Mason's name did originate from Perry Mason, a show of which my parents have been fond for years and Mom still watches it every night. Now I can't hear the character's name anymore without thinking of my Mason. Mason James Wiles would be a fantastic lawyer, one of the rare upright ones.
Plus, a mason is someone who specializes in building with stones or bricks, which makes my character's name all the more appropriate. He becomes famous (and beloved) for getting his kingdom out of the mud and making it even better than it was before, albeit with a tremendous load of outside help.
Most people shunned him because of his family name, holding him accountable for things his parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents did. It got so bad that the Wiles were even more vilified than Beowulf was. His father-in-law wanted nothing to do with him because he was a Wiles, and that was essentially his logic, "He's a Wiles. He's scum. What more is there to say?"
Nero even let his irrational hatred override his love for his own daughter. It was enough to make some of Mason's naysayers say, "Well, that's a little harsh."
However, Mason proved everybody wrong and made the name "Wiles" desirable once more. Again, he couldn't have done it without help, but all that help would have been useless without his initiative in the beginning. He's so devoted to Reid and to Cecily because neither of them gave up on him, and he'll be forever grateful to two of Cecily's three siblings for going out of their way to help him when they owed him nothing. They helped him just as much for his sake as for their sister's sake, leaving Nero with a hefty meal of humble pie.
Years down the road, Mason's son falls in love with Reid's daughter, and when it turns out she feels the same way, their parents are more than happy to grant their blessings. Even Adela only wants her grandson to be happy, whatever he decides, and she's as amazed as anyone that her wish has come true after all. She got to join the Lactantius family tree when she wasn't forcing it so much.
Reid and Mason are blessed with many grandchildren, four of which they get to share with each other, and they get to retire when they're good and ready and they both live to a ripe old age. All's indeed well that ends well.
As for the TV show, I'd personally recommend it. I'm more partial to the Raymond Burr version; the latest version, the one that's darker and edgier, not so much.
Some episodes are better than others, and it may not be a 100% accurate portrayal of what happens in a courtroom, but they do a pretty good job at making you wonder who the perpetrator is, how all the puzzle pieces come together, how Perry Mason will crack this case. Almost like a 1950s Sherlock Holmes. And you'll never, ever forget the theme song. Theme songs are forever.
