Another one of my late night favorites back in my college broadcasting job was Perry Mason. This series starred Raymond Burr as the attorney against all odds. It very much falls under the murder mysteries category. Only this time, it's about a lawyer who also doubles as a detective in a very Phoenix Wright fashion. The series ran from 1957 to 1966 and each episode was about 52 minutes.
I have never read the novels which the tv series based itself on. For those of you who are curious, the source material came from Erle Stanley Gardner, who was a lawyer by trade. He based Perry Mason on Earl Rogers, a legendary criminal defense attorney.
People who know of this series should be familiar with its recurring characters. They include the private eye Paul Drake to Perry's secretary Della Street. Then, there are the frenemies like Lieutenant Tragg and District Attorney Hamilton Burger.
The plot of Perry Mason follows the attorney, who take on hopeless cases for his clients. The cases often involve murder. Of which, his clients find themselves as the prime suspects. Unlike the greedy lawyer stereotype, Perry often don't charge people exorbitant fees. He cared about justice and he enjoyed difficult challenges.
A typical episode would start with some introduction to the story's characters. Someone would die and the police get involved. Another person would get in trouble. The suspect would then contact Perry Mason for help. Then, Perry would conduct investigations with or without Paul Drakes. There would be interludes of court scenes throughout the episode. Finally, Perry unravels the mystery and evidence surrounding the case in court. The real culprit, usually in the room for some reason, confesses to the crime. A small segment of after the case follows and fill up the rest of the episode.
In almost all cases, Perry's exploits, within legal bounds, were able to acquit his clients. There were few cases where Perry either couldn't defend his client or the evidence was inconclusive.
The key thing, though, is that Perry's clients were all innocent to begin with. Circumstances framed them to be the potential culprits of murder. The show made it seem easy for innocent people to be charged with serious crimes. So, this isn't a show where the main character who had ambivalent morals doing what lawyers do best.
Whether our judicial systems fall into this stereotype is beyond the scope of this post.
This series had a cookie cutter plotline every episode. We learn very little about Perry Mason and his backstory. The reveal in the court is usually the highlight of each story arc. Of course, Perry wins almost every time.
But, for a college student that used to work night shifts at the broadcasting station, it was a welcome treat. I may consider obtaining the novels in the future.
