Perry Mason Chapter Three Review

For our review of the last episode of Perry Mason, click here.

Synopsis: In order to gain an advantage over E.B. and team, wily district attorney Maynard Barnes goes public with a shocking new development. Mason and Strickland get unauthorized access to physical evidence with help from Virgil, Mason‘s connect at the city morgue. Later, Mason attempts to extract information from a withholding Drake, who’s weary of Holcomb and Ennis’ watchful eyes. Della notices a change in E.B., who seems uncharacteristically out of sorts. (HBO)

After two episodes of developments, Perry Mason has hit a wall as it admittedly slows things down a little, building on what we’ve learned so far and positioning upcoming episodes. There’s clearly more to this story but the excitement kind of goes down here.

Chapter Three saw the Dodson case continue to move forward while Mason and the rest of E.B.’s team prove Emily Dobson’s innocence. This high profile case was splashed across the press as E.B. went toe to toe with district attorney Maynard Barnes (Stephen Root) as Emily Dobson became public enemy #1. The next step for Mason was to look into George Gannon, an employee of the temple. Based on the autopsy, it was unlikely that he killed the other kidnappers. From there, Mason learned about Officer Drake who was not forthcoming as he was still under the thumb of Holcomb and Ennis (who did not appreciate Mason’s meddling into their affairs). Meanwhile, he also connected Gannon to the other kidnappers through a casino with ties to Holcomb and Ennis.

It was also time to get ready for the trial (Emily was a wreck as the Dodson’s marriage was in shambles). Despite the fact that a friend of E.B.’s was presiding, they didn’t seem to get a fair shake as the judge set her bail at an unaffordable $25,000 (especially after Baggerly pulled his support). Finding that money was certainly easier said than done. Emily caused a firestorm when it appeared she pleaded guilty but once things calmed down, he got her to plea not guilty. Meanwhile. Sister Alice’s connection with God was put under the microscope here as she visited Emily and began to pray with her (she believed Emily was innocent while her mother questioned her intentions). There also wasn’t something right with E.B..

Eventually, Drake came around and shared his suspicions with Mason, also giving him the other part of George Gannon’s retainer. Meanwhile. Sister Alice’s latest performance as a sea captain was interrupted once she supposedly heard the word of God and began to seize. Upon awaking, she shared that God told her that she was going to resurrect Charlie Dodson. The episode would end with her floating alone in a boat.

One could only imagine that Mason’s meddling is going to get him in trouble. The question is when. It will be interesting to see what Emily Dobson’s hail mary is going to be. Maybe it will be Sister Alice? More Tatiana Maslany is never a bad thing.

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.