The period crime TV series "Perry Mason", created by Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald and executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., based on the character by Erle Stanley Gardner, starring Matthew Rhys, has been canceled after two seasons on HBO Max:
"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced.
"He is hired for a kidnapping trial.
"His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."
Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...
....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...
...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...
...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'...
...Eric Lange as 'Gene Holcomb',...
"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced.
"He is hired for a kidnapping trial.
"His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."
Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...
....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...
...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...
...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'...
...Eric Lange as 'Gene Holcomb',...
- 6/7/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
The verdict is in… and it’s bad news for Perry Mason fans. HBO has cancelled the courtroom drama starring Matthew Rhys after two seasons, according to our sister site Deadline.
“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”
More from TVLineKatherine McNamara Opens...
“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”
More from TVLineKatherine McNamara Opens...
- 6/6/2023
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
This post contains spoilers for season 2 of "Perry Mason."
Season 2 of HBO's gritty reboot of "Perry Mason" wrapped up with the titular lawyer (Matthew Rhys) behind bars after one of his two clients is set free. It wasn't exactly the perfect ending, but then that's the whole point of this show — to peer beneath the glamorous veneer of 1930s Los Angeles to reveal its imperfect underbelly.
And in the show's view of depression-era Los Angeles, everyone's got something to hide, whether it's Juliet Rylance's closeted lesbian Della Street or Chris Chalk's Paul Drake, whose emotional season 2 arc saw him commit all sorts of morally questionable acts in pursuit of the truth. What's more, the whole reason Rhys' Mason ends up in jail is that he's literally hiding something — the gun used to kill Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey).
It's this murder that's at the heart of season 2's mystery.
Season 2 of HBO's gritty reboot of "Perry Mason" wrapped up with the titular lawyer (Matthew Rhys) behind bars after one of his two clients is set free. It wasn't exactly the perfect ending, but then that's the whole point of this show — to peer beneath the glamorous veneer of 1930s Los Angeles to reveal its imperfect underbelly.
And in the show's view of depression-era Los Angeles, everyone's got something to hide, whether it's Juliet Rylance's closeted lesbian Della Street or Chris Chalk's Paul Drake, whose emotional season 2 arc saw him commit all sorts of morally questionable acts in pursuit of the truth. What's more, the whole reason Rhys' Mason ends up in jail is that he's literally hiding something — the gun used to kill Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey).
It's this murder that's at the heart of season 2's mystery.
- 5/13/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "Perry Mason" season 2.
"Perry Mason" season 2 wrapped up with a bittersweet finale that saw the titular lawyer locked up for his indiscretions, having gotten just one of his clients off the hook. The ultimate episode of what was a stellar season also saw the conniving Camilla Nygaard (Hope Davis)'s scheming revealed, Lydell McCutcheon (Paul Raci) trapped in Japan, and most importantly, the Gallardo brothers spared the noose — even though Mateo (Peter Mendoza) was sentenced to 30 years in jail.
But what about arguably the two standout characters this season, Juliet Rylance's Della Street and Chris Chalk's Paul Drake? Well, things work out relatively well for them, considering the episodes seemed to be building towards some kind of breaking point for both — especially Drake, whose emotional season 2 arc promised to deliver a full-on meltdown that never materialized. Instead, Street manages to stay a closeted...
"Perry Mason" season 2 wrapped up with a bittersweet finale that saw the titular lawyer locked up for his indiscretions, having gotten just one of his clients off the hook. The ultimate episode of what was a stellar season also saw the conniving Camilla Nygaard (Hope Davis)'s scheming revealed, Lydell McCutcheon (Paul Raci) trapped in Japan, and most importantly, the Gallardo brothers spared the noose — even though Mateo (Peter Mendoza) was sentenced to 30 years in jail.
But what about arguably the two standout characters this season, Juliet Rylance's Della Street and Chris Chalk's Paul Drake? Well, things work out relatively well for them, considering the episodes seemed to be building towards some kind of breaking point for both — especially Drake, whose emotional season 2 arc promised to deliver a full-on meltdown that never materialized. Instead, Street manages to stay a closeted...
- 5/6/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for the Perry Mason Season 2 finale.] “The illusion of justice” is served in Perry Mason Season 2, and none knew that better than the titular character played by Matthew Rhys. Haunted by the tragic fate of Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin), Perry and Della Street (Juliet Rylance) averted their efforts to civil disputes in Season 2. But Perry was drawn back to criminal law when Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey), son of L.A. tycoon Lydell McCutcheon (Paul Raci), was murdered and Rafael and Matteo Gallardo (Fabrizio Guido and Peter Mendoza) were seemingly framed for the killing. As the season pressed on, Perry and Della, with the help of Paul Drake (Chris Chalk), eventually discovered that the brothers were, in fact, guilty. But like all cases in the HBO detective noir, the truth was much more complicated than the prosecution wanted the jury to believe. Mateo and Rafael were hired to kill Brooks by Camilla Nygaard...
- 4/25/2023
- TV Insider
This post contains spoilers for "Perry Mason" season 2
By far the best part about "Perry Mason" season 2 is the fact the series has given its supporting characters more to do. That goes especially for Juliet Rylance's Della Street and Chris Chalk's Paul Drake, Mason's co-counsel and investigator respectively.
As the season has played out, Drake in particular has had an emotional character arc that's seen the principled ex-cop struggle to maintain his sense of morality after enduring some fairly harrowing experiences. One such experience saw him forced to beat a low-level gangster even after he'd got the intel he needed — an act that comes back to haunt Drake in the form of the boy's orange Converse sneakers, which repeatedly reappear around L.A. in the sixth episode.
All of this is leading to what is sure to be a breaking point for Drake. And while many expected...
By far the best part about "Perry Mason" season 2 is the fact the series has given its supporting characters more to do. That goes especially for Juliet Rylance's Della Street and Chris Chalk's Paul Drake, Mason's co-counsel and investigator respectively.
As the season has played out, Drake in particular has had an emotional character arc that's seen the principled ex-cop struggle to maintain his sense of morality after enduring some fairly harrowing experiences. One such experience saw him forced to beat a low-level gangster even after he'd got the intel he needed — an act that comes back to haunt Drake in the form of the boy's orange Converse sneakers, which repeatedly reappear around L.A. in the sixth episode.
All of this is leading to what is sure to be a breaking point for Drake. And while many expected...
- 4/22/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
This post contains major spoilers for "Perry Mason" season 2.
As season 2 of HBO's "Perry Mason" comes to a close, the final pieces of the increasingly complex puzzle are coming together. With this second run of episodes, new showrunners Jack Amiel and Michael Begler have turned the series from an unrelentingly gloomy affair into a compelling glimpse beneath the surface of 1930s Los Angeles that, much like the court cases Matthew Rhys' Mason conducts so deftly, brings the truth of the era to light. While the production design and lighting beautifully convey the vibrant and often glamorous veneer of the setting, there is plenty of skullduggery and moral decay lurking below the surface.
Much of that is showcased in the stories of Mason's co-counsel Della Street and his lead investigator Paul Drake, who have been given a lot more to do this season. And as a result, they've come face...
As season 2 of HBO's "Perry Mason" comes to a close, the final pieces of the increasingly complex puzzle are coming together. With this second run of episodes, new showrunners Jack Amiel and Michael Begler have turned the series from an unrelentingly gloomy affair into a compelling glimpse beneath the surface of 1930s Los Angeles that, much like the court cases Matthew Rhys' Mason conducts so deftly, brings the truth of the era to light. While the production design and lighting beautifully convey the vibrant and often glamorous veneer of the setting, there is plenty of skullduggery and moral decay lurking below the surface.
Much of that is showcased in the stories of Mason's co-counsel Della Street and his lead investigator Paul Drake, who have been given a lot more to do this season. And as a result, they've come face...
- 4/20/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Perry Mason."
It took seven bleak, thrilling, and rather tense episodes, but "Perry Mason" may have finally just unveiled the true murderer of Los Angeles' popular civil servant, Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey). Ever since poor Perry (Matthew Rhys) decided to hook his wagon to the seemingly hopeless case of Rafael (Fabrizio Guido) and Mateo Gallardo (Peter Mendoza), the two young Mexican brothers accused of committing the crime, he, the tireless Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and dogged investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) have worked overtime to prove their innocence. Or, failing that, at least they tried to get to the corrupt heart of who actually ordered the hit on McCutcheon. The answer to that longstanding question certainly feels like it was answered definitively in the latest episode.
The penultimate hour of the season featured a bevy of long-awaited reveals. Spurred on by...
It took seven bleak, thrilling, and rather tense episodes, but "Perry Mason" may have finally just unveiled the true murderer of Los Angeles' popular civil servant, Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey). Ever since poor Perry (Matthew Rhys) decided to hook his wagon to the seemingly hopeless case of Rafael (Fabrizio Guido) and Mateo Gallardo (Peter Mendoza), the two young Mexican brothers accused of committing the crime, he, the tireless Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and dogged investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) have worked overtime to prove their innocence. Or, failing that, at least they tried to get to the corrupt heart of who actually ordered the hit on McCutcheon. The answer to that longstanding question certainly feels like it was answered definitively in the latest episode.
The penultimate hour of the season featured a bevy of long-awaited reveals. Spurred on by...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers up to the latest episode of season 2 of "Perry Mason."
When the debut season of HBO's "Perry Mason" came to an end in 2020, the requisite origin story was finally out of the way and our trio of heroes -- Matthew Rhys' criminal defense lawyer Perry Mason, his secretary-turned-attorney Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) -- had formed a strong unit for their fledgling legal team. Season 2, however, started on a completely different note. (You can read /Film's review by Chris Evangelista here.) Instead of criminal law, Mason had shifted gears to the much less stressful (and less triggering) pastures of civil law. And without any real boots-on-the-ground work to keep him paying the bills, the ever-resourceful Drake had largely gone his own separate way.
As the season progressed, however, Mason and Street couldn't help but throw themselves at another un-winnable criminal case,...
When the debut season of HBO's "Perry Mason" came to an end in 2020, the requisite origin story was finally out of the way and our trio of heroes -- Matthew Rhys' criminal defense lawyer Perry Mason, his secretary-turned-attorney Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) -- had formed a strong unit for their fledgling legal team. Season 2, however, started on a completely different note. (You can read /Film's review by Chris Evangelista here.) Instead of criminal law, Mason had shifted gears to the much less stressful (and less triggering) pastures of civil law. And without any real boots-on-the-ground work to keep him paying the bills, the ever-resourceful Drake had largely gone his own separate way.
As the season progressed, however, Mason and Street couldn't help but throw themselves at another un-winnable criminal case,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
It's become something of a cliché that, when in doubt, a studio or network simply needs to go the dark and gritty route in remaking an old IP and modernizing it for a new audience -- whether it fits the material or not. In decades past, old-school detective procedurals were all the rage on cable television. Oftentimes, these episodic and formula-driven shows kept the violence and gore entirely off-screen, instead focusing on the central private eye and his (it was always a "him") investigators as they sought to discover the truth and save the day for their innocent clients.
The original "Perry Mason" absolutely fell under that umbrella, airing on CBS back in the mid 1950s to the late 1960s and based on author Erle Stanley Gardner's detective novels (who was also a credited writer on the series many times). Led by actor Raymond Burr as the eponymous criminal defense lawyer,...
The original "Perry Mason" absolutely fell under that umbrella, airing on CBS back in the mid 1950s to the late 1960s and based on author Erle Stanley Gardner's detective novels (who was also a credited writer on the series many times). Led by actor Raymond Burr as the eponymous criminal defense lawyer,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "Perry Mason" season 2.
The "Perry Mason" season 2 premiere starts with the perfect representation of the show's renewed focus. Whereas the first season was an unrelentingly grim affair that started with baby murder, this time we open on a lively speakeasy boat party. But a fire soon engulfs the boat and the jazzy dance number is replaced by the screams of its patrons. In those opening moments, the episode encapsulates the theme of this new season and of its 1930s Los Angeles setting. While everything appears ok, there are sinister forces at play beneath the carapace.
Former showrunners Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald were replaced by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler for this new run of episodes. The pair spearheaded this shift in tone from an unapologetically dark and violent slow burn to a show that celebrates the allure of its 1930s setting while confronting the...
The "Perry Mason" season 2 premiere starts with the perfect representation of the show's renewed focus. Whereas the first season was an unrelentingly grim affair that started with baby murder, this time we open on a lively speakeasy boat party. But a fire soon engulfs the boat and the jazzy dance number is replaced by the screams of its patrons. In those opening moments, the episode encapsulates the theme of this new season and of its 1930s Los Angeles setting. While everything appears ok, there are sinister forces at play beneath the carapace.
Former showrunners Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald were replaced by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler for this new run of episodes. The pair spearheaded this shift in tone from an unapologetically dark and violent slow burn to a show that celebrates the allure of its 1930s setting while confronting the...
- 4/17/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
William Hopper, the actor who played the stalwart private detective Paul Drake on the hit 1957 legal drama "Perry Mason," was a notoriously prolific smoker, often seen with a cigarette hanging from his lips on camera. In 1970, Hopper suffered a stroke and succumbed to smoking-related health issues a month later. He was 55 years old.
As Paul Drake, Hopper was a cynic, a more grizzled presence built to balance Perry Mason's serious intellect. He was the Dr. McCoy to Perry Mason's Spock. For those unfamiliar with the series, "Perry Mason" was about a Los Angeles defense lawyer, played brilliantly by Raymond Burr, who was always careful to investigate the clients he was hired to defend. Typically, innocent people came to Mason, and he was always curious about the details of their case. Mason would always face off against the L.A. District Attorney Hamilton Burger (William Talman), who never won a case against him.
As Paul Drake, Hopper was a cynic, a more grizzled presence built to balance Perry Mason's serious intellect. He was the Dr. McCoy to Perry Mason's Spock. For those unfamiliar with the series, "Perry Mason" was about a Los Angeles defense lawyer, played brilliantly by Raymond Burr, who was always careful to investigate the clients he was hired to defend. Typically, innocent people came to Mason, and he was always curious about the details of their case. Mason would always face off against the L.A. District Attorney Hamilton Burger (William Talman), who never won a case against him.
- 4/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for season 2 of "Perry Mason."
"Perry Mason" season 2 has switched things up pretty dramatically from the first season, bringing supporting characters to the forefront and creating a much more satisfying show in the process. Both Juliet Rylance's Della Street and Chris Chalk's Paul Drake have been given significant storylines, and at times Chalk has found the whole thing a bit depressing, noting how many of the issues faced by his character are still prevalent today. But it's not just the pervasive racism of 1930s Los Angeles that plagues Paul Drake. His transformation from a noble yet embattled beat cop to a promising yet tortured Pi has come with its share of challenges.
At the end of season 1, Drake quit the Los Angeles Police Department, setting things up for season 2 wherein Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys), budding attorney Della Street, and lead investigator Paul Drake form the new Mason & Associates practice.
"Perry Mason" season 2 has switched things up pretty dramatically from the first season, bringing supporting characters to the forefront and creating a much more satisfying show in the process. Both Juliet Rylance's Della Street and Chris Chalk's Paul Drake have been given significant storylines, and at times Chalk has found the whole thing a bit depressing, noting how many of the issues faced by his character are still prevalent today. But it's not just the pervasive racism of 1930s Los Angeles that plagues Paul Drake. His transformation from a noble yet embattled beat cop to a promising yet tortured Pi has come with its share of challenges.
At the end of season 1, Drake quit the Los Angeles Police Department, setting things up for season 2 wherein Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys), budding attorney Della Street, and lead investigator Paul Drake form the new Mason & Associates practice.
- 4/11/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Since his first appearance in Erle Stanley Gardner's 1933 book "The Case of the Velvet Claws," Perry Mason has remained consistently popular due to several film, TV, and radio adaptations. But when HBO decided to reboot the private investigator turned criminal defense lawyer for the 21st century, they naturally put a new spin on the character and those around him. The hardboiled, pulpy debut season of "Perry Mason" ended with Matthew Rhys' P.I. embracing the role of a lawyer for which he's so well known, accompanied by his new lead investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) and legal assistant turned co-counsel Della Street (Juliet Rylance).
But rather than Drake being the droll P.I. of previous iterations, the HBO show's version is a conflicted and embattled former LAPD street cop, struggling to support his family and navigate the treacherous landscape of a deeply racist 1930s Los Angeles. And whereas the...
But rather than Drake being the droll P.I. of previous iterations, the HBO show's version is a conflicted and embattled former LAPD street cop, struggling to support his family and navigate the treacherous landscape of a deeply racist 1930s Los Angeles. And whereas the...
- 4/9/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "Perry Mason" seasons 1 and 2.
It was only a matter of time until "Perry Mason" got a gritty reboot. HBO brought the Pi-turned-attorney into the streaming age in 2020, and along with him came a host of characters familiar to fans of author Erle Stanley Gardner's original books and the many TV and radio adaptations that have cropped up over the years. But one inspired change the HBO version made was to make Mason's lead investigator Paul Drake an African American LAPD officer who eventually becomes a Pi.
Starting out as a uniformed street cop, by the end of the first season, Drake, played by Chris Chalk, hands in his badge and gun, quitting the LAPD in emphatic style. This sets him up to replace Shea Whigham's Pete Strickland as Mason's right-hand man. With Mason (Matthew Rhys), Drake, and former assistant Della Street (Juliet Rylance...
It was only a matter of time until "Perry Mason" got a gritty reboot. HBO brought the Pi-turned-attorney into the streaming age in 2020, and along with him came a host of characters familiar to fans of author Erle Stanley Gardner's original books and the many TV and radio adaptations that have cropped up over the years. But one inspired change the HBO version made was to make Mason's lead investigator Paul Drake an African American LAPD officer who eventually becomes a Pi.
Starting out as a uniformed street cop, by the end of the first season, Drake, played by Chris Chalk, hands in his badge and gun, quitting the LAPD in emphatic style. This sets him up to replace Shea Whigham's Pete Strickland as Mason's right-hand man. With Mason (Matthew Rhys), Drake, and former assistant Della Street (Juliet Rylance...
- 4/9/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "Perry Mason" through season 2, episode 5, "Chapter Thirteen."
In its first season, HBO's pulpy, hardboiled version of "Perry Mason" introduced us to a version of Erle Stanley Gardner's famous criminal lawyer who had yet to become the formidable figure we know from previous iterations of the character. In this show, Mason is a war vet and private investigator who struggles with horrific memories of his wartime mercy killings, fights to keep hold of his family's farm, and reluctantly takes on the role of attorney after John Lithgow's E.B. Jonathan takes his own life. It's all a bit grim, really.
But with season 2, "Perry Mason" has put supporting characters front and center. While the gritty, somber tone is still there, the violence has been toned down a bit, and there are some genuine moments of joy. Many of those moments come from Juliet Rylance...
In its first season, HBO's pulpy, hardboiled version of "Perry Mason" introduced us to a version of Erle Stanley Gardner's famous criminal lawyer who had yet to become the formidable figure we know from previous iterations of the character. In this show, Mason is a war vet and private investigator who struggles with horrific memories of his wartime mercy killings, fights to keep hold of his family's farm, and reluctantly takes on the role of attorney after John Lithgow's E.B. Jonathan takes his own life. It's all a bit grim, really.
But with season 2, "Perry Mason" has put supporting characters front and center. While the gritty, somber tone is still there, the violence has been toned down a bit, and there are some genuine moments of joy. Many of those moments come from Juliet Rylance...
- 4/6/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk and James Remar will star in the”It” prequel series, HBO Max announced on Wednesday.
The Max Original, which was developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, currently has the working title of “Welcome to Derry.” Character details have not yet been released.
The Warner Bros. drama serves as a precursor to the Muschietti-directed theatrical films about Stephen King’s killer clown, which starred Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise. Muschietti will also direct multiple episodes of the series, including the pilot.
Also Read:
Warner Bros. in Talks to Produce ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series for HBO Max
According to the logline, the series “expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti” in 2017’s “It” and 2019’s “It Chapter Two.”
Taylour Paige, an Independent Spirit Award winner for “Zola,” is represented by CAA, Entertainment 360 and Granderson Rochers. She appears opposite Jonathan Majors in Sundance hit “Magazine Dreams.
The Max Original, which was developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, currently has the working title of “Welcome to Derry.” Character details have not yet been released.
The Warner Bros. drama serves as a precursor to the Muschietti-directed theatrical films about Stephen King’s killer clown, which starred Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise. Muschietti will also direct multiple episodes of the series, including the pilot.
Also Read:
Warner Bros. in Talks to Produce ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series for HBO Max
According to the logline, the series “expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti” in 2017’s “It” and 2019’s “It Chapter Two.”
Taylour Paige, an Independent Spirit Award winner for “Zola,” is represented by CAA, Entertainment 360 and Granderson Rochers. She appears opposite Jonathan Majors in Sundance hit “Magazine Dreams.
- 4/5/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
This week’s guest is Chris Chalk.
Right now he’s starring in Season 2 of HBO detective series Perry Mason, in which he plays former police officer-turned private investigator Paul Drake.
During the podcast, Chalk—who has also starred in 12 Years a Slave, When They See Us and television shows Gotham, Homeland and The Newsroom among other things—digs into the show’s 1930s representation of racism, misogyny and that brutal society.
He also reveals he will play James Baldwin in the new second season of Ryan Murphy’s FX show Feud. This time the anthology series will center around Truman Capote, with Tom Hollander as Capote and with the title Feud: Capote’s Women. Chalk also has the film All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt which screened at Sundance earlier this year, and he just wrote and directed his first feature, Our Deadly Vows, co-starring with his wife K.D. Chalk.
Right now he’s starring in Season 2 of HBO detective series Perry Mason, in which he plays former police officer-turned private investigator Paul Drake.
During the podcast, Chalk—who has also starred in 12 Years a Slave, When They See Us and television shows Gotham, Homeland and The Newsroom among other things—digs into the show’s 1930s representation of racism, misogyny and that brutal society.
He also reveals he will play James Baldwin in the new second season of Ryan Murphy’s FX show Feud. This time the anthology series will center around Truman Capote, with Tom Hollander as Capote and with the title Feud: Capote’s Women. Chalk also has the film All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt which screened at Sundance earlier this year, and he just wrote and directed his first feature, Our Deadly Vows, co-starring with his wife K.D. Chalk.
- 3/31/2023
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Chris Chalk will star as James Baldwin in the latest installment of Ryan Murphy’s Feud series—Feud: Capote’s Women.
During a conversation for an upcoming episode of Deadline podcast 20 Questions on Deadline, Chalk, who is currently starring in HBO series Perry Mason, revealed the exclusive news of this new role in Season 2 of Murphy’s FX show.
“I’ve always wanted to play him,” Chalk said of Baldwin, adding that the set was “such a supportive environment, like mind-blowingly supportive,” but that the role—which he already shot several months ago, directed by Max Winkler—was by no means easy.
“We shot 20 pages in two days,” he said. “I got the script and was like, ‘That’s a lot of words.’ I had a little mini panic attack… but it was amazing. Then there was a five-page monologue.”
Chalk, who plays private detective Paul Drake in Perry Mason,...
During a conversation for an upcoming episode of Deadline podcast 20 Questions on Deadline, Chalk, who is currently starring in HBO series Perry Mason, revealed the exclusive news of this new role in Season 2 of Murphy’s FX show.
“I’ve always wanted to play him,” Chalk said of Baldwin, adding that the set was “such a supportive environment, like mind-blowingly supportive,” but that the role—which he already shot several months ago, directed by Max Winkler—was by no means easy.
“We shot 20 pages in two days,” he said. “I got the script and was like, ‘That’s a lot of words.’ I had a little mini panic attack… but it was amazing. Then there was a five-page monologue.”
Chalk, who plays private detective Paul Drake in Perry Mason,...
- 3/28/2023
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
Erle Stanley Gardner’s brilliant and savvy criminal defense attorney Perry Mason has been on the case since 1933’s “The Case of the Velvet Claws.” The attorney describes himself in that first novel as a “lawyer who has specialized in trial work, and in a lot of criminal work…I’m a specialist on getting people out of trouble.”
Inspired by the famed Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Earl Rogers who only lost three of his 77 murder trials, Mason was featured in 82 novels and four short stories, six Warner Bros. murder mystery movies, a long-running radio series, the beloved 1957-66 CBS series starring Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale as his true-blue assistant Della Street, movies and a 1973-74 series with Monte Markham. Matthew Rhys (“The Americans” ) plays the latest incarnation in HBO’s stylish “Perry Mason” series, currently in its second season.
Set during the Great Depression, the HBO drama has a real “Chinatown” feel,...
Inspired by the famed Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Earl Rogers who only lost three of his 77 murder trials, Mason was featured in 82 novels and four short stories, six Warner Bros. murder mystery movies, a long-running radio series, the beloved 1957-66 CBS series starring Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale as his true-blue assistant Della Street, movies and a 1973-74 series with Monte Markham. Matthew Rhys (“The Americans” ) plays the latest incarnation in HBO’s stylish “Perry Mason” series, currently in its second season.
Set during the Great Depression, the HBO drama has a real “Chinatown” feel,...
- 3/20/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Perry Mason‘s titular lawyer is in pretty dire straits when Season 2 begins, but a high-profile murder case could be just the thing to turn his luck around. (Though not the luck of the guy who was murdered, unfortunately.)
Monday’s premiere opens with a bang (and a blaze) as a waiter at an L.A. supper club and underground casino sets fire to the place before walking out, with patrons screaming and running outside. (File that one away for later.) As for Perry, he’s living in a sparse apartment now and riding a motorcycle (!), reluctantly handling wills and...
Monday’s premiere opens with a bang (and a blaze) as a waiter at an L.A. supper club and underground casino sets fire to the place before walking out, with patrons screaming and running outside. (File that one away for later.) As for Perry, he’s living in a sparse apartment now and riding a motorcycle (!), reluctantly handling wills and...
- 3/7/2023
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
We are living in the Golden Age of Television… I.P. Whether it’s NBC rebooting “Night Court” or Netflix reliving “That 90’s Show,” intellectual property is the name of the game. Heck, “The Lord of the Rings” can’t even finish one reboot before the next comes along. Viewers are so inundated with old ideas rehashed into something new, they may not even notice how thoroughly I.P. has infiltrated their entertainment. Marvel comics were adapted into Marvel movies, which were extended into Marvel TV shows, which were then connected back to Marvel movies, which, by then, were incorporating old Marvel actors right alongside new Marvel actors — both playing the same role. I’m not even sure that winding, snakelike sentence holds together, but the point remains: We’re hearing the same stories about the same people over and over and over again. Hollywood has found a way to turn ouroboros into pure profit.
- 3/6/2023
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Get ready to dive back into the world of everyone’s favorite hard-boiled Depression-era attorney. “Perry Mason” will debut its four-episode second season on Monday, March 6 on HBO Max. The series focuses on the titular Mason, a low-rent private investigator and laywer in 1932 Los Angeles still struggling to put his experiences in World War I behind him. Where will the twists and turns of this season’s case take Mason and his friends? You can watch Perry Mason: Season 2 with a 7-Day Free Trial of HBO Max.
How to Watch ‘Perry Mason’ Season 2 Premiere When: Monday, March 6, 2023 Where: HBO Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of HBO Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month hbomax.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of HBO Max When Pre-Paid Annually
About ‘Perry Mason’ Season 2 Premiere
Based on the work of Erle Stanley Gardner, this drama series traces the origins of famed criminal...
How to Watch ‘Perry Mason’ Season 2 Premiere When: Monday, March 6, 2023 Where: HBO Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of HBO Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month hbomax.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of HBO Max When Pre-Paid Annually
About ‘Perry Mason’ Season 2 Premiere
Based on the work of Erle Stanley Gardner, this drama series traces the origins of famed criminal...
- 3/6/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Perry Mason is back on the case. Season 2 of HBO’s reimagined take on the classic legal drama premieres Monday, March 6, with Matthew Rhys again stepping into the title role. The Americans star has said he didn’t watch Raymond Burr’s iconic take on the character before season 1, which aired in 2020. But for many TV viewers, Burr is Perry Mason. The actor played the crusading defense attorney from 1957 to 1966, and again in a series of TV movies from the mid-80s through the early ‘90s.
Burr’s run as Perry Mason ended with this death in 1993. But are any other original Perry Mason cast members still alive?
‘Perry Mason’ star Raymond Burr died in 1993 Raymond Burr as Perry Mason, right, and Ray Collins as Lt. Arthur Tragg ‘in ‘Perry Mason’ | CBS via Getty Images
The Canadian-born Burr had a long career in Hollywood, including roles in classic films such...
Burr’s run as Perry Mason ended with this death in 1993. But are any other original Perry Mason cast members still alive?
‘Perry Mason’ star Raymond Burr died in 1993 Raymond Burr as Perry Mason, right, and Ray Collins as Lt. Arthur Tragg ‘in ‘Perry Mason’ | CBS via Getty Images
The Canadian-born Burr had a long career in Hollywood, including roles in classic films such...
- 3/5/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Three years ago, I championed HBO’s bold decision to reinvent Erle Stanley Gardner’s iconic hero Perry Mason as a downtrodden, chronically rumpled gumshoe turned lawyer in Depression-era L.A. As played with forlorn pugnacity by Matthew Rhys, as if channeling the cinematic spirits of Bogart and Mitchum, the new/old Perry Mason felt like he fit into the film noir world of legends like Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe. Perry’s first-season redemption arc made for compelling TV, but heavy-handed storytelling lets him down in Perry Mason’s long-awaited but disappointing comeback. Lured back to criminal law to defend Latino brothers from a Hooverville slum being railroaded for the murder of an oil-family scion, Perry enlists his lesbian partner Della Street (Juliet Rylance) and Black investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) ...
- 3/5/2023
- TV Insider
When “Perry Mason” debuted on HBO back in 2020, it was meant to be a limited series. But the show was critically acclaimed and extremely popular so now, nearly three years later, it is returning to HBO (and HBO Max) with a juicy new case, lots of morally ambiguous complications and a pair of new showrunners in “The Knick” creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler.
And Matthew Rhys, who plays Perry Mason in the show, couldn’t be more thrilled, as he told TheWrap, video of which you can watch above.
“There was talk that it could work as a standalone limited but I just thought, You’ve just set this whole thing up. The whole thing is new and fresh. You’ve just joined not only him but this team. Where you go from here, the sky’s the limit. I was very glad that we were given that opportunity,...
And Matthew Rhys, who plays Perry Mason in the show, couldn’t be more thrilled, as he told TheWrap, video of which you can watch above.
“There was talk that it could work as a standalone limited but I just thought, You’ve just set this whole thing up. The whole thing is new and fresh. You’ve just joined not only him but this team. Where you go from here, the sky’s the limit. I was very glad that we were given that opportunity,...
- 3/4/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
"Perry Mason" is coming back after three long years. A lot has happened in those years, and if the trailer is any indication, a lot has changed for the core characters in the aftermath of the events from season 1. Matthew Rhys plays the titular character of the show, but the series is more of an ensemble affair with Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk's characters, Della Street and Paul Drake, filling out the triumvirate of leads.
I had the chance to talk with Rylance and Chalk in advance of the season 2 premiere, where they discussed where their characters are now compared to when we last saw them. "We begin the season as three very isolated people trying to figure out how to work together and be in the same room," Rylance explained, and also shared that Della in particular "is trying to find a new way."
Chalk also teased that...
I had the chance to talk with Rylance and Chalk in advance of the season 2 premiere, where they discussed where their characters are now compared to when we last saw them. "We begin the season as three very isolated people trying to figure out how to work together and be in the same room," Rylance explained, and also shared that Della in particular "is trying to find a new way."
Chalk also teased that...
- 3/3/2023
- by Vanessa Armstrong
- Slash Film
When Matthew Rhys signed to play the titular role on HBO‘s Perry Mason as he evolved from a struggling gumshoe to a newly minted defense attorney, he thought it would be one season and done. “Then they came in with a strong idea for a second season and I was very open to it,” the Emmy-winning actor (The Americans) says. “When the first season ended, all in the garden seemed rosy; Della Street (Julia Rylance) was [my partner], Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) was in the firm and it was the three musketeers. But I had no interest in suddenly Perry is this great trial lawyer and every season would be a successful trial. They certainly came in with the antithesis of that!” Below, Rhys pleads his case for Season 2. How much time has passed since we last saw Perry Mason? What’s the firm’s bread and butter? Do they have...
- 3/3/2023
- TV Insider
Season 2 of HBO's "Perry Mason" is set to premiere in mere days, and has gotten strong reviews (including from /Film's Chris Evangelista) as being a slick and stylish follow up to the episodes that came before it. The show takes place in 1930s Los Angeles and stars Matthew Rhys as the titular character, a relatively new lawyer that is flawed in all kinds of ways.
I had the chance to talk with Rhys in the lead up to the season's premiere about what it was like for him to come back to the role after a multi-year hiatus. "Mason is having this crisis of faith to do with his own imposter syndrome. And he's not sure whether he wants to be doing it, whether he's qualified enough to be doing it," Rhys told me about his character. He added later on that the upcoming episodes "takes us in a direction I wasn't expecting,...
I had the chance to talk with Rhys in the lead up to the season's premiere about what it was like for him to come back to the role after a multi-year hiatus. "Mason is having this crisis of faith to do with his own imposter syndrome. And he's not sure whether he wants to be doing it, whether he's qualified enough to be doing it," Rhys told me about his character. He added later on that the upcoming episodes "takes us in a direction I wasn't expecting,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Vanessa Armstrong
- Slash Film
Plot: Months after the Dodson case has come to an end, the scion of a powerful oil family is brutally murdered. When the Da goes to the city’s Hoovervilles to pinpoint the most obvious of suspects, Perry, Della, and Paul find themselves at the center of a case that will uncover far reaching conspiracies and force them to reckon with what it truly means to be guilty.
Review: When Perry Mason debuted in 2020, it was as a limited series. The stellar whodunit introduced a new generation to a grittier take on Erle Stanley Gardner’s iconic literary creation previously associated with Raymond Burr’s performance. Matthew Rhys brought a different edge to Mason alongside Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk as Della Street and Paul Drake. Thanks to critical acclaim, HBO decided to turn Perry Mason into an ongoing series. Three years later, the sophomore run is here with a new case,...
Review: When Perry Mason debuted in 2020, it was as a limited series. The stellar whodunit introduced a new generation to a grittier take on Erle Stanley Gardner’s iconic literary creation previously associated with Raymond Burr’s performance. Matthew Rhys brought a different edge to Mason alongside Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk as Della Street and Paul Drake. Thanks to critical acclaim, HBO decided to turn Perry Mason into an ongoing series. Three years later, the sophomore run is here with a new case,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Created in the 1930s by Erle Stanley Gardner, Perry Mason has traversed the world of books, film, radio, and TV, only to arrive in the peak TV era in 2020. That adaptation, created by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald, kept the character rooted in the past while also giving him a gritty new outlook. It's likely that if modern audiences remember "Perry Mason" at all, they remember him as the star of stagey courtroom TV dramas; a lawyer who always manages to get the truth out of those he's cross-examining on the stand. But the new Perry Mason, as played by Matthew Rhys, began his first season as a gumshoe; a rumpled private eye caught up in the seedy underbelly of early 1930s Los Angeles. It was only at the end of the show's first season that Mason became a lawyer, rather quickly (he passed the bar after an all-night cram-study...
- 2/27/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
“Despite all your brooding cynicism, you still believe in justice!”
This is Hamilton Burger, personal friend and professional nemesis to the title character of Perry Mason, in the legal drama’s long-delayed second season premiere. The first season occasionally used Burger (played by Justin Kirk) as a mouthpiece for all the ways this take on the character wouldn’t resemble either the Erle Stanley Gardner novels or the black-and-white TV series with Raymond Burr. At one point, for instance, he warned Perry (Matthew Rhys) that “No one confesses on the stand,...
This is Hamilton Burger, personal friend and professional nemesis to the title character of Perry Mason, in the legal drama’s long-delayed second season premiere. The first season occasionally used Burger (played by Justin Kirk) as a mouthpiece for all the ways this take on the character wouldn’t resemble either the Erle Stanley Gardner novels or the black-and-white TV series with Raymond Burr. At one point, for instance, he warned Perry (Matthew Rhys) that “No one confesses on the stand,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Take a look at Season Two of the period crime TV series "Perry Mason", created by Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald and executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., based on the character by Erle Stanley Gardner, starring Matthew Rhys, streaming March 6, 2023 on HBO Max:
"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced.
"He is hired for a kidnapping trial.
"His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."
Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...
....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...
...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...
...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'.
"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced.
"He is hired for a kidnapping trial.
"His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."
Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...
....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...
...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...
...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'.
- 2/8/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Take a look at Season Two of the period crime TV series "Perry Mason", created by Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald and executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., based on the character by Erle Stanley Gardner, starring Matthew Rhys, streaming March 6, 2023 on HBO Max:
"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced.
"He is hired for a kidnapping trial.
"His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."
Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...
....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...
...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...
...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'.
"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced.
"He is hired for a kidnapping trial.
"His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."
Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...
....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...
...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...
...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'.
- 1/24/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Take a look at new footage from Season Two of the period crime TV series "Perry Mason", created by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald, based on the character by Erle Stanley Gardner. starring Matthew Rhys, streaming March 6, 2023:
"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced.
"He is hired for a kidnapping trial. His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."
Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...
....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...
...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...
...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'...
...Eric Lange as 'Gene Holcomb',...
"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced.
"He is hired for a kidnapping trial. His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."
Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...
....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...
...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...
...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'...
...Eric Lange as 'Gene Holcomb',...
- 12/10/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
HBO’s critically acclaimed drama Perry Mason returns for a second season on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 9pm Et/Pt. The premiere date announcement was accompanied by a compelling teaser trailer in which Della Street declares there’s power in the truth and that everyone deserves a defense. Della also warns Perry he’s not ready for another murder trial. Mason disagrees.
“Maybe I like stacked odds,” says Perry.
Matthew Rhys (The Americans) returns as the titular character. The season two cast also includes Juliet Rylance as Della Street, Chris Chalk as Paul Drake, Shea Whigham as Pete Strickland, Eric Lange as Detective Holcomb, and Justin Kirk as Hamilton Burger. Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O’Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham also star in the upcoming season.
Matthew Rhys in ‘Perry Mason...
“Maybe I like stacked odds,” says Perry.
Matthew Rhys (The Americans) returns as the titular character. The season two cast also includes Juliet Rylance as Della Street, Chris Chalk as Paul Drake, Shea Whigham as Pete Strickland, Eric Lange as Detective Holcomb, and Justin Kirk as Hamilton Burger. Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O’Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham also star in the upcoming season.
Matthew Rhys in ‘Perry Mason...
- 12/7/2022
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
When you watch enough movies and shows, you start to pick up on certain little recurring trends. Chief among them has to be the instinct to create new adaptations of classic, pulpy characters ... but with a dark, brooding, and adult-only sheen layered on top. After all, how else would you know to put the "prestige" in prestige television?
Well, as eye-rolling and clichéd as this tendency may be, I'm here to admit that I'm a complete and total hypocrite, because I happily ate that up and asked for more when HBO gave the same exact treatment to the classic character of Perry Mason. Initially a 1957 legal drama on CBS, with the eponymous private investigator played by Raymond Burr and based on the books and short stories written by author Erle Stanley Gardner, creators Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald saw fit to make a new "Perry Mason" adaptation -- this time,...
Well, as eye-rolling and clichéd as this tendency may be, I'm here to admit that I'm a complete and total hypocrite, because I happily ate that up and asked for more when HBO gave the same exact treatment to the classic character of Perry Mason. Initially a 1957 legal drama on CBS, with the eponymous private investigator played by Raymond Burr and based on the books and short stories written by author Erle Stanley Gardner, creators Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald saw fit to make a new "Perry Mason" adaptation -- this time,...
- 12/7/2022
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
The court has been adjourned for a while now, but we finally have our first details about Season 2 of HBO’s Perry Mason reboot.
Katherine Waterston (the Fantastic Beasts movies, Alien: Covenant) has joined the cast as a new series regular, our sister site Variety reports. Waterston will play Ginny Aimes, a teacher at the private school where Perry’s son Teddy is attending. Perry “discovers he’s happy his kid is in Ginny’s hands — and finds he might need some of her sunshine for himself, too,” per the official description. Hmmm… sounds like a possible love interest to us.
Katherine Waterston (the Fantastic Beasts movies, Alien: Covenant) has joined the cast as a new series regular, our sister site Variety reports. Waterston will play Ginny Aimes, a teacher at the private school where Perry’s son Teddy is attending. Perry “discovers he’s happy his kid is in Ginny’s hands — and finds he might need some of her sunshine for himself, too,” per the official description. Hmmm… sounds like a possible love interest to us.
- 11/4/2021
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Last Year’s Winner: Julia Garner, “Ozark”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Julia Garner won two years in a row for “Ozark,” marking the first back-to-back winner since Anna Gunn won for “Breaking Bad” in 2013-2014. Though Garner will be ineligible in 2021 due to pandemic production delays for “Ozark,” she will have a chance to defend her title — and keep the hot streak alive — after Season 4 premieres. Only Nancy Marchand has won three consecutive trophies in this category, when she co-starred in “Lou Grant” from 1980-1982.
Fun Fact: Barbara Hale was twice-nominated for playing Della Street in the original “Perry Mason” series, and the actor won the Emmy in 1959. Raymond Burr was nominated three times and won twice as the titular detective, while William Hopper was nominated once as Paul Drake. All three roles are again eligible in 2021, this time for the HBO reboot, with Matthew Rhys playing Mason, Chris Chalk as Drake,...
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Julia Garner won two years in a row for “Ozark,” marking the first back-to-back winner since Anna Gunn won for “Breaking Bad” in 2013-2014. Though Garner will be ineligible in 2021 due to pandemic production delays for “Ozark,” she will have a chance to defend her title — and keep the hot streak alive — after Season 4 premieres. Only Nancy Marchand has won three consecutive trophies in this category, when she co-starred in “Lou Grant” from 1980-1982.
Fun Fact: Barbara Hale was twice-nominated for playing Della Street in the original “Perry Mason” series, and the actor won the Emmy in 1959. Raymond Burr was nominated three times and won twice as the titular detective, while William Hopper was nominated once as Paul Drake. All three roles are again eligible in 2021, this time for the HBO reboot, with Matthew Rhys playing Mason, Chris Chalk as Drake,...
- 8/12/2021
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Fans of legal dramas have long enjoyed the Erle Stanley Gardner books about the fictional attorney Perry Mason. Audiences then watched the CBS drama “Perry Mason” starring Emmy winner Raymond Burr, who always took on one case per week and helped his client go free.
As producers Robert Downey, Jr. and Susan Downey and their team of producers, writers and especially director Tim Van Patten began plotting a comeback for the smart lawyer, they decided on another Emmy winner, Matthew Rhys, to be their lead character. But one major change among several happened as they plotted the first season on HBO last year.
SEEJohn Lithgow interview: ‘Perry Mason’
In our recent webchat, Rhys explains, “They were brave enough to take eight episodes for one case. A number of times, people would ask if it is a case for every episode, and I would say ‘No, it’s one case over eight episodes.
As producers Robert Downey, Jr. and Susan Downey and their team of producers, writers and especially director Tim Van Patten began plotting a comeback for the smart lawyer, they decided on another Emmy winner, Matthew Rhys, to be their lead character. But one major change among several happened as they plotted the first season on HBO last year.
SEEJohn Lithgow interview: ‘Perry Mason’
In our recent webchat, Rhys explains, “They were brave enough to take eight episodes for one case. A number of times, people would ask if it is a case for every episode, and I would say ‘No, it’s one case over eight episodes.
- 8/9/2021
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
“Listen, dink. Muskie fishing is mean and violent, and it makes you do crazy things.”
Those are the words of Finner (Christopher Whiting), one of the characters in James Mallon’s offbeat, fishing-themed slasher Blood Hook. And before the film is over, Finner will know that those words are much truer than he ever thought.
The 1986 horror/comedy, released by Troma Entertainment, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. But even after a lavish Blu-ray/DVD release from Vinegar Syndrome, Blood Hook still hasn’t gotten the appreciation it deserves. Instead, it sits with an insulting 4.3 rating on IMDb.
Admittedly, Blood Hook isn’t as polished as more appreciated gems of the ‘80s slasher era, such as The Mutilator, Blood Rage, The Burning, or Madman. It’s an absurd movie where the killer uses an oversized fishing lure that’s nearly the size of a missile to take out his victims.
Those are the words of Finner (Christopher Whiting), one of the characters in James Mallon’s offbeat, fishing-themed slasher Blood Hook. And before the film is over, Finner will know that those words are much truer than he ever thought.
The 1986 horror/comedy, released by Troma Entertainment, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. But even after a lavish Blu-ray/DVD release from Vinegar Syndrome, Blood Hook still hasn’t gotten the appreciation it deserves. Instead, it sits with an insulting 4.3 rating on IMDb.
Admittedly, Blood Hook isn’t as polished as more appreciated gems of the ‘80s slasher era, such as The Mutilator, Blood Rage, The Burning, or Madman. It’s an absurd movie where the killer uses an oversized fishing lure that’s nearly the size of a missile to take out his victims.
- 7/15/2021
- by Alan Dorich
- DailyDead
There were “two things that struck” costume designer Emma Potter about the “Perry Mason” reboot on HBO, she reveals in her exclusive interview with Gold Derby about working on the Los Angeles period piece (watch the video above). She continues, “This idea that he’s somewhat disheveled all the time was something that I was interested in and also the idea that the city really needed to be its own character and we would need to go in with these background moments and really kind of pick out people and pay attention to them in almost a heightened way, so that you could go through and see what this person is that’s walking by on the street or in the crowd at the courtroom and get a sense of who they are, where they’re from and why they might have ended up here.”
Having jumped from film to...
Having jumped from film to...
- 6/18/2021
- by Riley Chow
- Gold Derby
Curated by the IndieWire Crafts team, Craft Considerations is a platform for filmmakers to talk about recent work that we believe is worthy of awards consideration. In partnership with HBO, for this edition we look at the creation of “Perry Mason” with executive producer and director Tim Van Patten, costume designer Emma Potter, and composer Terence Blanchard.
Terence Blanchard grew up watching the original “Perry Mason” series with his father. When the composer began working on HBO’s “Perry Mason” reboot, he was struck by creators Ron Fitzgerald and Rolin Jones’ new origin story for Perry (Matthew Rhys).
“I remember when I finally started to see something from the show, I was just totally blown away,” said Blanchard. “Immediately, I started telling people, ‘This is not your daddy’s ‘Perry Mason,’ this is something else.’”
From exploring how a downtrodden Perry was haunted by the war, or showing how a...
Terence Blanchard grew up watching the original “Perry Mason” series with his father. When the composer began working on HBO’s “Perry Mason” reboot, he was struck by creators Ron Fitzgerald and Rolin Jones’ new origin story for Perry (Matthew Rhys).
“I remember when I finally started to see something from the show, I was just totally blown away,” said Blanchard. “Immediately, I started telling people, ‘This is not your daddy’s ‘Perry Mason,’ this is something else.’”
From exploring how a downtrodden Perry was haunted by the war, or showing how a...
- 6/3/2021
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Sunday’s Perry Mason season finale.
We have a verdict in Perry Mason‘s big season-long case, and that verdict is… no verdict at all.
More from TVLinePerry Mason Renewed at HBOThe Undoing Lands New Premiere Date at HBO — Watch a Chilling TeaserPerry Mason: Will Tatiana Maslany's Sister Alice Be Back for Season 2?
After an emotional turn on the witness stand from Emily Dodson and a stirring closing statement from Perry, Emily’s murder case ended in a mistrial when the jury couldn’t reach a verdict. (Pete paid off one of the jurors to vote “not guilty,...
We have a verdict in Perry Mason‘s big season-long case, and that verdict is… no verdict at all.
More from TVLinePerry Mason Renewed at HBOThe Undoing Lands New Premiere Date at HBO — Watch a Chilling TeaserPerry Mason: Will Tatiana Maslany's Sister Alice Be Back for Season 2?
After an emotional turn on the witness stand from Emily Dodson and a stirring closing statement from Perry, Emily’s murder case ended in a mistrial when the jury couldn’t reach a verdict. (Pete paid off one of the jurors to vote “not guilty,...
- 8/10/2020
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
This Perry Mason review contains spoilers.
Perry Mason Episode 8
“No one confesses on the stand,” Hamilton Burger (Justin Kirk) advises the title character on Perry Mason‘s season 1 finale, “Chapter Eight.” And it’s a shame. Not only because this is the very thing which made the iconic TV series character legendary, but because Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys) is doing so well with it in rehearsal. At least that’s what he tells himself and everyone else around him before clearing out the room to fit his ego.
The battle is over whether Mason should put Detective Ennis (Andrew Howard) on the stand, a hostile witness to say the least. Della Street (Juliet Rylance) believes Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin) should be allowed to speak for herself after having been dragged through the mud by every man close enough to tug at her. Mason sees this as a crusade for Della,...
Perry Mason Episode 8
“No one confesses on the stand,” Hamilton Burger (Justin Kirk) advises the title character on Perry Mason‘s season 1 finale, “Chapter Eight.” And it’s a shame. Not only because this is the very thing which made the iconic TV series character legendary, but because Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys) is doing so well with it in rehearsal. At least that’s what he tells himself and everyone else around him before clearing out the room to fit his ego.
The battle is over whether Mason should put Detective Ennis (Andrew Howard) on the stand, a hostile witness to say the least. Della Street (Juliet Rylance) believes Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin) should be allowed to speak for herself after having been dragged through the mud by every man close enough to tug at her. Mason sees this as a crusade for Della,...
- 8/10/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
(Spoilers ahead for the season 1 finale of “Perry Mason” on HBO)
The first season of HBO’s reboot of “Perry Mason” is now in the bag, but we’re not done with these characters just yet as the network already announced a second season renewal a few weeks back. And as the season ended, Perry Mason’s crew was finally, officially assembled with Perry (Matthew Rhys), Della Street (Juliet Rylance) and Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) together in their office, ready to get to work.
For Paul Drake in particular, season 1 of “Perry Mason” was a fraught journey. He started the season as an LAPD street cop who just wanted to keep his head down and collect his paycheck so his wife and the child they were expecting could have a decent life. But he had an awakening of sorts, and in the finale — having realized he’ll never be able...
The first season of HBO’s reboot of “Perry Mason” is now in the bag, but we’re not done with these characters just yet as the network already announced a second season renewal a few weeks back. And as the season ended, Perry Mason’s crew was finally, officially assembled with Perry (Matthew Rhys), Della Street (Juliet Rylance) and Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) together in their office, ready to get to work.
For Paul Drake in particular, season 1 of “Perry Mason” was a fraught journey. He started the season as an LAPD street cop who just wanted to keep his head down and collect his paycheck so his wife and the child they were expecting could have a decent life. But he had an awakening of sorts, and in the finale — having realized he’ll never be able...
- 8/10/2020
- by Phil Owen
- The Wrap
Spoiler Alert: This article contains details from tonight’s season 1 finale episode of HBO’s Perry Mason.
It’s a mistrial and the court goes wild.
As rich and thrilling as this Great Depression noir HBO series was with sublime acting all around — especially Matthew Rhys’ turn as the P.I.-turned-attorney who overcompensates for his demons and mediocrity with his “eureka!” discoverings — the Perry Mason case of who killed baby Charlie Dodson was rather long-winded.
Sure, we weren’t fully convinced that Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin) was completely innocent.
However, through various Byzantine rabbit holes explored by Mason, his gal Friday Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and his sidekick investigator Pete Strickland (Shea Whigham), our title character discovered that the Radiant Assembly of God was to blame for the kidnapping of Charlie, with Detective Ennis (Andrew Howard) orchestrating all the murders, down to taking the church’s Elder Seidel (Taylor Nichols) out.
It’s a mistrial and the court goes wild.
As rich and thrilling as this Great Depression noir HBO series was with sublime acting all around — especially Matthew Rhys’ turn as the P.I.-turned-attorney who overcompensates for his demons and mediocrity with his “eureka!” discoverings — the Perry Mason case of who killed baby Charlie Dodson was rather long-winded.
Sure, we weren’t fully convinced that Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin) was completely innocent.
However, through various Byzantine rabbit holes explored by Mason, his gal Friday Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and his sidekick investigator Pete Strickland (Shea Whigham), our title character discovered that the Radiant Assembly of God was to blame for the kidnapping of Charlie, with Detective Ennis (Andrew Howard) orchestrating all the murders, down to taking the church’s Elder Seidel (Taylor Nichols) out.
- 8/10/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Perry Mason” Season 1, Episode 8, “Chapter 8,” including the ending.]
I hate the “Perry Mason” moment. Growing up the son of a small town defense attorney, nothing would grind my father’s gears like seeing a TV lawyer badger their witness into an admission of guilt, or suddenly introduce new evidence that they themselves uncovered. The former rarely happens, and the latter is a convenient fallacy cooked up by efficiency-minded screenwriters — lawyers aren’t private investigators. Except, of course, if you’re Perry Mason.
So when HBO’s beautiful reboot set up a plot where Matthew Rhys’ seasoned P.I. would also don the mantle of a respectable attorney, it had me worried that this “Perry Mason” would repeat the same melodramatic “moments” made infamous by the ’50s original. Those were fine back then, when TV was built on disposable drama, but today’s audiences demand better. The era of Prestige TV...
I hate the “Perry Mason” moment. Growing up the son of a small town defense attorney, nothing would grind my father’s gears like seeing a TV lawyer badger their witness into an admission of guilt, or suddenly introduce new evidence that they themselves uncovered. The former rarely happens, and the latter is a convenient fallacy cooked up by efficiency-minded screenwriters — lawyers aren’t private investigators. Except, of course, if you’re Perry Mason.
So when HBO’s beautiful reboot set up a plot where Matthew Rhys’ seasoned P.I. would also don the mantle of a respectable attorney, it had me worried that this “Perry Mason” would repeat the same melodramatic “moments” made infamous by the ’50s original. Those were fine back then, when TV was built on disposable drama, but today’s audiences demand better. The era of Prestige TV...
- 8/10/2020
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
This Perry Mason review contains spoilers.
Perry Mason Episode 7
Perry Mason, episode 7, “Chapter Seven,” steers out of control to a very unexpected crossroads. There are deals with the devil happening in this installment and none of them are specifically satanic. Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys) tries to exorcize demonic truths from the Assembly of God Church, while its leader plays god, and not just on the radio.
In “Chapter Six,” Sister Alice (Tatiana Maslany) remarks to her mother, Birdy McKeegan (Lili Taylor), that she’s been remembering quite a few things, lately. The new installment brings up a memory, though it appears it is one of many. “Chapter Seven” opens with Sister Alice as a young girl. She and her mother are stranded, out of gas on a remote highway. The kindness of strangers gets a little out of hand with the first traveler to pass their way, and there is...
Perry Mason Episode 7
Perry Mason, episode 7, “Chapter Seven,” steers out of control to a very unexpected crossroads. There are deals with the devil happening in this installment and none of them are specifically satanic. Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys) tries to exorcize demonic truths from the Assembly of God Church, while its leader plays god, and not just on the radio.
In “Chapter Six,” Sister Alice (Tatiana Maslany) remarks to her mother, Birdy McKeegan (Lili Taylor), that she’s been remembering quite a few things, lately. The new installment brings up a memory, though it appears it is one of many. “Chapter Seven” opens with Sister Alice as a young girl. She and her mother are stranded, out of gas on a remote highway. The kindness of strangers gets a little out of hand with the first traveler to pass their way, and there is...
- 8/3/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The first half of HBO’s Perry Mason was a bit of a tease.
Though everyone with even a passing familiarity with American television knows that Perry Mason is a devoted, capable lawyer, HBO’s version of the show introduced him as something else entirely. Through four full episodes of TV, Matthew Rhys’s legal hero was more of a grimy private investigator.
To be fair, this depiction of Perry Mason worked quite well within the HBO series’ gritty ‘20s aesthetic. But any show featuring Perry Mason was going to have to head to a courtroom eventually. And eventually Perry Mason did. The back half of Perry Mason’s eight episode first season put the titular star in the legal world where he belongs. And that’s presumably where he’ll stay for season 2.
Below is an episode guide to better track Perry’s evolution.
Perry Mason Episode 1: Chapter...
Though everyone with even a passing familiarity with American television knows that Perry Mason is a devoted, capable lawyer, HBO’s version of the show introduced him as something else entirely. Through four full episodes of TV, Matthew Rhys’s legal hero was more of a grimy private investigator.
To be fair, this depiction of Perry Mason worked quite well within the HBO series’ gritty ‘20s aesthetic. But any show featuring Perry Mason was going to have to head to a courtroom eventually. And eventually Perry Mason did. The back half of Perry Mason’s eight episode first season put the titular star in the legal world where he belongs. And that’s presumably where he’ll stay for season 2.
Below is an episode guide to better track Perry’s evolution.
Perry Mason Episode 1: Chapter...
- 7/27/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
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