All rise for the sophomore season of Damages, which has a surprising amount of hangovers to the gripping first year's storyline. Anyone expecting a clean break might be disappointed, as the aftershocks of the Frobisher case are still being felt by manipulative Patti Hewes (Glenn Close) and doe-eyed Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne)...Following season 1's thrilling climax, Patty is quietly suffering post-traumatic stress brought on by the suicide of lawyer Ray Fiske (Zeljko Ivanek) in her office, and guilt over her part in the attempted murder of protégé Ellen. Ellen herself is trying to get over the recent murder of her boyfriend, by attending a grief support group -- where she meets a ruggedly handsome man called Wes Krulik (Timothy Olyphant), whose kindness she misconstrues as unwanted sexual advances. And, of course, she's also agreed to help two FBI agents entrap Patty, by getting her boss to accept a rigged litigation case involving infant mortalities...
For both women, there's unfinished business with Art Frobisher (Ted Danson). The grey-haired billionaire has since been defeated in court and financially ruined. Now a national hate figure (as Patty enjoys celebrity status for her part in his downfall), Frobisher has narrowly survived a gunshot wound to the stomach and is reassessing his life from a hospital bed in a secret location. I'm intrigued by the decision to keep Frobisher around, but not yet convinced it's a good idea. Danson was excellent last year (a fascinating, multi-faceted, sympathetic villain), but keeping him around seems a strange decision. Will he spend season 2 atoning for his sins and slowly rebuilding his life, business, reputation and dignity?The premiere's fresh case concerns Daniel Purcell (William Hurt), an old friend of Patty's who hasn't spoken to her in ten years -- for unspoken reasons. Daniel has apparently uncovered evidence of malpractice at a big energy company, and now his family are being threatened to scare him into keeping schtum. The would-be-whistleblower believes only Patti's resources can protect him from the unscrupulous firm, and has already sent her incriminating evidence for safe-keeping. But, Patty doesn't seem willing to help...
There's also a minor subplot about Patty using Frobisher's money to start an anti-hunger charity, which is used to remind us how manipulative Patty can be. After her business friend Sam Arsenault (James Naughton) turns down a request to help support her charity, his teenage daughter is immediately papped taking drugs and splashed on the front pages -- and Arsenault's request for Patty's legal help comes at the expense of his commitment to her cause. It's not made explicit, but it seems likely Patty was involved in his daughter's "bad luck" to force her father's hand, doesn't it?
Damages' pilot was one of the best premieres of recent memory, so this season's restart inevitably suffers in comparison -- but it does an effective job of outlining the new direction and introducing some new faces. I'm particularly excited by the presence of Hurt (a compelling, unpredictable actor with a lot of presence), and Olyphant (a charismatic young actor who's bags of fun to watch.) What's the betting Ellen's cynical suspicions about him prove correct, too?
The regulars are again very good, particularly Glenn Close (who resembles a blonde vulture in a tailored suit), and I'm pleased to see recent plot developments have given Rose Byrne more to work with. The season also uses another time-framing device -- as we open with Ellen talking to someone off-screen, six months in the future, before jumping back in time. As with season 1, we're in the middle of a past/future sandwich here, to be squeezed together over the dozen episodes.Overall, there was nothing particularly awful about "I Lied, Too", and it did a brilliant job of setting out season 2's stall. I'm yet to be persuaded we really needed Frobisher hanging around (no matter how great Danson is), and I'm still grieving the loss of the excellent Zeljko Ivanek (who makes a brief, ghostly cameo), but newcomers like Hurt and Olyphant heal the damage.
15 February 2009
BBC1, 10.10pm
Writers: Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler & Daniel Zelman
Director: Todd A. Kessler
Cast: Glenn Close (Patty Hewes), Rose Byrne (Ellen Parsons), William Hurt (Daniel Purcell), Tate Donovan (Tom Shayes), Timothy Olyphant (Wes Krulik), Ted Danson (Arthur Frobisher), Tom Aldredge (Uncle Pete), Zachary Booth (Michael Hewes), Glen Kessler (Agent Werner), Todd A. Kessler (Perry the Doorman), James Naughton (Sam Arsenault), Mario Van Peebles (Agent Randall Harrison), Steve Belanger (Business Man #3), Ann Bradson (Grief Counselor), Brett Cullen (Businessman #3), Alexandra Daddario (Lily Arsenault), Guiesseppe Jones (Uniform Cop), Debra Lass (Secretary), Delaney Muro (Erica Percell), Dennis Ryan (Business Man #2), Felix Solis (Rudy Vasquez), Paige Turco (Christine Purcell), Regis Philbin (Himself), Kelly Ripa (Herself) & Zeljko Ivanek (Ray Fiske)
