Perry Mason

I'm completely puzzled by the reviews of this series. I love good noir. The series, in my view, is the best contemporary noir since LA Confidential. The cinematography is beautiful, the plot doesn't insult me, and you actually have to listen to the dialogue to follow the plot. The characters don't look like something out of Entertainment Tonight, and the meter, cadence, and thstructure are right on time. If you like noir, and you're not texting, posting on Twitter or Instagram while you watch, you won't find anything better.

Grew up on and enjoyed the two versions of the Perry Mason series/movies that stared Raymond Burr. They were based on the Earle Stanley Gardner books and followed his style well. This series is definitely not at all like its predecessors nor the books. Where Burr's version of Mason was a successful lawyer with a upstanding reputation and quick thinking to get clients out of a jam, Rhys' Mason is a down and out lawyer working as a PI who takes on shady clients (photos of a man & his mistress), then double crosses his client for more money. Della is a more sassy character here and she doesn't so much keep Perry organized as keeps him honest. As the first episode goes on, you do see things come together that shows some finer character traits when he is dealing with the viewing of the baby corpse in a murder he is investigating. These little snippets of emotion could potentially lead to a more refined character in later episodes even as he maintains a "rough around the edges" personality. I'm not totally sold on this new variation of Mason, but it intrigued me enough that I'll watch a few more episodes hoping the writers are building to something that will hook me in for the long run.

This is a reboot of the Perry Mason series that is nothing like the original which was based on a series of books written by Erle Stanley Gardner.

In this much darker reboot there was some phenomenal cinematography. It was filmed in an almost film noir kind of light...with slower moments and they didn't shy away from social commentary(which may be one of my few complaints about season one, which overall I enjoyed).

I think you have to scrub your mind of the other iterations of Perry Mason and give this series a clean slate in order to enjoy it...otherwise you might get caught up in all of the new back story like: Della Street is a lesbian and lives with her handmodel roommate, Paul Drake is an African American police officer with a very pregnant wife, and at least at the beginning of the series Perry Mason is a down on his luck barely making ends meet private investigator who is divorced from his wife who is raising their son, living on his deceased family's dairy farm that a Hispanic female pilot and some times lover is trying to purchase for a song to expand her airport while Perry drowns his sorrows in alcohol. It is implied that he received a dishonorable discharge from WWII for shooting fellow allied soldiers to put them out of their misery and hasn't been the same since.

As mentioned, a lot of social issues are introduced to the story as well as new backstories for these well-known and beloved characters...but if you can get past it, The Who-done-it mystery of season one and the cinematography are fantastic! Additionally, there is another wonderful performance by Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslaney, who plays an evangelical minister in Hollywood where she claims she is going to bring the dead baby back to life.

It was a bit of a chess game putting all of the players on the board where we know they are in position to play and I for one am looking forward to what is instort for season two. Hopefully there will be another great mystery...and maybe a little less social justice.

Final note: Johnathan Lithgow was phenomenal as E. B.. I always enjoy his acting, but he played this heart wrenching character flawlessly. I loved the still moments with just him the best...like filling the bird feeder.

...and I'm not disappointed. I'm all for providing an old story an origin, and this production gives you just that and does it very well. And, boy, is it gritty, dusty, smoky, and boozy. It is not for the weak-stomached. Keep in mind that this is an old story being told in today's voice. The Perry Mason of the 60's is an interpretation of his character for television audience of that decade, produced for family network TV, while the HBO version is for an audience that expects what HBO is capable of delivering. Can't wait for the finale to see how it all comes together.

I've never left a review on here, but I feel I have to with all the backlash I'm reading. No, he's not an attorney, but I feel he will evolve into that throughout further seasons with Della by his side. I love the gritty, dark vibes in the show and think it's an excellent noir with great acting and writing all around, especially considering HBO's less than stellar track record with shows lately. I hope more people enjoy it too and it buds into an excellent multi-season series.