Show224
Really surprising that Paul would even consider hiring Dillard for this or any other job. Dillard had a sweaty air of desperation about him that suggested that he would be very comfortable on the wrong side of the law. Very out of character for Paul, but he may have just been desperate since he was spotted by the target.
Burger's repeated accusations that Perry and Paul suggested Dillard destroy evidence and leave town were completely ridiculous. By this point, Burger and Perry were more friends than adversaries. It makes no sense that he would cast aspersions on Perry who has never ever destroyed or tried to hide evidence. He is always ethical unlike Burger who often prosecutes people on flimsy or circumstantial evidence. Burger's accusations were highly inappropriate at this late stage of the show. He even tried to push the issue further by repeating the full name of Paul's agency and implying that Dillard was lying when he said they didn't instruct him to hide evidence. Paul and Perry should have sued him for slander since he had no evidence against either of them.
Poor Della Street shouldn’t be so hard on herself. She’s beautiful! But I think all the female readers of this wiki can relate to the feelings of inadequacy that models provoke. Submitted by gracenote, 4/16/2011.
TCOT Svelte Secretary I thought Ms. Hale looked, as always, gorgeous, fit, and just perfect. It's so in line with the times that Della feels fat, and yet there is no body shaming of our beloved behemoths, Perry and Paul, who have reached mammoth proportions by this time. I repudiate all body shaming, by the way. It just made me sad to see Della feeling bad about herself--but it felt entirely realistic, given how we women are conditioned to regard our bodies. Submitted by JazzBaby, 06/12/2019.
+I've seen numerous comments on this wiki about Perry and Paul's weight. They don't look that large to me. Maybe it's because the average size for an American has increased? Submitted by Apofisu 03/01/2023
Hollywood seems to have funny ideas about weight and eating. If the young lady kept eating as she did at lunch, she would gain 12 times 12 pounds. She must have consumed 1000 calories at lunch alone, not to mention the half-dozen candy bars for a snack on the beach, followed by an ice-cream cone. (Additionally, the cottage cheese that Della was dieting on is actually quite fattening.) Submitted by gracenote, 4/16/2011.
Staircase set again, but the entrance has been moved back to its usual position.
We get a good look at Della’s unique filing system - one drawer for each of the letters A to H.
During the final questioning of Dillard, the court reporter’s fingers don’t move.
And we learn Paul does yoga! DOD 03/24/21
Well, a LOT about nutrition has been learned since then. Pretty sure that cottage cheese was full-fat ... but attitudes haven't changed, sadly. That 12 pound gain could have been enough to lose a modeling contract these days, and she would not have been large enough to qualify as a 'plus-size' model (I hate that term, but there it is). Submitted by MikeReese, 5/4/2016 Maybe part of the weight gain was from chewing the scenery.Joe B. 11/28/22
PM shows, of course, have cast many former beauty contestants (Miss This or That; Mary Ann Mobley was Miss America 1959), but director Arthur Meeks took especial care here to slowly pan up Diana’s legs, thighs, stomach and chest as she lies on the beach. Really unnecessary emphasis of her body, but the shot has been appreciated for many years. Submitted by cgraul 11/21/2011.
+ Perhaps he was practicing for his future career in blaxpoitation/exploitation film? Submitted by gracenote, 12/6/2011.
++ I wonder where those extra 10 pounds that Diana had put on were located. Perhaps she left them with her lawyer to carry around for her? chuckled by TerryS, 4/5/2019.
Normally, the attorney court objections in PM episodes are legally sound, even if not appropriately raised. In this case, Perry crosses a witness as to physical layout, and Hamilton objects that he already covered that material, and the objection was sustained. In fact, the cross-examining attorney has every right to re-question on every item covered in direct examination. Submitted by cgraul, 11/21/2011.
> I believe the objection is more in the nature that Perry had already covered the material, which is why it was sustained: "examination" doesn't extend to redundancy, altho browbeating witnesses by asking them a question over and over is a staple in Perry's arsenal (not that such was the purpose here). Notcom, 080621.
For the second time in five episodes, Paul's cover is blown by his car. In TCOT Reckless Rockhound, it was the license plate; in this episode it's the registration mounted to the steering wheel. As I've stated previously, it's amazing to me that at one time people were required to display their registration in their vehicle for anyone to see. Today it would be considered an unacceptable invasion of privacy. Submitted by 65tosspowertrap, 12/30/2013.
Question: What happened to Paul's man who was supposed to replace Dillard? If you pay attention to the times Mr. Dillard was watching the room for over an hour. Paul should have stayed there. Submitted by H. Mason 4/18/15
Did Perry take a cab to Foster's office? He and Paul arrived separately, but left together in Paul's car. OLEF641 8/5/21
In the episode, the murderer, the private detective, is NOT an employee of Paul Drake. But in the book, he IS Paul's operative. In fact, in the book, Perry had previously represented him. So, in the book, the P.I. works for Paul, who works for Perry. Thus, indirectly, it is Perry's own employee who is the killer! Submitted by Bill-W2XOY on 08/26/13.
+Great point. In a sense, this episode is similar to the TV adaptations of "TCOT Howling Dog" and "TCOT Shoplifter's Shoe." Unlike the original novels, in all three episodes Mason is distanced from a more direct connection to the actual killer or to a possible accessory after-the-fact. Submitted by BobH, 7 August 2021.
The ESG Secret: The hick private detective was a favorite plot device for Erle Stanley Gardner, and they wind up guilty a number of times. In building his stories, Gardner relied on 'plot wheels', which contained lists of characters, settings, complicating plot turns and the like, which he could mix and match. That resulted in a lot of similar stories, but enabled him to write prodigiously without having to stop and dream up new ideas all the time. You can see his plot wheels on a University of Texas web site http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/educator/modules/teachingthetwenties/theme_viewer.php?theme=modern§ion=murder&subsect=3. JohnK, 4 February 2018
+ Sounds like a project for some super fan: map out the plot wheels to each episode. --yelocab 11JUL18
++ The pictures of the plot wheels on that website are almost illegible. You can read a diligent, dedicated writer's transcription of them here: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://blog.karenwoodward.org/2013/10/nanowrimo-erle-stanley-gardner-perry-mason-plot-wheels.html%3Fm%3D1&ved=2ahUKEwjZ5tzB7eTiAhVmZN8KHd8VBY0QFjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw1EeAxmQFrWvs5QyZZpM8oo. Submitted by JazzBaby, 6/12/2019.
Murder Method: After Dillard explained what happened it was revealed that he struggled with Boring and the victim fell and died after he hit his head (on hotel / motel furniture). The same thing happened in episode 135. In #192 the second victim also died after hitting her head on a fireplace hearth during a struggle. Submitted by H. Mason 4/17/15