The Ending Of HBO's Perry Mason Explained

Throughout the first season of Perry Mason, mysteries of all sizes present themselves to the viewer. But for the most part, they all circle the central questions: who kidnapped and murdered the baby Charlie Dodson, and why? In the last few episodes of the season, it becomes clear that the answer to that query is to be found in the twisted heart of the Radiant Assembly of God.

Despite having the sheen of a prosperous mega-church, Perry discovers that the Radiant Assembly of God is actually experiencing deep financial hardship. Herman Baggerly (Robert Patrick), the wealthy man who hired E.B. and Associates to investigate the murder in the first place, has been keeping the church afloat through his generous donations. When those donations dried up, a plan was hatched to kidnap Baby Charlie — who happens to be Baggerly's illegitimate grandson — and hold him ransom for $100,000, just enough to pay off the church's debt. Involved in this plot are the church's crooked accountant, George Gannon (Aaron Stanford), Elder Seidel (Taylor Nichols), and LAPD Detective Ennis (Andrew Howard), among others

What was meant to be a simple kidnapping turns deadly after Ennis hires a heroin-addicted sex worker to breastfeed Baby Charlie, not realizing that the drugs in her system would be passed on through her breast milk. When everything goes sideways, Detective Ennis uses his power at the LAPD to silence any witnesses. That is why all of the other kidnappers, including Gannon, were found dead at the beginning of the season. Ennis continues his mission of eliminating loose ends by stabbing Seidel to death in the season's penultimate episode. He's ultimately eliminated himself in the finale after a mistrial leads to Baby Charlie's mother, Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin), walking free.