# Perry Mason on HBO **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, hbomax-wb-dc\ **Created:** [June 22, 2020, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306 "2020-06-22T11:44:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/41 "2020-07-14T14:50:48Z")
Yeah, I think they made mention that E.B. wasn’t doing so good financially in previous episodes, especially after the rich backer hired a new lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/42 "2020-07-14T14:58:31Z")
I didn’t think it was _too_ big of a surprise that E.B. might be suicidal. But, having just assured his client - in a very powerful scene, too, when he realized that negotiating a plea bargain for her that would include a 20-year sentence would be a terrible injustice - that he was going to fight hard for her in court, it did seem odd. Lithgow is great in this role. Good episode overall, I thought. The bakery box with the snakes was scary. Good scene with the DA clearing the courthouse bathroom (“Did you wash your hands?”) and chewing out the two LAPD detectives. I was a little surprised to see Della revealed as a lesbian (but why was her lover wearing gloves?). And I _knew_ Sister Alice wasn’t going to stick to her prepared statement. Dumping a corpse on a golf course: not cool, dudes. Perry’s buddy just looked on as the fat actor attacked him and spat on him in the phonebooth. With friends like these… Best line: Perry’s buddy to the Elks official, after hearing the key tenets of the Elks, “Is ‘fidelity’ a deal-breaker?” ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/43 "2020-07-14T15:04:08Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > But, having just assured his client - in a very powerful scene, too, when he realized that negotiating a plea bargain for her that would include a 20-year sentence would be a terrible injustice - that he was going to fight hard for her in court, it did seem odd. Well remember by doing so, he basically signed his disbarment papers (and jail time for himself). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/44 "2020-07-14T15:09:06Z")
The DA specifically gave him the option of trying the case. IIRC he didn’t say, “Take the plea deal or I’ll expose you.” ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/45 "2020-07-14T15:12:36Z")
Granted that we knew that E.B. wasn’t in great financial shape; but the disbarment stuff seemed to come out of left field. I have no idea where the Sister Alice story line is heading – which I guess is a good thing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/46 "2020-07-14T15:23:33Z")
Seems odd to kill off a character played by a big-time actor like John Lithgow so early in the season. But perhaps this is how Perry Mason ends up in court? Perhaps he’s already been to law school? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/47 "2020-07-14T15:46:31Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > The DA specifically gave him the option of trying the case. IIRC he didn’t say, “Take the plea deal or I’ll expose you.” I just re-watched the scene. The D.A. gave E.B. 3 options: plead Emily out, tank the case at trial, or get disbarred. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/48 "2020-07-14T15:49:45Z")
I normally guess wrong, but I will say the 4th person is sister Alice. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/49 "2020-07-14T16:31:45Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I normally guess wrong, but I will say the 4th person is sister Alice The 4th man involved in the kidnapping? The audience knows who that is. It’s Detective Ennis. The man Perry Mason sat down next to at the Elk’s Club. We saw him kill the other three kidnappers in the first episode. EB’s suicide did seem to come out of nowhere. They set up his health issues, so when we kept following him around his routine in silence with nothing happening, I was totally expecting him to drop dead while at the mirror or pouring the water. I was definitely expecting him to die at that moment, but the suicide was a surprise. It was pretty strange he was basically like, “I will fight for you til the end! Never give up! You are innocent!.. uh, bye, gonna go kill myself now. Hope you find someone else to fight for you!” I suppose this sets up how Perry Mason becomes a lawyer, but it seems very clunkly plot-wise. For some reason I had Della pegged as a lesbian from the very beginning, and I’ve read others say the same thing. I don’t know why, something about her was coded as lesbian which was obviously intentional, but I’m not sure what that was. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/50 "2020-07-14T16:36:44Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > For some reason I had Della pegged as a lesbian from the very beginning, and I’ve read others say the same thing. I don’t know why, something about her was coded as lesbian which was obviously intentional, but I’m not sure what that was. It’s because she didn’t hook up with Perry immediately; so obviously she’s playing for the other team. 😉 The scene with PM and E.B.'s shoes establishes a long-term emotional bond between the two, which will lead to PM’s response to E.B.s death and his decision to become a lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/51 "2020-07-14T16:46:16Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > It was pretty strange he was basically like, “I will fight for you til the end! Never give up! You are innocent!.. uh, bye, gonna go kill myself now. Hope you find someone else to fight for you!” I suppose this sets up how Perry Mason becomes a lawyer, but it seems very clunkly plot-wise. Though recall that when Emily asks “You’ll be there with me” (or something like that), E.B. pauses and says I’ll do my best or something like that. It seemed like a final speech to me, the way he was tearing up, realizing he wasn’t going to be able to fight for her, but she needed to fight on, even if he wasn’t the one representing her. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/52 "2020-07-14T17:17:00Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > …I just re-watched the scene. The D.A. gave E.B. 3 options: plead Emily out, tank the case at trial, or get disbarred. Ah, thanks. I misunderstood. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/53 "2020-07-14T19:22:33Z")
In the books Perry asked Della to marry him more than once but she said no. the reason was she wanted to work and a lawyer’s wife was not supposed to work. I guess I missed Ennis being the 4th guy , I was half asleep during episode 1. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/54 "2020-07-14T19:32:14Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > In the books Perry asked Della to marry him more than once but she said no. the reason was she wanted to work and a lawyer’s wife was not supposed to work. Well, that was her cover story… > [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I guess I missed Ennis being the 4th guy , I was half asleep during episode 1. 🙂 The 3 kidnappers are holed up in the apartment. Ennis comes in, ostensibly with a briefcase of cash to split up. But surprise! he shoots the other 3, two of whom die on the scene. George escapes but falls off the roof. We see Ennis looking down into the alley and smiling. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/55 "2020-07-14T22:54:38Z")
Guess I will rewatch episode 1 ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/56 "2020-07-14T23:21:01Z")
1. I still think it’s somehow going to turn out that Charlie is not the dead boy. And it will be discovered on Easter! 2. When Lithgow is in prison with her, what he says is “I will do what’s best for you“, which is both vague and a little ominous. At that point I was pretty sure he was going to kill himself. Ennis is a terrific bad guy. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/57 "2020-07-15T02:24:51Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I still think it’s somehow going to turn out that Charlie is not the dead boy. And it will be discovered on Easter It makes a whole lot of sense. And in that way the Sister’s prophecy comes true. I’m sure he’s being stashed at that Elk’s kid group (and was swapped for the dead kid). ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/58 "2020-07-15T04:04:35Z")
Both parents wouldn’t recognize their own child? That’s _really_ lousy writing if that ends up being the case. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/59 "2020-07-20T22:33:56Z")
I’m getting a little tired of Perry Mason‘s sadsackery and dipsomania. We get it, he’s deep in the slough of despond, but snap out of it, man! > [@](#): > > Both parents wouldn’t recognize their own child? That’s _really_ lousy writing if that ends up being the case. He was all swaddled up, he had his eyes stitched open, and he was dead. Plus, if the dad was in on it with the granddad, mum’s the word. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306/60 "2020-07-20T22:41:03Z")
So did you see yesterday’s episode? Perry Mason’s a lawyer now (and surprisingly quickly). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-mason-on-hbo/911306.md?page=4)