Are You "Damaged" Yet?

No, not meant to be deep or psychological. I'm talking television. You know, Damages the great new show on FX

Damages-fx

starring Glenn Close, Rose Byrne and Ted Danson? If you like must see TV, this qualifies This show had me hooked from the teasers, and it's been riveting, compelling, mind bending TV from the opening minutes to the closing minutes through two episodes so far. My gut feeling is this show is going to be my second favorite show after Heroes (or maybe on par) if the next few episodes can maintain the intensity and pace.

I'm so glad to see non-premium cable networks, like FX courting big screen stars and bringing them to the small screen with productions that seem on par with The Soprano's, Sex in The City and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Glenn Close was stellar in her one year role on The Shield with Michael Chickless, now she's got her own show to headline, and it's high caliber. No doubt the reason Damages has the has the feel of "the real deal" as the first two episodes were written by the Kessler's and Zelman of Soprano's fame.

 
The story opens with a bloody Ellen (Rose Byrne) running through the streets of Manhattan and then sent to an interrogation room, but we have no idea why. The story unfolds dramatically from there, giving us glimpses of the world of high powered, amoral, win at any cost, take no prisoner's Patty Hewes one Gotham’s top legal eagles and the equally repulsive people in a case she is prosecuting for damages, currently that would be one Arthur Frobisher and his minions, played by Ted Danson. As the story unfolds in flashback, Patty is on a quest to destroy Frobisher, a World Comm type exec who lead his workers and stockholders to ruin, while he continued to line his pockets and portfolio. That's where aspiring attorney Ellen comes in. Wanted by several law firms, through a series of twisted events, she ends up with a prestigious position working for Patty Hewes. This all becomes master manipulation, unbeknownst to Ellen, as Patty needs her in her employ to get to her soon to be sister in law who has information that could make the case for Patty and damage Frobisher permanently.  All the manipulation and back ally meetings only leads up to the chilling discovery of murdered animals and people, with no answers, as a bloody and shocked Ellen sits and waits for counsel in that police interrogation room.
 

This is one clever ride. It appears it will be Dickensonian in the fact that intricate and different story lines will be used and woven in and out over time lending drama, suspense and mystery and will with any luck finish in a grand macabre tapestry. This is on my must see (or definitely MUST DVR) list from here on out. I would love to hear from anyone else who has caught the show so far and if your feelings concur with or oppose mine. Anyway, it’s nice to see non-premium cable channels put out work that at this point seems to rival those found on pay cable, but also could do just as well on the big screen attracting stars from that venue as well. Well done FX. I’m hooked - finally a dark Gotham tale I can get into!

Another Damages Review - "Hide Your Bunnies"!