The Case of the Woeful Widower

As stated by other reviewers, this is a re-write of the Case of the Fiery Fingers from season one, which was not one of my favorites to begin with. In this version, the writers added in more characters and subplots which simply muddied the story and made it even more implausible. It was a nice change of pace to see a different actor for a change, in this case Jerry Van Dyke ("Burford" from his brother's show and the goofy coordinator on "Coach"). Overall, there's nothing much to get excited over here, it's about as milquetoast as the title character. A common theme for the later seasons, a poorly done rewrite...

This episode is a re do of ESG's Case of the Fiery Fingers and a poor one it is. Confusing,excess characters, a plot that as a slight semblance to the original and even Perry lacks any real interest in the plot and plight of the characters. lThe missing ingredient was the beautiful Barbara Hale. According to the Perry Mason Case Book her absence was due to unexpected surgery thus missing 4 episodes. As small as her part it was a vital one without it the 4 episodes definitely seem lacking. She brought out the best in Raymond Burr.when she is not around it shows.

This episode looks so promising when the show started. We have a invalid women that was in some kind of automobile accident- and a housekeeper that looks like she could have been cast in 'Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte'. The poor invalid women will not let her husband come into her room making one thinks that perhaps the husband may have had something to do with the accident. Instead the housekeeper believes the husband is trying to poison his wife and takes some pills to Perry that the husband gave her to be giving to the invalid women.

That is how the episode starts off- and I am on the edge of my seat. Then enter Jerry Van Dyke. Sorry but I cannot take him in a serious acting part. He was good in the part and the acting was fine- but the entire show I was seeing him playing the banjo and fumbling around the stage. I know this is bad of me but the show seemed to fall when he entered the scene. It was nothing that Jerry did- it was the story took a turn away from what we were lead to believe was going to happen.

The story does come back around to the invalid women but it take a little time. Meantime we take a trip with Perry and Paul to New Orleans. We know it was New Orleans because they had a street sign that said 'Canal Street' and we are introduced to a person that as a terrible southern accent.

After getting back to LA the story returns -and again is interesting. I liked the episode but felt the middle part of the story was long and had little to do with the ending. It is still watchable.

note- fourth episode in a row without Della. Must still be visiting her aunt.

A man is being dominated by a wife who has become an invalid after a car accident. He is a Casper Milquetoast and manages to pull sympathy from everyone when he speaks of his misfortunes. He has been involved with other women, but..... This is a pretty typical episode. Perry manages to get one of the characters out of trouble at the beginning, but she is incredibly unlikeable.

Some of the paradigm that govern Perry Mason stories if they're not broken they get twisted a bit in this episode.

Raymond Burr gets two clients to defend in this story. The stepsister of the future victim Nancy Gates asks for his services to help housekeeper Joan Banks who has been accused of theft. Later on it's Gates who becomes the client when she's arrested for poisoning her stepsister.

We never see the murder victim only hear her voice as she asks for this and that from her bedroom.

There's a nice performance from Jerry Van Dyke as an intrusive in-law. William Talman's examination of him on the witness stand is devastating.

You'll have to watch to see how the paradigm is twisted.