Matthew Rhys Talks ‘Perry Mason’ Season 2 and Hopes for Season 3

In Season 2 of the HBO sequence Perry Mason, the peak of the Nice Melancholy sees the person himself (Matthew Rhys), together with assistant Della Road (Juliet Rylance) and ex-cop Paul Drake (Chris Chalk), on a brand new authorized case, this time pitting the haves immediately in opposition to the have nots. A high-profile homicide case exams Perry Mason and pushes him to the sting, as he fights for a pair of brothers which have nobody else on their aspect and all the pieces stacked in opposition to them.

Throughout this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, Rhys talked about how Season 2 took form, how a lot the occasions of Season 1 nonetheless have an effect on Perry Mason, the distinction between the wealth and the poverty of Thirties Los Angeles, how his character feels concerning the justice system, driving a interval motorbike, getting out on the racetrack, the significance of discovering levity in darkish instances, and having to face the results of his actions.

Collider: After doing the primary season, after which having new showrunners for Season 2, what have been the conversations like, in determining what the brand new season could be, what it will discover, and the way it will have an effect on the characters? Season 1, what did you’re feeling you probably did very well and wished to hold over to Season 2?

MATTHEW RHYS: I have a tendency to depart the writing to the writers, which I believe is shrewd, on my behalf. We began with new writers and new showrunners for Season 2, and as you’ll think about naturally would occur, they simply got here in with a recent set of concepts and a brand new set of concepts, which finally can solely serve a second season while you’re questioning how a lot to vary it up. We didn’t wish to replicate it. It was about, now that we now have the viewers, how can we hold them? So, they instantly got here in with a brand new set of concepts that I believed have been nice, off the bat. They wished to, not precisely do a 180, from the top of Season 1, however they wished a flip, of types, so that you just’re not coming again to that final picture you had of Season 1, of all three within the workplace, the place all is nice, everybody has new fits and appears good, their names are on the door, and off we go, let’s have one other trial. I can solely communicate for Perry, however you discover him in an actual disaster of religion about himself, about his capabilities, and about his {qualifications} in being there. He has this imposter syndrome that he’s out of the blue been hit with, the place he goes, “Really, I don’t suppose I belong right here.”

I really actually appreciated how, in the course of the season, we see that final season’s case remains to be affecting Perry Mason. Have issues turned out in a different way for him, after that case, than he anticipated? Did he suppose issues would possibly get simpler, after that?

RHYS: I believe so, naively or not. And I take advantage of that phrase naively, as a result of it’s what introduced him, in our origin story, to turning into a lawyer is that he sees this very clear-cut view of proper and mistaken. It’s fairly black and white for him, and it’s the grey in between that journeys him up sort of violently. He thinks, “That’s mistaken, however I’m gonna do one thing about it. I’ll turn into a lawyer, if that’s what it takes, and I’ll attempt to do the precise factor.” After which, because of doing the precise factor, one thing left area and fairly catastrophic occurs, that shocks him to his core. He lived by that straightforward algorithm by saying, “I used to be doing the precise factor, so how did that occur? That wasn’t meant to occur? Perhaps I shouldn’t be doing this.” It presents and poses plenty of questions that, for me taking part in him, have been very fascinating.

We actually get to see the distinction between the rich and glamorous, and we get a take a look at the poverty in Los Angeles, presently. Since somebody all the time appears to get murdered when wealthy individuals and their cash will get concerned, what did you consider the case you bought to probe for Season 2? Do you know what all of these beats would finally be, earlier than you began capturing, or was a few of it’s nonetheless evolving?

RHYS: One of many beauties of setting Perry Mason within the Thirties Los Angeles is that it was most likely the one metropolis in America that was gripped by the Melancholy, however that additionally had this monumental inflow of cash and was doing extremely nicely. Huge wealth and abject poverty lived cheek-by-jowl. That, as a setting for a tv present, was unbelievable. As you say, when you’ve got that a lot wealth dwelling subsequent to such poverty, there can be a gathering level that most likely doesn’t finish nicely, and it doesn’t this season. And sure, it did evolve. There have been sure concepts that they had that modified, as tends to occur typically. Once you’re capturing, you go, “That is working nicely. Let’s run with that extra. Let’s use that extra.” So, it did evolve in that sense, however as a beginning place, there was the flashpoint of wealth meets poverty. And likewise, one of many greatest themes this season was how the judicial system is completely different for rich individuals than it’s for poor individuals or individuals of a distinct colour.

After two troublesome circumstances in a row now, how is Perry Mason feeling about justice, whether or not there’s true justice, and who pays the most important worth?

RHYS: If there have been to be a 3rd season, it will be an fascinating second for Perry to mirror on the explosive manner he grew to become a trial lawyer, how he then handled that and the aftermath, and the sacrifices he needed to undergo, as a way to try this once more. For me, the hope that springs from Mason is that he makes a selection. He goes, “You possibly can both stroll away from this or you possibly can attempt to work from inside it, to do what’s proper.” And in that second, Mason being Mason goes, “I’m gonna keep and I’m gonna attempt to make issues proper, at no matter value.” And it does come at a excessive value for him. So, it will be fascinating to see the place he would go, as a lawyer, if there have been to be a 3rd season with him going, “I can’t put myself by that, each time there’s a trial, however I shall now attempt to work the system, in an affordable manner.”

As a result of he has to take care of the results of his actions, by the top of this season, how do you suppose that can change him? Do you suppose that can change him, or do you suppose it would simply solidify what he already considered issues?

RHYS: I’m undecided. What I like about this present and this character is that it’s ever-evolving. At each flip, he’s going, “Oh, my God, I didn’t suppose that might occur. I wasn’t anticipating that. Now, I’ve to do that.” So, he’s all the time evolving, as a human and a lawyer, on the identical time. And there are revelations for him, alongside the best way, like when Hamilton Burger says the road of the season, “There’s no such factor as justice, solely the delusion of justice.” That will get Mason to his core and makes him go, “Hold on, if that’s true, then nothing is vital.” After which, he makes a selection, “No, you do need to do one thing as a result of, if there’s no hope, then there isn’t something.” What I like about evolving with him is that you just’re continuously studying with him about who he’s and what he could be keen to do, as a way to stick with the kernel of why he began this loopy journey, which was to do what’s proper, in that second when somebody is having a fantastic mistaken.

One of many cool issues about doing a TV sequence or a film is the stuff that you just get to do, that you just wouldn’t usually ever be capable to do. What was it prefer to get on a interval bike, and have the complete look with the goggles and the gloves?

RHYS: That was a dream come true. The primary day, they introduced out that motorbike and it was working as a Thirties Harley-Davidson. They began it, and it took so many bizarre issues and it made a lot noise that they went, “Okay, neglect utilizing it as an actual motorbike. Let’s give it to the motion automobile guys and have them flip it into an electrical bike in two weeks.” God bless them, it virtually killed them, however it was a really souped up, very quick, electrical bike. It cut up the camps of males who, once we have been on location, would come and take a look at it and go, “Is that this an authentic bike?” And also you’d go, “Sure, it’s.” Half of them would go, “Oh, my God, that’s wonderful.” And the opposite half would go, “They’ve turned it into an electrical bike. It’s an abomination and a real crime that they’ve ripped out the center of an authentic Harley-Davidson.”

What was it prefer to be on the racetrack on a horse?

RHYS: That was one other basic “watch out what you would like for” second. The writers very generously and lovingly stated, “What’s it that you just wanna do?” I stated, “I’ve all the time ridden horses. I like horses. I’d like to do a scene driving horses.” So, there have been plenty of scenes the place Mason was on horseback, which inserts with Season 1, on the farm. After which, I used to be like, “Oh, my God, I’m gonna race on the Santa Anita racetrack. I’m gonna open a racehorse to a flat-out gallop.” The stunt coordinator went, “After all, you’re not gonna try this. A stuntman does that. You’re gonna be on a bit of passion horse on a low loader.” So, I’m on a pretend horse, making an attempt to make it look actual. However in equity, they get me on a rearing horse. There’s a second when the horse rears, and I skilled for that. That was a magic second for me, coaching with a horse to try this.

These are the interval particulars that add a much-needed enjoyable component to this present and the heaviness of the circumstances.

RHYS: You want these little pearls thrown in, to provide moments of levity on this darkish time.

Perry Mason airs on Monday nights on HBO and is offered to stream at HBO Max.