From the outset it is difficult not to become completely engrossed in this series. The opening scene of the pilot has a woman running down a Manhattan street covered in a blood soaked coat who later is revealed to be the central protagonist Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne). It turns out her fiance has been murdered and she is the prime suspect. Flashback to six months prior and a bright eyed, bushy tailed Ellen, fresh from graduating Law School, is being interviewed for a job position with Hollis Nye (Philip Bosco) at his law firm. She turns down the position for the chance to work with Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) a decision that shakes Hollis Nye so much he gets Ellen to sign the back of his business card where he has written 'I Was Warned'. An act which leaves the viewer with an ominous feeling which together with the events happening six months later does not bode well...
Year: 2007
Created by: Todd A. Kessler, Glen Kessler and Daniel Zelman
Starring: Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Zeljko Ivanek, Noah Bean, Tate Donovan and Ted Danson.
Network: FX
Number of Episodes: 13
***SLIGHT SPOILER HINTS BUT NOTHING TOO DRAMATIC***
The series follows both time lines until they eventually converge in the penultimate episode of the season. The first time line six months prior to David's (the fiance) murder follows Ellen and her new job at Hewes and Associates. The firm are in the midst of a big civil case against a corrupt businessman, Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson) who stole money off his employees, a case apparently based on the Enron scandal. The storyline six months later focuses on the criminal investigation of David's murder and it's connection to the Frobisher case. It is not a simple journey though as nothing in Damages is what it seems. Just when you think you've got it figured out boom, there's a new twist or surprise hovering around the corner. Usually I am quite good at figuring things out but there were so many times I found myself uttering the words 'No Way' to the television screen. The two separate time lines are interesting and keep you enticed because you need to know how they get to that point from where the characters are six months prior. Every episode leaves you questioning and once you get an answer you're left with several further questions.
The cast is fantastic led by the formidable Glenn Close, the most underrated actress in Hollywood. I still cannot believe the original bunny boiler has never won an Oscar 'Wake Up Academy!!'. Glenn Close is great as Patty Hewes the tough as nails litigator who has a win at all costs mentality. Enter innocent, naive Ellen Parsons and you know it is not gonna end well. Rose Byrne is a really good actress and the more I see her in the more she impresses me. She was totally overshadowed in Bridesmaids (2011) with Melisa McCarthy stealing the show but Byrne really holds her own in Damages, which is a difficult task when you look at the stellar cast. Not only is there Glenn Close, you have Zeljko Ivanek playing opposing counsel Ray Fiske who received a well deserved Emmy for his performance as did Close. Ted Danson stars as Arthur Frobisher the corrupt businessman who is the target of the class action law suit Hewes and Associates are working on. I am so use to seeing Danson as the happy-go-lucky nice guy character as in countless roles; Cheers, Three Men and a Baby and most recently CSI. It was a little odd to see him as the antagonist for once but the thing with Damages is that nobody is entirely what they seem. Whilst Frobisher is the focus of the law suit he is shown to be at times a caring family man who wants to do right by his family and then he'll order a hit and completely do a 180. That is one of my favourite things about the series that there is no character who is completely good or completely bad rather they are varying degrees of both. The good characters do bad things and the bad characters have moments of redemption. My favourite of which is Uncle Pete (Tom Aldredge) who is a seemingly sweet old man who potters around the office doing odd jobs for Patty. These odd jobs however can take him to pretty dark places and I personally would not want to cross the sweet old guy and I would most certainly not let him dog sit (watch the pilot you'll understand).
Final Verdict
I thought the evolution of Ellen from naive ingenue to the street wise pas de force who stands toe to toe to Patty was gripping. Every episode left me with questions I had to know the answers to and so needed to watch another episode and then another. The narrative is complex enough to be engaging but accessible enough to be widely received by various audiences. The acting is fantastic but from such a stellar cast this is unsurprising. I would highly recommend you give Damages a go and if this is what the world of civil litigation is really like it makes me glad I have no money and therefore totally not worth suing me if you end up hating it.
9/10
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