Matthew Rhys is “Perry Mason” in HBO limited series? *

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by AKA, Aug 27, 2017.

  1. FVDnz

    FVDnz Forum Resident

    LOVE Della!
     
  2. The Wanderer

    The Wanderer Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    NYC
    If you wait a week between episodes you'll be confused and lose the continuity completely

    BTW, what the hell happened to Sister Alice, becoming a shadow of herself.
     
  3. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    We finally caught up with the big finale to Perry Mason, and I'm bummed-out. I thought we'd have some unexpected twists and surprise answers, and a big courtroom confession... but nope, didn't happen. This not only isn't the classic B&W show, to me it's not a good show, either. There's some great talent behind it, and the actors are terrific, but this isn't a show I want to see. This critic agrees...

    'Perry Mason' Finale: A Courtroom Collapse

    [​IMG]
     
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  4. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    I thought the unfolding of the characters with the case and then the launch into the trial case was fabulous. I am so ready for a second season, and so glad Downey isn't the star.
     
  5. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    I'm with you there. I'm curious how involved Downey is, since he gets a credit and a production company credit at the end. I think they had developed it and sewn up the rights for several years, so they were attached no matter who was in the cast. I think if the show had happened a decade ago, when Downey was 45, it might have been possible. I still say it would've been a better show if Perry had been in his early 30s, meaning he was 18 during WWI, which would make for a better story. I don't deny that Mathew Rhys is a really, really good actor, and I think he was convincing as a guy who fumbled his way through the first few days of the trial, but got better as time went on and ultimately at least got a hung jury (and we assume that Emily Dodson was not retried, following the violent death of the main cop involved).
     
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  6. JackBnimble

    JackBnimble Forum Resident

    I'm somewhat curious to see if this is addressed in the 2nd season or if the other big cop Holcomb? who ordered the church guy to be murdered, returns as a character, or if this is just passed off as the way things worked back then. Dodson is out on the road in the newest tent show revival which to me suggests you are right and that she was not retried.
     
  7. thegage

    thegage Forum Currency Nerd

    I’m with you on this. It’s one thing to reinvent and “counter program” but you can take it too far, and I think they did. Instead of a big finale it just kind of petered out, and left me less enthusiastic about season 2.

    It is similar in some ways to Picard, where they aggressively went in a direction opposite to the character and basically lost a significant portion of their audience. (Yeah, the show had a whole bunch of other problems that ultimately made it worthless after about episode 4.)

    JohnK
     
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  8. carrick doone

    carrick doone Whhhuuuutttt????

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Enjoyed the whole series and I'm hoping for a season 2. The finale was low key, layered and conflicted like the whole vibe of the series and I'm good with it. Finale's are tough to do with so many characters and I liked that they didn't leave anything dangling.

    This is LA of Chinatown and Double Indemnity not the brighter LA Confidential. Everyone has a secret, everything is dark in the sunniest part of North America. Loved it. Especially enjoyed the insertion of Hamilton Burger as assistant DA. As time went on I truly admired the casting of Emily. She is an ordinary of her time woman caught in a bad scene. Veronica Falcon as Perry's interest (can't call her a love interest) and their relationship is layed out brilliantly. I think I see the influence of women writers and producers in the characters and story plot. There was at least one episode directed by a woman.

    Not sure I liked Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason at the beginning as his character seemed kind of one note (someone here described his acting as smelling a fart and I couldn't get it out of my mind for a few episodes - they were right). You would think he would get sick of being beaten up but as the series went on I got it. This is just who he is as a person trying to deal with the poor choices he has made, holding onto things he shouldn't any longer, doing despicable things to reveal truth and he is scared and resigned and he loses fights he gets into but he does it regardless. I think Rhys did a good job showing this very flawed man right to the end. Even his partner gets disgusted with what he does to deliver the truth.

    I watched the original series as a child and at no point during this series did I miss it. Instead I was looking forward to reading the books hoping they were similar in tone.
     
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  9. Spaghettiows

    Spaghettiows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Silver Creek, NY
    I finally watched this over the long holiday weekend. It exceeded my expectations. This is neither the Perry Mason portrayed by Raymond Burr, nor the literary character in the books by Erle Stanley Gardner, at least not entirely. It was closer to the spirit of the early novels than it was to the TV series. There is character development, which is something that was lacking in the original books. Mason was already a successful attorney in the books from the get go. But Mason was a lot more apt to use legally questionable methods in the early novels, and the police were portrayed more negatively early on. This is reflected in the HBO series. By the end of the HBO series Mason was reasonably close to the Mason of the novels from the 1930s and early 40s. But with more profanity. The Perry Mason of the Raymond Burr TV show was akin to the later novels, and was in fact sanctioned by Gardner, who slowly transitioned Mason from a rebel attorney who bent the rules into a more straightlaced, respectable attorney with many friends in high places.

    It wasn't perfect. I rate the series 7/10 so far and look forward to the second season.
     
  10. MrSka57

    MrSka57 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Syracuse, New York
    The 'riot' scene is phenomenal. Blu-ray purchase for me today.
     
  11. carrick doone

    carrick doone Whhhuuuutttt????

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Thanks for the insights. I might pick up those first books now.
     
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  12. MikaelaArsenault

    MikaelaArsenault Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire
  13. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian

    I’m so looking forward to the next season. This series deserves a very long run. I’ll be very interested in the story and character development. My kind of show.
     
  14. leemelone

    leemelone Forum Resident

    Location:
    ATL
    Season 2 starts today...
     
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  15. JohnG

    JohnG PROG now in Dolby ATMOS!

    Location:
    Long Island NY
    Watched episode 1 last night, like the arc of this season right off the bat.
     
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  16. Kevin j

    Kevin j The 5th 99

    Location:
    Seattle Area
    i'm on board for this season. love the overall vibe of the show.
     
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  17. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian

    Wish they would work the theme music back in from the earlier tv series. They did so in the first season of this one. I’m so used to it if feels like “part” of Perry Mason.
     
  18. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    I need to watch the new season.
     
  19. Thomas D

    Thomas D Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bradenton, FL
    I like the episode too. I'm glad it's not necessary to have watched season 1 (though it helps) because I've pretty much forgotten it. I'm starting re-watching that tonight.
     
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  20. A good start to the season.
     
  21. carrick doone

    carrick doone Whhhuuuutttt????

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    I enjoyed the continuity from last season to this one. It's a device to show we are jumping into his life relatively early after the first season - which makes sense as we see them just setting up shop. Again, big props to Della! She gets equal exposure in the first episode as an individual.
     
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  22. trd

    trd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Berkeley
    I never really connected with this show in Season 1. I even tried rewatching it a year or so later and bailed pretty quickly. Fast forward to today, a rain soaked Sunday, needing to pass the time, decide to try Season 2 and… it’s great! I’m halfway through the second episode and really enjoying this season so far. Can’t quite put my finger yet on if it’s actually improved in some way (writing, acting) or if I just prefer this story line.
     
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  23. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian

    We’re so very happy it’s returned. Really liking the second season and believe this series has tremendous upside potential.
    Wonderful “on the edge” presentation. Keep up the fantastic work.
     
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  24. jkauff

    jkauff Senior Member

    Location:
    Akron, OH
    My favorite Perry Mason was Warren William in the 30s movies. A brilliant, fearless society alcoholic and womanizer. Too bad he married Della in one of the later movies, but that was probably a Hays code thing.
     
  25. Thomas D

    Thomas D Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bradenton, FL
    I remember not being too impressed with season 1 way back when it aired. In fact I barely remember anything about it, except I thought it mediocre. So I decided to re-watch and I like it more this time, except for the religious scenes and those particular characters. Plus it took too long to get Perry developed. I'm amazed at how much I'd forgotten. I too am liking this season a lot. In general I like the 30s atmosphere and the noir style, together with an interesting story. And we'll see Perry in court more often.
     
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