Damages - DVD

Damages: The Complete First Season

Amazon Price: $34.99 List Price: $49.95 Usually ships in 9 to 12 days By: Sony - Model: COLD24441D Amazon Marketplace: 45 new & used starting at $29.69

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 62 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The show that makes every other show on TV look pathetic.... 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

If you're reading this you may already be leaning toward buying this show, if you are, BUY THIS SHOW! If you're still on the fence, BUY THIS SHOW! If you have no interest in legal thrillers whatsoever I still say, BUY THIS SHOW!!! I'm serious. DAMAGES show blows all the other shows on TV now (cable or network) out of the water. I was a huge fan of THE WIRE, THE SOPRANOS, SIX FEET UNDER, BATTLESTAR, and this is like those others is top shelf calibre entertainment.
The writing is sharp, agressive and the dialogue is performed with power rarely found in TV. And I have to say it's nice to finally have a show that seems to play with the viewer's expectations in the same loving way that the Sopranos did - it will keep you guessing constantly. You have no idea who is a good guy or bad guy, or who is in control or not. A show like this takes a lot of planning and doesn't come off as fly-by storytelling. The structure is so tight and emotional that I think this is not only the best "legal thriller" TV show but it's the best legal thriller ever made.
....and it NEVER TAKES PLACE IN A COURTROOM!!!! Amazing.

The blu-ray version is well worth the investment. The image and sound are miraculous! Watching this show on blu-ray makes me want to run out and buy every Blu-ray TV show available...but I have to control myself because I'm sure the Sarah Conner Chronicals doesn't even come close.

Glen Close's face pops off the screen and cuts you deep. I mean, to be this up-"close" and personal to such a genius at work is an honor - she earned that Emmy three times over. Ted Danson also is utterly watchable the way he was when he was back on CHEERS - and watching DAMAGES I would smile and remember, "That's right! I remember, Ted Danson is cool!"

Rose Byrne is a hot new talent. Gorgeous as she is brilliant. And Zeljko Ivanek deserves his Emmy too.

My only gripe was that the first season had to end (even though it's cliffhanger made me stand up on my couch and WHOOP with glee!) In contrast, PRISON BREAK'S season 1 was captivating but gets messy and long-winded, this first season is shorter (13 episodes) sleeker, and it's quality after all not quantity that matters. Some of the other supporting performances are weaker than the ENORMOUS Emmy performances you'll get on the show, but, hey...it's all good.

Editorial Review:

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 01/29/2008 Run time: 579 minutes

Damages: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]

Amazon Price: $49.99 List Price: $79.95 Usually ships in 1 to 2 days By: Sony - Model: COLBR24446 Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $39.89

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A couple of amateurish flaws don't even come close to bringing this show down. 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Damages is, in a sentence, fully worth your attention if you enjoy a good drama.
That being said, it has a few minor flaws. The "flash-forwards" that pepper the entire season up until the finale are stylized to a point that's dangerously close to ridiculous. If you're used to the kind of "intense" close-ups and quick cuts that shows like CSI utilize and enjoy them, this won't be a problem, but if you're one who enjoys substance over style, it can get slightly grating. For almost the entire first half of the season, these scenes leak irritatingly little information to intrigue, and I felt like the show was carrot-dangling instead of tossing me little bits to interest me further.
Aside from that, there are a few plot points that feel like a bit of a stretch. However, this is a show that thrives on the unexpected, and I won't get into specifics so as to not spoil the fun. That, and they're negligible when compared to the rest of the show.

The show mainly follows Ellen Parsons, a young lawyer who gets hired by Patricia Hewes, a prosecutor notorious for being ruthlessly effective. Hewes' firm is handling the case of Arthur Frobisher, a multi-billionaire pressed with charges similar to the Enron case a few years back (falsified financial reports, dumped stock, thousands of employees' savings and retirement plans gone, etc.). Without getting into details, the only other important thing to mention is that Parsons is engaged.
Glenn Close's performance as Hewes is sharp and convincing, and Ted Danson (who most people seem to have forgotten after Cheers) delivers a surprisingly compelling performance as Frobisher. The majority of other actors around them are very well-picked, and although generally not well-known, keep pace with the headliners.
The acting is truly what elevates this show above the potential mess it could have been. The ruthlessness and insensitivity of Frobisher and his cohorts is utterly disgusting and shocking on many occasions, yet I still found myself feeling bad for him during certain moments. Patty Hewes is an enigmatic figurehead, and when you see the bits and pieces that they allow you every now and then of what goes on in her world and the lengths to which she's willing to go to make her case, I wondered if I should really be rooting for her. Ellen Parsons is a wonderful heroine, and seeing her character evolve and adapt throughout the season is truly a treat. There are plenty of other characters worth appreciating, but all you need to know is that it's very well-acted.

The plot is also excellent. The twists and turns and deaths and near-deaths make each episode feel like a mysterious-yet-thrilling roller-coaster ride. The writers are definitely very gutsy, and pull some genuinely unexpected punches. Although there are points that make you feel kind of iffy about the show (there's a particular incident involving someone getting hit by a car that I found very cheesy and unrealistic), overall the plot shines. The overly stylistic flash-forwards eventually become genuinely intriguing and intense, lending a hand in heightening the tension in the rest of the show. On top of that, I felt an unexpected anxiety as the gaps chronicling how distant the majority of the show is from the flash-forwards became steadily smaller and smaller.

Damages is not a perfect show. However, you'll have a hard time finding a more intriguing new show these days (with the arguable exception of MadMen), and by the end of the season you'll find yourself itching to see more, especially with the premise that the finale leaves you with.
FX has another winner on its hands. Once The Shield finally finishes its run this year, Damages is going to be a strong new leg for them to stand on. The plot is thick and the stage-setting is necessary, so get into it early and settle in for a satisfying and (hopefully) long run.

Editorial Review:

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 01/29/2008 Run time: 138 minutes Rating: Pg