Anchored by the folksy performance of television legend Andy Griffith (TV's The Andy Griffith Show), Matlock arrives on DVD for the very first time. This hit series portrays the cases of the Atlanta defense attorney who investigates crimes and fights for his clients, usually clinching a last-minute "Not Guilty" verdict. And Mr. Matlock is always aided by loyal partner and daughter Charlene (Linda Purl) and smooth private investigator Tyler Hudson (Kene Holliday). Don't let the rumpled seersucker suit fool you: under that good-ole-boy demeanor lies a brilliant legal mind.
This 7-disc set contains all 24 Season One episodes of the immensely popular series, including the 2-hour TV movie, Diary of a Perfect Murder, that introduced the character of Ben Matlock. Matlock is back, serving justice country-style!
Isn't it interesting how viewers associate actors with various roles depending on when they grew up? Many know Andy Griffith as "Sheriff Andy Taylor" from The Andy Griffith Show, some remember him as "Harry Broderick" in Salvage 1, but almost all of us remember him as "Ben Matlock" in Matlock. It's been years since I've seen an episode of the show, so I wondered whether the show would hold up some 20+ years after it debuted on TV.
This 7 disc set includes the pilot movie and 23 regular episodes from season 1:
Disc 1 (3:08:29)
Diary of a Perfect Murder (1:31:46)
The Judge (48:13)
The Stripper (48:30)
Disc 2(3:11:59)
The Affair (48:32)
The Seduction (47:30)
The Don, Part 1 (48:25)
The Don, Part 2 (47:32)
Disc 3 (3:13:02)
The Sisters (48:28)
The Cop (48:01)
The Angel (48:32)
The Professor (48:01)
Disc 4 (3:12:13)
Santa Claus (48:01)
The Chef (48:05)
The Author (48:05)
The Rat Pack (48:02)
Disc 5 (3:11:51)
The Nurse (48:03)
The Convict (48:08)
The Court-Martial, Part 1 (48:03)
The Court-Martial, Part 2 (47:37)
Disc 6 (2:24:06)
The Therapist (48:03)
The People vs. Matlock (48:01)
The Photographer (48:02)
Disc 7 (1:36:00)
The Reporter (48:01)
The Doctors (47:59)
Video
Matlock is presented in its original Full Frame (1.33:1) aspect ratio. The show looks okay, though there are some specks of dust in some scenes, and there are some signs of tape defects, mainly along the top of the picture (only on a few episodes). The picture is a tad soft, and there's a little bit of edge enhancement, but overall the picture is decent. The discs contain a "play all," and there's a chapter set right after the opening of the episode.
This release contains the now-standard CBS/Paramount disclaimer, "Some episodes may be edited from their original network versions." I still don't know if this is a cover-your-ass statement that CBS puts on all their releases in case a syndicated print was used, or if they actually have edits in all the releases they've put out in the last 6-9 months.
Audio
It's a pretty basic English stereo track on this release. I didn't notice any major issues with the audio. Episodes are closed captioned, but not subtitled.
I really enjoyed heading back to the courtroom with Matlock. The show is a combination courtroom drama and detective show, and it holds up 20+ years later. Griffith is great, of course, and I really enjoyed Kene Holliday as "Tyler Hudson," Matlock's detective hired to look into cases.
There are a ton of notable guest stars in the first season. Look for Dick Van Dyke (The Dick Van Dyke Show), Tommy 'Tiny' Lister (The 5th Element), William Conrad (Jake and the Fatman), Gail O'Grady (NYPD Blue), Hector Elizondo (Chicago Hope), Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Roddy McDowall (Tales of the Gold Monkey), Billy Zane (Twin Peaks), Larry Wilcox (CHiPS), Barry Corbin (Northern Exposure), Dana Elcar (MacGyver), Chazz Palminteri (Kojak), Tim Reid (WKRP in Cincinnati) and Billy Bob Thornton (The Outsiders).
Hopefully this sells well enough that we see a second season of the show released. I'm crossing my fingers.
