Driving by his deep will of achieving justice, Perry Mason, a smart attorney in Los Angeles, who does his best to prove the innocence of his victims, who suffer from being falsely accused of murders.
Matthew Rhys plays both extremes of his Perry Mason perfectly - the brooding, nonconformist of so many film noirs, as well as the emotional orator of those stirring summations to the jury.
Strained at times, wandering at others, "Perry Mason" finds its footing eventually and by its end you may want to watch a second season even as you hope it's better than the first.
It may have been set so many years ago, but it speaks to the world today - race, discrimination, religion, moral turpitude, different sexual orientation, feminism, all wrapped up in a cracking mystery.
A gorgeous show in terms of production design and the cast is strong from top to bottom, but writers Rolin Jones & Ron Fitzgerald struggle to find a story worth investing in for at least the first half of the eight-episode season.
There is something thrilling in wondering what new stories we need to tell about institutions of public life when we no longer trust that they are inherently just or righteous.
I don't think you'll be bored or outraged watching "Perry Mason." The cast is filled with big, broad scene-stealers, with Lithgow's moving turn at the top of that list... Just don't get too caught up in trying to tie all those moments together.
