"Damages" is a new Fox television show starring Glenn Close as big time attorney Patty Hewes. What makes the show unusual from the normal legal type show is the entire series is based on one case and a young attorney's (Rose Byrne) connection to it. The show opens with Ellen Parsons (Byrne) staggering out of an elevator and into the street, totally confused and covered in blood. We are then transported back to 6 months earlier when she first joins the firm of Hewes. The lawyers of the firm are involved in a class-action lawsuit against Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson), who is a multi-billionaire CEO of a company where 5000 workers have lost their jobs and pensions when the company folded. Frobisher is accused of knowing before the collapse of the company and selling his stock before the fall, leaving his employees high and dry. Shades of Enron.
As you watch the episodes, you learn more and more about each character and we find that no one, with maybe the exception of Ellen, is an angel. Backstabbing and betrayal are all part of this legal world.
Close and cast are wonderful; Close has made a career of being a baddie since "Fatal Attraction", but here she is even more diabolical. She is willing to do just about anything and sacrifice anyone to win a case. She gives Ellen a great piece of advice early on in the series, "Trust no one". Wise words for this series.
The blu-ray transfer is good but not great. The openings, which are in the now, with Ellen in jail or at the scene of the crime, are purposely distorted in its color presentation and have a very grainy look. When the show flashes back, the picture clears up with sharp detail ( you can see makeup on actresses, etc) but the show episodes are inconsistent, with grain showing up in some episodes. It's easy to spot in the skyline shots during in the opening credits.
Sound is Dolby TrueHD and it is a good mix. Since this a dialog driven show, not much information is sent to the surround speakers accept occasional ambiant noises.
Extras consist of two commentary tracks available on certain episodes by Close, cast and crew. Extras are available through a neat popup feature and include a making of feature, understanding class action lawsuits guide and deleted scenes from various episodes. A blu-ray bonus is the specials were shot in high definition.
"Damages" is a powerful new series and is made better by Close and cast. The dynamic writing and their ability to concentrate on this one case reminds me of the short-lived series Murder One, but the lawyers here are totally vicious, with poor Rose Byrne caught in the middle. This series will have you hooked in no time, wanting to watch what comes next. Disc techs could have been higher but the show overcomes these fault with its powerful acting and writing.
