The Case of the Carefree Coronary

I'll say upfront that I like this one -- a rarity for me with regards to the final season. Maybe it's because it parallels the construction industry which is my own stock-in-trade. I can overlook the weak plot, as other reviewers have noted, but the story has one huge plot hole -- that when Perry & co. Set up the elaborate ruse using Paul as a plant to trap the suspects, Paul supposedly has a coronary attack which is central to the plot itself -- yet when it happens Perry seems oblivious as to its connection to the case. It makes him seem rather naive and foolish, not a good look for the venerable Perry Mason. The solution at the coroner's inquest also has a lot to be desired. Robert Emhardt does, however, get my thumbs-up as a slimy yet cagey lawyer. But despite all its faults and stretches, I liked it. It's an anomaly, I know...

People are having coronaries, surviving them, but ultimately being disabled by them at rates much higher than general statistics indicate. Also, all of these people have disability insurance from the same small insurance company, and that small insurance company is going broke from all of the claims. For some reason the company calls Perry Mason, an attorney not an investigator, to deal with it. It is so odd that even some of the executives that run the company second guess the decision to bring in Mason.

Of course Mason farms out the investigative work to Paul Drake, who stakes out all of the disability policy recipients to see if they are faking, and he can't catch them at it except for one claimant who is seen jumping rope and exercising with vigor. So this one man is called in for a follow up physical and dies, seemingly from a second coronary, entering the doctor's office for his follow up exam. The family blames the stress Mason's accusation has put him under and sues the insurance company and Perry Mason. What goes on here? Watch and find out.

This episode gives a much bigger role to Paul Drake than is normal and shows the comradery between the characters. And strangely enough, when Hamilton Burger is asked if he will be indicting Perry over the death of the man who had the coronary in the doctor's office, he shows some moderation, not licking his chops at the idea of putting Perry, his longtime nemesis, behind bars.

I really enjoyed this one. It involves a bevy of slime balls and arrogant jerks. Burger should have had about six trials after the episode is over. It is and insurance scam involving people with heart attacks, symptoms induced. The thing I couldn't buy was Perry putting both Della and Paul's lives in danger. They both drink a substance handed to them by a "doctor" suspected of incompetence.

It's a good episode worth watching, but as others here have adequately covered the plot elements, I will not repeat that. I am just writing to note that this episode makes me sad. A little over halfway through the episode, Paul Drake keels over apparently suffering from a heart attack. It makes me sad every time I see that scene to realize that William Hopper would lose his life to a stroke at the relatively young of 55 just 4 and 1/2 years after this episode aired. RIP.

This was a unique episode as it was delving into the health/ insurance business and a practicing fraudulent medical professional. I liked the episode because it allows series regulars-Paul and Della to have key roles and not just be in the background supporting Perry. Being a Perry/Della fan, I loved their embrace (the only time in the series),even though it was for a sad reason. I still think Della was not used to her full capacity throughout the series-Raymond and Barbara had such great chemistry when they worked together.