The HBO’s New Perry Mason is Absolutely Brilliant: A Review by Peter Miller, The Literary Lion
I remember watching Perry Mason over fifty years ago. It wasn’t so much because I wanted to watch it, but my mother was a big fan of Raymond Burr, and way back when, there were only three television stations. NBC, CBS, and ABC. Even though we were not poor, we only had one television in the house, so if my mother wanted to watch a show, I wouldn’t suggest anything else. I sat and enjoyed it with her.
The new Perry Mason is absolutely brilliant. The opening episode is extremely dark, wherein the corpse of an infant is delivered with its eyes sewn shut. This is one of the most macabre images I’ve ever experienced. The production epitomizes the film noir style to the max.
What was particularly appealing to me was how Perry Mason became an attorney after the unfortunate suicide of his boss, played brilliantly by John Lithgow. The fact that the politics in Los Angeles in the late 1920’s were so brutal this is definitely symbolic of what’s happening in politics today, with the unbelievable hidden skullduggery, blatant lying, and corruption that exists.
What was even more appealing about Perry Mason to me was that Kevin J Hynes was not only a co-executive producer, but wrote several of the episode’s scripts.
If you want to enjoy a high quality, totally engaging new series, I highly recommend HBO’s Perry Mason.
After John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr., (JFK) death on July 16, 1999, in early 2001, I was discussing the representation of a memoir about him that was being written by Kevin J. Hynes. Kevin was a dear friend of JFK and who worked with him in the NYC DA’s office in NYC. Kevin was waiting for JFK on Martha’s Vineyard. Sadly JFK’s plane crashed and they didn’t meet as this was a fatal accident. America lost one of its favorite sons.
After the dust settled Kevin gave me JFK’s soccer ball that was in the trunk of his Saab. He told me this was a memento of his dear friend. Every time I look at the soccer ball and touch it. The ball inspires memories of my many years in NYC, Kevin Hynes, and the JFK, Jr. legend. I treasure this gift. Thank you, Kevin.
