Perry Mason

So far I like this series. It is different from the original series, but that's okay with me. If there is a Season 2, etc., I think the show will evolve Perry Mason's career into the type of attorney people remember from the original series. John Lithgow's character is a defense attorney and described as his mentor.

Otherwise, the story is compelling and the acting is amazing. It is a bit dark, perhaps too dark. But the hardboiled detective genre works for me, and the cast wears it well.

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.

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.

...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.

This series was a weird mish mash of 21st century culture clashing with 1930's reality. Alternative lifestyles, racism, politics, corruption, religious zealots, chauvanism, and uncertain economics all interwoven into a crime of the century murder trial. It all ends up sort of like Chinatown, with Perry Mason instead of the PI Jake utterly confused by what has just transpired. And that was my real question, is why Perry Mason. Why take something that most are familiar with and turn it upside down? There comes a point where your just using the name Perry Mason, and not much else. Its like taking Superman, taking away all his super powers, his cape, and making him a cop on the beat, but still calling him Superman. It doesn't make much sense. So its watchable at a time when a lot isn't and that's why it gets 6 stars. If you want Perry Mason, better invest in some old VHS or DVD's