Mr. Awesome is the eighteenth episode of the sixth season of Matlock, and the one hundred thirty-first episode overall.
Plot
When one of Conrad’s friends, waitress and single mother Anne Johnson (Marilyn Jones), is accused of killing her ex-boyfriend, Dwayne Meeks (John D’Aquino), Conrad begs Matlock to defend her. It is discovered that Dwayne was a womanizer and not a very nice guy. Matlock soon notices that Anne’s son, Jimmy (Jordan Christopher Michael), has a talent for drawing and enjoys making comics (his best featuring Anne’s coworker Walt Thomas (Michael McGrady) as the hero Mr. Awesome and Dwayne as the villain), and has the key to the entire case. He uses Jimmy’s drawings to expose Dwayne’s killer, and Jimmy draws Ben as Mr. Awesome's sidekick, Justice Man, in his comic.
Cast
Main
- Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock
- Nancy Stafford as Michelle Thomas
- Julie Sommars as ADA Julie March
- and Clarence Gilyard, Jr. as Conrad McMasters
Guest Stars
(in alphabetical order)
- Dirk Blocker as Apartment Manager
- Bonnie Burroughs as Lorraine Ortega
- John D'Aquino as Dwayne Meeks
- Michael Durrell as D.A. Lloyd Burgess
- Marilyn Jones as Anne Johnson
- Ron Karabatsos as Bartender
- Michael McGrady as Walt Thomas
- Jordan Christopher Michael as Jimmy Johnson
Co-Starring
- Sean Babb as Bully #2
- Joseph Carberry as Al
- James V. Christy as Ed
- Christopher Doyle as Man
- Richard Newton as Judge Cooksey
- Trisha Simmons as Jury Foreperson
- Christina Wright as Tina Sadowski
- Jimmy Workman as Bully #1
Trivia
- John D'Aquino previously appeared in the Season 4 episode "The Clown" as Jim Roper.
Quotes
Anne Johnson: Oh, Jimmy’s been drawing ever since he could hold a pencil. Of course, a lot of that is because I’ve had to leave him on his own so much. He got good at drawing because there just plain wasn’t anything else to do.
Conrad McMasters: Yeah, but he got good at it.
Ben Matlock: Where is he now?
Anne: At Walt Thomas’. He’s a friend. He works at Vern’s, too. You know, the worst thing about being in here is being without Jimmy. My arms ache. They feel so empty.
Bully #1: (as he and Bully #2 follow Jimmy after Jimmy gets off the bus and heads to Walt’s) How does it feel to have a murderer for a mom, Johnson?
Jimmy Johnson: (turns back to them) She’s not a murderer. She’s innocent.
Bully #1: She’s in jail, isn’t she?
Bully #2: Yeah. She’s going to go to the chair, and you’re going to wind up in the orphanage with all of the other murderers’ kids.
Jimmy: Shut up.
Bully #1: Who’s going to make us? You?
Mr. Awesome: (zaps both bullies when he places his hands on their shoulders, causing them to be shocked when they turn and see him) I am, if I have to.
Bully #2: It’s Mr. Awesome!
Bully #1: Let’s get out of here!
Mr. Awesome: (to Jimmy, as the two bullies turn and take off in the direction Jimmy was heading) Everything’s going to be all right, Jimmy. (Jimmy smiles as he and Mr. Awesome turn back to watch the retreating bullies)
Lorraine Ortega: (to Conrad, about Ben) Who is your good-looking friend? Here’s your hat.
Ben: Oh, I’m Ben Matlock... Anne’s lawyer.
Lorraine: Are you going to be able to get her off?
Ben: I hope so.
Lorraine: Dwayne had it coming, that’s for sure.
Ben: I hear you used to go out with him.
Lorraine: Me and half the women here. Went through us one by one — the big stud servicing his herd.
Ben: Hey, that’s me.
Jimmy: I call him Justice Man.
Ben: Got super powers, huh?
Jimmy: Yeah. He can generate a force field around him that only truth and justice can penetrate. Oh, my gosh, I almost forgot. (draws what looks like a red cape on Justice Man’s suit)
Anne: What’s that?
Jimmy: It’s a cape.
Anne: Why does he need a cape?
Ben: (smiles) Because Justice Man can fly.