The show, “Matlock,” was one of America’s favorite TV shows in the 1980s. The show starred Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock, a criminal defense attorney who wore a light colored suit and tie to work every day.
He would solve crimes with his wit and charming southern accent while delivering justice for those he represented. Although it has been more than twenty-five years since the finale aired on television, many people still remember this iconic series fondly today.
Below we will discuss why so many Americans loved “Matlock” so much during its time on-air, and what made the show so successful that it became one of the most popular legal dramas of all time!
Matlock’s Southern Charm
The first and most obvious reason why the show was so successful is because of Andy Griffith’s portrayal as Ben Matlock. “Matlock” was a southern man who wore white suits, spoke with a charming southern accent, and carried around his ever-present cigar.
This southerner appealed to Americans in an era where we were just coming out of the Civil Rights movement after years of racism that divided America across color lines into separate communities. The inclusion of this character not only showed how far our nation had come, but also reminded us about what once made us great as well!
Matlock’s Unique Style
Another reason why Americans loved “Matlock” was because of his unique style. He would wear a light colored suit and tie to work every day while solving crimes with wit and charm!
This distinguished him from other TV lawyers who just wore black suits and ties like Perry Mason or Matlock’s close friend, the District Attorney, played by Nancy Stafford on Seasons 11 and 12.
Matlock’s Wit and Humor
The third reason why Americans loved “Matlock” is because of his wit and humor. Griffith made this character extremely funny with his antics, such as the way he would smoke cigars or those old-fashioned glasses that were never meant to be worn by a human being!
His dialogue was also full of charm and charisma, and that touched people’s hearts across America who enjoyed watching him every week on television.
Matlock is a Criminal Defense Attorney
Finally, the last reason why Americans love “Matlock” is because of his occupation as a criminal defense attorney. In decades past when America was divided along color lines and racism ran rampant throughout our country, being a lawyer was not seen in high esteem. People would look down on legal professionals who fought for justice or stood up to defend those accused of crimes because it went against what many people wanted to see happen – guilty verdicts with jail sentences!
Matlock was one of history’s most beloved TV shows. It featured an honest-to-goodness southern character, who could solve crimes while wearing white suits and ties, like men once did back in the day before civil rights made such clothing obsolete. And we can see that Matlock could remember where we came from as well, always enamoring us with his down to earth southern charm.
In conclusion, the reason why Americans loved “Matlock” so much and still do to this day is because of Andy Griffith’s portrayal. He played a charming southern lawyer, who solved crimes in suits, while smoking cigars, and there’s something about that that’s uniquely American!
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