Damages (season 1)

The first season of the FX legal drama series Damages premiered on July 24, 2007 and concluded on October 23, 2007. It consisted of thirteen episodes. Damages was created by brothers Todd and Glenn Kessler along with Daniel Zelman, each of whom served as executive producers and contributed seven scripts for the season, including the premiere and the finale.

Damages
Season 1
Region 1 DVD artwork
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes13
Release
Original networkFX
Original releaseJuly 24 (2007-07-24) –
October 23, 2007 (2007-10-23)
Season chronology

Most of the season follows two different timelines. The primary timeline begins with Ellen Parsons' (Rose Byrne) recruitment by Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) to "Hewes & Associates" and follows proceedings of a class action lawsuit against Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson) by his former employees, whom Patty represents. The initial episodes follow Patty's attempts to capture potential witness Gregory Malina (Peter Facinelli) through Katie Connor (Anastasia Griffith). The arc further details Malina's involvement with Frobisher's lawyer Ray Fiske (Željko Ivanek) and the pressure Patty brings to bear on Fiske on Malina's subsequent death.

The narrative includes multiple flashforwards of the other timeline, set approximately six months after Ellen's appointment, until both timelines converge in the penultimate episode of the season. The alternative timeline details the attack on Ellen, her arrest for the murder of her fiancé David Connor (Noah Bean), and the subsequent murder investigation.

Cast and characters
See also: List of Damages characters

Main cast

Recurring cast

Episodes
See also: List of Damages episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUS viewers
(millions)
11"Get Me a Lawyer"Allen CoulterTodd A. Kessler & Glenn Kessler & Daniel ZelmanJuly 24, 2007 (2007-07-24)3.66[1]

Patty hires Ellen despite Ellen's having missed the interview. Ellen is assigned to the Arthur Frobisher case. Frobisher offers a settlement of $100 million with the help of one of the foremen of the employees, Larry Popler (Victor Arnold). When the employees reveal that they had earlier decided to accept such an offer, Patty pretends to fire her second-in-command, Tom Shayes (Tate Donovan), for not having known about it. David proposes to Ellen. David's sister, Katie, reveals to Ellen that her upcoming restaurant is being financed by Frobisher. Ellen wonders if Patty hired her simply because of her relationship with Katie. Patty intimidates Katie, making her believe Frobisher is after her.

In the future timeline, Ellen is found covered in blood. On inspecting her apartment, the police find the dead body of David Connor.
22"Jesus, Mary, and Joe Cocker"Greg YaitanesTodd A. Kessler & Glenn Kessler & Daniel ZelmanJuly 31, 2007 (2007-07-31)2.93[1]

At Ellen's birthday party, Katie gifts her a pair of Statue of Liberty bookends. In the light of Katie's appearance as a potential witness, Patty asks her clients to reject the settlement for the moment. Patty asks Katie to give her a complete and accurate account of her time in Florida. Still intimidated by Frobisher's people, and upon Patty's advice, Katie signs a confidentiality agreement with Frobisher. Katie finally admits to Patty that she lied earlier, and confides she had one night stand with Gregory Malina while in Florida. Patty offers Ellen a new apartment.

In the future timeline, the police collect one of the bookends as the murder weapon, and Ellen is shown handling it.
33"And My Paralyzing Fear of Death"John David ColesTodd A. Kessler & Glenn Kessler & Daniel ZelmanAugust 7, 2007 (2007-08-07)2.06[2]

When Patty and Ray Fiske are called by the judge about the Frobisher case, Patty is tasked to provide, by Friday, a brief documenting a substantial reason to continue with the litigation. Patty receives a hand grenade mailed to her office. Seeing this as possible death threat, Patty takes 24-hour protection. Patty has Tom investigate Gregory Malina. Patty's husband Phil (Michael Nouri) has an accident when he finds another hand grenade in his car. Ellen has to skip her engagement party when she is stuck delivering the brief to the judge. Patty's son Michael (Zachary Booth) tells his school counselor about Patty's dream (in which she is assassinated) as if it were his. Patty has him transferred to a reform academy when she discovers he planted the grenades.

In the future timeline, Ellen says that she didn't kill David and that someone tried to kill her.
44"Tastes Like a Ho-Ho"Larry TrillingMark FishAugust 14, 2007 (2007-08-14)2.12[2]

Katie perjures herself during deposition after Gregory intentionally provides her with incorrect information. Patty, knowing all along that Katie was never a viable witness, lets this happen so that Frobisher will withdraw his settlement offer. Patty also discovers that Gregory owned shares of Frobisher's company in 2002, and sold them on the same day Frobisher sold his. David tries to fend off advances from Lila (Carmen Goodine), his patient's granddaughter. Tom explores alternative job opportunities.

In the future timeline, Katie is shown David's body, sees Ellen through the interrogation window, and is told her brother and Ellen had broken their engagement weeks before.
55"A Regular Earl Anthony"Jean DeSegonzacTodd A. Kessler & Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman & Mark FishAugust 21, 2007 (2007-08-21)2.15[3]

Patty's clients, disappointed by Frobisher's withdrawal of his settlement and the discrediting of Katie as a witness, decide to fire Patty and hire Tom as their attorney. Using the clients as leverage, Tom finally succeeds in negotiating a partnership with Patty. Katie reveals that she has been in contact with Gregory Malina after their first encounter in Florida.

In the future timeline, Ellen claims that someone tried to kill her in Patty's apartment.
66"She Spat at Me"Mario Van PeeblesMark FishSeptember 4, 2007 (2007-09-04)
N/A

Ellen contacts Gregory and tries to make him cooperate with the Frobisher case. Gregory tells Ellen that Frobisher's Florida meeting was not with his broker. Frobisher plans to have his biography written in order to clean up his image, but ends up getting drunk and physically assaulting the writer. Lila asks for David's help at her home and steals his keys.

In the future timeline, the police cannot verify Ellen's claims about the attack on her. Lila tells the police about her relationship with David, which she proves through the stolen keys, and plays them a recording of Ellen's threat to harm her.
77"We Are Not Animals"Dan AttiasAaron ZelmanSeptember 11, 2007 (2007-09-11)
N/A

Patty's firm subpoena's Gregory Malina in the Frobisher case. Fiske's failed attempt to cancel the subpoena causes him to advise Gregory to leave the city, and Gregory flees, despite Patty's attempt to convince him to appear at the deposition. Tom and Ellen think Patty suspects that Tom tried to hire Ellen while he was planning to start his own law firm. Patty offers her son Michael emancipation papers when he refuses to come home from reform academy.

In the future timeline, Tom meets Ellen in the police holding cell. Ellen asks Hollis Nye (Philip Bosco) to follow Tom, who will lead them to Patty.
88"Blame the Victim"Guy FerlandWillie Reale and Davey HolmesSeptember 18, 2007 (2007-09-18)1.70[3]

Patty confronts Larry Popler, one of the client representatives, after she discovers he is leaking information to Frobisher. Larry agrees to help Patty from thereon. Frobisher confirms to Larry that Gregory Malina is still alive. Tom and Ellen meet George Moore (Peter Riegert), an SEC official involved in Frobisher's investigation. Ellen tries to help her father with an accident case he was involved in.

In the future timeline, Ellen faces a preliminary hearing for a murder charge and has the bail set for $1.5 million.
99"Do You Regret What We Did?"Thomas CarterTodd A. Kessler & Glenn Kessler & Daniel ZelmanSeptember 25, 2007 (2007-09-25)1.17[3]

George Moore provides Ellen with information about Frobisher's past criminal case in order to force Frobisher to settle the class action suit. Gregory visits Katie and explains why he provided her false information; he also makes a videotape confessing his relationship with Ray Fiske and Moore's involvement in Frobisher scandal. He is hit and killed by a car outside Katie's house, on Moore's instructions. Lila DiMeo harasses both David and Ellen.

In the future timeline, Ellen, still in jail, urges Tom to locate Patty. Patty has a breakdown at her beach house and is shown driving away from New York State.
1010"Sort of Like a Family"Timothy BusfieldMark Fish & Jeremy DonerOctober 2, 2007 (2007-10-02)
N/A

After Frobisher quashes Patty's only lead against him ahead of the deposition, Ellen proposes to contact Moore again for further information, but Patty forbids her to do that. Ellen pursues Moore anyway and discovers that he hindered the SEC investigation. Patty fires Ellen for insubordination. Frobisher's wife files for divorce, and Patty uses this against him in the deposition.

In the future timeline, Tom discovers evidence of a possible cover-up at Patty's apartment. Ellen tells Tom that Patty tried to have her killed.
1111"I Hate These People"Ed BianchiAdam SteinOctober 9, 2007 (2007-10-09)
N/A
Patty offers Ellen her job back. Ellen declines but volunteers to keep helping Patty with the Frobisher case. Lila is back and bringing more havoc into David and Ellen's lives. Patty uses the newly acquired evidence to blackmail Ray Fiske but offers him an ultimatum.
1212"There's No 'We' Anymore"Mario Van PeeblesTodd A. Kessler & Glenn Kessler & Daniel ZelmanOctober 16, 2007 (2007-10-16)1.38[4]
Patty finally posts bail for Ellen as Frobisher learns about a tape made by Gregory Malina that could ruin him.
1313"Because I Know Patty"Todd A. KesslerTodd A. Kessler & Glenn Kessler & Daniel ZelmanOctober 23, 2007 (2007-10-23)1.69[3]
As the first season ends, Ellen is cleared of murder charges; Frobisher agrees to settle with his former employees; a surprising flashback reveals why Patty went to the cemetery; at David's burial Ellen and Katie talk; and Hollis Nye plays a role in Ellen's returning to work for Patty.

Reception

Awards and nominations

For its first season, Damages was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the 2008 Primetime Emmy Awards, along with six other nominations. Co-creators Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman were nominated for writing and Allen Coulter for directing the pilot episode ("Get Me a Lawyer"). Glenn Close received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, with co-stars Ted Danson and Željko Ivanek nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.[5] Close and Ivanek won in their respective categories, with the series also receiving a Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series.[6] The series earned four nominations at the 65th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Television Series – Drama, Close for Best Actress, and Rose Byrne and Ted Danson for their supporting roles. Close won the award in her category.[7]

Critical reviews

The first season of Damages was met with mostly high praise, and it earned 75 out of 100 based on 27 reviews on the aggregate review website Metacritic. This qualifies as "generally favorable reviews".[8]

Ratings

The series premiere on July 24, 2007 drew 3.7 million viewers, with total of 5.1 million viewers including re-airing on the same night,[9][10] becoming the most watched cable television program for the night.[11] However, the viewership declined over the first season, partially due to the story's serialized approach, with the season finale drawing 1.4 million viewers.[12]

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References
  1. Becker, Anne (August 10, 2007). "Not A Hot Cable Summer for All". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  2. Tom Steinert-Threlkeld, Tom (August 17, 2007). "Summer Viewing: How Less Becomes More". Multichannel News. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  3. Berman, Marc (April 14, 2010). "Damages Ratings". Mediaweek. Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  4. Vasquez, Diego (October 22, 2007). "For FX's 'Damages,' Close yet no cigar". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  5. Levin, Gary (August 5, 2008). "Cable newcomers join the party for Emmy nominations". USA Today. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  6. "Damages". Emmys.com. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  7. "HFPA - Nominations and Winners". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  8. "Damages: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
  9. Keveney, Bill (August 1, 2007). "Nielsens: TNT has dynamic duo in 'Closer,' 'Grace'". USA Today. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  10. "FX Inflicts Ratings 'Damages'". Zap2It. Tribune Media Services Inc. July 25, 2007. Archived from the original on July 22, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  11. McElroy, Steven (July 28, 2007). "Arts, Briefly". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
  12. Itzkoff, Dave (January 1, 2009). "Caution: The Story Line Is Slippery". The New York Times. pp. 2 of 2. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
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