7.4/102,133 votes#1 - Chapter 1
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 6/21/2020
Los Angeles, 1931. On the heels of an unsavory investigation involving a famous comedian, Perry Mason--a PI struggling to make ends meet--and his right-hand man Pete Strickland are hired by attorney E.B. Jonathan, Perry's mentor, to solve a perplexing case: the brutal kidnapping of one-year-old Charlie Dodson, whose parents were targeted for a $100,000 ransom.
Director: Tim Van Patten
Writer: N/A
7.8/101,609 votes#2 - Chapter 2
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 6/28/2020
Following one of her trademark barn-burning sermons, Evangelical preacher Sister Alice offers the Dodsons the church's full moral and financial support – much to her mother Birdy's dismay. During a routine domestic intervention, beat cop Paul Drake is rerouted to a gruesome crime scene, where he follows a confounding trail of evidence.
Director: Tim Van Patten
Writer: Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald
7.7/101,368 votes#3 - Chapter 3
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 7/5/2020
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.
Director: Tim Van Patten
Writer: Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald
7.8/101,311 votes#4 - Chapter 4
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 7/12/2020
Mason and Strickland lean on Virgil, again, for extra-legal assistance. Following Sister Alice's recovery from a frightening episode, Birdy urges her daughter to renounce her claims about baby Charlie. E.B. faces the reality of his financial situation and takes his frustrations out on Della.
Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Writer: Sarah Kelly Kaplan, Steven Hanna
7.9/101,275 votes#5 - Chapter 5
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 7/19/2020
While Mason and Della run a solemn errand up north, Strickland tracks down the sergeant originally assigned to the Dodson case. Before returning to L.A., Mason drops in on his ex-wife Linda and son Teddy, hoping to make amends for his recent shortcomings. Della sets out to find Mrs. Dodson more capable legal representation.
Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Writer: Eleanor Burgess
8.2/101,225 votes#6 - Chapter 6
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 7/26/2020
As Emily's trial begins and a damning witness testimony takes center stage, Mason attempts to recover from a shaky start. Meanwhile, in their search for clues that might lead to an exoneration, Della and Strickland investigate a potential connection between Detective Ennis and Charlie's kidnappers. Later, Mason considers betraying Drake's trust to give his client an edge.
Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Writer: Kevin J. Hynes
8.4/101,210 votes#7 - Chapter 7
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 8/2/2020
Hoping to expose the hidden link between the Radiant Assembly's staggering debt and Charlie's ransom, Mason puts Herman Baggerly on the stand. Sister Alice faces mounting pressure from the church elders about her promises for a "resurrection." Strickland loses track of a key witness, while Drake's detective work opens a new avenue in the case.
Director: Tim Van Patten
Writer: Howard Korder
8.2/101,224 votes#8 - Chapter 8
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 8/9/2020
After the team receives some unvarnished critique from Hamilton Burger, Della presents an increasingly stubborn Mason with her case for putting Emily on the stand. As the sensational trial winds to a close, Mason, Strickland, Della, and Drake attempt to tie up loose ends - and set the stage for their futures.
Director: Tim Van Patten
Writer: Kevin J. Hynes, Rolin Jones, Ron Fitzgerald
The Best Episodes of Perry Mason Season 1
Every episode of Perry Mason Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Perry Mason Season 1!
Set in 1932 Los Angeles, the series focuses on the origin story of famed defense lawyer Perry Mason. Living check-to-check as a low-rent private investigator,...
Genres:DramaMysteryCrime
Network:HBO
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Chapter 1" is the best rated episode of "Perry Mason" season 1. It scored 7.4/10 based on 2133 votes. Directed by Tim Van Patten and written by N/A, it aired on 6/21/2020. This episode is rated 0.4 points higher than the second-best, "Chapter 2".