr. Brooks.
Hello.
Oops, I need my glasses.
Uh (CHUCKLES) There we go.
(LAUGHTER) Sorry.
Thanks for your patience.
Okay.
(SIGHS)
As senior vice president,
are you in charge of hiring?
Yes.
- And why did you hire Alex?
- JEREMY: Well,
she had a strong résumé,
good recommendation,
- good interview.
- Got it.
So you thought she was a good candidate?
And a
a good person, is that a qualification?
I'd say so, yes.
MATTY: And do you mind telling us
what your definition
of a good person is?
Just so we're all on the same page.
Someone who works hard,
is nice and honest,
- and wants to do well.
- Agreed.
And would you say a good person is
self-sacrificing at work?
- Sure.
- Somebody who,
- who goes the extra mile?
- Yes.
And what about someone
who steals from the firm?
It's oh, wait, that's (CHUCKLING)
That's obviously not.
Oh. I, uh, meant to
cross that off my notepad.
Okay, um
But I guess I could ask,
what about a criminal? Good person?
I assume no.
I assume the same.
Would you label yourself a good person?
Yes.
MATTY: Got it.
Just a tiny bit confused,
um, so bear with me.
You said
criminals are not good people,
and then you said you define
yourself as a good person.
- Objection. Relevance?
- MATTY: Permission to approach
the bench, Your Honor, regarding
sensitive impeachment evidence.
DEFENSE COUNSEL: This is ridiculous.
He already weighed in on
my client's past criminal history.
It's inadmissible.
Oh, I think lying under
oath is a whole lot worse.
That's how you got your sexy video in.
Rule 609.
Right, Your Honor?
Rules are rules.
Your client impeached
himself. I'll allow it.
Mr. Brooks, have you ever been
convicted of sexual assault?
Answer the question, Mr. Brooks.
JEREMY: Um
yes.
But it was expunged.
Good thing I didn't cross
that question off my list.
♪
Whew, good job getting
the Parks and Rec evidence
in through the back door.
It helped. A lot.
But it's all gonna come down to closing.
Oh, I emailed you mine last night.
And I got it,
but I'd like to go another
way, if that's okay.
As long as you win the case.
MATTY: I'm just gonna
start off by saying,
if I seem a little nervous,
I am.
Because I know what many
of you are thinking.
This girl, my client
Alex is sloppy. Careless.
Maybe even a little to blame?
And I know you're thinking this
because I started out
thinking the same thing.
I mean, frankly, I didn't get it.
Back in my day, if somebody
tried to kiss you in a closet,
sounded like a Tuesday.
In fact, we had a code name for bosses
who liked to cop a feel.
"Pants," as in "wear them."
I guess we were just a
little tougher back then.
You know, no trigger warnings.
We just played cards with
the hand we were dealt.
No big deal.
At least that's what I thought.
And then I remembered Greg.
At least that's what I'll call him here.
Greg was a big shot lawyer
when I was just starting out,
and he'd make these
silly comments.
"Maybe Matty should sleep
with opposing counsel to win."
Stuff like that.
And then, one night,
I was working late and
I went to the break room
to get a coffee,
and, uh
well, without getting
into too much detail,
he crossed a line.
So I went home
and I told my husband what happened.
Sort of.
What I said was,
"Greg got fresh with me."
And, man, those five
words did a lot of work.
But I was fine,
and we even laughed about
what a buffoon he was.
And then we decided that
I'd just stay out of his way.
That's what I did. Easy peasy.
And then I made decisions like
"don't focus on litigation,"
because that's what Greg specialized in.
So I hid,
I decided that drafting
contracts made me happy.
You know, it's funny.
It seemed like a small thing back then.
Completely subverted my dreams.
Which isn't small at all, is it?
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
my initial judgment of Alex
came from my bias.
'Cause I'm from a different generation,
I assumed things about her,
things that were not true.
You know what is true?
Alejandra Ramos is
incredibly hardworking.
She loved her job.
She was good at it
and she should have been
able to continue doing it.
And the reason she
couldn't was Jeremy Brooks.
And I want to leave
you with one last thing.
I know one of our big questions is
why Alex waited so long to
report what Jeremy Brooks did.
But you see, I don't think
that's the real question at all
because that question
answers itself, doesn't it?
I mean, we all know what
happens to whistleblowers,
and it ain't pretty.
I mean, sometimes they
even have intimate tapes
shown in public courtrooms.
The real question is,
how bad must it have been
for Alex to risk everything
and finally report it?
Nice closing, Counselor.
♪
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor. But
first we have a question.
BOLDING: Go ahead.
Can the jury award more than
the plaintiff has requested?
♪
Wait for it.
Wait for it.
$9 million!
Ha! Ooh, baby.
(LAUGHS)
If I didn't know any better,
I'd think we were becoming friends.
We're not, we're just colleagues
who occasionally dance over
- their $9 million verdict.
- Yeah!
(LAUGHS)
My final report for the case file.
Thank you.
You were right. Matty was the call.
I'm always right.
Why did you agree to help me, Shae?
Oh, you know,
it's not easy finding pro
bono hours around these parts.
Whoa.
You broke eye contact.
You started walking,
creating a physical distance
between the two of us.
I'm no expert,
but I'd say that you were
lying.
(DIALOGUE INAUDIBLE)
I'll show you mine if you show me yours.
Tell the truth about Gramercy Tavern.
Okay, fine.
That night, at the recruiting dinner,
I told Senior that
he shouldn't hire you.
I didn't think it was a culture fit.
Meaning you didn't like me.
Or trust you. Exactly.
But
clearly, I was wrong.
You are quite the culture fit.
Well, your case wasn't pro bono.
Julian paid my full fee
out of his own pocket.
Yeah, I know.
Which is why I'll give you
one last piece of advice.
Whatever you're doing with Elijah
be careful.
(DOOR OPENS)
(SIGHS)
Heard you won.
Well, my client did.
Me? I don't know.
I get it.
I know you do,
which makes what I'm
about to say even harder.
I was fooling myself into thinking that
November was gonna make everything okay.
Yes, I will officially be divorced,
but Julian will still be pissed,
and things will still be messy,
and he is the father of my children.
I have to put my family first.
- Olympia
- No, no.
It's not just that.
I can't be the center of gossip.
This is my career.
I need people talking about
the quality of my work,
not my love life.
I'm not gonna beg you.
That's what makes this so hard.
Olympia, hi.
So, I was getting in the elevator,
and then it hit me.
It's all the exclamation
points in my emails,
right? I mean, it's juvenile,
it's unprofessional. That's it.
You want to know what you did?
Yes.
You've told me five mistakes
that you've made, unsolicited.
You're so eager to get ahead that
it's clouding your judgment,
and that's why I don't trust you.
Yet.
♪
Your discovery was a game changer.
(LAUGHING): Okay. Want
me to call your mom?
She gave me her number, and she's been
texting me the cutest baby photos.
Don't you dare. (LAUGHS)
And we both know you won the case today.
Now, see?
Sarah would've taken that victory
and used it to negotiate
a corner office,
and you can't even say,
"Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am"?
I don't think that means
what you think it does.
But you're right.
I may have a bit of
an impostor syndrome.
Everybody here went to an Ivy,
and I went to city college,
and, uh, my cop connections
are the only reason
they hired me to begin with, so
That's a bunch of hooey, Billy.
You've got great instincts,
you're resourceful.
And the fact that you went to
city college and ended up here?
That's a lot more impressive
than taking the Harvard express.
Hell, let me see that diploma.
Okay, okay.
Nice.
We're gonna hang it right there.
Tomorrow. Got to get home.
ALFIE: Just stay away from her.
Oh, I plan to. Trust me.
So, how's it going, kiddo?
Did you find an email that said,
"I hid the documents"?
Nope, but I'm gonna read through
everything on Olympia's computer.
♪
Matty?
- Ah!
- What are you doing?
MATTY: Oh, I'm so sorry.
She was really worried about
something she didn't back up.
It could be this.
Found it buried in an
unmarked folder on a zip file.
Everything else is
labeled and organized.
Open it, kid.
MAN: Ollie baby, it's Dad.
I know you've been
nervous about your test,
but don't forget you're two and a
half times as good as everyone else.
So you go in there and
don't just give them hell.
Give them the damn heavens, limbo,
and everything in between.
We're not friends.