If you haven’t watched PERRY MASON, SEASON 1 on HBO then you’re going to be in for a shock. This version is a far cry from the Perry Mason novels of Erle Stanley Gardner and the TV series featuring Raymond Burr as the defense attorney who never loses.
In Matthew Rhys’s version, Perry Mason starts out as a private investigator with a drinking problem and a failed marriage. He rides a motorcycle. Paul Drake is a black former cop (Chris Chalk). Della Street (Juliet Rylance) is a lesbian. The First Season concerned the kidnapping and death of a baby. In Season Two, it’s 1933 and two young Mexican men are charged with the gruesome murder of a rich, powerful oil baron.
If you’re willing to accept these massive changes from the Perry Masons of the past, there are eight episodes watching for your judgement. Are you a fan of some version of Perry Mason? GRADE: Incomplete
I enjoyed Season One. It wasn’t the Perry Mason I fondly recall, but it did have a lot of the pulp sensibilities of the early Erle Stanley Gardner stories. Season Two may hone even closer to early ESG (substutute the Mexican men with the Chinese Gardner would represent in his early law career). I’m really looking forward to this one.
Jerry, where the TV series with Raymond Burr focused on the clients, this HBO series focuses on Perry Mason, Della Street, and Paul Drake.
A few Christmas’s ago, I gave John the entire first run of the Raymond Burr Perry Masons on DVD. We have watched them chronologically—and love them! (Whoever did the set design managed to convey class & status with a few pieces of furniture and wall hangings—so well done.) I’ve read a few of the books, but they can be pretty slow going—I think Gardner got bogged down in the weeds sometimes. Not sure this show will be my cup of tea, I’m so attached to the Perry Masons of the late-1950s/early-1960s.
Deb, I have the complete Raymond Burr Perry Mason DVDs, too. I watch them sporadically when I’m in the mood. This HBO Perry Mason is vastly different, but I’m going to watch Season 2.
I loved the Burr series and liked the first season of the HBO Mason. I found the first episode of Season 2 to be convoluted and hard to follow, but so was the Burr series at times. Because of “The Americans” I’m a big fan of Matthew Rhys and will stick with it.
Michael, you’re right about the first episode of Season 2 being convoluted. First the arson on the ship, then the murder. How does this all fit together? I guess we’ll find out next week when Perry Mason decides he doesn’t want to do civil suits any more and turns back to criminal cases.
The reviews suggest this is a stronger season than one. I think the old PM would be too formulaic for us now. TV is so much more sophisticated in presenting a long story with an arc. Although maybe I am remembering the old series wrong. Didn’t he win every case? But so did COLUMBO so maybe it works. My mother sure liked it.
Patti, I agree with you on contemporary long story arcs. The old Perry Mason TV series is available everyday on FETV. COLUMBO io free on AMAZON Prime TV.
I believe in the first tv series, he managed to not-win one case but somehow emerged victorious on some sort of technicality. Very vague memory of this.
Yes, huge fan of the Burr series and read at least half of the books (as well as a lot of other Gardners). I had a mixed reaction to season one of the reboot but it got better as it went along, and once we get home (no HBO down here) we will catch up with season two.
Jeff, HBO doles out one episode per week so it will take a couple of months to get to the conclusion of Season 2.
I lost the first season on HBO when I had to get a new cable box, so am recording them now as well as the 2nd season Haven’t watched any yet.
FYI, one of ,my mother’s good friends was one of Gardners secretaries just before WWII she had lots of signed books, and even a manuscript with notes. Was not sure what happened to it all.
Maggie, I suspect those signed books and manuscript with notes might be worth a pretty penny!
Oh, brother! Is Hamilton Burger a quadriplegic, too?! I’ll stick with the old Raymond Burr reruns on MeTV at 11:30 each night, M-F! I hate when some Dockers-wearing squid changes everything that was good about a franchise just to show how hip and today he/she can be! Look how they destroyed Warren Murphy’s Trace books for TV! Bah!
Bob, the HBO Hamilton Burger looks slick as a used car salesman.
I was mostly a fan of the opening and closing themes of the original series. My mother was a constant viewer. I’ve barely sat through episodes of either series as yet…a bit odd, I know.
Todd, my family enjoyed watching PERRY MASON together in the Sixties. I still catch an episode once in a while on FETV.
MeTV? Asking mostly because at least one of the little Xian networks is also running PM repeats, though MeTV is (as probably the most widely-viewed of the small commercial broadcast networks, unless Bounce or some others have managed to outpull it) is the one which noted how well it consistently did as a syndicated repeat on various local stations over the decades.