Court ORDER

RICHARD LAWSON reviews the newest iteration of a classic legal drama

Vanities / Watch List

This ain't your granddaddy's Perry Mason— though he might also enjoy HBO's new take on author Erie Stanley Gardner's iconic character. Beloved for decades on television in the form of Raymond Burr, the defense lawyer gets new life from The Americans veteran Matthew Rhys. A hard-boiled noir full of blood, sex, and profanity, this Perry Mason is both daring and artful in the manner of today's glossiest prestige television. Joining Rhys is a rogue's gallery of talent, including Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Juliet Rylance (TheKnick), and Gayle Rankin (GLOW). The show is rich with period detail and a grim pathos that adds resonance to the courtroom intrigue—an engrossing eight-episode origin story that sets the table for future legal adventures.