From 1957 to 1966 one name was synonymous with integrity, ingenuity, and the rule of law; Perry Mason. The classic series followed the brilliant defense attorney as he tackled one convoluted case after another, always managing to reach a winning verdict before the end of the hour. In 2020's HBO adaptation Mason could not be more different from his beloved predecessor, and is all the better for it. This noirish reboot follows its reluctant hero on a twisting journey through the gritty streets of Depression era L.A. that is guaranteed to leave viewers guessing until its final reveal. At once an apt tribute to the early television classic and a refreshingly original standalone piece Perry Mason is guilty of being one of the most entertaining legal dramas to ever grace the small screen.
The story begins in 1932 as Matthew and Emily Dodson race to pay the ransom for their kidnapped infant son, Charlie. The couple gladly pay the ransom only to make the devastating realization that Charlie was killed during the course of the kidnapping. Police suspicions quickly fall on the Dodsons, prompting Matthew's father, powerful industrialist Herman Baggerly to intervene on their behalf. Meanwhile, Perry Mason is working as a private investigator for his mentor, attorney E. B. White. White's firm agrees to take on the Dodson case as a favor to Baggerly, setting its staff on a collision course with the LAPD, the rising Evangelist movement, and the political establishment. White, Mason, and their secretary, Della, soon find themselves put to the ultimate test as the case leads them down a trail of murder, corruption, and coverups that is just the stuff film noir is made of.
In this modern retelling the squeaky clean attorney of old is all but abandoned in favor of a morally murky and all too human hero for our times. The series wisely moves the action from the original's post-war setting to the early 1930's. Even as it moves the story back in time the altered setting actually makes the series feel more modern as it uses the backdrop of the Great Depression to explore such timely themes as economic uncertainty, racial and gender tensions, the impending threat of war and institutional corruption. This change also allows the script to act as an origin story in its exploration of Mason's humble beginnings as a struggling private investigator coping with trauma from World War I. In this way, Mason is transformed from a near genius in the style of Sherlock Holmes to an everyman who viewers will find themselves relating to and rooting for. Similarly, the series invests each member of the supporting cast with backstories and conflicts that ensures that they are fully realized characters rather than the stock types and plot devices that characters were reduced to in the original hourly series. The series also aptly utilizes the aesthetic of classic noir to to highlight the morally grey subject matter while placing the plot firmly within the context of the early thirties. In this way the series serves as an accurate historical drama while offering an atmospheric crime story that will appeal to the jaded taste of modern viewers. For a drama that delivers style and substance in equal measure take a stroll down the dark alleys of 1930's L. A. with Perry Mason.
The series brings the gritty streets of Depression-era Los Angeles to life thanks to the brilliant work of its cast. Gayle Rankin perfectly blends the contradictory small town naivete and disillusioned world weariness that define Emily Dodson. Nate Corddry aptly conveys Matthew's devastation at the loss of his son and betrayal of his wife. Andrew Howard is nothing short of chilling in his ruthless portrayal of corrupt cop Joe Ennis. Eric Lange depicts Ennis' equally compromised partner, Gene Holcomb, with subtle menace and cold calculation. Veronica Falcon infuses pilot turned speakeasy owner Lupe with shrewdness, humor, and a sizzling sensuality worth of Marlene Dietrich. Tatiana Manslany is mesmerizing as magnetic preacher Sister Alice McKeegan. Chris Chalk aptly portrays the inner conflict of honest police officer Paul Drake in his depiction of Drake's efforts to maneuver the corruption surrounding him. Juliet Rylance infuses Mason's secretary turned attorney Della Street with wit, warmth, and charm in a performance that rival's Barbara Hale's iconic turn in the original series. Even in the midst of a superior supporting cast the series belongs to Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason. In Rhys hands' the too good to be true attorney of the original series is transformed into an all too human everyman struggling to hold onto his principles in an increasingly unprincipled world.
At once an inspired tribute to both its predecessor and classic noir and a refreshingly original mystery Perry Mason aptly raises the standard of modern television. The script expertly balances the grit and atmosphere of classic noir with a modern sensibility to create a viewing experience that is nothing short of gripping. The expert performances of the cast transport viewers to the dust ridden streets of 1930's Los Angeles and the darkest corners of the human soul. The verdict is in Perry Mason is one of the most riveting dramas to appear on the small screen.
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