WWTBAM Bored

HBO has a "limited series" featuring an "origin story" for Perry Mason. Now up front let me confess that I'm a huge fan of Erle Stanley Gardner's books - my mother had a complete collection that unfortunately was destroyed in our house fire. I also enjoy the Raymond Burr TV shows and TV movies. That said, I'm not a fan of what HBO has done to the eminent attorney. First off, he's a private detective working for an attorney (played by John Lithgow), an alcoholic and apparently suffering from "shell shock" from his service in WWI. He makes a living following cheating spouses and taking photographs. Paul Drake is a closeted gay African-American police officer. I'm going to watch the next episode or two, to see if it grows on me.

Could be interesting..

The first episode was enough for me. There's nothing in common with the Perry Mason I knew other than the name. I don't like the setting either. It would have been better to take place in post-WW2 time.

Bob Juch wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 23, 2020 6:17 pm

The first episode was enough for me. There's nothing in common with the Perry Mason I knew other than the name. I don't like the setting either. It would have been better to take place in post-WW2 time.

The early Perry Mason books were written during this time period, but Perry was already pretty much the same character as he was later (he was more given to playing fast and loose with the legal rules however). Why not simply create a new character or do a new version of Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe?

The audience who most enjoys the Raymond Burr TV series will probably not enjoy the new storylines. The only thing I really liked about this version was the fact that they could incorporate Angels Flight into the storyline. (They did that for one season of Bosch.) Any TV show or movie that uses Angels Flight or the Bradbury building can't be all bad.

tlynn78 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:25 pm

Could be interesting..

T-girl:

If you're interested in this type of show, I recently read a book you might be interested in. It's called "Montana Noir" and it's part of an over-100-volume series of various city and state "noir" books from the same publisher. This one is a collection of short stories set in Montana. Despite the title, most of them are more crime stories in general than true noirs, but they all seemed to me to give readers a feel for the setting. They are all written by authors who are either from Montana or spent a lot of time there. The best known of them are James Grady (Six Days of the Condor) and Thomas McGuane (92 in the Shade). The Kindle version retails for $9.99 but it regularly goes on sale for a lot less if you keep your eyes open (check on Fridays). Here's a link to the book on Amazon (my review is the top one on the sales page):

https://www.amazon.com/Montana-Noir-Aka ... op?ie=UTF8

The second episode is a definite improvement on the first since the characters fit into their roles better and the story is taking the shape of a traditional Mason story with a few changes in personnel. Matthew Rhys's character is more like Paul Drake and John Lithgow is more like the traditional Perry Mason. If they had just called the characters by entirely different names and given the show a generic title like 1932 LA Detective, it would probably go over better.

One big difference between this series and traditional Mason stories is that the identity of the killer was revealed at the end of the first episode, although I've got a feeling that there will eventually be more people involved.

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:38 pm

The second episode is a definite improvement on the first since the characters fit into their roles better and the story is taking the shape of a traditional Mason story with a few changes in personnel. Matthew Rhys's character is more like Paul Drake and John Lithgow is more like the traditional Perry Mason. If they had just called the characters by entirely different names and given the show a generic title like 1932 LA Detective, it would probably go over better.

One big difference between this series and traditional Mason stories is that the identity of the killer was revealed at the end of the first episode, although I've got a feeling that there will eventually be more people involved.

Ah, okay, I'll give it one more shot.

I think that by the end of this miniseries, things will look pretty much like they do in the early Mason books.

-- Perry Mason will take the bar and join John Lithgow's firm (I don't know if you could just read for the bar back in the 1930s or not). Lithgow may retire (or not be around for the end of the series).

-- Paul Drake will quit the LAPD and become a full-time PI working for Perry.

-- The guy who is currently Perry's assistant (Shea Whigham) won't be around by the end of the series.

-- Della will still be Della.

-- The current District Attorney will quit (or worse) and be replaced by his hard-working assistant Hamilton Burger.

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:04 am

I think that by the end of this miniseries, things will look pretty much like they do in the early Mason books.

-- Perry Mason will take the bar and join John Lithgow's firm (I don't know if you could just read for the bar back in the 1930s or not). Lithgow may retire (or not be around for the end of the series).

-- Paul Drake will quit the LAPD and become a full-time PI working for Perry.

-- The guy who is currently Perry's assistant (Shea Whigham) won't be around by the end of the series.

-- Della will still be Della.

-- The current District Attorney will quit (or worse) and be replaced by his hard-working assistant Hamilton Burger.

That's exactly how I'd do it if I wanted to conform to the canon.

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:04 am

I think that by the end of this miniseries, things will look pretty much like they do in the early Mason books.

-- Perry Mason will take the bar and join John Lithgow's firm (I don't know if you could just read for the bar back in the 1930s or not). Lithgow may retire (or not be around for the end of the series).

-- Paul Drake will quit the LAPD and become a full-time PI working for Perry.

-- The guy who is currently Perry's assistant (Shea Whigham) won't be around by the end of the series.

-- Della will still be Della.

-- The current District Attorney will quit (or worse) and be replaced by his hard-working assistant Hamilton Burger.

I just saw that season one has only eight episodes so that all can't happen this season.

Bob Juch wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 12:44 pm

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:04 am

I think that by the end of this miniseries, things will look pretty much like they do in the early Mason books.

-- Perry Mason will take the bar and join John Lithgow's firm (I don't know if you could just read for the bar back in the 1930s or not). Lithgow may retire (or not be around for the end of the series).

-- Paul Drake will quit the LAPD and become a full-time PI working for Perry.

-- The guy who is currently Perry's assistant (Shea Whigham) won't be around by the end of the series.

-- Della will still be Della.

-- The current District Attorney will quit (or worse) and be replaced by his hard-working assistant Hamilton Burger.

I just saw that season one has only eight episodes so that all can't happen this season.

Well, you have to have room for the sequel to the prequel.

They certainly changed directions on this week's show. I have to give myself a pat on the back.

It's getting better (and much kinkier) week after week.

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:04 am

I think that by the end of this miniseries, things will look pretty much like they do in the early Mason books.

-- Perry Mason will take the bar and join John Lithgow's firm (I don't know if you could just read for the bar back in the 1930s or not). Lithgow may retire (or not be around for the end of the series).

-- Paul Drake will quit the LAPD and become a full-time PI working for Perry.

-- The guy who is currently Perry's assistant (Shea Whigham) won't be around by the end of the series.

-- Della will still be Della.

-- The current District Attorney will quit (or worse) and be replaced by his hard-working assistant Hamilton Burger.

Spoiler

-- Perry Mason will take the bar and join John Lithgow's firm (I don't know if you could just read for the bar back in the 1930s or not). Lithgow may retire (or not be around for the end of the series). ---CHECK

-- Paul Drake will quit the LAPD and become a full-time PI working for Perry.

-- The guy who is currently Perry's assistant (Shea Whigham) won't be around by the end of the series.

-- Della will still be Della. --- CHECK

-- The current District Attorney will quit (or worse) and be replaced by his hard-working assistant Hamilton Burger. --- HALF - CHECK

Two and a half out of five with three episodes to go

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:25 pm

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:04 am

I think that by the end of this miniseries, things will look pretty much like they do in the early Mason books.

-- Perry Mason will take the bar and join John Lithgow's firm (I don't know if you could just read for the bar back in the 1930s or not). Lithgow may retire (or not be around for the end of the series).

-- Paul Drake will quit the LAPD and become a full-time PI working for Perry.

-- The guy who is currently Perry's assistant (Shea Whigham) won't be around by the end of the series.

-- Della will still be Della.

-- The current District Attorney will quit (or worse) and be replaced by his hard-working assistant Hamilton Burger.

Spoiler

-- Perry Mason will take the bar and join John Lithgow's firm (I don't know if you could just read for the bar back in the 1930s or not). Lithgow may retire (or not be around for the end of the series). ---CHECK

-- Paul Drake will quit the LAPD and become a full-time PI working for Perry.

-- The guy who is currently Perry's assistant (Shea Whigham) won't be around by the end of the series.

-- Della will still be Della. --- CHECK

-- The current District Attorney will quit (or worse) and be replaced by his hard-working assistant Hamilton Burger. --- HALF - CHECK

Two and a half out of five with three episodes to go

So you're proud of yourself that you "figured out" the direction a prequel would take? Genius!

Perry Mason has just been renewed for a second season by HBO.

As I predicted.

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 22, 2020 10:54 pm

Perry Mason has just been renewed for a second season by HBO.

As I predicted.

Not in this thread, you didn't.