# Why do all episodes of Perry Mason have a murder? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [April 8, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008 "2024-04-08T14:00:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/61 "2024-04-09T07:26:38Z")
Well, think of this from the writers viewpoint: it’s much easier to make the mystery last for a full book if the witness is dead. Thus murder. If the victim was alive, they could just identify their attacker and the story is over! The other big group of mystery stories is where something valuable (jewels, bearer bonds, etc.) is discovered to have been secretly stolen from a locked room/secure safe/sealed suitcase. Again, no witnesses, so you can write at least a short mystery, if not a whole mystery novel. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/62 "2024-04-09T08:07:03Z")
All this talk about murder reminds me of this clip… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/64yianfGvzc/maxresdefault.jpg "Clouseau interrogates the staff") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64yianfGvzc) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/63 "2024-04-09T10:59:22Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > _Banacek_ was on mystery TV show that wasn’t about murders: it was about theft, usually one that seemed impossible. Unfortunately, the solution to the theft was always the same. > > The object was stolen before everyone thought it was. B-B-But what about the totally different ones where it was still right there, after everyone thought it wasn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/64 "2024-04-09T13:23:05Z")
> [@Bumbazine](#): > > The one thing that stood out to me about Perry Mason was that he always seemed to get the guilty party to confess on the witness stand. Of course I didn’t watch the show all that often, so maybe I’m mis-remembering. No you aren’t. That was the reason my mom stopped watching the show. She said it was too stupid after a while. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/65 "2024-04-09T13:27:37Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > And he uses my favorite long gun. Love that Rifleman. I just can’t take that kid in that show. I sometimes wish he’d just unload on the kid. 😳 Really? He was one of the few child actors that I could stand. It was a little weird how close those two were though. Nothing kinky, but just ewww… Were there helicopter parents before there were helicopters? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/66 "2024-04-09T13:33:31Z")
It was kind of funny once you learned that Raymond Burr was closeted at the time. Really gave another meaning to some of his comments and smiles. Like he was having a private joke. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/67 "2024-04-09T14:01:01Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Yeah, the body count in Midsomer would exceed the population of the United Kingdom at the rate their murderers were removing people. It’s all Joyce Barnaby’s fault. Every time she took up a new hobby, people started dropping like flies in her vicinity. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/68 "2024-04-09T14:02:49Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It’s all Joyce Barnaby’s fault. Every time she took up a new hobby, people started dropping like flies in her vicinity. Amazingly, she was able to raise a daughter with all of her time being taken up with hobbies, being in a relationship with her policeman husband, _and_ being a serial killer. I salute her time management skills. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/69 "2024-04-09T14:43:00Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > _and_ being a serial killer. I salute her time management skills. When something is a really really important psychological compulsion, you make time for it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/70 "2024-04-09T15:02:54Z")
Paul Drake did all the work. And Della couldn’t see past Mason. Her and Paul could’ve been a great duo on their own. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/71 "2024-04-09T16:26:58Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The object was stolen before everyone thought it was. Not so. The solutions were almost always either 1) the object was never there in the first place (basically your ‘stolen before everyone thought it was’ combined with ‘never existed to begin with’ or 2) the object is still there, just hidden/disguised. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/72 "2024-04-09T16:37:49Z")
Now I have the “Perry Mason” song by Ozzy in my head. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/73 "2024-04-09T16:56:06Z")
Heheh, and now I have “Perry” by the Butthole Surfers in my head. It uses the theme’s horn riff, but is otherwise unrelated. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/74 "2024-04-09T17:53:16Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I think I’d be OK; as a middle aged male white English visitor to the island, I reckon my chances are fair that I would turn out to be the policeman, rather than the victim. Obviously, you haven’t seen all the episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/75 "2024-04-09T21:00:34Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > _Banacek_ was on mystery TV show that wasn’t about murders: it was about theft, usually one that seemed impossible Well, since he was a private instigator who made his money from a percentage of recovered goods for insurance companies, solving murders wouldn’t have benefitted him much. 😉 > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > B-B-But what about the totally different ones where it was still right there, after everyone thought it wasn’t? You mean like the room sized computer that was really just a fake front? > [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > He was one of the few child actors that I could stand. It was a little weird how close those two were though. Nothing kinky, but just ewww… [You mean like this?](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71L7nTIGtgL._AC_SL1200_.jpg) Gotta love those corduroy pants and shirts! ha ha ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/76 "2024-04-09T21:17:04Z")
Yeah, I saw that comic cover on the Lileks webpage. It made me laugh for ten minutes. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/77 "2024-04-09T22:16:48Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > You mean like the room sized computer that was really just a fake front? I was thinking of the valuable book that was in a museum’s display case. And then it was stolen! Yeah, it was still in that display case. And also the coin collection that was in a hotel room’s safe. And then it was stolen! Yes, it was still in that hotel room’s safe. Also, there was the stage magician who disappeared for _real_; oh, sure, there were guards at the exits, but — maybe he slipped under the stage, via trap door? Or maybe he ducked backstage, behind the curtain? Or — wait, he’s still there, on the stage, isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/78 "2024-04-09T22:17:03Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > [You mean like this?](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71L7nTIGtgL._AC_SL1200_.jpg) Holy crap, I must have missed that episode! 😲 I guess that rifle wasn’t the only weapon he was packing. 🤭 ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/79 "2024-04-09T22:21:07Z")
Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008/80 "2024-04-10T06:45:36Z")
Maybe that’s the plot twist. I thought I was going to be the policeman, but it turns out I am the victim. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-all-episodes-of-perry-mason-have-a-murder/1000008.md?page=5)