Perry Mason Season 1 (HBO) Blu-ray Review & Comments

Casimir Harlow

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Thank you covering this Cas, very unrated show and Matthew Rhys over the course of the season comes into his own....
(Was wondering what Matthew would end up in after his stint in the Amazing, brilliant and somewhat unrecognized *The Americans*)
I never watched the originals but this reboot is brilliantly done by HBO.
It's pretty dark subject with shady characters and throw in some court room drama .. what's not to like.

With season 2 confirmed, I am looking forward more of the same or if not better.

Matthew interaction with John Lithgow, back and forth, back and forth was "WOW"

9/10 :)
 
This to me is the definition of a show of two halves in its first season. The first 4 episodes were painfully slow with lots of characters and different sub plots and at times it was very confusing, but the final 4 episodes were absolutely brilliant.

By the time it ended it is perhaps one of my favourite new shows of 2020 and i'm really looking forward to Season 2.

But i think alot of people might give up as the first 4 episodes are seriously hard work.
 
having never watched the original perry mason series ,for me this reboot was such a great first season im glad there going to do a second season , it's a slow to start but once it gets going it's great .
 
Cas you're missing a space in para 2, 'Masonwould'
Should there not be a Series, instead of Movie category listing for the score?

It's very probably correct to say that Robert Downey Jnr. may well of lent a better performance (The Judge; notably comes to mind, as he made it zing) but I don't think it's fair to say that Rhys is "...without even the slightest glimmer of charm or wit" I found his performance a little underplayed but not down and out from some biting wit and there was warmth and compassion - if not for his character per se. To judge an accomplished movie actor and behind the scenes heavy weight against an ostensibly TV and theatre work star is not a fair match to me.
The beginning episodes are tough to get through and, in particular, the opener goes large for little apparent reason only to close itself down in size. Then, the church story somewhat wastefully gets grandiose too; which I felt was too big for what it kept buffering with, namely, a far smaller central thread of a story. The biggest sin in my opinion, was in killing a huge character in weight and story. Yes, it makes way for more but I'd of been happy with a forcibly retired position, whereby their presence and influence could have featured in the next series.
In any case, I'm glad I chose to stick with it and look forward to new tensions with Perry's friend, former ally and a new tale of sepia woe.
 
Cas you're missing a space in para 2, 'Masonwould'
Should there not be a Series, instead of Movie category listing for the score?

It's very probably correct to say that Robert Downey Jnr. may well of lent a better performance (The Judge; notably comes to mind, as he made it zing) but I don't think it's fair to say that Rhys is "...without even the slightest glimmer of charm or wit" I found his performance a little underplayed but not down and out from some biting wit and there was warmth and compassion - if not for his character per se. To judge an accomplished movie actor and behind the scenes heavy weight against an ostensibly TV and theatre work star is not a fair match to me.
The beginning episodes are tough to get through and, in particular, the opener goes large for little apparent reason only to close itself down in size. Then, the church story somewhat wastefully gets grandiose too; which I felt was too big for what it kept buffering with, namely, a far smaller central thread of a story. The biggest sin in my opinion, was in killing a huge character in weight and story. Yes, it makes way for more but I'd of been happy with a forcibly retired position, whereby their presence and influence could have featured in the next series.
In any case, I'm glad I chose to stick with it and look forward to new tensions with Perry's friend, former ally and a new tale of sepia woe.

Thanks, typo changed. The "Movie" score is pre-coded, I'm not sure that will change in the short term, but ideally I agree.

I see what you're saying about the comparison between Rhys and Downey, however it was more about the original casting - that's what invited my comparison. It's not like they switched from one TV actor to another, they originally had Downey in the role, and Rhys does not gel as easily (and I liked him in The Americans).

Interestingly, I had to originally review this off the extended pilot and second episode alone, on original airing release, and pretty-much wrote it off based on those. I only returned to finish it for the BD review and found it did get better as it went along, but didn't warrant the 8-episode format IMHO, not - as you say yourself - for the scale of story it was exploring. Maybe if they'd brought down
the church, or unravelled the PD
.
 
Enjoyed the series greatly, agree with the statement that it started very slowly but definitely improved significantly when he became a lawyer and the courtroom scenes were excellent
 
Got my hopes up might be Raymond Burr. Seems only thing it has in common is the usage of the name.
Thanks for the Review Cas
The Raymond Burr series was absolutely riveting. But I look forward to seeing this at some point.
 
Cannot disagree more on Rhys, he was fantastic. His best performance.

Now I just need HBO to release The Plot Against America and I Know This Much Is True on blu-ray already.
 
Thanks for the Review Cas
The Raymond Burr series was absolutely riveting. But I look forward to seeing this at some point.
The original series is being shown on CBS Justice and one where Bettie Davis is the lawyer coming up shortly. I found the revised series 80s had more plot to them. The only real thing I wrong with the series is is the guilty party always confesses, but the series do show Perry deductive powers.
At the interview for the series Raymond Burr went for the part of the prosecutor Hamilton Burger but was chose to play Perry. Raymond was a great person, caring, generous and huge philanthropist.
 
I originally thought this was the proper series with Raymond Burr that is coming out on bluray.
Sadly its not.
We live in hope.
 

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