WWTBAM Bored

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Fri May 17, 2024 9:23 am

I'll keep this non-political although it involves network coverage of Michael Cohen's testimony at the Trump trial. During cross-examination, a lot of commentators cautioned viewers not to expect a "John Grisham moment" when the witness breaks down and makes a self-damaging comment. Ironically, they referred to the moment in A Few Good Men, which was not written or based on any Grisham work, when Jack Nicholson says "You can't handle the truth." Later in Cohen's cross-examination, one particular exchange got heated and afterwards the commentators wondered whether that exchange was the Grisham moment.

What struck me as odd was that no one mentioned the "Perry Mason moment" at the end of almost every episode, when Mason would cross-examine a witness and eventually get them to confess (something that never happens in real life). Am I that old that I'm the only one who remembers Perry Mason and the trademark gotcha moments on the show? For what it's worth, my book club discussed a Mason book recently and I watched the episode that was adapted from that particular novel. But I didn't need the book or the novel to get me thinking of Mason whenever this line of commentary arose on the network news shows.

earendel wrote: ↑

Sat May 18, 2024 9:41 am

silverscreenselect wrote: ↑

Fri May 17, 2024 9:23 am

I'll keep this non-political although it involves network coverage of Michael Cohen's testimony at the Trump trial. During cross-examination, a lot of commentators cautioned viewers not to expect a "John Grisham moment" when the witness breaks down and makes a self-damaging comment. Ironically, they referred to the moment in A Few Good Men, which was not written or based on any Grisham work, when Jack Nicholson says "You can't handle the truth." Later in Cohen's cross-examination, one particular exchange got heated and afterwards the commentators wondered whether that exchange was the Grisham moment.

What struck me as odd was that no one mentioned the "Perry Mason moment" at the end of almost every episode, when Mason would cross-examine a witness and eventually get them to confess (something that never happens in real life). Am I that old that I'm the only one who remembers Perry Mason and the trademark gotcha moments on the show? For what it's worth, my book club discussed a Mason book recently and I watched the episode that was adapted from that particular novel. But I didn't need the book or the novel to get me thinking of Mason whenever this line of commentary arose on the network news shows.

I'm a big fan of Perry Mason - I still watch the old shows in reruns, the later TV movies, and read the original books. I had a hard time with the HBO series, however, because it portrayed a much different Mason.

BackInTex wrote: ↑

Sat May 18, 2024 3:10 pm

My mother watched the original religiously. Every time I hear the theme song I think of her.

BackInTex wrote: ↑

Sat May 18, 2024 3:10 pm

My mother watched the original religiously. Every time I hear the theme song I think of her.