Richard Claiborne

Average at best. Glenn Close was interesting but that's about it.

Forget the terrific 50's/60's Perry Mason with Raymond Burr and the forgettable Monte Markham disaster. View this as a dark mystery with a new vision and some outstanding acting and you might reach the critical consensus that this is something special. I'm afraid most can't do the first thing and can't let go of their love for the original series. I think too many have dismissed this before watching it or after watching the first episode. I found it intriguing and I can't wait to see how the story goes over the next few weeks. You see, I don't have to sacrifice my feelings for the Perry Mason of the past to watch this version with an open mind. I fear though that a majority of the public is not going to accept anything new. It's a shame because I think this might be one of HBO's best productions for a long time.