News

Exclusive: Netflix is developing a feature adaptation of None of This Is True, the psychological thriller novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell, sources tell Deadline. Eleanor Burgess (Perry Mason) has been tapped to pen the script.

Netflix won rights to the book in a competitive situation that involved multiple offers out of the U.S. and UK. Actress and producer Molly Sims (Kinda Pregnant) and Modern Magic are attached to produce, with Jewell exec producing. Gaby McCormick, who brought the project in, will co-produce through Modern Magic.

Published by Simon & Schuster last July, None of This Is True follows popular podcaster Alix Summer, who while celebrating her 45th birthday at her local pub, crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her 45th birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again,...

This story about Keri Russell and “The Diplomat” first ran in the drama issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.

It’s a little surprising to learn that Debora Cahn did not write the lead role of her new Netflix show “The Diplomat” — U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Kate Wyler — for Keri Russell. The role requires someone serious but shambolic, beautiful but uninterested in her beauty, smart but susceptible — and, of course, tangled in a love-hate marriage with her husband, Hal, played by lovable rogue Rufus Sewell.

Who else would you want but the woman we know as the charming title character in “Felicity” turned steely spy in “The Americans,” Keri Russell? You know — the adorable person you definitely do not mess with?

But Russell, 47, it turns out, was totally unavailable. “I wasn’t shopping around for a television show,” Russell said via Zoom from London, wearing big cool-dork...

Every time a fan-favorite HBO series bids farewell, the entertainment industry and the public alike wonder how the prestige TV network will outdo itself next.

This isn’t just any transitional moment for the network, though. Less than a month after the Writers Guild of America strike began, “Succession” and “Barry” aired their highly-anticipated series finales. Also, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, HBO’s new corporate boss, promised Wall Street that its direct-to-consumer business would turn a profit this year. This as linear TV networks across the industry are struggling to maintain viewership as cord-cutting accelerates. Meanwhile, the rebrand of HBO Max to Max has raised worries about the network’s position within the company’s streaming strategy.

Discovery, whose executives now largely run the newly combined company, was “used to low-cost programming,” Andy Goldman, a former vice president of program strategy and planning at HBO who now teaches...

Network: HBO

Episodes: 16 (hour)

Seasons: Two

TV show dates: June 21, 2020 -- April 24, 2023

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Tatiana Maslany, John Lithgow, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Eric Lange, and Katherine Waterston.

TV show description:

A detective drama, the Perry Mason TV show is a prequel that provides a reimagined origin story for the legendary criminal defense lawyer. Most viewers know the character from the 1957-66 TV show that stars Raymond Burr.

Read More…...

Editor’s note: This interview was done outside of the FYC event as there was no cast or creatives panel.

“I think there’s a certain pace a noir allows, which at times can be an indulgent luxury,” says Perry Mason‘s Matthew Rhys of the 1930s-set HBO series from Team Downey. “But it really allows you the time for things to unfold. It’s a real luxury, I think, for actors to have that kind of time and space, and real estate.”

Chatting before Perry Mason was canceled by HBO on June 6 after a two-season run, Rhys certainly has a strong sense of time and space tacking the iconic character in the heart of the Great Depression and the rise of Fascism in Germany, Italy and Spain. Having concluded its second season April 24, the series starring Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick and Jee Young Han...

While this HBO series has been moderately popular with viewers and critics, Perry Mason also draws relatively low ratings. On top of that, it's been three years between seasons, so the cast's contracts may have expired already. Will Perry Mason be cancelled or renewed for season three? Stay tuned. *Status Update Below.

A detective drama series, the Perry Mason TV show is a prequel that provides a reimagined origin story for the legendary criminal defense lawyer. The show stars Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O'Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham. Initially, Perry Mason (Rhys) is a low-rent private investigator who lives check-to-check in the 1930s. His wartime experiences...

Are Perry and his team in over their head in the second season of the Perry Mason TV show on HBO? As we all know, Nielsen ratings typically play a significant role in determining whether a TV show like Perry Mason is cancelled or renewed for season three. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustrated when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the second-season episodes of Perry Mason here. *Status Update Below.

An HBO detective drama series, the Perry Mason TV show is a prequel that provides a reimagined origin story for the legendary criminal defense lawyer. The show stars Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza,...

The period crime TV series "Perry Mason", created by Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald and executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., based on the character by Erle Stanley Gardner, starring Matthew Rhys, has been canceled after two seasons on HBO Max:

"...in 1932, Los Angeles is prospering while the rest of America is recovering from the grip of the 'Great Depression'. Down-and-out private investigator 'Perry Mason' is struggling with his trauma from 'The Great War' and being divorced. 

"He is hired for a kidnapping trial. 

"His investigation results in major consequences for Mason, those around him, and local leaders and he decides to become a lawyer..."

Cast also includes Juliet Rylance as 'Della Street', the loyal and driven legal secretary...

....Cris Chalk as 'Paul Drake', a beat cop with a knack for detective work...

...Shea Whigham as 'Pete Strickland', Mason's work partner...

...John Lithgow as 'Elias Birchard'...

...Eric Lange as 'Gene Holcomb',...

It's court dismissed for Perry, Della, and Paul. HBO has cancelled its version of Perry Mason so there won't be a third season. The second season of eight episodes finished airing in April.

A detective drama series from Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey, the Perry Mason TV show is a prequel that provides a reimagined origin story for the legendary criminal defense lawyer. The show stars Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O'Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham. Initially, Perry Mason (Rhys) is a low-rent private investigator who lives check-to-check in the 1930s. His wartime experiences in France haunt him, and he suffers the after-effects of a broken...

There will be no more bombshells in Los Angeles' courtrooms.

Deadline reported that HBO has opted not to renew Perry Mason for a third season.

The news comes close to two months after Season 2 bowed out.

“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement to Deadline.

“While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects,” the statement concluded.

While the news is shocking, it is not surprising because of the significant delay on HBO's part in dishing out a third season renewal after or during Perry Mason Season 2.

Fans have been asking when the show would be renewed, prompting a statement from Francesa Orsi,...

HBO has canceled its Matthew Rhys-led drama Perry Mason after two seasons, according to Deadline. Produced by Robert Downey Jr.’s Team Downey, the reworked 1950s and ’60s classic courtroom show followed the titular character portrayed by Rhys. “We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.” The series premiered strongly in June 2020, which would see Rhys earn an Emmy nomination for his leading role. HBO renewed the series midway through its first season. Season 2 saw Jack Amiel and Michael Begler (The Knick) serve as showrunners, taking over for creators Ron Fitzgerald and Rolin Jones...

The verdict is in… and it’s bad news for Perry Mason fans. HBO has cancelled the courtroom drama starring Matthew Rhys after two seasons, according to our sister site Deadline.

“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”

More from TVLineKatherine McNamara Opens...

Deadline reports that HBO has canceled Perry Mason after just two seasons, which is sure to upset fans as the recent season finale ended on something of a cliffhanger.

The drama series starred Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason, the iconic criminal defence lawyer. “We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.“

Perry Mason was executive produced by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey through their Team Downey banner. Just prior to the second season finale, Downey Jr. had discussed bringing the series back for a third season. “I mean wouldn’t that be nice?...

“Perry Mason” has been canceled after two seasons at HBO, TheWrap has confirmed.

The Matthew Rhys-led iteration of the classic series, which initially launched as a limited series on HBO, will not be returning for a third season.

“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of ‘Perry Mason’ for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” a spokesperson for HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”

Also Read:

Every Renewed and Canceled TV Show in 2023

Official word of the show’s status comes over a month after HBO aired the Season 2 finale of “Perry Mason” on April 24.

Based on the characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner, Rhys reprised his role in the sophomore season,...

HBO has returned an unfavorable verdict on Perry Mason.

The drama starring Matthew Rhys as the title character has been canceled after two seasons. The series, a reworking of the classic courtroom show of the 1950s and ’60s, is produced by Robert Downey Jr.’s Team Downey.

“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”

Perry Mason premiered in June 2020 to solid audience numbers, and Rhys would earn an Emmy nomination for his lead role. HBO renewed the series midway through its first season.

Jack Amiel and Michael Begler (The Knick) served as showrunners on season two,...

“Perry Mason” has been canceled at HBO, Variety has confirmed. The series debuted its second and final season at the premium cabler in March.

“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of ‘Perry Mason’ for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”

Based on the characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner, Matthew Rhys starred in the series in the title role. Unlike the 1950’s TV series in which Mason worked as a lawyer, the HBO series portrays the character earlier in his life when he is a private investigator in Los Angeles in the 1930s.

Along with Rhys, the Season 2 cast also included: Juliet Rylance,...

HBO's Perry Mason Season 2 wrapped last month, and fans are waiting to learn whether the show will secure a renewal from the premium cabler.

It's rare for HBO not to renew shows as they are airing, so there have been concerns from the show's passionate fans about the lack of pickup.

Francesca Orsi, HBO's head of drama, opened up to Deadline about the show's fate and other HBO dramas.

"At this point, we are having conversations regarding viewership relative to budget, but it's not just a Perry Mason conversation," Orsi said.

"We're just assessing various shows, what more we need to be making, what more we can make, what more we have, the return in life of a series."

"Of course, each show has a job to do, given the price tag that we give to it, and there's a viewership component, and there's a critical response element to it and of course,...

After two weeks of offering the service free, India’s JioCinema Premium has revealed an annual subscription plan of INR999 ($12.13) for Warner Bros. Discovery content.

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited (Ril) is behind Viacom18 and JioCinema. Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 signed a multi-year agreement recently making JioCinema India’s new streaming home for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content from May. The Wbd content had previously been carried on the Disney-owned Star TV platform. But the deal with Star expired at the end of March.

Television series will premiere on JioCinema on the same day as the U.S. The deal includes current and future seasons of HBO’s “House of The Dragon,” “The Last of Us,” “Succession” and “The White Lotus,” and returning seasons of “True Detective: Night Country,” “Euphoria,” “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and “Perry Mason.”

The popular Indian Premier...

This post contains spoilers for season 2 of "Perry Mason."

Season 2 of HBO's gritty reboot of "Perry Mason" wrapped up with the titular lawyer (Matthew Rhys) behind bars after one of his two clients is set free. It wasn't exactly the perfect ending, but then that's the whole point of this show — to peer beneath the glamorous veneer of 1930s Los Angeles to reveal its imperfect underbelly.

And in the show's view of depression-era Los Angeles, everyone's got something to hide, whether it's Juliet Rylance's closeted lesbian Della Street or Chris Chalk's Paul Drake, whose emotional season 2 arc saw him commit all sorts of morally questionable acts in pursuit of the truth. What's more, the whole reason Rhys' Mason ends up in jail is that he's literally hiding something — the gun used to kill Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey).

It's this murder that's at the heart of season 2's mystery.

If you watched the entirety of "Perry Mason" season 2 and couldn't quite figure out where it was all going in the moment, well, you're not the only one.

The HBO noir series flipped the script on us in surprising fashion this time around. In the first season, Matthew Rhys' eponymous detective-turned-lawyer had no choice but to get to the bottom of the gruesome killing of Emily Dodson's (Gayle Rankin) infant son in an attempt to clear her name ... though, in the end, he only managed to secure a Pyrrhic victory of a hung jury. In season 2, we learn relatively quickly that the two unfortunate clients who Perry has to defend this time around, the Gallardo brothers accused of murdering Los Angeles civil servant Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey) and subjected to a virulently racist public trial, actually were responsible for pulling the trigger. But the overarching conflict of the story...

This post contains mild spoilers for "The Diplomat."

Amid the ongoing deluge of streaming series, people have apparently found the time to watch Netflix's "The Diplomat." As evidenced by the fact the streamer has renewed its political drama for a second season, "The Diplomat" has proven a surprise hit. The show debuted on Netflix on April 20, 2023, and snatched the top spot on the service's weekly global Top 10 TV English list. According to the streamer, the series had been viewed for a total of 57.48 million hours in its first weekend and appeared in the top 10 in 86 countries.

Netflix ordered "The Diplomat" to series back in January 2022, tapping "The Americans" star Keri Russell to front the political thriller. Russell plays Kate Wyler, a new US Ambassador to the UK, who is sent to London to try to help ease international tensions as war threatens to break out on more than one front.

This post contains spoilers for "Perry Mason" season 2.

"Perry Mason" season 2 wrapped up with a bittersweet finale that saw the titular lawyer locked up for his indiscretions, having gotten just one of his clients off the hook. The ultimate episode of what was a stellar season also saw the conniving Camilla Nygaard (Hope Davis)'s scheming revealed, Lydell McCutcheon (Paul Raci) trapped in Japan, and most importantly, the Gallardo brothers spared the noose — even though Mateo (Peter Mendoza) was sentenced to 30 years in jail.

But what about arguably the two standout characters this season, Juliet Rylance's Della Street and Chris Chalk's Paul Drake? Well, things work out relatively well for them, considering the episodes seemed to be building towards some kind of breaking point for both — especially Drake, whose emotional season 2 arc promised to deliver a full-on meltdown that never materialized. Instead, Street manages to stay a closeted...

Please Note: This forecast, assembled by The Hollywood Reporter’s awards columnist Scott Feinberg, reflects his best attempt to predict the behavior of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, not his personal preferences. He arrives at these standings by drawing upon consultations with voters and strategists, analysis of marketing and campaigns, results of awards that precede the Emmys and the history of the Emmys itself. There will be regular updates to reflect new developments.

*Best Drama Series*

Frontrunners

Succession (HBO/Max)

The White Lotus: Sicily (HBO/Max)

The Last of Us (HBO/Max)

Better Call Saul (AMC)

House of the Dragon (HBO/Max)

Yellowjackets (Showtime)

The Crown (Netflix)

The Mandalorian (Disney+)

Major Threats

Andor (Disney+)

1923 (Paramount+)

The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)

The Diplomat (Netflix)

Yellowstone (Paramount)

The Old Man (FX)

The Boys (Amazon)

Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon)

Bad Sisters (Apple...

“Our job is to fight for the show,” reveals executive producer Susan Downey on the goal for any good producer on series like their period drama “Perry Mason” and fantasy “Sweet Tooth.” For our recent webchat alongside her Team Downey partner Amanda Burrell, she adds, “We’re trying to be critical and trying to make sure we’re keeping the true north and supporting the vision of our showrunners and our filmmakers, and if you’re taking risks along the way and you’re doing things that you know make you a little bit nervous, then that’s certainly what we strive for. But you really hope that they work. So, it is nice to finally get Season 2 of both shows out into the world and see that people have been responding favorably.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

SEECelebrating 90 years of Perry Mason

“Perry Mason” was created by Rolin Jones...

Perry Mason completed its second season on HBO.

We jumped on a call with Marialy Rivas, who directed the fifth and eighth episodes.

She took us through her journey and falling in love with cinema, hailing from Chile -- which was at the height of a dictatorship regime -- and didn't have a proper film industry, 

She talked about how her style informs how she approaches directing, her experience on the Perry Mason set, and how she landed the gig.

Dive in and enjoy.

You have extensive credits in directing, especially in Chilean cinema. How has that journey been?

I was born and raised in Chile.

I grew up during the Pinochet dictatorship, but I have wanted to be a filmmaker since I was seven. Chile at that time, you know, Pinochet had killed or exiled all the filmmakers and closed all film schools. So, it was a wild dream,...

Before joining actor Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey to help oversee their production company, known for projects like “Perry Mason” and the “Sherlock Holmes” film franchise, Amanda Burrell rose through the ranks in independent film.

A key lesson she learned early in her career: “Build your people.”

“The people you meet when you’re young and you feel so adrift are going to be in your life forever,” she told TheWrap for this week’s Office With a View. “I’ve reconnected with people and talked to people, and it’s crazy how we’ve grown up together.”

One example is Beatrice Springborn, now president of Universal Content Productions and International Studios, whom she met during her indie film days.

“When we were in the early days of pitching ‘Sweet Tooth’ to the market, she was at Hulu running drama,” Burrell recalled. “We have such a deep...

Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 today announced a new multi-year agreement, making JioCinema India’s new streaming home of HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content starting next month. The partnership, which includes exclusive content rights across digital and linear, represents a significant step forward for both entities as they seek to deliver unrivalled world-class content to audiences.

Spanning thousands of hours of some of the best and most popular series and movies from around the world, the agreement sees Viacom18 offer an unmatched content slate to its users in India across linear channels and the JioCinema streaming service. HBO Original, Max Original and Warner Bros. Television series are set to premiere on JioCinema on the same day as the U.S.

The deal includes current and future seasons of HBO’s globally acclaimed series such as House of The Dragon, The Last of Us, Succession and The White Lotus,...

Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming plans in India have come into focus. The studio unveiled a multiyear deal Thursday with Viacom18 that will make the Indian entertainment giant’s JioCinema streaming platform the new online home of thousands of hours of film and TV content from HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros.

Wbd content was previously licensed in India by Disney’s Star TV, but that deal expired in March. Wbd and Viacom18 say their new partnership, which begins in May, includes exclusive content rights across digital and linear. And users will be able to watch HBO Original, Max Original and Warner Bros. Television series on JioCinema on the same day as their U.S. release.

The new deal adds to growing market sway of Viacom18’s streaming channels, which in 2022 acquired all digital rights for five years to Indian Premier League cricket, India’s most popular sporting event by far.

Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 have revealed a multi-year agreement making JioCinema India’s new streaming home for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content from May.

The Wbd content had previously been carried on the Disney-owned Star TV platform. But the deal with Star expired at the end of March. Wbd sources have confirmed that, except for a handful of shows licensed to third parties, HBO content has been absent from Indian airwaves since the beginning of the month.

The new deal is another major victory for Mukesh Ambani, one of India’s richest and most politically influential businessmen. His Reliance Industries Limited (Ril) is behind Viacom18 and the JioCinema streaming platform, as well as India’s dominant cellular phone and broadband internet providers.

Television series will premiere on JioCinema on the same day as the U.S. The deal includes current and future seasons of HBO’s “House of The Dragon,...

Just before the end of the seventh episode of Season 2 of “Perry Mason,” the writers expose the mastermind behind the murder that Mason’s defendants — a pair of poor Mexican brothers — were paid to commit. It’s the perfect reveal in that the villain’s identity feels shocking yet inevitable upon reflection, given how intricately it’s interwoven with everything that has come before. Yet according to Michael Begler, who took over showrunning duties on “Perry Mason” this season with his writing partner Jack Amiel, the identity of the antagonist came fairly late in the process. “I think the last part [we figured out] was who done it,” Begler told IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “When I really think about how we broke the season, we were rewriting and rewriting. It was changing constantly.”

Coming on to the show, Begler’s desire was to expand the series’ vision of Los Angeles. Giving “Perry...

Sony offered up the first footage from “The Equalizer 3” as part of their CinemaCon presentation, and you can now watch the sequel’s red-band trailer online below.

It’s the first and only franchise for old-school movie star Denzel Washington. It’s an unapologetic IP cash-in (“The Equalizer” aired on CBS from 1985 to 1989) where the actual star+concept hook – Washington as essentially “Righteous Revenger Man” – is a bigger selling point than the IP. Washington remains a butts-in-seats draw partially because he never allowed himself to be defined by IP or marquee characters. Like Leonardo DiCaprio and Sandra Bullock, the actor *is* the franchise.

Tom Rothman noted at the start of this presentation that many of his competitors believe that the movie star is no more, a notion that Rothman hopes to prove is entirely wrong. Before we even got the footage, Denzel Washington was presented with the 2023 Lifetime Achievement...

[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for the Perry Mason Season 2 finale.] “The illusion of justice” is served in Perry Mason Season 2, and none knew that better than the titular character played by Matthew Rhys. Haunted by the tragic fate of Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin), Perry and Della Street (Juliet Rylance) averted their efforts to civil disputes in Season 2. But Perry was drawn back to criminal law when Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey), son of L.A. tycoon Lydell McCutcheon (Paul Raci), was murdered and Rafael and Matteo Gallardo (Fabrizio Guido and Peter Mendoza) were seemingly framed for the killing. As the season pressed on, Perry and Della, with the help of Paul Drake (Chris Chalk), eventually discovered that the brothers were, in fact, guilty. But like all cases in the HBO detective noir, the truth was much more complicated than the prosecution wanted the jury to believe. Mateo and Rafael were hired to kill Brooks by Camilla Nygaard...

Well, that was disappointing.

Perry and the team compromised with the prosecution on Perry Mason Season 2 Episode 8, making the episode feel like a major compromise.

Being the season finale, some expectations were in order about the episode and direction the show would to take, especially in bringing a satisfying end to the story.

While most of it went according to expectations, the biggest didn't, making for an anticlimactic end to the season.

But before we dive into how the episode was a disappointment, some developments shifted the show's tone.

Everything turned personal after some discoveries were made.

Della felt betrayed by Camila. She felt stupid for having trusted Camila while Camila had been using her all along. She was in denial even when the evidence was so glaring.

It's always aggravating when you learn that someone is not who you had always thought them to be.

A conversation with Thomas...

This post contains spoilers for the season 2 finale of "Perry Mason."

The second season of "Perry Mason" just ended with a definitive season finale, where the real person behind the murder of Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey) finds herself arrested by the F.B.I. The person in question, of course, is the oil magnate Camilla Nygaard (Hope Davis), who killed off her business partner's son because he threatened to expose her shady oil dealings with Japan.

We found this out at the end of the penultimate episode, and the finale opens on her getting her face stung by bees for beauty, and then resting on a bed covered in a horrific-looking facial mask. "Because we end on her in the last episode at the piano, we wanted to see the monster [at the beginning of the finale]," co-showrunner Michael Begler told me in an interview breaking down the last episode of the season. "We loved the juxtaposition that...

This post contains spoilers for the season two finale of "Perry Mason."

Over the course of two seasons, HBO's "Perry Mason" has taken the classic legal series to places the books, radio series, and golden age TV show that came before it never could. With a noir sheen and a bleeding heart, the show has captured 1930s Los Angeles as a place of deep injustice and corruption — but also a place worth saving. In the second season finale, the show took Mason (Matthew Rhys) himself to someplace new, too: behind bars for evidence tampering.

The show's decision to end season 2 with its titular haunted hero serving time is a surprising one, but it also fits the ethos of a series about doing the right thing no matter how much it sucks. Mason can't stop the oil scheme going on under the Da's nose or end the racism that made the...

“House of The Dragon” is adding new cast members for season 2.

Deadline reports that four new cast members will be joining the HBO series.

Read More: ‘House Of The Dragon’ Season 2 Begins Filming, The Veterans Are Back To Contest For The Throne

Gayle Rankin is set to play Alys Rivers, healer and resident of Harrenhal who is a witch in the Fire & Blood novel by George R.R. Martin. She has mystical visions and becomes a power player with the Targaryen’s Green faction. Her previous credits include “Glow”, “Perry Mason” and “The Greatest Showman.”

Ser Simon Strong will be played by Simon Russell Beale, who previously won the Tony for Best Actor in a Play in The Lehman Trilogy as well as two Bafta Awards and three Olivier Awards.

Read More: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Reveals Why He Couldn’t Watch ‘House Of The Dragon’

Freddie Fox joins...

Some new faces are heading to Westeros, as HBO has revealed four cast members joining “House of the Dragon” Season 2. Among the additions are some new power players in the Hightower and Strong houses.

Gayle Rankin will play Alys Rivers, a healer and resident of Harrenhal. In author George R.R. Martin’s novel “Fire & Blood,” on which “House of the Dragon is based, Alys is a witch who has mystical visions and becomes a powerful figure within the Targaryen’s Green faction. Rankin has previously appeared in Netflix’s “Glow,” HBO’s “Perry Mason” and “The Greatest Showman.”

Simon Russell Beale will play Ser Simon Strong, the Castellan of Harrenhal and great-uncle to Lord Larys Strong, played by Matthew Needham in Season 1. Last year, Beale won a Tony for best actor in a play for “The Lehman Trilogy” and has won two BAFTA Awards and three Olivier Awards.

Freddie Fox will play Ser Gwayne Hightower,...

Matthew Rhys missed out on playing James Bond after he suggested the suave spy had "a limp" or an "eye patch".The 48-year-old actor was invited to meet the Broccoli family, who produce the franchise, after Piers Brosnan had left the franchise but Daniel Craig hadn't been cast, and things went badly wrong when the 'Perry Mason' star was asked what he would do with the character.Asked if he had ever been approached about the iconic movie series, he recalled to The Times magazine: "I do remember a time just before Daniel [Craig] got it."[I went to the Broccolis' office by Hyde Park], this incredible office, looks over the park. Very intimidating. "We were just told to wear a dark suit and read 'Casino Royale'."[It was] terrifying."Matthew told how the producers were sitting behind a table "with Hyde Park behind them", which he described as a "power move" because he had to...

Matthew Rhys has added his name to the long list of British actors who, despite their best endeavours, would not be Bond.

The star of Perry Mason and The Americans told The Times of London that he managed to royally mess up his meeting with 007’s producers, back when they were looking for a replacement for Pierce Brosnan.

Rhys told the paper he was invited to their offices in the centre of London – “Very intimidating. We were just told to wear a dark suit and read Casino Royale.”

The producers asked him what he would do differently with the legendary screen character.

Rhys told The Times: “I just remember going, ‘Ah.’ I was so not anticipating that question. And then I was like, is it a trick question? Are they waiting for people to go, ‘I wouldn’t do anything. He’s perfect’?”

And he didn’t think he should say,...

Matthew Rhys has recalled every excruciating detail of his failed James Bond audition.

The Welsh actor is best known for starring opposite Keri Russell in the hit series The Americans, which ran from 2013 to 2018.

Prior to that, however, Rhys had been considered for the role of 007 following Pierce Brosnan’s exit as the character in 2002’s Die Another Day.

Before Daniel Craig landed the role, Rhys had been invited to the office of the Broccoli family, whose company produces the films.

In a new interview with The Times, the actor recalled the disastrous audition at Eon House, Piccadilly.

Rhys said that he arrived at “this incredible office” that overlooks Hyde Park, calling the venue “very intimidating”.

“We were just told to wear a dark suit and read Casino Royale,” said the actor, adding that the experience was “terrifying”.

Rhys went on to recall how the Broccoli representatives were all sitting...

This post contains spoilers for "Perry Mason" season 2

By far the best part about "Perry Mason" season 2 is the fact the series has given its supporting characters more to do. That goes especially for Juliet Rylance's Della Street and Chris Chalk's Paul Drake, Mason's co-counsel and investigator respectively.

As the season has played out, Drake in particular has had an emotional character arc that's seen the principled ex-cop struggle to maintain his sense of morality after enduring some fairly harrowing experiences. One such experience saw him forced to beat a low-level gangster even after he'd got the intel he needed — an act that comes back to haunt Drake in the form of the boy's orange Converse sneakers, which repeatedly reappear around L.A. in the sixth episode.

All of this is leading to what is sure to be a breaking point for Drake. And while many expected...

This post contains spoilers for season 1 of "Perry Mason"

For a long time, John Lithgow had a rule about not doing episodic TV. Before he accepted what is arguably his most memorable role to date — Dick Solomon in "3rd Rock from the Sun" — the two-time Oscar nominee was committed to film and stage work. But since he found major success with his '90s sitcom he's been showing up in all manner of projects, and in the age of prestige TV, Lithgow is cropping up all over the small screen. From "Dexter" to "The Crown," the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art grad has now fully embraced TV, and for a brief moment, blessed the grim, pulpy first season of HBO's "Perry Mason."

Playing lawyer and mentor to Matthew Rhys' Mason, Elias Birchard "E.B." Jonathan, Lithgow only lasts four episodes before his character dies by suicide. But in those four episodes,...

This post contains major spoilers for "Perry Mason" season 2.

As season 2 of HBO's "Perry Mason" comes to a close, the final pieces of the increasingly complex puzzle are coming together. With this second run of episodes, new showrunners Jack Amiel and Michael Begler have turned the series from an unrelentingly gloomy affair into a compelling glimpse beneath the surface of 1930s Los Angeles that, much like the court cases Matthew Rhys' Mason conducts so deftly, brings the truth of the era to light. While the production design and lighting beautifully convey the vibrant and often glamorous veneer of the setting, there is plenty of skullduggery and moral decay lurking below the surface.

Much of that is showcased in the stories of Mason's co-counsel Della Street and his lead investigator Paul Drake, who have been given a lot more to do this season. And as a result, they've come face...

This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Perry Mason."

It took seven bleak, thrilling, and rather tense episodes, but "Perry Mason" may have finally just unveiled the true murderer of Los Angeles' popular civil servant, Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey). Ever since poor Perry (Matthew Rhys) decided to hook his wagon to the seemingly hopeless case of Rafael (Fabrizio Guido) and Mateo Gallardo (Peter Mendoza), the two young Mexican brothers accused of committing the crime, he, the tireless Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and dogged investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) have worked overtime to prove their innocence. Or, failing that, at least they tried to get to the corrupt heart of who actually ordered the hit on McCutcheon. The answer to that longstanding question certainly feels like it was answered definitively in the latest episode.

The penultimate hour of the season featured a bevy of long-awaited reveals. Spurred on by...

This post contains spoilers for the seventh episode of "Perry Mason" season 2.

The latest episode of "Perry Mason" has this season's mystery close to wrapping up, and in doing so has given us insight into one of the show's meanest characters -- the hardboiled, sometimes-violent businessman, Lydell McCutcheon, played by Paul Raci ("Sound of Metal").

I had the chance to talk with Raci about playing Lydell, including what he used for inspiration. "I had to look to my grandfather, who was a racist S.O.B.," he told me about one of the major influences on his performance. "I grew up in the '50s and he was trying very hard to teach me how to be a racist [...] He wore the same clothes, the same hat in the '50s, and was a racist because he was full of fear. Just like Lydell is."

Our conversation delved deeper into...

This post contains spoilers for the seventh episode of "Perry Mason" season 2.

The second season of "Perry Mason" is heading into its finale next week, and if last night's penultimate episode is any indication, things will come to a head with consequences not only for Perry Mason's clients, but for Mason (Matthew Rhys) himself.

The latest episode is also one in which Paul (Chris Chalk)'s wife, Clara, gets more deeply involved with her husband's investigations, and all the risk that entails. I spoke with Diarra Kilpatrick, who played Clara for both seasons of the show, about this new experience for her character. "I think she loses herself for a moment in doing that," Kilpatrick told me about Clara's decision to help Paul by entering a well-to-do Beverly Hills home unannounced. She later added that, for Clara, "it's nice to be out in the world and doing something that...

Everything done in secret will always come to light. It will be dragged out if Perry Mason seeks to expose it.

Most of the puzzles developing throughout the season were solved on Perry Mason Season 2 Episode 7.

The identity of Brooks' killer, the reason behind his murder, why Hamilton was scared, and who leaked the information about the gun to Milligan were revealed.

The most immediate puzzle was who had leaked about the murder weapon. That was not a huge surprise to the audience because we already knew it was Pete.

Pete was remorseful almost immediately after he'd given Thomas that information.

It didn't look like he had any hidden reasons behind the decision apart from a serious case of inferiority complex and a compulsive need to make bad decisions.

Perry: You broke into our safe.

Pete: You shouldn't have made it so easy.

Permalink: You shouldn't have made it so easy.

This article contains spoilers for Succession season 4 episode 4.

Succession season 4 episode 4 “Honeymoon States” represents a monumental occasion in the show’s history. This is the first hour of the HBO series to not feature media titan/bad daddy Logan Roy, following the character’s sudden death in episode 3.

As such, much of “Honeymoon States” is fittingly jarring. Logan Roy’s surviving family members and business accomplices sleepwalk through his palatial Manhattan penthouse as they all halfheartedly scheme in their own various ways, trying to anticipate what could possibly come next after the death of a giant. Then, like a lightning bolt through the clouds, arrives a sudden and unexpected presence: Stephen Root!

At this point in its run, Succession is no stranger to the out-there cameo (see: last week’s brief Jamie Chung appearance). But anytime consummate character actor Stephen Root pops up on a TV show it’s enough...

This article contains spoilers up to the latest episode of season 2 of "Perry Mason."

When the debut season of HBO's "Perry Mason" came to an end in 2020, the requisite origin story was finally out of the way and our trio of heroes -- Matthew Rhys' criminal defense lawyer Perry Mason, his secretary-turned-attorney Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) -- had formed a strong unit for their fledgling legal team. Season 2, however, started on a completely different note. (You can read /Film's review by Chris Evangelista here.) Instead of criminal law, Mason had shifted gears to the much less stressful (and less triggering) pastures of civil law. And without any real boots-on-the-ground work to keep him paying the bills, the ever-resourceful Drake had largely gone his own separate way.

As the season progressed, however, Mason and Street couldn't help but throw themselves at another un-winnable criminal case,...

It's become something of a cliché that, when in doubt, a studio or network simply needs to go the dark and gritty route in remaking an old IP and modernizing it for a new audience -- whether it fits the material or not. In decades past, old-school detective procedurals were all the rage on cable television. Oftentimes, these episodic and formula-driven shows kept the violence and gore entirely off-screen, instead focusing on the central private eye and his (it was always a "him") investigators as they sought to discover the truth and save the day for their innocent clients.

The original "Perry Mason" absolutely fell under that umbrella, airing on CBS back in the mid 1950s to the late 1960s and based on author Erle Stanley Gardner's detective novels (who was also a credited writer on the series many times). Led by actor Raymond Burr as the eponymous criminal defense lawyer,...