Perry Mason: Season 1, Vol. 2

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 were included on the first release, with the final batch from the first season included on this one. 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 release that 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.

After watching volume 1, I could not wait for volume 2. The stories are even better than I remembered. The picture is wonderfully clear. This series is the grandfather of all courtroom dramas. Many have tried to imitate, but none have duplicated. Within the drama find humor, thrills and down right fun. You know he is going to solve the mystery, but can you figure out the secret? This is TV of classic proportions. The entire cast is merely excellent and the writing only fantastic. Watch this.

I am so happy to see these wonderful old shows being released on DVD. I do not watch the TV shows of today. I find them lacking talent, boring, cheap and a sad reflection of our times. In my opinion, wonderful shows like Perry Mason, represent TV at its finest. Great acting, great stars and wonderful writing. I recommend this set to anyone who loves vintage television. The transfers and sound are wonderful! Watching these great old shows bring back a time when life was simpler and we did not have to watch our fellow man eat bugs to get their 15 minutes of fame. I hope they release all seasons of Perry Mason. I also hope to see more of the wonderful old shows of the past.

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