Perry Mason: Matthew Rhys Explains Series to Younger Viewers

Younger viewers might be a bit confused by the Perry Mason series coming out on HBO. Matthew Rhys [...]

By Aaron Perine

Younger viewers might be a bit confused by the Perry Mason series coming out on HBO. Matthew Rhys is the star of the new series and he talked to The A.V. Club about it during a recent interview. When asked what people under 40 could look forward to in the series, he had quite the answer. For people over 40, Perry Mason is probably a show they remember hearing about from their parents and older relatives watching it. But, there's going to be a lot to like for fans of detective stories in the upcoming HBO series. In fact, Rhys went on to credit the creative team for not trying to do a one-to-one remake of the older series because it's too iconic for that approach to be successful. So, if you're under 40 don't be worried, there's plenty there for you if you decide to tune in to HBO.

"I would agree about the 40," he began. "I think that's, to me, where the cutoff comes in. Where people kind of 40 and up to about like 50. They go, 'Ah yeah! Perry Mason. Yeah, my dad, my mom, my grandma, my grandpa used to watch that. 50 plus, you start to get that, 'Oh yeah, I used to watch that with my grandma.' Like 60 and up, then they're like, 'Oh, that was a great show, you're no patch on Raymond Burr.'"

"I was very aware of this iconic character, this iconic show was enormous. But, I was also buoyed by the fact that this was going to be very different. A very new or reimagined Perry Mason. There was going to be no placid attempt at a remake. This was a reimagining. I think they were very shrewd in making it. We have one case that spans the eight episodes, which really allows all these incredible characters to evolve and to develop, and or you as an audience to follow. I'm glad I didn't have to solve something every week, otherwise, that would be exhausting."

Check out the official description for Perry Mason below.

"1932, Los Angeles. While the rest of the country recovers from the Great Depression, this city is booming! Oil! Olympic Games! Talking Pictures! Evangelical Fervor! And a child kidnapping gone very, very wrong! Based on characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner, this limited series follows the origins of American Fiction's most legendary criminal defense lawyer, Perry Mason. When the case of the decade breaks down his door, Mason's relentless pursuit of the truth reveals a fractured city and just maybe, a pathway to redemption for himself."

Perry Mason premieres June 21st on HBO.

Are you looking forward to the Perry Mason Reboot? Let us know down in the comments!

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