Show39
Thus ends the first season of one of the greatest shows in television history. Thirty-nine hour-long shows in 41 weeks. Raymond Burr appeared in every show, carrying the action each time. Could you imagine the movie stars of today working such grueling hours? I have read that Perry [Raymod Burr] felt he owed it to the others in the cast to work this hard. Submitted by PaulDrake 33, 5/14/2009.
This feels like one of the more film-noir episodes: lots of tough-talking men and women, including Kitty Kelly, with scads of 30s and 40s slang, such as when Kemp threatens Mason. Submitted by gracenote, 10/2/2010. Also Donna Knox in her "drinking to forget" and "I want to drop the (cyanide) pellets" scene.Joe B. 10/01/2022
+ Water Included in Rent - she left it dripping in the sink when Tragg arrives. Maybe she was planning on dunking her whole head later ? Asta69 09-06-24
One of the best shots in the series comes during the final questioning of Willard, with him in the foreground, Perry center, and his wife looking on from the background. Very clever and effective camera angle. DOD 07/08/20
Credit the prolific Gene Wang, who had written for many Noir - ish shows prior to PM, and who wrote almost half of the Mason episodes during his 3-year tenure. Later writers then were forced to attempt to emulate Wang's style. cgraul 7.11.12
Distinguished Gentleman acts as stenographer during the habeas corpus hearing, then is later seen in the gallery during the trial. The book on which this episode is based is very complex and has a subplot involving crooked dice - hence the title, bones being slang for dice. I prefer this TV version, with its streamlined and far more believable plot, but a title change would have made sense. DOD 06/12/18
I love it when Perry eviscerates a pompous, stuffy "expert" on the witness stand, as he does here to Dr. Norris, with an assist from the terse, dour, skeptical Judge Treadwell, wonderfully played by Richard Gaines. Also, this is yet another episode featuring an unhappy marriage. Submitted by 65tosspowertrap, 2 May 2014.
+ I like His Honor's use of the term SHANGHAIED [Naut. to obtain a sailor for the crew by unscrupulous means, as by force or the use of liquor: Web. Enc. Unab. Dict.]. Mike Bedard 5.25.16 MeTV airing.
++ This is my wife and I's favorite scene when Perry mentions that the judge may have arcus senilis. Submitted by HamBurger, 9/30/2017
+Dementia praecox is now known as schizophrenia. Submitted by vgy7ujm, 10 August 2019
Although I'm not sure, I think the shot we get of the murder victim in this episode--although brief--may be the most graphic of the first season. The knife sticking out of his back is plainly visible, and there's even a hint of blood. TV shows in the '50's and '60's were very squeamish about showing blood. That would all change with MASH. And today's "crime and punishment" shows seem to go out of their way to gross out the viewer with blood and gore. Submitted by Alan Smithee, 5-4-2014.
Egregious Enunciation: The patrician accent coming out of Arlene Scott is hard to take. Someone at CBS must have had a thing for (or against) fancy speech -- what with Miss Jane and Mr. Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies, and the Howells on Gilligan's Island. John K, 7 December 2015
+ "And the Southern girls with the way they talk, they knock me out when I'm down there." In #37 TCOT Black-Eyed Blonde Texan Phyllis Coates does sound to me like she's from Wichita Falls. Maybe that's because she's just a young farm-woman in that episode, but I love the sound of her voice. lowercase masonite, 2/1/16.
How well do Donna Knox and bank teller Olan Soulé know and trust each other? In the beginning of the episode Soulé unemotionally hands over to Miss Knox stacks of bills totaling $20,000 -- $166,000 in 2016 dollars -- without either person counting it out in front of the other before Miss Knox quickly picks up the money and leaves the bank. lowercase masonite, 2/1/16.
Dialog error? When crooked detective Kemp is telling the Scotts about uncle Reid getting taken he says "you people ought to know the score before Maury Lewis and his girl can take your uncle for every dime they have." I think he was supposed to say "... every dime he has". Kilo 12/28/2018.
Perry had a security breach in the previous episode, and he has a more serious one in this episode when someone breaks into his office and plants a bug. Perry needs to seriously beef up his office security. And you'd think that Paul--a private detective--would know that the first place to look would be the phone. Sometimes I wonder about Paul... Submitted by 65tosspowertrap 4-29-14.
If the killer's motive, "...to get away from her!" sounds familiar, it was also the motive in Ep. 1, TCOT Restless Redhead. On balance, I think the actor in Ep. 1 delivers it more effectively than does the actor here. Submitted by alan_sings 11/29/2014.
+ I think it has more to do with the personalities of the characters: Ep.1 was bitter - one might even say slightly crazy - whereas here he seems resigned and indifferent...maybe he should be tested for dementia praecox ! Submitted by Notcom, 092117.
After finding out what happened in Alaska 30 years previously, I idly wondered about the statute of limitations for attempted murder. Perhaps the victim was more concerned about losing face for reporting the attempt than about walking out on a pile of money? lowercase masonite, 2/1/16.
+ Alaska became our 49th State in 1959; it was still a Territory on 06/28/58. Mike B. 5.25.16.
++ In most states there is no Statute of Limitations for Murder, and probably not for attempted murder, since these are capital offences. But state law governs. Ed Mahl 9/22/17
clarification: In most states, attempted murder is felony, but not a capital offense. jfh 18Oct2018
Query: Why was the ex-private detective conferring with the wife of the murderer at the time of the murder? It's not clear what business they could have had together. Ed Mahl 9/22/17
In the epilogue, Perry mentions that Burger would not have put Donna Knox on the stand had she not turned over the $20,000 to the police. Did we see her tesitfy? jfh 08Mar2024