Cynical Cinema

In Season Three, Volume One of Perry Mason, out August 19th from Paramount Home Entertainment, Raymond Burr seems to really be hitting his stride. The 50th Anniversary Collection of Perry Mason came out a few months ago, a series of the “greatest episodes” of the series. And it was certainly a star-studded DVD collection - Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, and Bette Davis all make guest appearances. All of those episodes are good, but they are classic more because of the guest stars than because of the actual episodes themselves. For great Perry Mason episodes, look no further than this new DVD set.

Oh sure, there are standard TV-lawyer-drama set-ups in Season Three of Perry Mason. Like the case where Mason has to defend Paul Drake, his right-hand man. And the episodes that involve Mason defending models and beauty pageant winners. (”Beauty pageant” seems so quaint, doesn’t it? This WAS the 1950s, after all. Nowadays these clients would be high-class hookers and porn stars.) The one problem I have with this set is that it is only three discs. Assuming the second half of this season is of a similar length, then the entire third season of Perry Mason would be six discs. Why not put all six together? On one DVD set? I guess it’s just a money thing. But I want to watch more Perry Mason now!