I don't know what the significance was of the thread vis-a-vis the turtle at the end, or if that was a just scene showing all the various clues. They seemed to be connected to Mason, though. My wife's first comment about the thread was "does the mom do crochet" and that got me thinking about the turtle blanket, but on a relook, the blanket appears to be stitched in green, not blue.

I listened to The Watch podcast today and had no idea that Nic Pizzolatto of True Detective fame was originally involved with the project but had to leave due scheduling issues with season three of TD. Knowing that makes so much more sense, though. I'm sure the new writers made it their own, but the dead baby, the broken detective, the boozing, the sex, the violence, and what looks to be some kind of potential church conspiracy in the coming episodes, etc... it's all VERY Pizzolatto. Also, I knew Team Downey - Robert Downey Jr.'s production company - produced, but I didn't know that he was originally set to star...

https://www.theringer.com/2020/6/23/21299973/perry-mason-is-dark-but-to-what-end-plus-the-top-chef-melissa-king

Great second episode. Revealed a lot while teasing even more. Still so beautifully shot as well.

TCTTS said:

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Great second episode. Revealed a lot while teasing even more. Still so beautifully shot as well.

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I wasn't too sold on the show after the first episode and was undecided if I was going to watch another. I guess I'll give it a shot.

Hard show to watch. Looked up half way through and the wife was crying openly.

The second episode is a little less character development for Mason, but reveals a lot more about the case, in surprising fashion, and introduces the rest of the main cast, who are all great. It's definitely worth giving a shot.

https://slate.com/culture/2020/06/perry-mason-sister-alice-aimee-semple-mcpherson.html

During the show I made the comment that I found the female pastor to be an interesting choice and was wondering if that had some historical context...apparently it does Thanks for the link.

Definitely more intrigued after tonight's ep, this is starting to seem like one of those trust no one kinda shows.

Good show so far.

But they missed a perfect opportunity for a Gemstones Easter egg.

PooDoo said:

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Good show so far.

But they missed a perfect opportunity for a Gemstones Easter egg.

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Somebody running through the house with a pickle in their mouth?

Watched the 2nd episode late last night. It definitely drew me in more than the first. I hope they finish w/ the WWI flashback stuff quickly though.

Good to hear. My guess is that's all we see of the WWI stuff. It's obvious now why he was discharged, and I can't imagine needing to show the actual reprimanding and all of that. I could be wrong, though.

Nice little TV on the Radio sighting in episode 2.

I'm into the show so far! Definitely one you have to pay attention to, and it's dark af, but I feel like they are doing noir correctly so far.

I am almost done with episode 2 and not quite hooked yet. My dad was a big Perry Mason fan and I watched many episodes with him in my youth and I just do not see the connection between this version of Perry Mason and the Raymond Burr portrayals. I have not read the books so I don't know much about the origin story created by Gardner but this gritty, down and out, slightly sleazy version of Mason is nothing like the stoic, straight laced version from the 50s.

I think I would like it much more if I wasn't a fan of the original series.

I'm sure we've got someone here who's read some of the books? I'd be curious if the old school series was a sanitized version of those or if they just wanted to HBO it up for cable.

I haven't tried the books, but Wikipedia says you get almost zero backstory in the novels.

I've enjoyed it, but between casting and how it was shot, the bad guys kind of blended together which made it a bit confusing

I like the characters but it sure is moving slllloooow.

Man, I thought last night's episode was not only the best of the bunch so far, but also the most well-paced. I thought it really moved, and jumped all over the place, in a great way. With all the locations, the budget on this thing still amazes me.

I watched this one with my parents, who recently caught up and remember the show from back in the day. All the names were familiar to them - Della, Drake, etc. - and my mom speculated that E.B. (John Lithgow) is going to die (based on him spitting up that blood) and that Perry is then going to have to step in and try the case in some way, which I can totally see. Either way, it was fun watching it with people who remember the original, and my parents are loving this iteration just as much as I am.

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Perry is then going to have to step in and try the case in some way, which I can totally see.

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That might make me quit watching the show.

I think E.B. definitely dies. And then, somehow, that paves the way to Mason ultimately becoming a lawyer. Mason may not fill in for him this trial/season, but I think it's a pivotal moment in Mason ultimately becoming the Perry Mason from the show, even if way down the line.

TCTTS said:

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I think E.B. definitely dies. And then, somehow, that paves the way to Mason ultimately becoming a lawyer. Mason may not fill in for him this trial/season, but I think it's a pivotal moment in Mason ultimately becoming the Perry Mason from the show, even if way down the line.

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I agree with that. I just don't want him stepping in as attorney this season. It would feel really odd.

Yeah, you're probably right.

Wife and I got caught up on this this weekend. We are both enjoying it, the setting/design and acting are all top notch.

I know it's a little slow, but I have a feeling either this episode or the next things are really going to take off. I get that this is a totally separate property from True Detective, but it's hard not to see some of the similarities, and usually episode 4/5 is when things go crazy in that show (S1 the tracking shot shoot out, S2 the street shoot out, S3 is when the towns folk come for the wrongly accused Woodard).

I don't know if this show will have THAT moment or not, but I hope it does.

Also, watching Tatiana in this has me wanting to go back and rewatch Orphan Black.

It feels slow to me because they've spent 3 episodes and they still haven't figured out what we already know.

Still enjoyable. The only thing that really bothers me is how dark skinned they are making Officer Drake look.

What do we know that the characters don't? Perry knows that the LAPD officers are corrupt by the way they leaned on Drake, and I can't think of anything else we know about the case itself that he doesn't.

And I don't understand why the dark skinned thing "bothers" you. That's his complexion. They're not making him darker.

It might be my stream but some scenes it makes him look like he's in blackface make up.

I think you can even see his makeup rubbing off on his collar

Oh and and speaking of the tv show googling officer drake Perry Mason I discovered this:
Paul Drake is the private investigator Mason uses in the TV show

A little piece of random trivia:

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Fans of great character actors take note: That's the former Max Headroom, Matt Frewer, as the judge at Emily's arraignment.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/05/arts/television/perry-mason-recap-episode-3.html

Question for the entertainment pro's...

Think last episode was product placement for Johnson & Johnson?

The lady pilot talked about powdering her legs and then Drake's wife had a 30 second J&J baby powder ad.

PooDoo said:

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Question for the entertainment pro's...

Think last episode was product placement for Johnson & Johnson?

The lady pilot talked about powdering her legs and then Drake's wife had a 30 second J&J baby powder ad.

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I doubt it was "product placement" but true baby powder isn't very popular at all today. But I think it was showing a historical accuracy that baby powder was in fact very popular and used by a whole spectrum of people.

But I'm digging this show so much, and it's the best thing on live tv today!

I think they showed the motive of the whole season that the new pure neighborhood development is the reason all of this is happening. How all the characters are connected, we will find out. But that has a very Chinatown feel "We'll bring the water to LA" feel.

well since J&J is discontinuing their baby powder because of lawsuits, I would say no.

Diggity said:

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well since J&J is discontinuing their baby powder because of lawsuits, I would say no.

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They are discontinuing their talc based powder. Cornstarch based baby powder will remain in production.