HBO has opted not to renew its Matthew Rhys-led prequel/reboot of “Perry Mason,” the cancellation coming down a month and a half after the second season finale debuted on April 24th.
That season took place in the worst year of the Depression as Perry (Rhys) and Della (Juliet Rylance) pursue civil cases instead of the tumultuous work that criminal law entails. The second season ended on a cliffhanger, with Perry in prison.
The series is an awards contender for HBO this year after the first season earned four Emmy nominations. Jack Amiel and Michael Begler served as writers and co-showrunners on the show produced by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey.
HBO says in a statement to Deadline:
“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivalled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise. While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”
Recently HBO’s head of drama Francesca Orsi spoke about how a “viewership relative to budget” review was underway for several shows with recent sophomore series either having been produced or aired – including “Perry Mason,” “Winning Time” and “The Gilded Age”.
Downey Jr. meanwhile previously discussed how his team could “continue to tell really interesting stories” set in this world, and he had been talking to the showrunners about a third season – but the show’s fate wasn’t in their hands.
