Past Damages – Season 1 Episode 1 Review

Since we’ve got some time to wait, let’s catch up on what’s happened so far…

Damages - Season 1 Episode 1 – Pilot

The elevator door opens on a young woman wearing underwear, heels and a short green trench coat. She’s covered in blood. After running the streets of Manhattan, we see her next in a police interrogation room.

Flash back six months, the young woman, Ellen, is offered a job at Hollis Nye’s law firm. It’s a great offer, and a good job, but Ellen may have other plans. She’s got an interview with the prestigious law firm Hewes and Associates….

When we first meet Patty Hewes she’s forcing a rival into settling a case for $125 million more than he wants. When we see her again, Patty interrupts Ellen’s sister’s wedding to talk to Ellen. And hires her on the spot.

Along with the new job, Ellen gets a whole new wardrobe, including a short green trench coat, of which she says “Can’t wait for a reason to wear it.”

Ellen will be working on the Frobisher case, a class action law suit against Arthur Frobisher who’s been accused of insider trading that left his employees penniless. When Ellen discovers that her future sister-in-law Katie works for Frobisher, she wonders if that’s why Patty hired her. She can’t decide what to do until, convinced that Frobisher was the one who killed her dog; Katie decides to testify against him.

As the action moves back and forth from present day to six months prior, we meet Patty’s Uncle Pete, her associate Tom Shayes, Frobisher and his lawyer, Patty’s clients and Ellen’s fiancé David. David, and this won’t ruin anything, is dead in the bathtub by the end of episode.

Glenn Close as Patty Hewes shifts between being a warm and convivial family oriented boss and a bitch on wheels. I’d never been a huge fan prior to Damages, but she won me over pretty damn quickly, she is so very good. Never sure whether Patty is a really complex character, or very simple, what you see at any moment is what you get…Close gives an intensely watchable performance.

Rose Byrne plays Ellen Parsons as a somewhat naïve (or is she?) but strong willed young lawyer in what should be a star making role.

Tate Donovan, Ted Danson, Zeljko Ivanek, Noah Bean and Phillip Bosco are some of the other players in season one. Donovan is particularly watchable as Patty’s right hand man who may a whole lot deeper than he seems.

Pay particular attention to the ‘memento’ that Patty tosses into the sea…

And the theme music..because you’re going to love it… ‘When I Am Through With You’ by The VLA.

Related posts:

1. ‘Past’ Damages – Episode 1.2 ‘Jesus, Mary and Joe Cocker’
2. ‘Past’ Damages – Episode 1.3 ‘And my paralyzing fear of death’
3. Damages – (Thoughts on ) Season 2
4. Review – Damages Episode 3.1 “Your Secrets Are Safe”
5. Review – Damages 3.3 – “Flight’s at 11:08″