“Months after the Dodson case has come to an end, the scion of a powerful oil family is murdered. When the DA goes to the city’s Hoovervilles to pinpoint the most obvious of suspects, Perry, Della, and Paul find themselves at the center of a case that will uncover far reaching conspiracies and force them to reckon with what it truly means to be guilty.” That’s HBO’s teaser for the long-awaited Season Two of Perry Mason, premiering on March 6th. The re-boot provides an origin story for the iconic character, most famously portrayed by Raymond Burr in the CBS drama from 1957 to 1966.
Season One introduces Matthew Rhys (The Americans) as Perry Mason, a despondent private investigator struggling with post WWI nightmares, divorce, and excessive drinking. It’s 1932 in L.A. when E.B. Jonathan (John Lithgow) hires him to investigate a gruesome child kidnapping case. His journey for the truth takes him through the dark underbelly of Depression-era Los Angeles and its corrupt Police Department. His partner Pete Strickland (Shea Whigham, Boardwalk Empire), evangelist Sister Alice McKeegan (Tatiana Maslang, Orphan Black), secretary Della Street (Juliet Rylance, The Knick), and beat cop Paul Drake (Chris Chalk, Justified) all play pivotal roles in the eight-episode first season.
The first season of Perry Mason is a slow burn with some holes in the story, a tedious subplot, and a drawn-out court scene. But these are minor quibbles for a show that looks so good. For an L.A. native and film noir fan (see previous post Film Noir: Kiss of Death and TCM) it’s a visual delight. Welcome to L.A. Noir with the dark places and shadows of the big city, while crime and corruption lurk around the corner. It’s got private eyes, femme fatales, and morally-flawed characters. History pervades; the Great Depression, Prohibition, gubernatorial election of 1932 (Frank Merriam v. Upton Sinclair), and the landmark Angels Flight funicular in a starring role. Rhys is outstanding as the rumpled, downtrodden, yet persistent investigator. The supporting cast all embody their characters.
This is not your grandpa’s Perry Mason. Raymond Burr commanded the courtroom and guided the jury to a happy ending every week. Matthew Rhys, on the other hand, goes home one night to his dying farm adjacent to a fledging airport, herds a cow off the runway, and has rambunctious sex with his landlady, all with the whiskey bottle close at hand. It’s risky re-inventing a role model of legal justice. (The novels of Erle Stanley Gardner – 80 of them! – have been adapted into numerous formats: TV, movies, radio, and comic books.) Did we need an origin story? I say yes, particularly if it’s such a stylish, creative rendition with fine acting. Much of the main cast is back for the new season (also eight episodes), with Hope Davis, Katherine Waterston, Sean Astin, among others joining the lineup.
D ² Rating ◼◼◼◩☐
Trivia: Matthew Rhys co-starred with Tom Hanks in what 2019 film?
Answer: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood