In Matlock, no one thinks Sarah Franklin will become Madeline "Matty" Matlock’s biggest problem when the season starts. She comes in as a fresh associate with a sharp mind and a lot to prove. She does her research, and she puts in the hours. She wants Olympia to trust her. She wants to stand on her own. At first, Matty sees her as harmless help for Olympia’s cases.
That changes soon, once Sarah sees Matty’s tricks up close. She notices how Matty slips into places she should not be. She catches small lies and half-truths. She wants to know why this old woman always lands the good files. Sarah pushes back in ways that sting Matty’s plan to stay hidden. They fight over who gets to argue in court. They clash over how to handle clients.
They trade insults that sound polite on paper but mean everything behind closed doors. Sarah wants a future at Jacobson Moore, and Matty wants to burn it all down from the inside. These two never stand on the same side, even when they win cases together. Every look they share tells you they know exactly who they are fighting. Some wars happen in silence.
10 most tense moments between Madeleine and Sarah from Matlock
1. Matty assigns Autry’s case to Billy instead of Sarah (Episode 10)

Sarah wants the Autry eviction case because winning it would help her stand out alone. Matty says yes at first then flips it to Billy without warning which stings. Sarah feels robbed in front of Olympia and everyone in the office.
She knows Matty did it on purpose to keep her out of the spotlight. This switch makes Sarah see Matty as a roadblock and not a mentor. From that moment Sarah watches Matty closer and every smile starts to look fake to her.
2. Sarah finds Matty’s recording device in Olympia’s office (Episode 10)

Olympia finds a spy device hidden in her own office and Sarah puts it together fast that Matty planted it there. Sarah does not tell Olympia right away, but she files it away as proof Matty plays dirty.
Sarah sees this as crossing a line that should never be crossed inside Jacobson Moore. It makes her feel cornered because now she knows Matty has secrets too big to trust.
3. Sarah swears revenge on Matty (Episode 10)

The switch on Autry’s case and the spy device snap something in Sarah that she cannot patch up. She swears she will not just sit and let Matty run her out of the firm. She makes a quiet promise to herself.
Sarah stops looking at Matty as a harmless old lawyer who needs help. She starts looking at her as someone who needs to be removed. That grudge stays alive through every smile and handshake they fake.
4. Sarah joins forces with Shae to dig into Matty’s past (Episode 11)

Sarah teams up with Shae after realizing she cannot tackle Matty alone. She wants to find Matty’s real story that never adds up when she asks questions. She checks timelines and old files and hunts for slip-ups.
Sarah does not want gossip. She wants proof that can expose Matty. This side plan is risky but it gives Sarah purpose. She thinks if she finds one lie everything else will crack open.
5. Sarah insults Billy for taking Matty’s side (Episode 11)

Billy tries to calm Sarah down when she gets worked up about Matty’s moves. He still trusts Matty, and Sarah calls him blind for defending someone who hides so much behind fake kindness.
That insult cracks what little trust they have as co-workers. Sarah feels alone because now she cannot lean on Billy either. From here, she knows she cannot count on him to see what she sees.
6. Sarah discovers the ruse about the Reddit whistleblower (Episode 15)

Sarah thinks she finally has Matty cornered when she follows the Reddit trail about WellBrexa. She does the digging and feels close to showing Olympia a smoking gun. Then, she finds out Matty’s grandson made it up.
Sarah feels embarrassed for falling for the bait, and furious that Matty’s circle runs that deep. She learns Matty is steps ahead at all times. This pushes Sarah to dig harder but it also rattles her pride.
7. Matty pushes Sarah to drop Autry’s case after infiltration fails (Episode 10)

Matty’s plan to get dirt at the nursing home falls apart. She tells Sarah to let the Autry eviction case die. Sarah hates it because it means she loses her shot to win in court that week.
Sarah sees it as Matty cutting her legs out from under her. She does not forgive the slight. She stops trusting any work Matty hands her, and tells herself she will never let that happen again.
8. Sarah realizes Matty manipulated the custody battle timing (Episode 12)

Sarah watches Matty get emotional talking about losing custody of Alfie for a while. She sees how Matty uses that story to get Julian’s keycard without making anyone suspicious. Sarah keeps quiet but she does not forget the matter.
She understands Matty’s grief is real but the timing shows the latter uses every card in her deck. Sarah stops giving Matty the benefit of the doubt after that. She knows Matty will twist any truth for her plan.
9. Sarah’s rage at Billy’s secret romance with Simone (Episode 13)

Sarah finds out Billy has been seeing Simone behind everyone’s back. She knows Matty probably knew and said nothing. Simone is Sarah’s old rival from law school, and it feels like betrayal stacked on top of betrayal.
Sarah does not explode in front of the group but she keeps that anger close. She thinks Matty wants her distracted by small dramas, so she stays blind to bigger moves. It works initially but Sarah swears it will not again.
10. Sarah tries to push Matty out of the Dino murder case (Episode 18)

Sarah picks up the Dino murder defense when Olympia is too tied up to take it herself. Matty steps in trying to adjust the strategy and nudge Sarah out of the lead. Sarah stands her ground for once.
She refuses to give up the case because she wants her own win. She does not care if Matty thinks it is sloppy and wants her own mark on it. She knows she will not fade behind Matty anymore.
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