Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk in season one of ‘Perry Mason’

Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk starred in the first season of HBO Original Series Perry Mason (2020- ). The updated series is set in the 1920s based on characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner. This incarnation of the Perry Mason series was developed and written by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald. That there would be a second season was announced in July, 2020.

(From left, Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason and Chris Chalk as Paul Drake in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

The opening season of Perry Mason offered a decidedly contemporary look into the origin stories and existing human relationships for existing characters known to many familiar with the original Perry Mason (1957-1966) television series or the series of detective novels. This series offers much in terms of offering backstories of characters in ways that would be borderline taboo even on modern day late night network television. Included in this would be the origin story of Perry Mason, as portrayed by Matthew Rhys, his complicated love interest Lupe Gibbs, as played by Veronica Falcón, and the stories involving Paul Drake, as portrayed by Chris Chalk. Diarra Kilpatrick portrayed Clara Drake, the wife of Chris Chalk.

(From left, John Lithgow as Elias Birchard ‘E.B.’ Jonathan, Juliet Rylance as Della Street and Shea Whigham as Pete Strickland in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

The story of the opening season of Perry Mason begins with some seedy investigations pursued by detectives Perry Mason and Pete Strickland pursuing seedy private investigation work. Pete Strickland, as portrayed by Shea Whigham, secondhand through lawyer Elias Birchard ‘E.B.’ Jonathan, as portrayed by John Lithgow. E.B. Jonathan, a lawyer down on his luck with his glory days in the past, employed Mason, Strickland, and substantially more than secretary Della Street. Street is portrayed by Juliet Rylance. Street is in a relationship with Hazel Prystock, as portrayed by Molly Ephraim, in the opening season.

(From left, Gayle Rankin as Emily Dodson, Tatiana Maslany as Sister Alice McKeegan and Lili Taylor as Birdy McKeegan in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

The case at the center of involves the kidnapping and death of Emily and Matt Dodson’s son Charlie Dodson. Gayle Rankin portrayed Emily Dodson as Nate Corddry portrayed Matt Dodson. The circumstances and political mechanization behind the ensuing investigation, along with the odd circumstances occurring at a radio religious ministry inextricably tied to the happenings of the death become connected to the events. Birdy McKeegan, as portrayed by Lili Taylor, Sister Alice McKeegan as portrayed by Tatiana Maslany, and Herman Baggerly as portrayed by Robert Patrick all have a hand in the prospects within and without the ministry connected to this case.

(From left, Robert Patrick as Herman Baggerly and Andrew Howard as Detective Ennis in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

Regarding the disappearance, death, and subsequent trials of Emily and Matt Dodson, police detective Ennis and policeman Paul Drake run afoul of each other in formulating the official theory of the crime. Andrew Howard portrayed Detective Ennis. The theory of the crime, and the subsequent prosecution of it by Maynard Barnes as portrayed by Stephen Root, who aims to make sure the facts to be presented at trial at a minimum will not be derailed due to clever investigation and mechanization by the investigations of Perry Mason, Pete Strickland, and others. The sense of desperation in what motivates some through the investigation and conduct of the trial, in addition to the self-motivation and crime that underpins how justice was operating through the season, certainly offered a grit to the storytelling that I do not recall from the original television series that I remember.

(Stephen Root as Maynard Barnes in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

The first season of the HBO series Perry Mason was an intriguing re-imagination of the original characters that were present. That the season chose to focus on a single case with deeper looks into the relationships of the people and the drama does service to a series airing on a premium cable platform. I’m all for additional seasons, acknowledging that the edge this series brings both in violence and sexual content will not be for all viewers. I grade for season one of Perry Mason at 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins and Season Three of ‘Justified’

We first introduced you to the FX television series Justified (2010-2015) with our look into the first season last July. We followed with a look into season two in September. The third 13-episode season of Justified brings an exiled Detroit mobster to Harlan through Lexington, Kentucky to establish the oxycontin trade. Meanwhile, a couple of other criminal feuds breakout with allegiances changing with rapid fire, ending up with Nobles Holler playing a decent part in the larger story.

(Natalie Zea as Winona Hawkins, left, and Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in the television series Justified).

Timothy Olyphant continues to star in season three of Justified as the righteous yet rule-bending lawman morally mixed-up with his ex-wife Winona Hawkins, as portrayed by Natalie Zea. The story involving Gary Hawkins, as portrayed by William Ragsdale, is one worth keeping an eye on through the season.

(Left to right, Neal McDonough as Robert Quarles, William Ragsdale as Gary Hawkins and Jere Burns as Wynn Duffy in the television series Justified).

The exiled Detroit mobster Robert Quarles, portrayed by Neal McDonough, interplays with Dixie Mafia enforcer Wynn Duffy, as portrayed by Jere Burns. The banter among these characters highlights cultural differences between the Midwestern United States and Appalachia, aiming for humor in the approach.

(Left to right, Joelle Carter as Ava Crowder, Raymond J. Barry as Arlo Givens and Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder in the television series Justified).

Old feuds surface in the telling of the story of introducing new players into the vacuum caused by the deaths of Mags Bennett and others in the second season of the series. The feud between Boyd Crowder, as portrayed by Walton Goggins, and Dickie Bennett, as portrayed by Jeremy Davies, is a central part of that tale. Ava Crowder remains in league with her former brother-in-law, Boyd, while Arlo Givens joins the Crowders, including wheel-chair bound Johnny Crowder, in that process. Joelle Carter plays Ava Crowder. Raymond J. Barry plays Arlo Givens, the father to Raylan. David Meunier plays Johnny Crowder.

(Todd Stashwick as Ash Murphy, left, and Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett in the television series Justified).

Almost everybody through the third season of Justified has an interest in the money that Mags Bennett has left in trust with the Ellstin Limehouse in Noble’s Holler. Dickie Bennett believes himself to be the rightful heir to the fortune, which in separate parts motivates behavior for Boyd, Johnny and Ava Crowder, Arlo Givens, Raylan Givens, Ash Murphy and Ellstin Limehouse. Ash Murphy, a Kentucky jailer, is portrayed by Todd Stashwick. Ellstin Limehouse is portrayed by Mykelti Williamson.

(Left to right, Mykelti Williamson as Ellstin Limehouse, Erica Tazel as Rachel Brooks and Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in the television series Justified).

Law enforcement officers with the U.S. Marshals Service in Justified continue to include Rachel Brooks as portrayed by Erica Tazel, Art Mullen as portrayed by Nick Searcy and Tim Gutterson as portrayed by Jacob Pitts. A nebulous and entertaining fictional part of this series is the different degrees of gray that these characters, and all the characters to some degree, in this series occupy.

(Left to right, Nick Searcy as Art Mullen, Jacob Pitts as Tim Gutterson and Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in the television series Justified).

The third season of this series hits another home run of entertaining for me, which allowed me to move quickly through the season. The emotional truths of different characters in the story, flaws and quirks right there for the telling, is part of what resonates in the storytelling of this season. The same has been true of the series overall, with payoffs among the different seasons as well. I grade for season three of Justified at 4.25-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, January 18, 2020