TV

Perry Mason

A peak TV noir with plenty of fedoras, palm trees, and shallow graves

    WATCH NOW ON
  • Max
Photo: Vulture; Photo: Warner Brothers

The second season of Perry Mason is a testament to how satisfying it is when a second season successfully reshapes the raw materials of a promising but imperfect first season. Perry Mason’s season two, does this in some minor ways (Shea Whigham’s investigator character, Paul Strickland, has a better-defined emotional arc) and in some much more significant ones (a noir-style mystery that’s a better fit for the show’s “dark side of L.A.” vibe.) The clearest and most obvious improvement on the first season, though, is also the simplest. Perry Mason — the HBO show, but also the original TV series and the radio serial before it — is a story about a defense attorney. Wouldn’t you know it: Perry Mason gets a lot better when the man spends a lot of time in a courtroom! — Kathryn VanArendonk, “Perry Mason Has Solved the Case of Perry Mason”

  1. Episode 16 Chapter Sixteen
    Perry Mason Season-Finale Recap: See You Around … The Mason crew gets an unconventional win in the face of a corrupt system. It’s far from perfect, but it will have to do for now.
  2. Episode 7 Chapter Fifteen
    Perry Mason Recap: Today’s Newspaper Wraps Tomorrow’s Fish We finally know who our big baddie is as Perry Mason reveals the big picture in the season’s penultimate episode.
  3. Episode 6 Chapter Fourteen
    Perry Mason Recap: Putting the City on Edge An unlikely ally and a secret foe bring some serious heat to the case.
  4. Episode 5 Chapter Thirteen
    Perry Mason Recap: Putting The City On Edge The trial just started and it’s already back to the drawing board for Mason, Street, and Drake.
  5. Episode 4 Chapter Twelve
    Perry Mason Recap: Living a Life of Illusion Mason & Co. find themselves in a tight spot as stories keep changing and the plot thickens.
  6. Episode 3 Chapter Eleven
    Perry Mason Recap: We’ve Always Been From Here As the case heats up, Mason finds a literal smoking gun.
  7. Episode 2 Chapter Ten
    Perry Mason Recap: The Illusion of Vengeance Now that Mason’s a full-fledged lawyer, it’s a real treat when he gets back in his seedy PI bag.
  8. Episode 1 Chapter Nine
    Perry Mason Season-Premiere Recap: The Illusion of Justice Perry Mason gets his Saul Goodman on and finds himself on the “right” side of the law and the wrong side of justice.

The Latest on HBO

  1. big duck
    John Wilson Is Back to Make You Go ‘Wowww’Oh, he’s documentin’.
    By Rebecca Alter
  2. a long talk
    ‘I Told My Assistant, “They’re Gonna Fire Me”’Ewan Roy’s eulogy stole the show in Succession’s penultimate episode. James Cromwell thought it would end his career.
    By Matt Zoller Seitz
  3. movie review
    Even If You Know Tina Turner’s Story, You Should Watch TinaThe HBO documentary is a comprehensive and moving look at the wild, inspiring life of a rock icon.
    By Jen Chaney
  4. maxin’ out
    So How Different Is Max From HBO Max?The new streamer has arrived with a host of tweaks to its UI.
    By Eric Vilas-Boas
  5. cannes 2023
    Sam Levinson on The Idol: ‘Things That Might Be Revolutionary Are Taken Too Far’He says the nudity and sexuality of his new HBO show are “true to what almost every pop star is doing these days.”
    By Rachel Handler
  6. cannes 2023
    All Your Burning Questions About The Idol’s Cannes Premiere, AnsweredLike: Is Sam Levinson and the Weeknd’s new HBO show starring Lily-Rose Depp actually “sexual torture porn,” or nah?
    By Rachel Handler
  7. chat room
    Harriet Walter Embraced Succession’s Meeting of the WAGs“Logan messed up all these people. Yet we’ve all had our time when we’ve loved him.”
    By Rebecca Alter
  8. predictions
    How Is Succession Going to Wrap This All Up?The finale must answer the CEO question, settle dangling subplots, and find a country for Connor’s ambassadorship in just 90 minutes.
    By Roxana Hadadi
  9. wambsgans watch
    What’s Tom’s Deal on This Week’s Succession?Get this man a nap, stat.
    By Jen Chaney
  10. max and mingle?
    Imagine Trying to (HBO) Max and Chill With a Pickle Rick AVILawrence from Insecure: 🚩🚩🚩🚩
    By Reanna Cruz
Load More

More Shows You May Like

  1. Ballers
  2. Big Little Lies
  3. Camping
  4. Divorce
  5. Game of Thrones