Damages

Glenn Close is superb as the fierce attorney Patty Hewes, a woman who takes on the big boys for big bucks. Over the five years of this series she takes on corrupt billionaires, the US Army, corporate America, computer hackers, Wall Street, and anyone who gets in the way of her ambitions.

Into this maelstrom comes a brilliant but naive young lawyer named Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne). She's hired to help take on a nutty billionaire (Ted Danson) who has stolen his employees' retirement fund. She soon learns that in Patty's world there is no line between private and business lives, and she's soon sucked in. But it's a dangerous world full of treachery and murder and revenge.

Tate Donovan co-starred in the first three seasons as Tom Shayes, Patty's right-hand man and law partner. He's excellent. Others who play important roles over the course of this series include William Hurt, Judd Hirsch, Janet McTeer, John Goodman, Ryan Phillippe, Campbell Scott, Marcia Gay Harden, John Hannah, Martin Short, Lily Tomlin, Chris Messina, Dylan Baker, and Keith Carradine.

Only season 4 was a little disappointing with its endless war scenes from Afghanistan. Usually, the plots closely follow Close and Byrne as they maneuver to control the other. The series is full of surprises and superb acting.

One of the best dramas ever to grace a TV screen.

Wow, this series deserves an 11 because 10 just does not give it justice. I put this series on the same pedestal as Sopranos and Deadwood. Fabulous, intriguing, more addictive than crack cocaine (and better for you). I just cannot praise this series enough. The acting was just superb. What i find amazing is how the performances in this series and for instance Deadwood were so much better than any acting performance in any movie for the last decade. They should be giving Oscars to these series because they are far higher quality than Hollywood films.

Glenn Close is utterly brilliant, and so is everyone else really. Each and every character is so well casted it is hard to find anything to criticise. I suppose some might say its a little gory but I don't think so.

Actually the only complaint i have is at the BBC who aired the series in the UK. They put it on at the most stupid time at night when it was clearly the best piece of television they have on the BBC. This series left everything else behind it in a cloud of dust.

Watch it and watch it again. TV this good is very rare.

What a pleasure to be drawn into a series by such intelligent writing and outstanding acting. I couldn't wait until the next episodes. I talked to several friends each week to prolong the pleasure. In a world fun of shamefully silly and dumb programming, my hat is off to FX.I hope this show returns. The ending left it wide open for answers. I can't wait until it comes back. Glenn Close was perfectly cast as the villain; the character you love to hate. I was surprised at the wonderful acting by so many actors I had not seen and the ensemble of the cast was perfect.Why can't there be more shows with the depth and suspense? Is there any way to let fans know if this series will continue?

No doubt that this show is one of the best ones I've seen in years, not for the story itself since it's not so probable to happen in real life for dirtier the legal world can be, but yes for the way that it's told and mainly for the performances. Glenn Close, what can we tell about her? For sure she's ALWAYS mesmerizing and particularly in this show she's frightening terrific. I also agree to think that it's a waste of talent see an actress like her having to work in a TV show, but at the same time a thank god for being able to watch a show like this one casting an actress like her. Rose Byrne is great and a lot convincing, I already knew her for some previous works and she's really talented. Ted Danson worked perfectly as the pathetic Mr. Frobisher and was great to see Tate Donovan working in something interesting again instead of wasting his time in TV shows like The O.C. And the same can be said about the other guest appearances thru the seasons.

During the 5th episode of 1st season, Patty Hewes says to Ellen Parsons to trust no one. The show is ALL about this sentence because everything here is a secret, no one is reliable and nothing is what it seems. All the elements for a good crime/thriller show are there. Some clichés exist but they are important for the entertaining. 1st season was a smash delivering all the greatest things that a TV show like this one should have and its finale was something that really did the audience expect the 2nd season enthusiastically. After more than an year of waiting, 2nd season finally had its premiere and it was awesome the new and undefined plot that was presented, but as new episodes were coming things were more confusing than being just an interesting puzzle to a point that audience was not being an active part anymore, trying to discover together with the characters what really happened, but became a passive one being deceived all the time, losing what made 1st season so special. 3rd season was the same thing, maybe the worst one. A bunch of great actors and actresses underused within a weak plot development full of red herrings and horrible conclusions, failing a lot when trying to exceed the 1st season tricky interesting qualities. Both 2nd and 3rd seasons finale were something kinda strange, giving absurd explanations for things that could be far better if explained in a simpler way. Maybe that's why 4th season was far better and a back to form. The formula using flashbacks and flash-forwards was the same, but a simpler main plot was presented and developed without unnecessary obstacles during 10 episodes. Characters in a exact number performed brilliantly by an amazing cast. Hope 5th season (and last one) to keep the tone achieved during 4th season, and maybe a great court fight to give it a great ending.

So, even thinking that 2nd and 3rd seasons failed a lot in a bunch of aspects, I still give the show 9 stars most for its first season and, of course, the performances that, I repeat, are more than just performances, are outstanding performances.

I took notice of this show once it was Emmy nominated in 2008. I have regretted that decision. This is by far one of the best dramatic shows I have ever would definitely say one of if not the best on right now.

IMDb remarks that this and Mad Men were the first series nominated from cable for best drama. Personally Mad Men doesn't compare to this show if you ask me. The writing is intricate, complicated, and very intelligent. The acting is top notch (evidenced by several emmy and golden globe nominations over the years). And of course the production and direction are impeccable as well.

All of that being said if you want a show where you literally have to watch every episode to keep up with whats going on and will challenge you with every episode this is the show for you. One of the best and most intelligent shows around, hands down.