Is Perry Mason woke?
Perry Mason (2020)
TV Show
Released: January 1, 2020
Wokeness Score
7/10
Strongly Ideological
Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key Summary Points
- Racial recasting of Paul Drake highlights 1930s police racism and systemic bias as central subplot.
- Della Street and Hamilton Burger depicted as LGBTQ characters with identity and blackmail arcs.
- Season 2 emphasizes social justice themes like immigration and minority oppression over pure detective work.
Wokeness Analysis
Perry Mason (2020) on HBO reimagines the classic detective in 1930s Los Angeles with a strong emphasis on historical social injustices. Key changes include casting Paul Drake as a Black police officer facing systemic racism, homophobia, and ethical dilemmas, which integrates racial commentary into the plot. Della Street is portrayed as a lesbian in a relationship, and Hamilton Burger is revealed as gay and closeted, with their orientations tied to blackmail and identity struggles. Season 2 amplifies themes of police corruption targeting minorities, immigration tensions with Mexican Americans, and critiques of power structures. These elements are intentional and prominent, often shaping character backstories and subplots more than pure mystery-solving. While grounded in the era's realities, the revisions feel like deliberate updates to highlight marginalized experiences, drawing criticism for prioritizing social messaging over the original character's straightforward legal procedural style. Viewer reactions note forced diversity and shoehorned progressive lenses on 1930s issues, making the agenda noticeable despite strong production values.
Plot
Set in 1932 Los Angeles during the Great Depression, the HBO series follows a down-on-his-luck private investigator Perry Mason as he takes on a high-profile child kidnapping and murder case. Haunted by World War I trauma and personal failures, Mason navigates corruption in the LAPD, powerful elites, and a sensational trial that draws him toward becoming a defense attorney. The story explores the gritty underbelly of booming LA with oil, Hollywood, and evangelical movements, while Mason's investigation uncovers broader societal fractures. Starring Matthew Rhys, it ran for two seasons from 2020 to 2023 before cancellation.