caseopened

[caseopened]

PERRY: Did you make any effort to determine the accuracy or inaccuracy of his statement? PAUL: Yes, I did. PERRY: What did you do? PAUL: Immediately after I called the police, I went out to check the defendant's car. I felt the hood on the outside, lifted it, sniffed the air in the engine compartment, felt the radiator, the cylinder head, and the exhaust manifold. PERRY: At the time of this examination of the defendant's car, how long would you say the motor had been idle? PAUL: Eight or nine minutes, not over at the outside or under six. PERRY: Thank you, Mr. Drake. That's all.

I love this bit that showcases Paul's familiarity around cars. We all know he loves his cars in general (he's a Thunderbird and Corvette guy!) and likes to keep on top of driving the latest cars. But he doesn't just appreciate the aesthetic appeal to cars; he knows how they run. He's also the better driver of the trio!

I quite like the idea of Paul being a bit of a motor head-- tinkering under the hood in the evenings, babying his cars a bit (you know he's keeping those cars as shiny and as put together as he looks in his fashionable attire), going cruising on date nights, and taking care of minor fixes, as needed. Since William Hopper sold cars for several years, it's another way to pay homage to him through Paul's character.

And in general, I do think Paul likes to tinker with a variety of things, not just cars! He canonically creates tools and devices to use for detective work, which showcases his resourcefulness as well as his need to keep his hands busy (see also Paul's hobby for carving driftwood). Keeping his hands busy is a way to settle and clear his mind as much as it is a sign of how his brain works. He's got a very analytical way of thinking as a detective and he pieces things together in his mind to create a better picture and understanding of situations. And I think part of that thought process aligns well with working with your hands, especially when doing tasks that pick things apart or put things together to create something.

#&. paul headcanons #paul drake #perry mason

[caseopened]

I've scattered about these thoughts in various posts, but I wanted to pull some things together on how connected Paul and Della are to each other. They have this pretty profound heart to heart speak with one another whereby they really see each other and understand each other's needs, oftentimes providing that sense of connection and understanding when they might not get it from the outside world/society.

When it comes to emotional connection, Paul and Della do a lot of understanding and speaking through physically reaching out to each other (see also here, here, here). But I really want to highlight this full photoset here (and also seen below). These pictures are a sampling of Della seeking Paul after being overcome at the sight of death. Della has seen her fair share of death, but when it particularly affects her, she seeks that comfort through touching Paul's arm, and he answers by holding her hand in his own. There's no verbal communication here; there doesn't need to be. She's conveying that vulnerability to him and he's supporting her through that touch.

There's also a sample from my post here, where Paul reads Della's response to jolting up in the middle of a conversation upon hearing the phone ring. Again, there's no verbal communication-- just Paul's gentle touch on her shoulder to ease her and let her know he'll take care of it so she can continue the conversation with Perry and their client. And the way she relaxes and smiles at having been seen is so sweet.

But there's a lot more to this, too. Paul and Della's exchange is happening in the background. Perry and his client remain at the foreground--- they remain in conversation and subsequently remain in focus for the viewers. And what is HUGELY important here is that Della was originally in the foreground with Perry and the client before the phone rang. Once the phone rings and Della goes to get it, she falls back in the background (literally), but it's also an example of how much unnoticed, yet no less important work Della is doing as a secretary. But Paul notices her and notices how that phone ringing is pulling her away from being in the conversation, and he stops her to help her so she can still be part of the conversation. While everything is going on all around them, Paul sees how Della is going to get pushed to the sidelines/background and seeks to remedy that. This is where we see how intuitively they know each other and how they make sure that one another is seen and heard.

There's also this scene here, when Paul calls Della a genius. The effect of this is all on Della's face. There's a point just before she smiles where she pauses and has this surprised look on her face at the recognition. The gif below is that warmth on her face at being recognized for everything she's doing and Paul's absolute look of reverence at Della. In a world where virtually everything Della does is taken for granted, ignored by society, and deemed "lesser than", Paul acknowledges what she does and how smart she is because he knows how important it is for her to be heard and seen in world that isn't really looking at her (when they absolutely should be). You can read more about how other people/clients/etc. overlook Della in the series and do not acknowledge her for all of her intelligence and efforts here.

And on the flip side, Della also gives those compliments right back. There's the famous part in TCOT Deadly Toy where Della flips Paul's usual greeting of, "Hi Beautiful" to him. And it's the way he's caught off guard and gets that flustered smile that clues everyone in to how much it meant to him. When considering Paul's character, I think Paul is very used to people buying into the front he puts up with all the suave charm and flirtations without genuinely seeing his heart or genuinely complimenting him. I think he's also very used to stepping into the role as the charmer and people don't often seek to charm him. But when Della does seek to charm and compliment Paul, he's caught off guard in the most delightful way, and she gives Paul that love and attention when he needed it/doesn't often receive it.

They also tag team with each other in a way that never denounces the other. I wrote a whole post on the way the trio is protective of one another here, but what I specifically want to point out below is how they seek each other's support without denouncing the other person. In the scene below, Della is in the foreground; she's got that fiery protectiveness in her sharp tongue and movement. Paul is quiet. He's not stepping in front of her or interrupting her. But when Della turns around to seek his support, Paul joins in and speaks up after she's had her say. But when he does speak (and what we don't see from the whole gif below), he stays where he is, never once physically pushing Della away. They are both very much in the fight together in a way that supports each other and acknowledges each other's voices.

It's this repeated understanding of each other on a deep level that elicits so much love, respect, acknowledgement, and visibility of one another that appears in so many more instances than what I've mentioned. And I just think it's a pretty special thing that they have.

#&. paul headcanons #&. della headcanons #paul drake #della street #perry mason

[caseopened]

Della and Perry's reactions when they think Paul had a heart attack in TCOT Carefree Coronary :(

#&. della visage #&. perry visage #they love paul so much #he's their everything💜 #my heart breaks watching this on the show and also here </3

[caseopened]

I don't know what is cuter - their flirting or how concerned Della is about him <3

#&. paul visage #&. della visage #they're so in love 😭 #della's face when paul hangs up quickly 🥺😭 #she's so worried! and also correct in being worried #now i'm thinking about paul saying 'i'll check back in later' #and della absolutely refusing to leave paul's side while he’s unconscious #bc they love each other obviously but also bc ~but you promised to check in~ #anyway the love here + the feelings i'm 😭

[caseopened]

Rod Steele, Construction Worker

#&. paul visage #bill hopper you beautiful beautiful man #he smiles like that and i'm !!!!!!! #his rolled up sleeves! the way he nearly always has to have a button or two undone on his shirts! 👀 the handkerchief in his back pocket! #his hard hat! #anyway i love him #me constantly: just look at him in his little outfits 🥺 #but also this is paul in his element- the amount of undercover work he does on a regular basis is much more than we see in the series #this is really just another day in the life of paul drake + a testament to all his work and i love to see it! <3

[caseopened]

Drake on the Move (And Undercover)

#&. paul visage #paul drake #william hopper #perry mason #he was under cover as an employee for a gas company #and looking fine while doing it!

[caseopened]

DELLA MY LOVE

+Bonus: Live Perry Reaction:

#&. paul visage #&. della visage #della my love I'm an ox #how that line is going to haunt her 😭😭😭 #i love della and paul's affectionate flirting 💜 #also paul's smile i'm 🥺🥺💜💜

[caseopened]

Kicking my feet and giggling about these two

#&. paul visage #&. della visage #they’re so in love!!! #the way paul smiles and compliments her!! #and the way della's whole face lights up and she gets so flirty and cute with paul #that smile! her head tilt! and same op #della's smiling creases at her eyes make me 🥺 #anyway i love them + how much they love each other <3

[caseopened]

I've spoken before in fic and in headcanons about the concept of Paul having a natural affinity to and sense of belonging in the water. This love for the water is so strong that it overcomes any trauma in the waters (when he was a frogman). The only time Paul ever felt like he was drowning was on land, not in the water. This concept is very much a thematic understanding of Paul. It suggests that on land, he is perceived as one thing (the suave, charming man) which does suffocate him at times. But in the water, he sheds that. It all washes away, allowing Paul to be himself. The water, its vast depths, allows him to be more than what we see on the surface/on solid ground. It allows space for multitudes that the world on land cannot hold or tolerate.

Because of this, Paul is always going to be searching for the water. It is instinct to him-- the water provides safety whereas the land does not. He's a water guy, but it's also more than that. The ocean is thematically part of him. Like we need air to breathe, Paul needs water to live.

And I've thrown hints out there of how Perry brings a sense of the water to Paul on land. It's through his eyes. While everyone else is searching for something solid upon which to stand, Paul is searching for the water to dive into and feel seen and supported. He finds that in the blue-eyed gaze from Perry.

But what I haven't directly stated (though it's hinted at through fic) is where Della comes into play. Della, as we know, is our beloved mover and shaker. Even when she's going into protective mode, she is all about expressive movement. And while that sometimes comes across with very obvious and animated movement, the movement can also be subtle (but still extremely effective), like a pointed lift of her brow. And when I talk about the trio curled up in slumber, it's Della who commonly is in the middle because she's prone to tossing and turning in her sleep. Her movement continues in her life whether she's awake or asleep. Della, like she is described, is fast as hell on her feet, and she's not remaining stagnant by any means.

The water carries this movement. Even in calmer waters in the ocean, there's still a current--- still movement. That movement eases Paul. It allows him to breathe and to be. Additionally, the water holds room (and depth) to hold the self in its multitudes. Paul plunges into that water and there's a whole entire world below promising a limitless acceptance of everything he is as a person.

This is all to say that Della becomes that movement of the water on solid ground.

But here's the greater picture: it's Della and Perry bringing (or being) part of the ocean to Paul on land that enables them to see and understand and love Paul for the person he is. Because Paul belongs out on the water, people don't understand him fully when he's on land. Della and Perry understand him because they're part of the water, too. And when they're together, they are essentially each other's element. Together, they are where they belong in a world that may not fit who they are as people.

#&. paul headcanons #&. della headcanons #&. perry headcanons #this is all finally coming together in a future fic too <3

[caseopened]

I love when we get to see Paul on the case! Look at all his fun spy tech.

#&. paul visage #me pointing to this like !!!!! #paul drake in his element doing good detective work! #WITH his operatives bc they are absolutely working as a team #and with all the tech! paul regularly implements tech and other resources... and will rig or tweak them himself too!! #anyway this post is everything to me 🥺 #i love seeing paul running his agency and out on the job <3

[caseopened]

They're literally on a lunch date.

#&. paul visage #&. perry visage #<333 #paul getting out perry's food first <3 #making sure he eats!

[caseopened]

This scene is so oddly intimate?

They're both talking in very gentle voices the entire time and Perry's in his cozy little robe (they're sharing a hotel room) and Perry's trying so hard to soothe Paul's anxiety about getting in trouble with the cops.

It's just very sweet and domestic.

#&. paul visage #&. perry visage #it's about the ways they reach out to each other 🥺 #they are always so open with each other- and i think what i love most is the way paul and perry constantly show up for each other #and do not shy away from each other when they are open + vulnerable with concerns #and paul has done this before! even if the police are on his case he will shut down and keep perry safe! client confidentiality! #anyway such a sweet open and domestic moment <3 #also paul... paul please we need to talk about you immediately assuming the worst

[caseopened]

Yeah fucking right, Perry.

Me 🤝 Gail 🤝 Perry

Putting Paul in goofy little outfits

#&. paul visage #bill hopper is an absolute beach babe <3 #look at him!!! beautiful man!!! #also please be serious perry we know you just wanted to see paul in his beach outfit #i think it's a combination of seeing paul in casual wear + paul being so happy bc he's at his happy place- the beach #that makes perry so fond of him like this <3 #anyway this episode is everything to me #also paul's little shrug i'm !!!!!!

[caseopened]

PERRY: How did Girard know the right colors? PAUL: They must have come from the original. PERRY: Well, what are you waiting for? PAUL: I'm thinking. I'm trying to put myself in Girard's place. Now, if I wanted to hide a valuable painting, I certainly wouldn't put it in the gallery vault. It's the first place anybody would look for it. You know what I'd do? I'd put it right behind another painting of exactly the same size. One that no one in his right mind would even consider buying. [Paul and Perry check one painting, then another. The second painting reveals the original painting they were looking for.] PERRY: You're right, Paul. There's another canvas underneath.

I love this exchange from TCOT Purple Woman because it shows us exactly how Paul's mind works. He's very analytical in his thought process, turning over every stone until he finds the right puzzle pieces to put together.

He also places himself in the shoes of the people he's investigating; in fact, he says so right from the start! In this example, he puts himself into the mind of an art collector who's trying to hide a valuable painting-- one in which people believed to be lost to time. And in order to put himself in other people's shoes, he's got to know or be exposed to a variety of different people, their motives and mindsets, and how they function. This ties back to Paul knowing just about everyone and the reach of the Paul Drake Detective Agency. Paul is able to think like other people because he's been exposed to all sorts of people from all walks of life in his line of work.

And while he's talking through his thought process for the sake of the show and us, the viewers, I do like that we get to hear him talk it out. Simply speaking aloud is just as much a method of finding the right puzzle pieces to put together as it is to help ease Perry and his impatience/eagerness to get to the results.

Which leads me to this: we clearly get a good example of Perry's impatience here. There's plenty of other examples of this trait, but I do really think that Perry's impatience juxtaposed with Paul's calm demeanor really highlights the way in which they work off each other and help one another. In this scene, Perry wants the results now, but the only way to get results is to think it through. But when Perry has the proverbial blinders on and he's hyper focused on his casework, he can get so absorbed that he's not seeing the full picture. Paul becomes the steady mediator here, balancing out Perry until they're both on more even ground. It's Paul's calm thought process that helps deliver that full picture Perry needs for his case.

And I do think these traits are very much a sign of their professions. As a private investigator, Paul is very accustomed to the long stakeouts, the time it takes to dig up information, and the time it takes to track people and things down. He plays the long game, and he knows how to win it by not getting frustrated or impatient. I also think that Paul's demeanor in general is just very much more calm and relaxed, which is the right traits to have in his line of work.

In Perry's work, he doesn't play the long game that investigative work demands. He's working with the information that he is given while he interprets the law to formulate a case. That law is all in his head, ready to use as needed. And even if he needs to go back to law books or previous cases, all that information is still within his grasp. In investigative work, you have to go find information; it's not just in a law library in the office or within arm's reach.

And this all goes back to having the right people by your side. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, but you're only as good as your team. And Paul and Perry are very much a team here. They balance each other out in a way that makes them all the better when working together.

#&. paul headcanons #&. perry headcanons #paul drake #perry mason

[caseopened]

OBSESSED! WITH! HIM!

#&. paul visage #WELL HI SPORT #i'm losing it #also i love paul's shirt 🥺 #casual paul drake gives me life #i love him 💜

[caseopened]

I Vitelloni dir. Federico Fellini

#&. paul musings #&. paul aesthetic #I'm going to need a minute here... #this is also della and paul jr in lonely rivers flow to the open arms of the sea #&. della musings #&. della aesthetic #&. paul jr musings #&. paul jr aesthetic

[caseopened]

Remembering Barbara Hale on her birthday #botd

#&. della visage #i love her 🥺 #the last photo with the smile there in her eyes and the little smiling creases makes me 💜💜