"The Student" is the fifteenth episode of Matlock's fourth season and its 82nd episode overall. It aired on January 9, 1990.
Summary
A coed student having an affair with a professor threatens him when he rudely dumps her. He is killed that same evening; Matlock soon discovers that love wasn’t the motive — cheating on tests was.
Plot
Matlock decides to enroll in some college classes to brush up on his knowledge. Meanwhile, English professor John Gallagher (Dennis Boutsikaris) is murdered while typing up his students’ grades on his computer. One of his students, Marcy Hansen (Debbie Barker), who also happens to be one of Ben’s classmates, is the prime suspect; Marcy was having an affair with Gallagher, and confronted him when she found out he was cheating on her with another woman, which he had confessed to her about. A cheating scandal and uncooperative students only hamper Ben’s efforts to clear Marcy’s name and find the real killer.
Cast
Main
- Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock
- Nancy Stafford as Michelle Thomas
- Clarence Gilyard Jr. as Conrad McMasters
Guest stars
- Todd Eric Andrews as Ronald Marlow
- Debbie Barker as Marcy Hansen
- Dennis Boutsikaris as Prof. John Gallagher
- Steven Eckholdt as Mark Carter (as Steve Eckholdt)
- Brian Frishman as J.D. Baker
- David Froman as Lt. Bob Brooks
- Cameron Thor as Paul Knight
- Jason Wingreen as Judge Arthur Beaumont
- Nick DeMauro as Charlie (as Nick de Mauro)
- Dru-Anne Perry as Donna
- Laura Mae Tate as Student (as Laura Tate)
- William Winckler as Student (uncredited)