Perry Mason: Season 3 Volume 2

Defense attorney Perry Mason is an iconic figure of detective fiction. Created by author and lawyer Erle Stanley Gardner, Mason first appeared in the 1933 novel The Case of the Velvet Claws and went on to appear in numerous novels and short stories. The character was the “King of All Media” before Howard Stern coined the term, appearing in films during the mid-‘30s, on a radio show from 1943-1955, in comic books, and about 18 months in a comic strip that began in October 1950. The most famous adaptation is the classic television drama that ran from 1957 to 1966, starring Raymond Burr who won an Emmy for his performance in the series’ fourth season.

The second volume of Season Three has recently been released and features 14 cases that first aired in 1960 from January to June. The episodes all follow a simple formula. After the classic theme song, Fred Steiner’s “Park Avenue Beat” , a group of characters is introduced who have some relation to a murder that takes place. The police, usually led by Lieutenant Arthur Tragg (Ray Collins), charge one of the characters, who becomes a client of Mason’s, which means they are innocent. Mason and his team, secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale) and private detective Paul Drake (William Hopper), investigate the case, and during the trial, with Mason usually battling against District Attorney Hamilton Burger (William Talman), the real culprit confesses.

The writing is smart and still holds up well. There are usually a number of suspects with motive so the culprit is not obvious; however, the identity can be figured out as very subtle clues are provided along the way for those paying close attention. The series is all about the cases and very little is revealed about the recurring characters. There is a good twist in “The Case of the Prudent Prosecutor” when Burger requests Mason’s help in defending a friend accused of murder.

Perry Mason fans should pick up this set because the video has been digitally remastered and looks great. The black and white images are sharp and clean. The audio is available in the original Mono. Mystery fans unfamiliar with Mason should enjoy this series, and fans of classic television will have fun identifying actors, including those who went on to gain notoriety as cast members of other television shows, such as Barbara Bain (Cinnamon Carter, Mission: Impossible), Edward Platt (The Chief, Get Smart), and Denver Pyle (Uncle Jesse, The Dukes of Hazzard) to name a few.

IRONSIDE: Season 1

Robert T. Ironside was the Chief of Detectives for the San Francisco Police Department until a sniper’s bullet paralyzed the lower half of his body. Though he lost the use of his legs, his mind remained as strong and sharp as ever, which combined with his dogged determination allowed him to stay on the force as a special department consultant. He lived at the police station and used a modified police van to get around town. He was assisted by Sgt. Ed Brown, Officer Eve Whitfield, and on a more personal level by ex-con Mark Sanger, whose two incarcerations Ironside was involved.

The pilot, created by Colin Young, aired as an NBC television movie in March 1966. The series ran from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. Young served as executive producer for the first five episodes and was replaced by Frank Price. A few scenes of the pilot are cut at an extremely rapid pace, causing unintentional humor. Thankfully, that editing style doesn’t transfer to the series. Quincy Jones created the theme song and music for some of the episodes.

When we first meet Ironside, he is man’s man. He drinks bourbon, eats chili, and talks tough, using “flaming” to get around the censors. His drinking and swearing lose their prominence over the season. Ironside provides a lot of the story’s exposition to the viewers as he solves the crimes from his wheelchair, which limited the plot’s action.

Raymond Burr played Ironside after a successful eight seasons as Perry Mason from the show of the same name that ran on CBS from 1957-66. The shows were slightly similar; Mason solves mysteries in a courtroom and Ironside solves mysteries on the streets. Both were excellent at their jobs and almost always prevailed. These factors may have helped viewers accept Burr’s transition, which has always been a notorious one as many actors have failed to have lightening strike twice.

One of the more enjoyable aspects in watching old television dramas is that you’ll never know who is going to show up. Over this first season, some of the more recognizable talent and future television stars are Tiny Tim, Jack Lord, John Saxon, Bruce Lee, Robert Carradine, Norman Fell, Robert Reed, Edward Asner, and Susan St James, appearing as two different characters only a couple of months apart.

Unfortunately, as with many of the Universal Television DVD releases, there are no extras. For those that want to see the series in the order the episodes were produced rather than aired, which will make more sense for those who notice hair and character development, the list is as follows:

Ironside Pilot
Leaf In The Forrest
Eat, Drink, And Be Buried
The Monster Of Comus Towers
Something For Nothing
Tagged For Murder
Message From Beyond
Dead Man's Tale
The Man Who Believed
An Inside Job
The Taker
Let My Brother Go
Light At The End Of The Journey
A Very Cool Hot Car
The Past Is Prologue
Girl In The Night
The Fourteenth Runner
Force Of Arms
Memory Of An Ice Cream Stick
To Kill A Cop
The Lonely Hostage
The Challenge
All In A Day's Work
Barbara Who
Perfect Crime
Officer Bobby
Trip To Hashbury
Due Process Of The Law
Return Of The Hero