Perry Mason

[Reverend Conehead]

I've never watched an episode of the Perry Mason TV show from start to finish, nor have I seen any of the movies. But I've heard good things about it. I've started watching the first Perry Mason movie, Perry Mason Returns, via stream. It's a film from 1985. So far I'm just not feeling it. It does seem really dated. But I also want to give it a chance. Am I starting in the wrong place? Should I start with the old TV show instead?

 

[SkinsandTerps]

It's kinda like a mix between law and order and some kind of murder mystery. I watch the series. Interesting to see how he puts the clues together.

 

[Hardline]

Go with Columbo.
Much more enjoyable.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I've never watched an episode of the Perry Mason TV show from start to finish, nor have I seen any of the movies. But I've heard good things about it. I've started watching the first Perry Mason movie, Perry Mason Returns, via stream. It's a film from 1985. So far I'm just not feeling it. It does seem really dated. But I also want to give it a chance. Am I starting in the wrong place? Should I start with the old TV show instead?

Well, I for one can say that one of the shows was filmed in my moms hometown (and mine). As a kid she got cast member Bill Drake's autograph who played Paul Drake. Many tv shows and movies were filmed there (Moorpark), where I grew up also (when I was a kid).

 

[morasp]

The Movies were Made by different people. The TV series is one of my favorites all time. For a modest investment of about $10 you should get season one vol. 1 on DVD. They did an excellent job restoring the episodes and they are uncut running from 50 to 52 minutes each. Perry Mason's on screen bravado is fun to watch, especially when someone challenges him.

 

[timb2]

I've never watched an episode of the Perry Mason TV show from start to finish, nor have I seen any of the movies. But I've heard good things about it. I've started watching the first Perry Mason movie, Perry Mason Returns, via stream. It's a film from 1985. So far I'm just not feeling it. It does seem really dated. But I also want to give it a chance. Am I starting in the wrong place? Should I start with the old TV show instead?

You need to look at the original TV series in black n white which was good. The later Perry Mason stuff in color was not really good..... Kind of like "The Twilight Zone" is better in black n white

 

[DallasEast]

@morasp is right. The original series and the latter reproduced stuff are not equal. I highly recommend watching the original series.

 

[yesfan]

The original series premiere was in 1958 and ran until around 1965. Excellent show,it plays on a channel MeTv. Otherwise,google where to stream

 

[CouchCoach]

Never saw the movie but watched every episode of the TV show and it had cool music (I am hearing it in my head as I type, duh duh duhduh, duh duh duhduh or something like that) and everyone always knew Perry was going to win because the DA was a jerk, we just didn't know how he was going to pull it off except we knew it would come at the end. Sad, he got shot and spent another series in a wheelchair.

 

[RodeoJake]

The old Perry Mason films are pretty good.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Well, I for one can say that one of the shows was filmed in my moms hometown (and mine). As a kid she got cast member Bill Drake's autograph who played Paul Drake. Many tv shows and movies were filmed there (Moorpark), where I grew up also (when I was a kid).

My bad. Bill Hopper was his name.

 

[Blackspider214]

Go with Columbo.
Much more enjoyable.

One of my favorite shows of all time from any genre. But a lot of my favorite shows are centered around crime and law. I watched this because my dad, his sister and parents loved it. Peter Falk is great. The 70s episodes are better than the 90s but they are still good in their own merits. There was a lot of popular actors that were the murderers in that show. And unlike every other detective show where the premise is to find the killer, Columbo did it opposite. It was a how catch em instead of a whodunnit. It was cool seeing Columbo slowly tear apart the murderer's story and seeing the murderer scramble as the episode goes on.

In reference to Perry Mason, I enjoyed the movies they had. But the original Perry Mason was the black/white episodes in the 50s and 60s. I am not familiar with those.

 

[Longboysfan]

is dead

 

[DallasEast]

but lives forever in reruns

 

[trickblue]

I've never watched an episode of the Perry Mason TV show from start to finish, nor have I seen any of the movies. But I've heard good things about it. I've started watching the first Perry Mason movie, Perry Mason Returns, via stream. It's a film from 1985. So far I'm just not feeling it. It does seem really dated. But I also want to give it a chance. Am I starting in the wrong place? Should I start with the old TV show instead?

The series is excellent. Do bear in mind, though that the acting is the over-dramatic style they had in the 50s. Plots/stories are excellent, though...

 

[Jammer]

. Sad, he got shot and spent another series in a wheelchair.

LOL...as a kid I always felt sad for the guy in Ironside, because I saw him in Perry Mason walking around fine and then later getting shot and having to use a wheelchair to get around. I could not differentiate the guy was playing a paraplegic and wasn't one in real life.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Hey, everyone. I found the original series and have watched the first two episodes. Thanks for the heads up. It's excellent. They've done a great job creating compelling stories that get you right into the plot, and the musical score is outstanding. The 50s acting style doesn't bother me. My brain has a way of adjusting to the time period and getting right in it. I agree with you that the original series is the one that had the charm, granted, I've only seen two of the modern movies. I love going back in time to before I was born and seeing the old cars and the old technology. This show is still very watchable despite more than half a century having gone by.