Re-Assessing PERRY MASON

In early December, I had a really bad sinus infection. I had a non-stop headache for 6 straight days and it was very difficult to do anything - even watch TV. Now I had been watching 30 Rock but with that headache, I found it annoying and hard to concentrate. I felt the same way when I tried watching a few movies. I needed something that moved slowly, that was fairly predictable and wouldn't harm my head in any way. I saw Perry Mason Season 1 and decided this would probably work just fine.



Veteran Raymond Burr
brought Perry Mason to life

Now, of course, I am familiar with Perry Mason. As one of the most commonly syndicated television series in history, I had certainly seen entire episodes and parts of numerous other episodes. In fact, I thought I was so familiar with it, that there'd be no revelations in this viewing - just a series to get me through the next few nights until my headache went away and I started to feel better. In my estimation, Perry Mason was an enjoyable, but extremely formulaic series. All the episodes have many courtroom scenes and the majority end with a confession on the stand from the killer. Confession follows confession on the stand until the murderer finally reveals that he/she did it and often does so with an especially (melo)dramatic flourish. I always thought this familiarity brought a "comfort" factor that was a huge part of the show's success - and make no mistake. It was a huge success. It ran 9 seasons (1957-1966) and had 271 episodes. A 1985 comeback movie "Perry Mason Returns" brought Raymond Burr back to the part and led to over 20 tv movies. Raymond Burr became a star and his co-stars Barbara Hale and William Hopper became a beloved part of television history too. Even as I write this, a big screen comeback movie is in the works, reportedly starring Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role.




Barbara Hale was
Della Street

These were my assumptions going in. I have to admit, having now finished the DVD set, that I was rather wrong. These early episodes are extremely well written. Perhaps being based directly on the original Perry Mason novels helped but these episodes are far from formulaic. The courtroom barely makes an appearance in many of these episodes. Another factor to consider is that the versions airing on local television/cable stations are the cut syndicated versions. The episodes on the DVD set are complete and - as such - they often contain several more minutes that one doesn't see on television. Many of these moments are small character moments - exploring the relationships between Perry Mason, Della Street and Paul Drake. Plot-wise, they are not very significant and are easy to shave out for the syndicated versions. But in terms of the viewer getting to know these characters, they are very significant.


Hedda Hopper's son
William Hopper was
detective extraordinaire
Paul Drake

Another factor I noted was that Perry Mason is often bending the rules. He doesn't quite break them, but he bends them pretty far - in the interest of his client. I also discovered that Perry's two main antagonists - Lt. Tragg and District Attorney Hamilton Burger - are extremely obnoxious. They not only assume that Perry's client is guilty, they also assume that Perry is breaking the law left and right. Of course, they always have to eat crow at the end of the episode but they never do seem to admit they were wrong.

It's also established right from the start of the series that Perry Mason is an extremely famous attorney and that Paul Drake runs an extremely efficient detective service. Della is also pressed into service on a regular basis in these early episodes, occasionally even doing some quick covert work. There's also, of course, the on-screen flirtation between Paul and Della. Although they're the ones who flirt (in a rather gentle - more friendly way), it's pretty clear that Perry and Della are the couple on the show.

Another fun element of this series is the "spot the guest star" game. The series was famous for its stable of guest stars, some already famous, some not-so-much and certain actors who appeared again and again on Perry Mason playing a different character each time. (This was actually not that unusual in early television - Dragnet was another series that did it all the time too). The 1st 20 episodes of the show are on this DVD set and a quick round-up of guest stars include Barbara Eden, William Schallert, Joi Lansing, Frances Bavier and Darryl Hickman. If you're thinking that's not too impressive, well, I'd agree with you. I suspect future installments will up the guest star ante considerably.

The happy couple

So what does it all mean? Was I completely wrong? Was Perry Mason not quite as formulaic as I had mentally filed it away as being?
It was (I knew even before my recent re-appraisal) an extremely influential series. No television show (I'd add no movie or theater production either) could ever take place in a court room after this series without being influenced by it. So there's no doubt it was influential and important. But, based on these 1st 20 episodes, I'd add that it was also hugely enjoyable. Perhaps, at some point, as happens to so many television series, this show drifts off into formula and it becomes basically the same show episode after episode. After all, 271 episodes is a LOT of hours to fill.  Perhaps some of the inspiration left the production team. But based on these 1st 20 episodes, I can see why viewers took note in 1957 and bought into one of the biggest series of the time.