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Post by naterdawg on Feb 9, 2017 2:07:03 GMT
One of my favorite guilty pleasures from MeTV is watching Perry Mason. I was too young to have caught the show as a tyke--and besides, it was "adult drama," and something that wouldn't appeal to me. But now, as an older adult, I absolutely love every show. Such intricate plotting, with a great showdown in the courtroom. Anybody else have any love for Perry and the crew?
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Post by snsurone on Feb 13, 2017 19:41:56 GMT
Raymond Burr was such an underrated actor early in his career (usually typecast as villains), that I'm glad that this show made him a star. And he stayed a star for the rest of his life.
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Post by divtal on Feb 20, 2017 21:20:50 GMT
I love it, to this day. I was 11, when it went on the air, and, our family watched, every Saturday night. My father had an uncanny (not to mention irritating) knack of picking out the "whodunit." We finally impressed upon him that we wanted him to keep it to himself. I have all of the seasons on DVD, and it's still fun to watch them, from time to time. With a few exceptions, I forget who the "bad guy" was ... so it continues to be fun.
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Post by telegonus on Feb 21, 2017 7:27:32 GMT
Yes, I watch it semi-regularly on MeTV. Lately I've noticed, as this is my second "go-round" with the entire nine years, and I always miss a few, that the show truly reflected the times, more so than most. This is mostly due to its lasting to long, from deep in the Eisenhower years into the LBJ Vietnam war era, though the latter never fully surfaced on the show,--no Dragnet-like stoned and tripping teens--but it moved from the smooth singers and cocktail lounge music of the Fifties through folk music, to rock and roll. The art world changed, too, starting out with the likes of George Macready, moving more toward Victor Buono's beantick guy as the years went by. The hairstyles changed, too, more noticeable on women than on men; and hats and gloves became less common on women after 1960. Another favorite of mine from more or less the same period, The Twilight Zone, while reflected its time (1959-64) accurately enough, feels more "of a piece". Same with Route 66. But Perry Mason was different. It really captured many different moods, moments and fads in the America of its day.
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Post by Wesley Crusher on Feb 21, 2017 8:11:07 GMT
Perry Mason is a Super Awesome show ... one of my all-time favorites.
10/10
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Post by Nalkarj on Feb 21, 2017 13:04:34 GMT
Mason is one of my favorites too, although all the "Well, this is the one case you can't win, Perry!" gets a little tedious after about a dozen episodes! I've always greatly appreciated clever whodunit plotting (the "puzzle plot"), even when I do guess whodunit, and Perry Mason has surprisingly clever plots, with good suspects, clues, and alibis. I was watching one the other day--I think it was "The Case of the Weary Watchdog," starring Keye Luke of all people--and I was really surprised with the writers' ingenuity. In particular, there's a rather brilliant alibi. Perhaps I simply grew used to years of Murder, She Wrote and its ilk, which tend (with a few exceptions) to present just about no clues to the viewer and then give no ingenuity in the solution (though Columbo, despite its "inverted" format, always had clever plots).
The few detective shows nowadays that play fair? Actually, Death in Paradise is the only one I can think of right now!
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Post by marshamae on Feb 21, 2017 16:33:20 GMT
I never get tired of Perry's superior smile, Della's warmth, Paul's sleazy playfulness, Trag's sardonic wit and Hamleton Burger's temper tantrums.
The scripts are awfully good and there are some good performances , but the ingénues tend to be weak. It's a real treat when you get a sassy one that really can act, like a young Ellen Burstyn or Margaret Obrien.
That one with Victor Buono as a beatnik and Arlene Sax as the beat girlfriend was spectacular . Zazou Pitts as the Dotty landlady...
Some of these really stood out. When Paul or Della were in trouble , when they were chasing cop killers, when kids were in trouble , they rose to the occasion.
I watched this with my family first run. We all loved it. I was so excited when the series came out on DVD.
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Post by telegonus on Feb 22, 2017 0:21:37 GMT
Mason is one of my favorites too, although all the "Well, this is the one case you can't win, Perry!" gets a little tedious after about a dozen episodes! I've always greatly appreciated clever whodunit plotting (the "puzzle plot"), even when I do guess whodunit, and Perry Mason has surprisingly clever plots, with good suspects, clues, and alibis. I was watching one the other day--I think it was "The Case of the Weary Watchdog," starring Keye Luke of all people--and I was really surprised with the writers' ingenuity. In particular, there's a rather brilliant alibi. Perhaps I simply grew used to years of Murder, She Wrote and its ilk, which tend (with a few exceptions) to present just about no clues to the viewer and then give no ingenuity in the solution (though Columbo, despite its "inverted" format, always had clever plots). The few detective shows nowadays that play fair? Actually, Death in Paradise is the only one I can think of right now! Truly, Salzmank, and there was also that strange, formal, reassuring quality to Perry. Some fans have described it as "kabuki-like", and that does sum it up nicely. To put it in more words: it's not the destination that matters so much when watching PM as the quality of the ride; the scenery, the twists and turns of the roads. The tale mattered less than how it was told, though the Big Reveal was certainly part of the show's appeal as well. It wasn't just "a good ride". I've noticed that the formal aspects of Perry are less in evidence in the early seasons, especially the first three. They evolved. Viewer mail was a likely factor. The five regulars became a team, of sorts, and viewers loved watching them play.
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Post by Nalkarj on Feb 22, 2017 1:16:30 GMT
Mason is one of my favorites too, although all the "Well, this is the one case you can't win, Perry!" gets a little tedious after about a dozen episodes! I've always greatly appreciated clever whodunit plotting (the "puzzle plot"), even when I do guess whodunit, and Perry Mason has surprisingly clever plots, with good suspects, clues, and alibis. I was watching one the other day--I think it was "The Case of the Weary Watchdog," starring Keye Luke of all people--and I was really surprised with the writers' ingenuity. In particular, there's a rather brilliant alibi. Perhaps I simply grew used to years of Murder, She Wrote and its ilk, which tend (with a few exceptions) to present just about no clues to the viewer and then give no ingenuity in the solution (though Columbo, despite its "inverted" format, always had clever plots). The few detective shows nowadays that play fair? Actually, Death in Paradise is the only one I can think of right now! Truly, Salzmank, and there was also that strange, formal, reassuring quality to Perry. Some fans have described it as "kabuki-like", and that does sum it up nicely. To put it in more words: it's not the destination that matters so much when watching PM as the quality of the ride; the scenery, the twists and turns of the roads. The tale mattered less than how it was told, though the Big Reveal was certainly part of the show's appeal as well. It wasn't just "a good ride". I've noticed that the formal aspects of Perry are less in evidence in the early seasons, especially the first three. They evolved. Viewer mail was a likely factor. The five regulars became a team, of sorts, and viewers loved watching them play. No, you're absolutely right, and I agree that there's a reassuring quality to it. Actually, a lot of mystery shows and books have that quality; maybe it's something about restoring justice at the end, making things right with the world? (Though that was not the case certainly in many of Ellery Queen's masterpieces, or in late Agatha Christie.) It's the same sort of thing with the other program I mentioned, Death in Paradise; the high-falutin', hoity-toity critics, nearly to a man, think it's garbage, but tons of people, myself included, love it, and part of that is due to the partnership amongst the lead players. My only concern with Perry (and it's a very minor one, a mere caveat) was that it comes off as mighty silly to have (usually) Burger say, "Here's the one case you can't win, Perry." I mean, you know (I know, I know, there were a few exceptions) he's going to win it, and Burger never realizes, "Gee, maybe I should keep my big trap shut after losing so many cases to Perry!" It's a minor, silly thing, but I also have to stifle laughter at that moment. It's got nothing to do with the characters, including Burger, who, I agree, are great. There's a parallel to The X-Files, of all things, here. I'm pretty much a newbie regarding the show, having watched only the first season--I'd never watched it before because I've never been a sci-fi guy, but a friend recommended it because of my fascination with unsolved mysteries, and I've got to say I love it so far. I think Gillian Anderson, who plays Scully, is an excellent actress--but the writers (in this first season at least) keep having her say, "Oh, come on, Mulder, you can't honestly believe that," etc., etc. I know she's the skeptic, but it's bothersome because in the last episode she just saw "x" (ghost, alien, monster, demon, etc.), and she comes away a little humbled by the "x"--yet in the very next episode she forgets all about that! It has nothing to do with Miss Anderson or even Scully's character and everything to do with the writers. Is that clear, or have I just confused the point even more?
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Post by naterdawg on Feb 22, 2017 1:20:22 GMT
Yes, I watch it semi-regularly on MeTV. Lately I've noticed, as this is my second "go-round" with the entire nine years, and I always miss a few, that the show truly reflected the times, more so than most. This is mostly due to its lasting to long, from deep in the Eisenhower years into the LBJ Vietnam war era, though the latter never fully surfaced on the show,--no Dragnet-like stoned and tripping teens--but it moved from the smooth singers and cocktail lounge music of the Fifties through folk music, to rock and roll. The art world changed, too, starting out with the likes of George Macready, moving more toward Victor Buono's beantick guy as the years went by. The hairstyles changed, too, more noticeable on women than on men; and hats and gloves became less common on women after 1960. Another favorite of mine from more or less the same period, The Twilight Zone, while reflected its time (1959-64) accurately enough, feels more "of a piece". Same with Route 66. But Perry Mason was different. It really captured many different moods, moments and fads in the America of its day. Funny you should mention The Twilight Zone. The other night I was watching a Perry Mason that revolved around a pharmacist who wanted to become a TV writer. Perry said he'd put in a good word with Rod Serling!
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Post by naterdawg on Feb 22, 2017 1:21:02 GMT
Truly, Salzmank, and there was also that strange, formal, reassuring quality to Perry. Some fans have described it as "kabuki-like", and that does sum it up nicely. To put it in more words: it's not the destination that matters so much when watching PM as the quality of the ride; the scenery, the twists and turns of the roads. The tale mattered less than how it was told, though the Big Reveal was certainly part of the show's appeal as well. It wasn't just "a good ride". I've noticed that the formal aspects of Perry are less in evidence in the early seasons, especially the first three. They evolved. Viewer mail was a likely factor. The five regulars became a team, of sorts, and viewers loved watching them play. No, you're absolutely right, and I agree that there's a reassuring quality to it. Actually, a lot of mystery shows and books have that quality; maybe it's something about restoring justice at the end, making things right with the world? (Though that was not the case certainly in many of Ellery Queen's masterpieces, or in late Agatha Christie.) It's the same sort of thing with the other program I mentioned, Death in Paradise; the high-falutin', hoity-toity critics, nearly to a man, think it's garbage, but tons of people, myself included, love it, and part of that is due to the partnership amongst the lead players. My only concern with Perry (and it's a very minor one, a mere caveat) was that it comes off as mighty silly to have (usually) Burger say, "Here's the one case you can't win, Perry." I mean, you know (I know, I know, there were a few exceptions) he's going to win it, and Burger never realizes, "Gee, maybe I should keep my big trap shut after losing so many cases to Perry!" It's a minor, silly thing, but I also have to stifle laughter at that moment. It's got nothing to do with the characters, including Burger, who, I agree, are great. There's a parallel to The X-Files, of all things, here. I'm pretty much a newbie regarding the show, having watched only the first season--I'd never watched it before because I've never been a sci-fi guy, but a friend recommended it because of my fascination with unsolved mysteries, and I've got to say I love it so far. I think Gillian Anderson, who plays Scully, is an excellent actress--but the writers (in this first season at least) keep having her say, "Oh, come on, Mulder, you can't honestly believe that," etc., etc. I know she's the skeptic, but it's bothersome because in the last episode she just saw "x" (ghost, alien, monster, demon, etc.), and she comes away a little humbled by the "x"--yet in the very next episode she forgets all about that! It has nothing to do with Miss Anderson or even Scully's character and everything to do with the writers. Is that clear, or have I just confused the point even more? If Douglas Dick was in the cast, you can bet he was the killer!
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Post by naterdawg on Feb 22, 2017 1:23:54 GMT
I never get tired of Perry's superior smile, Della's warmth, Paul's sleazy playfulness, Trag's sardonic wit and Hamleton Burger's temper tantrums. The scripts are awfully good and there are some good performances , but the ingénues tend to be weak. It's a real treat when you get a sassy one that really can act, like a young Ellen Burstyn or Margaret Obrien. That one with Victor Buono as a beatnik and Arlene Sax as the beat girlfriend was spectacular . Zazou Pitts as the Dotty landlady... Some of these really stood out. When Paul or Della were in trouble , when they were chasing cop killers, when kids were in trouble , they rose to the occasion. I watched this with my family first run. We all loved it. I was so excited when the series came out on DVD. As a kid, I never watched Perry Mason. My parents were strict about being in bed by 8:30 on weeknights, and on weekends, my mother watched NBC Saturday Night at the Movies, which ran at 9. I didn't get to see any Perrys until the last season, and only sporadically. Thanks to MeTV, I've seen every episode, and without fail, they're all great. I have noticed that the most innocuous character is usually the killer. But not all the time! What I like best is seeing the array of 1960s faces!
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Post by Nalkarj on Feb 22, 2017 1:34:59 GMT
I never get tired of Perry's superior smile, Della's warmth, Paul's sleazy playfulness, Trag's sardonic wit and Hamleton Burger's temper tantrums. The scripts are awfully good and there are some good performances , but the ingénues tend to be weak. It's a real treat when you get a sassy one that really can act, like a young Ellen Burstyn or Margaret Obrien. That one with Victor Buono as a beatnik and Arlene Sax as the beat girlfriend was spectacular . Zazou Pitts as the Dotty landlady... Some of these really stood out. When Paul or Della were in trouble , when they were chasing cop killers, when kids were in trouble , they rose to the occasion. I watched this with my family first run. We all loved it. I was so excited when the series came out on DVD. As a kid, I never watched Perry Mason. My parents were strict about being in bed by 8:30 on weeknights, and on weekends, my mother watched NBC Saturday Night at the Movies, which ran at 9. I didn't get to see any Perrys until the last season, and only sporadically. Thanks to MeTV, I've seen every episode, and without fail, they're all great. I have noticed that the most innocuous character is usually the killer. But not all the time! What I like best is seeing the array of 1960s faces! Actually, that tends to be the case with lots of detective-story shows: you can guess the identity of the murderer fairly early on. For me, that doesn't take away any of the enjoyment of watching a well-written and clever plot. With the best detective plots, there are clever elements--alibis, clues, etc.--in addition to the identity of the murderer. Same thing with some books. I recently read Ellery Queen's The Tragedy of Y. I guessed the identity of the murderer fairly early on, but there's a plot point (revealed at the end of the book) as to why the murderer did something peculiar, whose revelation made me slap my head with "Oh! God, how could I have missed that!"--the anagnorisis (simultaneous experience of surprise and inevitability) that is the very essence of the well-done puzzle plot. To get a little away from the theorizing for a sec... I also love seeing the array of '60s faces. Even when the puzzle-plotting isn't perfect, the show is just so much fun. The core five, as Telegonus said, are great to spend time with.
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Post by naterdawg on Feb 22, 2017 1:40:06 GMT
Yes, the core five is great. I miss Burger when he isn't on, and they have someone else as prosecutor.
Tragg is one of my favorite characters, too. So sly...but considering that everyone he arrests that Perry defends is proved innocent, I'm surprised the police force kept him on. All that money and time wasted! The same for Burger!
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Post by telegonus on Feb 22, 2017 7:04:20 GMT
Yes, I watch it semi-regularly on MeTV. Lately I've noticed, as this is my second "go-round" with the entire nine years, and I always miss a few, that the show truly reflected the times, more so than most. This is mostly due to its lasting to long, from deep in the Eisenhower years into the LBJ Vietnam war era, though the latter never fully surfaced on the show,--no Dragnet-like stoned and tripping teens--but it moved from the smooth singers and cocktail lounge music of the Fifties through folk music, to rock and roll. The art world changed, too, starting out with the likes of George Macready, moving more toward Victor Buono's beantick guy as the years went by. The hairstyles changed, too, more noticeable on women than on men; and hats and gloves became less common on women after 1960. Another favorite of mine from more or less the same period, The Twilight Zone, while reflected its time (1959-64) accurately enough, feels more "of a piece". Same with Route 66. But Perry Mason was different. It really captured many different moods, moments and fads in the America of its day. Funny you should mention The Twilight Zone. The other night I was watching a Perry Mason that revolved around a pharmacist who wanted to become a TV writer. Perry said he'd put in a good word with Rod Serling! I saw that one. They must have said "Rod Serling" at least a half-dozen times in that one (a plug for the creator-host of another CBS series?)
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Post by gunshotwound on Mar 7, 2017 10:30:55 GMT
I watch Perry Mason every day. I never watched the show when the episodes first aired. All we could get at my house was NBC. I love the show, all the regular cast and I especially love to see who the guest stars are. So many people from way back when that I did not know but came to recognize.
I really do not have a favorite episode but I do have a favorite moment. I can't remember which episode it was in but while Perry is in court Della bursts in crying. Perry forgets about court for the moment and rushes to her side. She tells him that Paul has had a heart attack and is in serious condition in the hospital. I am not really sure why I like that moment but I do.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2017 20:09:29 GMT
Just popping in to say "hey." As a kid I used to watch PM. A kid! And I really liked it. Yep, calming. Liked the deductive reasoning. He was so cool under pressure and always had something up his sleeve. Very enjoyable.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2017 20:12:52 GMT
One of my favorite guilty pleasures from MeTV is watching Perry Mason. I was too young to have caught the show as a tyke--and besides, it was "adult drama," and something that wouldn't appeal to me. But now, as an older adult, I absolutely love every show. Such intricate plotting, with a great showdown in the courtroom. Anybody else have any love for Perry and the crew? Perry Mason will always be one of my all-time favorite TV shows. Always well-written, always interesting stories, always impossible to figure out the bad guy before it being revealed.
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Post by snsurone on Apr 6, 2017 22:41:57 GMT
I also love the made-for-TV movies. They were really well-made and timely, although, IMO, they aren't dated (yet, LOL). My only complaint was Alexandra Paul as Ken Malansky's gf, the rich socialite, Amy. She was a royal pain-in-the-ass, constantly interfering with Ken's investigation of Perry's case. I was very glad when she was dropped, although there was no explanation for her disappearance.
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Post by Nalkarj on Jul 27, 2017 1:09:23 GMT
Sorry to bring this up again--though perhaps I shouldn't be, as we all like Mason--but does anyone have a list of favorite episodes? I've been interested because I'm sure many people here have seen more episodes than I, and I'd love to know what everyone's favorites are...
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