Perry Mason - Season 1: Vol. 1 (DVD, 2006, 5-Disc Set)

There was a time when the defense attorney was a heroic everyman, not the butt of bad jokes; think Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, and, of course, Raymond Burr's incomparable Perry Mason. The first season of Perry Mason, which launched in 1957 on CBS, shows just how dramatic a "law and order" show could be. Shot in lush black and white, on film, the episodes have been lovingly restored (including lost minutes hacked from reruns to accommodate commercials). The story arcs and atmosphere feel more like film noir (Perry Mason + Philip Marlowe = separated at birth?) than early TV. The cast was stellar, including Burr's Emmy-winning Perry Mason, the indefatigable lawyer who takes tough cases no one else will touch. Burr's chemistry crackles from episode 1 with his costars, including Barbara Hale as secretary Della, William Hopper as private detective Paul Drake, and William Talman as Hamilton Burger, the well-meaning but overmatched district attorney. While it's true that the last-minute witness-stand confessions strain some credulity, the case-cracking, character development, and dialogue set a high bar for the legal shows that followed. "The Case of the Negligent Nymph," for instance, involves a comely young woman--and murder suspect--fished out of the Pacific; Mason deadpans to Drake, "Call off the search, Paul; we've landed our mermaid." The shows unfold at a leisurely pace, and yet don't rely on the overly expositive dialogue that, say, Law & Order does; the viewer learns a lot about each case simply as it happens. The set contains the first 19 episodes of the first season and will hook you, even if you're not a procedural buff.

Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is an attorney who specializes in defending seemingly indefensible cases. With the aid of his secretary Della Street and investigator Paul Drake, he often finds that by digging deeply into the facts, startling facts can be revealed. Often relying on his outstanding courtroom skills, he often tricks or traps people into unwittingly admitting their guilt. The series began in 1957, running until 1974, and later revived in a series of TV movies. In over 270 episodes, Perry never lost a case!

Perry Mason was certainly the finest courtroom drama ever on television. It was entertainment that kept viewers glued to their seats, waiting for that moment when Perry would nail the killer on the witness stand and free his client.

Raymond Burr had some good roles in films, but will always be remembered for the tough defense attorney you wanted on your side in the toughest jam. Barbara Hale was his pretty secretary, Della Street, who kept Perry human and was in love with him. William Hopper was the dapper detective, Paul Drake. He had a playful and flirtatious relationship with Della but every viewer knew that secretly her heart belonged to Perry.

William Talman as D.A. Hamilton Burger was the perfectly cast guy you almost felt sorry for, as just when he was ready to gloat over his victory in court, Perry would spring his client by revealing the real killer, once again defeating poor old Burger. The relationship of these four people made the mood and mystery of the often gripping conclusion fun to watch. There has never been anything close to it in genre on television since. Its mix of drama, noir, and humor, and its truly likable characters, made for terrific viewing.

Earle Stanley Gardner's original creation of Perry Mason was a bit more two-fisted pulp type reading, but slowly grew into something resembling the show when it became so popular. Gardner's Perry Mason novels, begun decades before the show and continuing for decades more, are still fun to read. The same can be said of every single show in the series.

The first season, unlike many shows, hit its stride immediately, and remained top-notch television for many years. Like the novels, the title of every episode began with "The Case of-" and each one had some wonderful moments, both in and out of the courtroom. Only the first 19 episodes are included in this 5 disc set, with the next 20 coming soon. The episodes for season one, all 39 of them, beginning in the fall of 1957 and ending in 1958, are as follows:

THE CASE OF THE------- Restless Redhead -- Sleepwalker's Niece -- Nervous Accomplice -- Drowning Duck -- Sulky Girl -- Silent Partner -- Angry Mourner -- Crimson Kiss -- Vagabond Vixen -- Runaway Corpse -- Crooked Candle -- Negligent Nymph -- Moth-Eaten Mink -- Baited Hook -- Fan-Dancer's Horse -- Demure Defendant -- Sun Bather's Diary -- Cautious Coquette -- Haunted Husband -- Lonely Heiress -- Green-Eyed Sister -- Fugitive Nurse -- One-Eyed Witness -- Deadly Double -- Empty Tin -- Half-Wakened Wife -- Desperate Daughter -- Daring Decoy -- Hesitant Hostess -- Screaming Woman -- Fiery Fingers -- Substitute Face -- Long-Legged Models -- Gilded Lily -- Lazy Lover -- Prodigal Parent -- Black-Eyed Blonde -- Terrified Typist -- Rolling Bones

You can't beat this for entertainment, any more than Hamilton Burger could beat Perry Mason in court. There were great stories, often taking Perry out of the courtroom and his office, but always returning in those final moments of doom for the real murderer. This is one DVD set everyone who loves great television will want to own. Just hearing that opening theme song will make you nostalgic. Don't pass this one up.

I bought this for my husband for Christmas. He has been a Perry Mason fan since childhood, has most of the Perry Mason books that have been read again and again. We are both watching and loving this old series, thankfully still in b&w (only the DVD cover is in color), first aired in 1957 I believe. Still has the original credits at end, with pictures of advertiser's products - jogs the old memory thank goodness! If you love the books, you will love this series as Earle Stanley Gardner, the author, was closely involved in the making of the TV show. They follow the basic plots of the books quite closely it seems, not every little detail, but most. Lots of fun to see the old cars too - Perry and Paul are always driving somewhere in racy convertibles. Great downtown and distant shots of LA in the 1950s, and of course everyone is a fashion plate out of the 50's too. We arent' even through Season 1 yet, but highly recommend this to any fan of Perry Mason, or 50's TV!

I adore the first (original) Perry Mason series. I've loved it since I was a little girl & my family thought I was nuts for sneaking out to the living room (only one TV) & watching it in the middle of the night. I love Raymond Burr, & miss him terribly. Barbara Hale as Della Street is one of the best characters in the history of television. This is absolutely the best of the Perry Mason seasons: Season One. The clothes, the courtrooms, old Los Angeles, episodes that take place in little towns outside L.A. (Placerville, Logan City, etc.)... it just doesn't get any better than this. I don't buy DVDs as a general rule. But I want to own every episode of the original Perry Mason.

I have always loved Perry Mason...the lawyer who gets most everyone he defends off. Since Perry Mason is not one of the most popular TV shows these days I was thrilled to find it on DVD. Same episodes as in the olden days! Perry is still as clever and resourceful as ever.