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    Perry Mason S01E01 Review: Chapter One – An intriguing set-up

    By Salome G
    | June 22, 2020
    TV Blogs

    If you are vaguely familiar with the Raymond Burr Perry Mason, as I am, or if you are not familiar at all, then it’s okay. This is not that Perry Mason, the defense attorney who nearly always gets his (innocent) client off through the confession of the real culprit. This is prequel Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys), back in the grimy old days when he was still a private investigator.

    Like Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, this is set in interwar Los Angeles, so some themes and details will probably intersect. They already are, actually, but I’ll get to that.

    Perry Mason S01e01 Matthew Rhys

    First, though, there’s this Perry Mason. WWI vet Perry Mason, who works as a PI with Pete Strickland (Shea Whigham, HBO show MVP) and frequently does work for attorney E.B. Jonathan (John Lithgow). When he’s not doing investigative work, he lives on a tiny dairy farm–two cows–and has a very…rigorous relationship with Lupe (Veronica Falcón), a pilot.

    The first case we see him working isn’t glamorous. The participants are, though. He’s spying on Chubby Carmichael (Bobby Gutierrez), a character clearly based on Fatty Arbuckle. When Perry sneaks into his house, Carmichael is, uh, eating pumpkin pie off a lady’s nethers. That lady, though, isn’t just some two-bit dame. She’s Velma Fuller, apparently a starlet on the rise, so when Perry goes to collect his payment, he tacks on an extra fee for the photos of her. That’s gonna be an issue.

    Perry Mason S01e01 Juliet Rylance (Della Street) Matthew Rhys

    But the big case of the episode that will be the big, big case of the season is the kidnapping of baby Charlie Dodson. His parents, Matthew (Nate Corddry) and Emily (Gayle Rankin), have followed the kidnappers’ instructions to the letter. But when they step onto the funicular, sadly named “Angel’s Flight,” where Charlie was left, all they find is the corpse of their child, his eyes sewn open.

    (As Elsa’s foul beast of a child on Penny Dreadful: City of Angels tells a story about a kidnapped girl with a similar twist–the eyes are sewn open–I wondered if this were based on a real case. And it turns out it was. Marion Parker, a 12yo girl, was kidnapped and murdered in 1927. The details are gruesome, so I’ll leave it up to you if you’d like to find out more.)

    Perry Mason S01e01 Robert Patrick Herman Baggerly

    Perry is brought on to this case via E.B. Jonathan, who introduces him to Herman Baggerly (Robert Patrick). Baggerly attends the same church, Radiant Assembly of God, as the Dodsons. He wants an outside actor to investigate the kidnapping and murder because he doesn’t trust the Los Angeles Police Department. This is, after all, the same department that returned the wrong child to mother Christine Collins and then had her institutionalized when she insisted that he was not her son. (By the way, this is the crime that inspired the 2008 movie Changeling. If you’d like to read more on that, the Crime Museum has a good write-up. Be advised, though, that it contains details about crimes against children.)

    Perry visits the Dodsons, where Matthew is being interviewed by the LAPD. It’s clear they want to pin this on him. Perry, meanwhile, speaks to Emily. They talk a bit about their respective sons–Perry’s son Teddy lives with his mother–and Emily says she thinks that God is punishing her.

    He then starts retracing their steps. Although the LAPD is already getting aggressive with him, he’s able to deliver some solid information to them. Someone saw a car, a Phaeton, speeding away from the scene.

    But that’s really all he has at this point. He and Pete think this might be an inside job, as in, whoever did it had to know the Dodsons. But as to whether the Dodsons themselves were involved is still unclear.

    Perry Mason S01e01 Nate Corddry Matthew Dodson

    He and Pete then attend the Hammersmith Films New Year’s Eve party. They’re still trying to get that money for the photos of Carmichael and Fuller. Instead, Hammersmith sticks to the original price, $200, but subtracts $199 for the hassle. Then he has his goons rough up Perry.

    Back at his sad little farm, Perry goes through the evidence he’s collected so far. In a flash that foreshadows the way he’ll solve his clients’ cases in the future, he’s struck by something. He studies the photo of a ceramic turtle he took in Charlie’s bedroom and muses, as Emily told him, that the boy liked turtles. So do I! What is it you’re seeing, Perry?

    Meanwhile, one of the LAPD cops, Holcomb (Eric Lange), turns out to be in on the kidnapping. But since the getaway car has been IDed, he thinks it’s high time to eliminate his co-conspirators. So he does. It’s a hard day in Los Angeles.

    8/10 – Although this is not the considerably more conservative Raymond Burr Perry Mason, it’s still an intriguing set-up. And Matthew Rhys is worth the price of admission every time.

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    18 Comments
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    PersephoneD
    Persephone
    2 years ago

    Ah, they were smart to switch things up. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the old black-and-white TV show, but I think Perry Mason kept the same personality here which helps me buy into it. Matthew Rhys fills the role nicely.

    1
    Reply
    RickiV25D
    RickiV25
    2 years ago

    This looks pretty interesting. I am glad I recorded it. I actually watched the first 2 episodes. Who in the world would sew a kids eyes open, then again kill him. I don’t think the parents are involved.

    1
    Reply
    FrankOz45D
    FrankOz45
    2 years ago

    Finally, something new to watch! I loved it! It’s nothing like the old show but that’s the great thing. I’m going to love this one, hope it’s on for many seasons.

    1
    Reply
    RickiV25D
    RickiV25
    2 years ago
    Reply to  FrankOz45

    I couldn’t agree more. I was thinking it would be more like the older show. I was pleasantly surprised that it isn’t. I bet some people will be turned away by this, not me though.

    1
    Reply
    Samuel234D
    Samuel234
    2 years ago

    Looks like something interesting to watch right now. There aren’t a lot of new shows out. I watched Perry Mason years ago. This isn’t even close to the old shows.

    1
    Reply
    DrewsiD
    Drewsi
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Samuel234

    That is so true. I remember watching those shows with my grandfather. I thought, why not give it a chance. I do like it so far. You are right about not many new things on anymore.

    1
    Reply
    FrankOz45D
    FrankOz45
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Drewsi

    Exactly! It’s nothing like the old ones. I watched those with my gramps too. I wonder if he would enjoy these. Probably not because they are so different.

    1
    Reply
    Salome G
    Author
    Salome G
    2 years ago

    Whoopsy do, I got the names messed up. While both cops we met in this episode appear to be crooked, the one who actually killed the kidnappers was Holcomb’s partner, Ennis (Andrew Howard).

    0
    Reply
    Shakiraaa
    Shakiraaa
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Salome G

    When I read the review I thought it was the other cop. I had to go back and check, ha.
    I thought it was a great start to a new show. I can’t wait to see how it progresses.

    1
    Reply
    Richarda
    Richarda
    2 years ago

    Great new show! I was pretty interested in the first episode and am excited to see episode 2. It really isn’t anything like the old Perry Mason. My folks watched it and hated it. They are fans of the old Perry Mason.

    1
    Reply
    Salome G
    Author
    Salome G
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Richarda

    Well, I realized this week that I’m unsure what memories are of old Perry Mason and what are memories of Matlock episodes.

    0
    Reply
    OgmoreD
    Ogmore
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Salome G

    Ha, I’m mixing those two up plus Columbo and Murder, She Wrote along with it. The whodunit shows blend together, especially since it’s been ages that I caught the reruns.

    1
    Reply
    DrewsiD
    Drewsi
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Ogmore

    You know I was thinking that I knew the old Perry Mason but you just might be right. There were so many of these shows back then. Kind of like the police/crime shows now.

    1
    Reply
    RickiV25D
    RickiV25
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Drewsi

    So true! There were a lot of these shows back then and it is easy to confuse them. I loved Murder She Wrote! I love a lot of the cop shows now.

    1
    Reply
    JordainaD
    Jordaina
    2 years ago

    Wow! I thought this was great and I’m excited to see more. Go figure that Holcomb (cop) was involved too. You’re right though, it’s nothing like the old Perry Mason.

    1
    Reply
    Richarda
    Richarda
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Jordaina

    Yeah, I agree. I wonder how much we will see of the crooked cop. I kind of liked how he played out so far.

    Were you a fan of the old Perry Mason show?

    1
    Reply
    Shakiraaa
    Shakiraaa
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Richarda

    I was a huge fan of the old Perry Mason show and Matlock too. This certainly isn’t like either so far. I did like it though. Hopefully it stays good and suspenseful.

    1
    Reply
    wayneD
    wayne
    2 years ago
    Reply to  Jordaina

    It is nothing close to the old Perry Mason but with such a gripping initial scene. I love TV series with such a captivating start, as opposed to those that take a while to captivate.

    0
    Reply

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