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
Matt Lynn Digital 