Matty and Olympia find out that the executive committee has flown in after learning of a security breach at the firm. Also, the team takes on a case involving competing hot chicken restaurants.
Matty needs to be in control. She doesn't trust Olympia to carry her mission across the finish line. She has different priorities. Olympia wants to protect Julian from the fallout of his actions. Matty is determined to expose what he did. She views that as the way to achieve justice for her family. Matty and Edwin saw the end of this journey. They were planning for what comes next. They were ready to hand all of their evidence over to the New York Times. Matty set a meeting with a reporter. That never occurred. Olympia obtained her own leverage. She is dictating the terms of this mission now. She still leans on Matty for support. Matty has to talk her through lying during an interrogation. Matty is a pro at this point. Olympia carries the sting of betrayal. The person she came to trust the most at the firm was actually deceiving her. Matty doesn't have to explain how Belvin would feel if she learned the truth. Olympia experienced it firsthand. She wants Matty to endure the consequences of her own actions. That doesn't actually help anyone. In fact, it protects the powerful who allowed all of this destruction to occur in the first place.
Matty and Olympia must find a way to work together. They did so once. They have to reach a new normal. Sarah and Billy easily pick up on the hostility between them. Their supportive interactions are endearing. Of course, that's only up to a point given the behind-the-scenes scandal involving the actors. As such, their scenes are tainted at this point. Billy stands up for Sarah. That forces everyone to acknowledge that things are awkward. That can't be allowed to continue because it endangers the work. An inferior product goes out because Olympia is too distracted by Matty to mentor Sarah. That's an impact of the overall mission as well. Their education may be cast aside because powerful figures are trying to mold the world to their whims. That's the primary concern for Matty and Olympia. They now arrive at a point of accepting collateral damage. Belvin receives all the blame for the security leak. She does so honorably. It's still an example of Matty manipulating those who work at the firm to get what she wants. She apologizes after the fact. She also uses the opportunity to gather more information that will help her achieve her objective.
All of this parallels nicely with the case the lawyers take on in the courtroom. A family feuds over control of a business. They all believe they are honoring their nana's memory. In doing so, they are tearing the family apart. There is plenty of blame to go around. It too is focused on the fear of losing control. That's why Matty relates so much with her client. She doesn't want to cede control either. She only wishes to see the selfish desires of others. That's not productive. In fact, it hinders any progress from being made. The longer everything drags out the more damage is inflicted. No one should have to face those consequences when a reasonable compromise is on the table. Matty hates not being able to tell the difference between the two chicken recipes. She wants to advocate for her client no matter what. The facts just don't line up with that. And so, energy is better spent trying to figure out what kind of deal everyone can live with. Matty operates with that clarity in this case. She then has to reach that same conclusion with Olympia. That means accepting that Senior is the target. Julian will go free. Matty wants a personal apology from him. That's acceptable to Olympia.
Everything spiraling out of control is a solid showcase for Kathy Bates. She has always excelled in this role. The show provides the character with plenty of twists and turns. She remains at the center of the action. She drives everything forward. Olympia was positioned as Matty's most personal foil. The two worked together. They also clashed. Their relationship is capable of healing. It may never return to what it once was. The deceit was simply too much. The pair are working together. That means having to say goodbye to Belvin. This wasn't the outcome Matty wanted. She makes it happen. She provides just enough information for Belvin to implicate herself while still presenting as a friend. That's a way for her to have control. She makes peace with that. It means offering a retirement party a year ahead of schedule. It fulfills the mission as dictated by Olympia. And so, they pursue the new lead of who Senior was spending time with in Australia fourteen years ago. Things get even more personal with the introduction of Senior's ex-wife who still proudly boasts of how long she has been divorced from him. Moreover, she's smart enough to infer a coup against Senior amongst the partners without actually saying those words. That's why she approaches Olympia after keeping an eye on her throughout the episode. The threats against Senior may be multi-pronged. Those possibilities exist. They may not all provide the satisfaction Matty requires though. That's what she must reckon with this season.
