I’m two generations behind on my Perry Mason appreciation. My grandmother is the big TV mystery maven of the Restaino clan; I’ve mentioned her in my critiques of Columbo, Murder, She Wrote, and others. And I’ve been a good grandson; I’ve sent her my review copies once I’ve drummed through them. But for some reason she and I never watched Perry Mason together. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the show was in more of syndication purgatory than other whodunits. I mean, you could spit and hit at least one episode of Murder, She Wrote or Columbo when I was growing up, but good ol’ Perry Mason was nowhere to be found.

I got a chance to review the first set of season two episodes of the show last year and got immersed in the world of the exceptionally popular attorney. And the best news to report with this inaugural third season set is that the show seems to be hitting its stride. I still find the show doesn’t totally live up to its reputation as being the king of the genre – Columbo consistently beats Perry Mason – but this third season showcases a series that exudes confidence in its construction and execution.

That being said, the show continues to follow a very simple rubric. Perry Mason is the attorney at the center of the show’s vortex, but he’s not alone in his legal escapades. William Hopper plays the tough-as-nails detective Paul Drake and Barbara Hale is Mason’s sexy and loyal secretary; both do their parts to keep up with Mason’s razor-sharp antics. But even with a new case every episode and bizarre characters popping up at every turn, Perry Mason never adds up to being more than a relatively engaging and well-acted redundant TV drama.

But that’s the thing about these older shows. Who cares if they’re dramatically rock solid? Perry Mason inspired dozens of respected shows in its genre since it aired. Hell, would there be a Law & Order without it? Or a CSI? To go through box sets like this one gives us a vantage point from which to see the birth of a sector of American boob tube programming that, while ever in flux, has never really gone out of style.

And come on – the guest roster in this box set is truly rock-solid. Fay Wray (yep, the Kong lady) shows up in The Case of the Watery Witness, and even George Takei has a short stint on an episode (Sulu!!). I suppose there are different perspectives with which to watch the boob tube, but for this writer, a good guest star can take quite a bit of the sting out of a crappy episode; a great cameo turn can legitimately save a show.

Yet even with a bit more consistency – and an impressive guest star roster – this Perry Mason set is totally for mega-fans only. I suppose those curious to see what the fuss was all about should probably hit this box set rather than the ones before it (it’s definitely better in its third season than it was in its second), but the best advice I can give is stick with Columbo. He’s always good.

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Perry Mason fans should really be happy with the video presentations. I doubt these 1.33:1 transfers could look very much better than they do. Are they ravaged by the more-than-occasional pieces of dirt and grime? Yes. Is finely grained detail reference quality? No. But black levels are strikingly appropriate and consistent, and I’m ecstatic that these episodes don’t show the kind of smearing and sloppiness that I was expecting (kudos, Paramount). They look their age, to be sure, but Perry Mason fans will be more than moderately content with the way their beloved show looks on this 3-DVD set.

The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

Like Perry Mason sets before this one, these mono tracks, while not nearly as impressive as the video transfers, do their job. Each episode definitely sounds its age; dialogue crackles and is tinny, music comes through too loud and fuzzy, and effects and atmospherics are few and far between. But Paramount has presented these mixes with relative clarity and finesse.

Included are English Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

None.

Exclusive DVD-ROM Features: What happens when you pop the disc into your PC?

There are no DVD-ROM features on this DVD.

Final Thoughts

I almost went an entire review without complaining about Paramount’s continued practice of splitting seasons of their vintage shows (when will they stop?), but for Perry Mason fans, that’s the only major detriment to this set. Sure, there aren’t any bonuses, which is a drag, but I doubt the show could look or sound much better than it does here. Newcomers should definitely rent a disc before considering a purchase of the whole (overpriced) release, but those who love their Mason will be happy.