Starring:
Raymond Burr as Perry Mason
Barbara Hale as Della Street
William Hopper as Paul Drake
William Talman as Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins as Lt. Arthur Tragg
Special Features:
None
Other Info:
Fullscreen
Dolby Digital Mono Sound
Running Time: 16 Hours 39 Minutes
Synopsis:
Perry Mason: Season 1 Volume 1 originally aired in 1957-1958. The following is from the DVD cover:
“Raymond Burr stars as the defense attorney who never lost a case in the landmark series Perry Mason. In every episode, Mason matches wits with his courtroom adversary D.A. Hamilton Burger (William Talman). Every time, Mason – aided by devoted secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale) and loyal private eye Paul Drake (William Hopper) – uncovers evidence that clears his client of murder. This special DVD collection includes the first 19 episodes of the legendary series that set the standard for all legal dramas that followed.”
Perry Mason: Season 1 Volume 1 is not rated.
Mini-Review:
I never watched Perry Mason while growing up, so I don’t have any particular nostalgia towards the series. Watching it now for the first time, it hasn’t held up well over the years. The crimes seem rather simple and the courtroom drama comes across as incredibly unrealistic. Overall I found it pretty boring. That being said, I do recognize it as a groundbreaking series. It pretty much set the formula for many crime and courtroom dramas to follow. While others did it better, Perry Mason did it first. It’s also kind of interesting to look at the show as a snapshot from another time. The clothes, cars, and scenery are all so dated that it’s entertaining to watch.
I’d recommend this DVD set to established Perry Mason fans and anyone that likes murder mysteries and courtroom dramas. Everyone else will probably be bored by it. However, Perry Mason fans might be very disappointed that there are no bonus features included on the DVD. This only includes the TV episodes.
