The Case of the Restless Redhead

I am a fan of the Perry Mason TV series, Season 1-9. However, I find Season 1 to be superior for the reasons many have stated here. I also love the film noir quality of these episodes (and to some extent in Seasons 2-3). As the series progressed this aspect was lost as the production quality became more polished; something seen on television as a whole.

In Season 1, all but a handful of episodes were directly or adapted from Gardner's books. For the obvious reason he wrote a finite number, with each season we saw fewer from his works in favor of what came from the mind of the screenwriter. Many of those are fine episodes, but there was something special (at least to me) about the scripts based on the original source material.

The Case of the Restless Redhead was a great introduction to the series and the cast. It was not the first episode filmed; which was the outstanding episode, Case of the Moth Eaten Mink.

The opening episode is a great introduction to the characters of the series. Perry is full of vigor as he is more involved than in future episode while running down evidence that will help his client. Things that would soon be given to Paul Drake, is done by Perry as he talks with witnesses and finds evidence in this episode that is fully packed.

When Evelyn Bagby finds a handgun in her apartment, she calls Perry and he tells her to leave the apartment with the gun and be at his office in the morning. On her way to a hotel she is nearly wrecked by a man with a hood driving right beside her. For some reason, she fires two shots from the gun near the car. Later the police find the man and he was shot. Perry will defend Evelyn Bagby is court against the charge of murder brought by Hamilton Burger's office.

When we go to court the proceedings, the program becomes somewhat complex as Perry introduces two identical guns that seemed somewhat confusing as we try to keep the two guns separate. But through more cross examination and some evidence twisteroo, Perry is able to get his client acquitted and the true killer arrested.

It was nice to see the first episode. It was like meeting the characters for the first time. Was not too thrilled with the case that Perry defended but the episode is worthy of a watch. For the started episode is was a good watch.

This Erle Stanley Gardner based story gets this series off to a good start. Restless Redhead has just the right amount of sleight of hand and a more active Mason that it goes just for the right vein of court room drama. This first show features a Mason who takes more risks and smokes which makes sense because to build a reputation you have to start with one.

The first time we see Paul Drake in this show, Mason calls him at a poker game with some friends in a smoke filled room with Paul puffing away as well. I do not recall ever seeing Paul Drake playing poker again in the series. Still, this is symbolic of the Ace up it's sleeve CBS had here as a series. It was Mason that led the way for other great lawyer court room set series to come like EG Marshall's The Defenders.

This episode hits a full throttle. The entire series never misses a beat, even when they run short of Gardener material later on because at least one of the writing teams works with the author on later plots.

Loved it. I remember watching these as a kid . Always a family thing. The first episode, I told my wife. They had no idea of firearms safety. Smell the barrel, look down the barrel. Point them at people , wave them around..😅😅 unreal. Classic tv at its best.

Altho i watched many PERRY MASON episodes when i was younger - i don't recall seeing this one - so when i saw it available on my Freevee app - and that it was the debut episode of the entire series - i decided i needed to see it - and i'm glad i did

i recall being surprised during my viewings of the series - to see how Perry Mason would be so actively involved behind the scenes - visiting the scene of the crime - manipulating the people involved - to me - it seemed unrealistic - like the more recent tv series of forensics technicians or medical examiners in later tv series - where they would interact with the people involved in ways that i thought only a police investigator should

but this episode was based on a novel written by a lawyer - Earle Stanley Garner himself - if i assume it is faithful to the novel - i'll just have to accept the appropriateness of that behavior in Perry

this plot pivots on a clever trick he pulls - involving the 2 revolvers - i won't give it away - but i had difficulty anticipating the final result of that trick - and was immensely impressed

like most of the PERRY MASON episodes i've seen - this script has a simplicity and clarity - to match the visual clarity of its direction and cinematography - in the same way that the black & white photography suits the theme and style of the show.