All language subtitles for 00M t k.2024.107

Previously on Matlock... Big Pharma, big money.

That's where I want to be.

The law firm Jacobson Moore hid documents

that could have taken opioids off the market

ten years earlier.

Think of how many lives that could have saved,

including our daughter's.

I shouldn't have left you before,

and I'm not leaving now.

It's gonna be hard to keep this a secret.

Undercover operations are sexy, baby.

So, uh, what dating apps are you on?

We're friends. Why do you think I was upset that you didn't know

my girlfriend who I've been dating for eight years?

Eight years?

My daughter died after

a long battle with drugs.

I think I'm having a heart attack.

Are you sure it was just - a panic attack? - Positive.

Go to your doctor to get a beta-blocker

in case it happens again.

You need to take your health more seriously.

We're so close. We're not.

If you were on Wellbrexa,

maybe it would be different.

You're going to pharma.

I've got a new case with Wellbrexa,

and I am bringing you on.

I'm right where the universe wants me to be.

♪ It's the most wonderful time of the year... ♪

Darling, how's Florida?

I can't believe you guys are there without me.

The house is so empty.

Edwin, I'm fine. No more panic attacks.

I'm feeling good.

Better than good.

I'm back, baby.

Those pharma boys are about to meet Pharma Granny,

and they're not gonna know what hit 'em.

♪ Of the year... ♪

Senior won't be there today,

so I won't be able to access his computer.

Nope, he only comes in for the head honchos.

Well, I'm gonna focus on impressing

the Wellbrexa in-house legal team.

Because if they like me and they want me to stay on,

I'll be able to have access to everything.

All their files, all their secrets.

"Belly of the beast" is about right.

I couldn't be more ready.

♪ It's the most wonderful time ♪

♪ Of the year. ♪

Matty.

Good timing and good morning.

Settle our dispute.

Do you like these really fun sweaters

that have worked beautifully

for our a cappella group over the years?

I think I most certainly do.

Stay out of this, Matlock.

On my way out of this, Stuart.

No. Don't move.

I need a witness to Stuart's holiday party tyranny.

These sweaters do not align with our vision,

- so they're not happening. - Is this coming from you

or Senior?

Senior.

In that he's empowered me

to make all sartorial decisions.

That's a lie cloaked in convenient corporate language.

Ha! Caught by the human lie detector.

We're wearing these sweaters because they are fun,

and a cappella is all about fun.

Well, I, for one,

can't wait for the eggnog and the good cheer,

and I'll see y'all there.

Actually, I need your help, Matty.

A little truth session, if you will.

Oh, sorry, Shae, but I'm just in a bit of a hurry.

Truth sessions can happen on the move.

So, I can tell by your body language

you haven't been sleeping well.

Neither have I. Because of a lie.

What lie?

Sarah has conveniently come down with a "head cold,"

which means she can't sing,

which means there will be no alto

to round out my soprano.

So we're back to a cappella?

That girl isn't sick.

And I don't want Billy getting involved

because, well, voices might be raised

and he needs to preserve his.

So I need you to convince her

- to perform tomorrow night. - I'll do my very best.

But I really got to go now.

I appreciate it. Thank you, Matty.

Okay.

Madame Matlock,

what is up? All right,

I will catch you at the party, Sarah.

You definitely will catch me

'cause I will be there, waiting.

For you.

Oh, so this is why

you're not performing with the a cappella...

Shh!

Yes, because we've only had one coffee,

and I don't want Kira knowing about any extracurricular

that isn't objectively hot.

Don't bother, Matty, I've already tried

telling her that a ca...

- Shh! - She's out of earshot, friend.

Uh, to be fair, we don't know.

I mean, Kira could have the auditory range

of a Siberian husky.

Exactly.

That was a joke.

Aren't you supposed to be on pharma today?

She sure is. Come on, Matty, I'll walk you to Julian.

Sarah, Billy, I will be leaning on you two

- with Matty gone. - Well, I've been leaning on 'em

ever since I got here.

I'm gonna miss both of you.

Same.

Well, I'm not gonna lie,

but I wish you well.

Are we ready to be leaned on?

Olympia's used to Matty now.

She's got experience, people skills.

Yes, and we have benefited from that experience.

And, look, my interpersonal skills

- have improved light-years. - Mm.

Plus this day was always coming, right?

If Matty didn't leave us for pharma,

she eventually would have left us anyway.

What were you saying about your interpersonal skills?

And remember, Wellbrexa's in-house counsel can be brutal,

so don't take things personally.

Oh, I can give as good as I get.

Okay. And, look, I'm gonna miss you.

Really?

No. That's a trap.

Something to avoid in a room full of big egos.

Well, who's the main ego in the room?

- Trent. - Trent. Morning, Matty.

He's great at his job, horrible with people,

so don't take anything personal.

Y'all are like a couple of nervous parents

dropping their kid off on the first day of school.

Relax. I got my juice box and my snacks

and a pretty good idea of where we want this settlement to land.

The plaintiff was 21 when she signed up for the drug trial

and 23 when she discovered

her kidney problems.

Considering she filed suit

after the Supreme Court blocked student debt relief,

I'm guessing that she's got some bills due.

The number?

$50,000 should be enough

to keep her social media followers off our ass.

Told you she was good.

Yeah, it's not all about being good.

It's about reading the room

and knowing...

Y'all are back together?

You told me she was good.

And we're keeping it quiet.

Well, so am I.

And I won't be part of your throuple.

I tried that in '95. It's too much multitasking.

And I'm walking away.

Why is my father here? He's supposed to be away.

Don's in town, he wanted to grab lunch.

Stuart, need the file.

Stuart, now.

If you were serious about handing over Wellbrexa,

seems you'd tell me when the CEO

is in New York

instead of changing your flight.

Calves ripped from the teat show signs of distress, son.

Got to wean 'em.

What's Matlock doing here?

Oh, she's going to help with the good cop, bad cop dance.

She's done great work for Olympia.

Oh, so, part of the play to get your wife back?

We share a broker, son.

He told me you pulled the brownstone off the market.

A simple "congratulations" would have sufficed.

Well, congratulations.

Just make sure you clear all the rot

from the foundation, or whatever went wrong

will go wrong again.

Learned that the hard way.

Stuart, fix my computer and bring me

my laptop.

Okay...

Here's the basic plan.

I'll be blunt, maybe even a little condescending

since Jessie's lawyer is basically 12 years old.

And then you come in and ease them into the deal.

-Hey, there he is. -What's up?

Plaintiff inside?

Yup. Pretty sure she found her lawyer

off TikTok.

Aw. I didn't know it was Bring Your Grandma to Work Day.

It sure is.

And we didn't tell your grandma 'cause I don't like that bitch.

Granny's got a mouth on her.

You must be Trent.

Let's crush this.

You have to understand, I was completely healthy

before I signed up for this drug trial.

I was in college,

I literally just wanted to graduate without debt.

Next thing you know, I need a new kidney.

My whole life was derailed.

Allegedly. Please stick to the facts.

Okay, the facts.

One month into the trial, my client began experiencing

stomachaches and mental fog.

She reported her symptoms

multiple times and was gaslit...

Let's keep the buzzwords out of this.

My client was led to believe

that her symptoms were unrelated.

Her condition then worsened and she had

to drop out of music school.

So whatever this settlement offer is,

it needs to account not just for medical costs

but for a career path that has been destroyed.

Right. Uh, little bit about that career path.

There are what?

Maybe 20 known concert cellists in the world...

And I was good enough to be one.

Oh, is that a fact?

Of course not.

But I... that's what you have to believe if you have a dream.

And that's what it was,

it-it was my dream

since I was seven years old.

And all because I have this gene

that said I might get

rheumatoid arthritis,

I agreed to do this trial,

and now I have no kidney, I have a shaky hand...

And no one knows if that was caused by this drug.

The FDA approval process

is rigorous.

Every symptom is documented and reported,

and no report exists.

Someone on your side is lying.

Ms. Carver, please advise your client

to refrain from making baseless accusations.

I'm actually not here to dim her light.

Yeah, I-I even remember the color of the folder

Dr. Blackwell used to file my report.

It was blue.

Cerulean, specifically.

Yeah, like in The Devil Wears Prada.

Classic cinema.

Dr. Blackwell has always maintained

that you never reported any symptoms.

And he's a world-renowned scientist and doctor

who swore an oath

to do no harm.

You mentioned mental fog.

That's a common effect

of substance abuse.

And we all know what college is like.

You ever drink, do drugs?

Stop it! Enough.

Let's authorize a sum.

I don't care if they can prove it,

this feels like David and Goliath,

and I, for one, don't like it.

Fine.

$10,000.

$50,000.

And I've just said it out loud,

so there's no going back.

What do you say?

Pay off your bills,

give yourself some breathing room

until you find a new dream.

There's no David and Goliath.

Not with you guys behind me.

- You all heard the offer? - Camera.

What do you guys think of these pharma bros

mansplaining the price of my suffering

while playing good cop, bad cop

with Grandma Death over here?

Put that down right now.

Good thinking with that folder. Wish I hid my face.

Her followers are tearing me a new one online.

Yeah, these reposts are brutal.

You know what any of these words mean, Nana?

Yeah. Means the plaintiff

is putting up a fight,

and you'd better start taking her seriously.

Matty's right.

And now we're gonna have to win this thing in court

and in the court of public opinion.

Quickly, so it doesn't get any bigger.

Dr. Blackwell, hi.

Jessie's still claiming she reported her symptoms

in March of 2019 and twice more in July, that same year.

That's just not true.

She was monitored like everyone else in the study.

If she had voiced anything remotely significant,

we would have filed a case report with the FDA.

Don't know how many more ways I can say it.

Trust me, we don't want to keep asking.

Look, there are plenty of subjectives

when it comes to patient monitoring,

but a clear and objective fact is:

this young woman never reported her symptoms.

That's what I wanted to hear.

We'll keep you posted.

Okay, great. Where's your team at?

Wellbrexa's willing to tack on an extra $100,000,

make sure this all goes away.

$150,000 is a good number.

But we'll need to do it on their turf

to keep the temperature down,

which means you get a second turn at bat

with Jessie.

It's gonna be great. See you then.

I appreciate the confidence,

but I don't think she's a fan of mine.

She's not, but she hates me more.

And you can win people over.

You did it with Olympia, which was

the Super Bowl of sorcery.

Right, but... this is a little different.

I-I have to admit, I'm a little concerned about being on camera.

My grandson just explained to me what getting doxed means.

And at first I thought he was talking

about fostering a wiener dog, which...

You wanted on pharma, right?

If it's too much...

It's not.

Great, so talk to Jessie,

get her to take this settlement,

and make sure she stops posting online.

This is bad.

Our first witness interview

without Matty, and Olympia tore it apart.

Just look at the transcript. You can tell

that she ran out of ink and had to switch pens.

Hmm.

My ego got in the way earlier, which rarely happens,

but I think we need Matty.

She's better.

With people. It says it here in red.

Then we have to improve.

Come on, you were right before.

They're gonna love Matty at Wellbrexa,

she's gonna move over there, so we got to figure this out.

Okay? Figure what out?

Oh, um...

I'm trying

to figure out

how to propose to Claudia.

- Oh! - What?

What i-is the problem?

My sisters say

she has to be

hair and makeup and nails photo-ready and--

but still needs to be surprised.

So I'm open to any ideas.

My husband proposed to me on a fishing boat on Lake Lanier

over a 12-pack of Coors,

right after telling me about three bodies

that had been found there.

So, if you don't do that, you're gonna be just fine.

Are you, though?

Oh, fit as a fiddle.

Can I borrow your phone battery thingy?

Um, I like to give consent

for adhesives on personal belongings.

Next time.

Oh, I wish we'd had

these nifty laser printers

back when I was doing my crafting.

Catch you later.

Okay, was that a cover, a seizure,

or are you really proposing soon?

Well...

I've been keeping it here so she won't...

Billy.

Not the reaction I expected.

Why are you listening to your sisters?

It's your engagement.

It's complicated.

It's not, 'cause you're marrying them,

just someone who looks like them.

And you can't live your life to please everyone in your family.

And, wow,

my interpersonal skills are crackling.

Why don't we hang tight on the advice-giving until you go

on a real date with Kira, and, no,

the office holiday party doesn't count.

There's gonna be alcohol, and it will be night.

We can debate what romance does or doesn't look like

after we reinterview this witness.

Uh...

Hey there, could you put that down?

You see, I have a pacemaker in.

And this little device protects me

from electromagnetic interference.

One EMF surge from your phone,

I start barking like a dog

and I wet myself.

Paige, they sent the good cop.

What? We're roommates.

After you.

Either of you girls feeling fluish?

I can't be too careful at my age.

It's kombucha, homemade.

Never had one. Looking forward.

Try it.

Whew.

That's... lovely.

We have another appointment soon.

Well, then I'll keep this real quick.

Jessie, I'm sorry the meeting went badly.

And I know

you probably won't believe this,

but I really want you to get a fair settlement.

Nothing about this is fair.

That's why I was filming it.

Well, that was smart.

Got you more leverage, more followers.

This is not about the followers.

- It's about community. - That part.

Playing music was my... gift.

My reason.

And before I got sick, I spent ten hours a day

in rehearsals and classes,

and after everything happened, I...

...I had nothing.

I felt totally alone.

Until I found this huge group of people

who know what it's like to live with a chronic illness.

And I know,

to the soulless corporations,

I'm nobody,

nothing, but...

...I'm here.

They can't just sweep us away.

I can't tell you how deeply I understand that, Jessie.

And I don't want to sweep you away.

Then why do you work for them?

Well...

my daughter died, and I'm raising her son.

And I needed the money.

That said,

I have a moral line,

and my client is also responsible

for the pacemaker keeping me alive.

So things aren't always as black and white as they seem.

They wouldn't have sent you here without a new number.

What was it?

Well, they told me $150,000.

But just like they lowballed you,

I bet they lowballed me, so...

Let's say 250.

We'll talk about it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sorry I missed your calls. My last deposition ran over.

- How'd you do? - What's the real ceiling?

- 250. - That's what I thought.

Jessie's gonna take it.

What the hell happened?

What did Matlock do?

What are you talking about?

Look.

So, Grandma Death came over to try to convince me

that my suffering could be neatly summarized by a number.

And it was a good reminder that this isn't about the money.

- No, ma'am. - It's about justice.

-Yes, sir. - Which is why

we are no longer suing for damages.

We've amended our complaint to be submitted

on behalf of all participants in the Wellbrexa trial.

Mm-hmm. Under the legal theory of third-party representation.

Shout-out to my Auntie Gale,

who's a lawyer and an absolute queen.

We are stopping this drug trial immediately,

before anyone else is irreparably harmed.

This is bad.

This doesn't make sense.

- Something must've changed. - What changed is,

they got an emergency preliminary injunction

to shut the drug trial down.

And that's gonna cost us

about a million dollars a day.

I don't understand. I had 'em.

Nope, you got played, Grandma.

I don't care how woke she is. Everyone has a number.

We need to go higher.

She'll go public, we'll look desperate.

We are desperate.

Each day that preliminary injunction

keeps the trial shut down,

Wellbrexa loses another million dollars.

I'm telling you, she...

So we raise our offer to half a mil.

We're not throwing more money at her

without a bigger strategy.

That's what got us here.

Oh, sure,

that's what got us here.

We need a gag order

before we start negotiating again--

that'll at least put a cap on her online presence...

Heard what happened.

Here's the plan.

First we're gonna get that gag order to shut these girls up.

After that, we go back to the table.

This case cannot go

to trial.

He said it like it was something new,

when it's exactly what he and I talked about

right before that meeting.

But he had to come in there and undercut me.

You can't let him get to you.

Plus he probably wanted to reassure the team.

I'm sure Wellbrexa is anxious.

They went public. He's showing them that he's paying attention.

What?

I-I get why it helped, I just don't...

need you defending my father right now.

Julian...

That's fine. We'll talk later.

I have to prepare for the hearing.

Put that down right now.

I know it sounds real, Edwin, but it's not. I was there.

Julian didn't say those words.

Don't you think I'd lead with that,

if I got into Senior's computer?

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm just tired.

It's been impossible to get anywhere near him

when I'm doing so poorly on this case.

Plus his assistant is always hovering over his shoulder

like a damn parrot.

I know something changed,

I can't figure it out, and I, I don't want to blow my shot

with Wellbrexa, I...

Can you put Alfie on the phone real quick?

Hi, darling, I need to find out where these girls went

after I met with them.

I just sent you their TikTok video.

Yeah, I need to know where it was taken.

Can you do that street view thing?

Yes, you can stay up past your bedtime.

Tell Grandpa it's your vacation.

Because I have another task for you, too.

But first, what does that sign say in her glasses?

Okay, good news, I got the gag order,

which means they can't make any more TikToks about the case

or, hopefully, me.

Then, after Blackwell's deposition,

we'll get them back to the negotiating table.

I think we should postpone the deposition.

What? Why?

I found out where Jessie and Paige

went yesterday after our meeting.

It's a building out in Hoboken.

And get this,

there's a lab inside,

and it's run by Dr. Catherine Roark,

Dr. Blackwell's ex-girlfriend.

They ran labs at Brown University.

They lived there together.

I know the name, but why would they go see her

if she was never involved in the study?

Exactly. The girls must have found something.

Something like...?I don't know.

But after they left,

they changed their mind about the settlement.

I'm telling you, I had 'em.

I need just a little more time to figure out what happened.

Can you postpone Blackwell's deposition?

Our client is losing tens of thousands by the hour,

and you want me to stall because you have a hunch?

It's not just a hunch.

So you're 100% sure you had them?

- I'm 98% sure. - Not good enough.

Dr. Blackwell, you changed your statistical model

on March 21, 2019.

Why is that?

We consulted with a biostatistician.

And for the record, a biostatistician does what now?

They help us to make data-driven decisions

through mathematical analysis.

We needed to ensure that we were using

the right model for our trial.

And who was your biostatistician?

Uh, Dr. Adam Riser.

So, what is the nature of your relationship

with Dr. Catherine Roark?

Uh, she and I were romantically

- involved for some time. -I'm not interested

in your dating history, my guy.

I'm asking about y'all's professional relationship.

We have none.

We only worked together as grad students,

never professionally.

And Catherine's area of expertise is...?

She's a biostatistician.

Hmm. So she would understand

the model you were using and how many reported symptoms

would cause your test to fail or succeed.

So, for instance, if someone

reported a stomachache,

and you had a few other reported stomachaches,

a biostatistician would know how many

would result in a failed drug trial?

Theoretically.

Right. Let's go with facts.

I'd like to submit into evidence

a text exchange

between Dr. Blackwell and Catherine Roark

from March 18, 2019,

the same day

my client first reported her first symptoms.

Dr. Blackwell texts,

"Had a stomachache today." Hmm.

Catherine's response, "Uh-oh."

These texts could be about his own stomachache.

Then, hours later,

Dr. Blackwell texted,

"How many can I afford to lose?"

Odd.

Then, Catherine hits back with,

"None."

I-I wasn't...

We were talking about... Oh, we know exactly

what you were talking about.

These texts prove that my client told you about her stomachache,

and you didn't report it because, if you did,

your trial would have failed.

Let the record show, Dr. Blackwell looks

like he just got got.

We're done here.

Agreed.

Evidence will be submitted to the judge.

We'll see you on Monday.

We're going to trial.

So?

Catherine Roark wasn't just Blackwell's girlfriend.

There are smoking gun texts.

She advised him on the study not to report the stomachache.

I knew it.

No. You weren't sure.

In what world is 98% not sure?

In this one.

You can't expect blind trust.

You want to be heard? You want respect?

At this level you have to fight for it.

Oh, like you do with your dad?

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...

Look, some people aren't supposed to work together.

We tried, it didn't work out,

and that's okay.

Senior would like to see you both.

He's got Don Halverston with him.

Chop-chop.

What the hell happened?

This case was supposed to be an easy layup.

You were up against a college dropout

and a baby lawyer.

What a joke.

I don't know what they were thinking

when they hired you, but...

What a colossal screwup.

Why should I stay at this firm?

Because these two

are off the Wellbrexa team.

For good.

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, la, la ♪ ♪ Ooh, Christmastime ♪

♪ Ooh, la, la... ♪

Look how beautiful this is, but wait a minute,

what is up there?

♪ Ooh, la, la, la... ♪

So, what's going on

with your flaky colleague Sarah?

Not now, Shae. Leave me alone.

You look healthy.

Will you get me a drink?

Love to.

I wanted to show up and celebrate,

but I-I still think I'm a little under the weather.

You think you can lie to a human lie detector?

Fine, I don't have a head cold.

I know. Keep up.

So why aren't you performing with us, hmm?

We need you. The Acaquittals...

Shh!

I see.

You're smitten.

And it's turned you into a coward.

Great, so now you understand. No.

Now I have leverage. See, if you don't sing with us,

I'm going to tell that aloof yet oddly

confident girl that you were supposed to perform

but dropped out because you suffer

from severe identity issues,

and she should stay far away.

You wouldn't.

Try me.

You're ruthless.

I'm just a soprano

standing in front of her alto...

Fine. I will sing.

Thank you.

Are you all right?

Got fired from Wellbrexa.

Yeah. Happy holidays.

I'll talk to Julian. I'm sure he's just

under pressure... He got fired, too.

What?

Senior did it himself.

I'm sorry, Matty. I want to be here for you,

- but my husband... Okay. - Go. We'll talk later.

Excuse me. Hey.

You looked upset, so I got Billy.

I'm off Wellbrexa. I screwed up.

Oh, Matty, I'm really sorry.

Look, there is still three desks inconveniently

crammed into our office, and even though

we managed our witness interview...

it took us two tries and four and half a hours, so if you...

That's Sarah speak

for "we missed you," which we did.

For real.

And on a work level, too,

because... you are good at this.

Sarah,

that means a lot to me coming from you.

And boy, oh, boy,

I could've used your Internet sleuthing skills on this one.

And you,

you play good cop a lot better than me, hands down.

So,

what's happening with this proposal?

Uh, still waiting for the, uh, perfect moment, so...

And that's Billy speak for, "I am paralyzed

"by my own people-pleasing tendencies because, even though,

Claudia and I are practically married, I..."Please stop.

Seriously, you guys might as well be married already.

- What? - Yeah, what?

I'm just saying,

because you guys have been together for so long,

you might as well be married.

That's the face.

The "I have an idea" face.

-Hmm. - I have to go do some research.

Sarah, don't you dare wuss out on that performance,

and, Billy, stop being such a damn people-pleaser.

You do what you want.

Mm-hmm. What is everyone's...

I just want the moment to be perfect.

You don't need the moment to be perfect.

Just pick the moment, and it will be perfect.

And, look, I get it,

she needs to have her makeup, her hair,

her nails, and all... She does.

Right now.

Meet me on the patio.

I want you to grab all the holiday decorations

- you can steal. - Done. I love stealing.

Don't think about it too much. Go.

You fired Julian from Wellbrexa?

The client wanted a head to roll.

I needed to keep them on board.

He's your son. Figure out another way.

That's what a good lawyer would do.

- A good lawyer? - Yeah.

And a good father.

If I were you,

I would choose my next words very carefully.

Oh, I always choose my words very carefully,

and I will not waste any more on you.

What was all that about?

Me not minimizing that man's behavior anymore.

Well, I-I appreciate that, but I just wanted to vent.

Don't talk about it, be about it, baby. Right?

Right.

♪ So this coming Christmas ♪

♪ Let's all make an effort... ♪

♪ Get a present for Santa, too ♪

♪ Let's trade in the old sleigh and the reindeer. ♪

Your caller is unavailable.

Leave a message after the tone.

Hi, Edwin. I'm sure you're out

having fun on whatever roller coaster

Alfie's convinced you to ride, and

I just...

needed to talk because

I found something that I know will

win us this case and...

get me in with Senior and Wellbrexa, and...

It's gonna destroy a young woman's life.

I just don't know what to do, and I-I thought that if

I could hear your voice,

I would...

You have exceeded your time limit.

Hey, Mom. I was hoping to catch you,

but I'm sure you're working late again. [sighs] Um...

Gosh, this is... so weird to say.

I'm pregnant.

Surprise!

And I'm clean, Mom.

I promise. So, call me.

I'm really happy.

I hope you are, too.

One, two, three, and...

♪ I was following the, I was following the ♪

♪ I was following the ♪

♪ I was following the, I was following the pack ♪

♪ All swaddled in their coats ♪

♪ With scarves of red ♪

♪ Tied round their throats ♪

♪ To keep their little heads ♪

♪ From falling in the snow ♪

♪ And I turned round ♪

♪ And there you go ♪

♪ And, Michael, you would fall ♪

♪ And turn the white snow red ♪

♪ As strawberries in the summertime ♪

Julian, I need you to listen.

It's about Wellbrexa.

We can shut this baby down.

We're off the case, and I'm having a drink.

Well, then pop a breath mint,

because I know we can win this.

And before you ask,

I am 100%,

"slap you across that cute little face of yours" certain.

Best to listen to her in these moments.

Exactly. So, let's get a move on.

- Come on. - Okay.

♪ In the summertime, ooh, ooh ♪

I was hoping for some neighborhood carolers.

Thank you for agreeing to see us, Judge,

and what could be a better gift than finding a way

to clear your docket?

Apologies, Your Honor. We just came

from our own holiday party.

Your Honor.

Paul Blackwell and Catherine Roark, uh, didn't just date.

Before moving to New York together,

they lived as a couple, sharing housing, finances,

even house plants, all while doing

their postdoc work at Brown

in the fine state of Rhode Island, where

common-law marriage is still recognized.

That's ridiculous.

Catherine wants nothing to do with this lawsuit.

In fact, she's clearly

asserted her spousal privilege and insists

those texts were private communication

between husband and wife.

Which means any communication between her

and Dr. Blackwell cannot be admitted into evidence.

And that includes

the text chain between these two common-law spouses

on March 18, 2019...

Your Honor, this is clearly just another way

of silencing my client.

It's pathetic, and frankly, giving desperate.

Actually, it's giving an incontrovertible invocation

of the spousal communications privilege.

Your Honor...

The text chain is barred

from being submitted into evidence.

But, Your Honor, without that,

- we can't prove causation. - Nothing I can do.

I'm very sorry.

But this is wrong.

They know what they did, and now,

they're twisting the law to cover it up.

Ms. Carver, unless you have anything new to submit?

- No, Your Honor. - We're adjourned. Go home.

Fine. Then we'll release the texts ourselves.

We'll expose them.

Jessie,

the gag order is still in place.

If you go online and talk about anything related to this suit,

you're looking at a countersuit, which will be very bad for you.

We should go, Matty.

You did good.

♪ Ah, ah ♪

♪ Ah ♪

♪ Hey, Mr. Christmas, I've been waiting... ♪

I had no idea you were part of this group.

Oh, I mean, it was just sort of a last-minute thing.

It was cool. You sounded great.

- Really? - Actually, I couldn't really hear you.

- Oh. - Come here.

Wait.

I want to hear you sing.

No way.

Please?

♪ To keep their little heads from fallin' in the snow ♪

♪ And I turn round and there you... ♪

♪ Deck the halls ♪

♪ With boughs of holly ♪

♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, it's Christmas time ♪

♪ 'Tis the season... ♪

Just got a call from the judge. Great work.

Matty came up with that common-law loophole.

Well, won't even take the credit when you get the chance.

What a gentleman.

Don's happy.

Used that to get you back on Wellbrexa.

And don't worry about that thing he said.

You know, that you're nothing like me.

Oh, no, he's-he's right.

We're nothing alike.

Well, we both know that isn't true.

Take it easy on - the Scotch, Dad. - Mm.

-Hey! -Hey.

When'd you get back from Dallas?

Last week. Then I went to hang with my parents.

- How are things here? -Elijah.

Hey, welcome back.

Julian. How you been?

Not too bad.

Um, let's catch up later. We have a sitter.

You ready to head home?

We'll talk soon.

Happy holidays.

- You guys, too. Yeah. -All right.

Well, I think I owe you an apology.

Why? Heard you came up with the big win.

Well, after I crapped out, and that is not like me.

Hmm. You saying you don't lose?

Not typically, no.

Yeah, for some reason, - I believe you, kid. - Kid?

Boy, you know the way to a woman's heart.

The girls are calling already,

begging for that 50K we first offered.

Well, what do you say we give it to 'em?

Huh? Give 'em a little holiday cheer.

Or maybe we counter with a Sephora gift card?

Yeah. That's better.

Give 'em what they deserve.

Grandma, what do you say to a celebratory round?

Oh, I wish I could,

but Grandma's got to get home to Grandson.

Hold on.

Good job. I'll be sure to keep you in mind

next time I need someone who doesn't lose.

Okay. Good.

I found something that I know will win us this case.

It's gonna destroy a young woman's life.

I just don't know what to do.

You wanted on pharma, right?

They know what they did, and now,

they're twisting the law to cover it up.

I'll be sure to keep you in mind

next time I need someone who doesn't lose.

You know, when we first met,

I remember going home to my mom and telling her

about the girl who was selling bootleg Missy Elliott CDs

to the other third graders.

I thought you were a criminal,

because you were, which I told you,

and you didn't speak to me again until 11th grade,

in chemistry class.

And once you did, I remember thinking,

"Never let this end."

And luckily, it didn't.

Claudia, you are everything to me.

And I'd sit through chemistry class

all over again for the rest of my life

if I could sit there with you.

So I just wanted to...

thank Mr. Myers for sitting us together.

And also, maybe more importantly...

Claudia Isabella Ortega...

...will you marry me?

I've been trying to find a good time to tell you,

but between your sisters' birthdays

and your mom's paint-and-sip...

What?

I love you so much, but...

I just don't think that we belong together,

and I think that, um,

we just got used to one another, and, um...

I'm so sorry, Billy.

I'm so sorry.

Best night ever.

When are you gonna do it? Where's Claudia?

Oh.

I'm so sorry.

Oh.

I'm sorry, Billy.

To a fresh start.

♪ With boughs of holly... ♪

Mmm.

Sorry. My... my dad said something, and... No.

Can we not talk - about your father right now? - Yeah.

I just...

I-I need to lay something out on the table,

because... we need to start fresh.

What?

Before we separated,

when things were really bad...

...I had an affair.

♪ Fast away ♪

♪ The old year passes ♪

Olympia.

♪ Hail the new year, lads and lasses ♪

♪ Sing we joyous ♪

♪ All together... ♪

Oh.

Hello, sir.

Stuart! I need your help.

I forgot my email password.

Stuart, need the file!

Stuart, fix my computer.

What do you need to make one of those AI voices, Alfie?

Well, I think I owe you an apology.

With a forward slash and an exclamation point at the end.

Great. Bye.

Captioning sponsored by CBS

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org