"Damages" revolves around the law-firm of Hewes and Associates, where mega-lawyer Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) takes on various and sundry malefactors of great wealth. At the beginning of the series, Patty hires newly minted attorney Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne); the evolving relationship of these two women provides the narrative throughline of the entire series. While Patty is not a criminal lawyer, she operates within the even-more dangerous realm of Masters of the Universe, men with gobs of money and great power. Each season features a complex plot filled with double-dealing, intricate machinations, and enough twists and turns to keep you hanging on for the next episode.
The show features strong performances. In addition to Glenn Close (more on whom in a moment), Rose Byrne nicely fills the by-now-requisite role on American shows of Brit/Aussie who does an annoyingly perfect American accent. Where Close's Patty is the well-established powerhouse attorney, Byrne's Ellen undergoes a steady development over the course of the series, from young and tentative to seasoned and confident: She is a budding Patty Hewes; it remains to be seen how much of Patty's ruthlessness she ultimately embraces.
Each season also features notable guest stars. In season three, Campbell Scott plays the primary "villain." In a storyline modeled on the Bernie Madoff scandal, Scott plays the scion of the Tobin family, whose patriarch, played by Len Cariou, has been exposed for running a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme. Over the course of the season, Scott evolves smoothly and convincingly from an innocent pawn desirous to do the right thing to a murderous schemer determined to protect himself and his family at all costs.
Ted Danson has a recurring role in the first three seasons as Arthur Frobisher, CEO of a company patterned largely on Enron, who in season one is Patty Hewes' chief antagonist. In a long and successful career, Danson has never been better. The "likable villain" may be something of a dramatic cliche, but what makes Arthur Frobisher such an interesting take on this is that his main motivation is, in fact, to be liked. Despite the fact that he has engaged in unethical, immoral, and criminal behavior, Arthur Frobisher needs to see himself as an admirable and honorable man. And watching Danson portray Frobisher's constant wrestling with these internal contradictions is one of the show's great pleasures (I'm hoping Arthur shows up in season four).
The heart of the show, though, is Glenn Close, perhaps the best actress to have had the unfortunate timing to be a star in the era of Meryl Streep. She's every bit as talented--plus she's a Mets fan, so she gets bonus points for that. I've loved her since "Dangerous Liaisons," and it's not hard to imagine the Marquise de Merteuil reincarnated as Patty Hewes. For there is one thing that Glenn Close undoubtedly does better than Streep--better than anybody, in fact--and that is. . . smile.
While not quite as good as "Breaking Bad" or "Game of Thrones," "Damages" has quite a lot to recommend it, if you haven't seen it and are looking for something to pass the time. For one thing, it's easier jump into than a lot of the other long-form dramas on TV. Each season is essentially a self-contained story, focusing primarily on one major case being handled by Patty Hewes' firm. It's probably best to start from season one, but you could just as easily watch seasons 2, 3, or 4 for starters. One caution, though: Whatever season you choose, start with the first episode, or you will be hopelessly lost.
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