Show260
The police's behavior in this episode is abominable and sadly, all too accurate. Their attempted trampling of the civil rights of both Perry and his clients was totally unjustified. Particularly in light of the fact that none of them were guilty of any crime. Drumm owed Perry a major apology but of course, he never gave it. It's really unfortunate that police take the killing of their own more seriously than the killing of a member of the public. As we have learned, even the police are not above reproach. Steve should have recused himself from the case. Too often, we see people personally involved with the murder go on to investigate or prosecute the case. This would be grounds for an appeal if the suspect was convicted. It seems like the PM writers are fixated on showing the ways in which the police and DA overstep their authority. Seems like every episode Perry scolds the police for threatening his clients' rights. A refreshing change in light of earlier seasons where anything the police did was accepted since they were getting the bad guys. Submitted by DellaMason
Just in the last few episodes we've seen Mason on the witness stand (#257), Burger on the stand (#259) and now Paul on the stand (#260). Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 6/14/12.
+ Paul stated in his testimony: "I was hired to pose as a truck driver ["George Turner"] by Olaf Deering [his murdered client]"; this is 1 of the few times we see PD in an Undercover role. Mike Bedard 3.5.15.
Calendar in the trucking co office appeared to have the year and month and perhaps a sponsor or logo fuzzied out. The calendar / year are initially fuzzed but as the camera angle changes so does the fuzzing so almost seems like it was on the lens. I read it as January 1966. Submitted by Perry Baby 1/15/14
+ The smudge or fuzz (at 25.40) is on the lens. It first appears on the ceiling, then moves downward as the camera angle changes. I don't think it was an attempt to blur the date or a logo on the calendar, just a smear on the lens. Submitted by catyron, August 8th, 2018
What a line! "I tried to wise him up, but he wouldn't wise." I laugh every time I think of it! Now, I'm just looking for a chance to use it - short of committing a crime! Submitted by MikeReese, 5/17/2013
Just received Season 9, Volume 2 in the mail today. I now own all 271 episodes, plus 76 of the 82 books. Wooo Hooo! This was the first episode I watched. Despite negative reviews on other websites, "Sunrise" is in my list of the Top 50 episodes. Maybe it's the connection to TCOT Moth Eaten Mink, my favorite novel. Submitted with delight by Bill-W2XOY on 08/17/13..
Not counting the three Perry Mason short stories written by ESG (at least one of which, "Crimson Kiss," was adapted for the series)? Some readers may also be interested in the two Perry Mason novels written by Thomas Chastain in the late 1980s (Too Many Murders and Burning Bequest.) So far, I have 50 Perry Mason novels/stories including two of the short stories and the two new novels. I only have the first three seasons on DVD [not counting the two episodes held over for the fourth season ("Treacherous Toupee" and "Credulous Quarry.") I wish DVD makers would release production seasons rather than broadcast seasons, but I digress...] Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 8/20/13.
Perry-Lt. Drumm Relationship: TCOT Silent Six was their most COLLEGIAL episode, TCOT SS was their most CONFRONTATIONAL Both inside/outside the courtroom, but Perry compliments LD in the End as "One, Good, Honest Cop." Mike Bedard 3.5.15.
+ Reminds me of a recurring statement from TCOT Velvet Claws, "All I want is the love of one good man." jfh 02Nov2023
Paul Drake drives a semi truck in this episode. Quite the renaissance man, Paul. As a former truck driver I can tell you it is not a simple thing to learn to drive a semi. Paul must have had some previous training, maybe in the military. Submitted by PaulDrake 33. 6 March 2015.
+ He would also need to have the proper class of license ...which isn't something he would be likely to maintain unless he often took these kind of assignments; IMHO, this would have been a good opportunity to have Paul employ one of his (oft-mentioned but seldom seen) operatives, tho of course that would remove Paul from the center of the action during some key scenes. Notcom, 083019.
++ Speaking of Paul Drake's semi driving, what were the bad guys thinking trying to run a semi truck off the road with a sedan? That's asking for an early grave. Submitted by PaulDrake 33. 6 March 2015.
A Variation on a Theme by Atwater. Actor Peter Mamakos offers an interesting variation on how to sprawl across the top of a desk, a theme addressed earlier in Season Nine by Barry Atwater (See "TCOT Cheating Chancellor", #245): Grab hold of the other side of the desk, do the Atwater hand tuck, and hang on until someone finds your body. Submitted by BobH, 30 January 2018.
How many, if any, other episodes feature TWO defendants? Submitted by catyron, August 8th, 2018
Not just two defendants, but two murders. Although, just two shows from now, we’ll have another double murder in “Twice Told Twist”. DOD 05/02/20
Continuity: A couple of items. In the long shot of the car chasing Paul in the semi the two men can be seen to be stunt drivers. Ditto in the long shot of the semi. Stunt drivers for Paul and Bert Kannon. The car going over the ledge is not the same car seen chasing Paul. (Stunt car?) Kilo 11/9/2018.
+ The car going over the cliff is likely stock footage. And, nowhere on any road going anywhere near Bakersfield then on to San Francisco (per Deering's instructions to Paul on the secret route he was to take) is there a road on a cliff over the ocean -- which the car falls down into. OLEF641 9/25/21
Lt. Drumm handling the gun on the witness stand: finger on trigger, points gun at Burger's stomach! Yikes! Kilo 5/10/2020.
This was one of the few episodes where there was a tell tale clue given to help identify the killer. It was when Paul was asking Floyd who he knew had seen the manifest but was interrupted by Bradley. Submitted by Perry Baby 1/26/17.
Perry displays a rare foolishness when he leaves court to check out some "new evidence" in the gallery storeroom, suspecting as he did that the killer might also be heading there. His life was saved only because Lt. Drumm happened to ask Della where her boss was going. (And if we are to believe Perry didn't know Drumm had followed him, we have to admire the casual demeanor Perry displayed as he was about to be murdered!) Submitted by francis, 4/24/14
I've always wondered why a line like, "Don't you know me by now (Hamilton, Tragg, etc..)", or "I know Perry. He always works within the law, even if we don't like it," wasn't written into an episode or two. That's the only way the dramatic scene in the gallery storeroom would make sense: if the police and prosecution thought that Perry was playing dirty, that scene where Drumm shows up to 'save the day' would make no sense. Even with Drumm asking Della where Perry was going, if he thought Perry was a crooked lawyer, he probably would have assumed that he was planting evidence or such .. Submitted by MikeReese, 6/12/2014
Goofs: In this episode, I think there are two goofs in the last one or two scenes (I’m watching MeTV). When Bradley is shot by Drumm, he has no bullet holes in his shirt, and no blood is visible as he slides to the floor. Then, after they cut away to Drumm, the following shot shows blood and actual bullet holes in the shirt. ALSO, during that shootout when Drumm shoots Bradley, Bradley gets off one wild shot that knocks a large chunk out of the picture frame that is sitting on the table there. But later, just before the final fade-out, as the camera pans over to the same picture frame, the frame is no longer damaged/no chunk missing… double oops! ;-> Submitted by mesave31, 03/18/15.
+ Shall we make it a triple ?? While not, strictly speaking, a "goof", and it helps prolong the tension in the scene, it seems dubious that Drumm wouldn't call out the something - even the cliched "drop it" - before firing. Notcom 101122.
It never fails - whenever we have a “guest” police officer, he invariably turns out to be the bad guy. DOD 04/05/18
The Downside of Remastered (and Hi-Def) Episodes. Occasionally, a remastered (or Hi-Def) version of an episode provides more visual information than was originally intended. At the beginning of this episode and after Harry Marburg's murder, someone is seen leaving the Clune Galleries and getting into a car. The remastered, crisper version makes it pretty clear who that person is: actor Mark Tapscott, who is later revealed to be the murderer. You have to wonder whether a non-remastered, fuzzier print of the same scene, as originally shown in 1966, would have been quite as revelatory of the killer's identity. Submitted by BobH, 13 July 2017.
TCOT Self-evident Slayer One has to laugh at this bit from the summary: "... Perry almost gets shot confronting a killer no one would suspect." Don't we all know that the bad guy/killer is Sgt. Bradley the minute he appears on screen? He's so aggressively out of line that he might as well be wearing a sign around his neck saying, "I did it!". Submitted by JazzBaby, 6/25/2019.
Can someone tell me why series 9 has so many remakes of shows from earlier seasons? Were they just short of scriptwriters? Submitted by Hamilton Burger for Governor, 07/02/2020.