Smallscreen Reviews

'Damages' rocks Monday January 25 on FX

By April MacIntyre Jan 25, 2010, 16:15 GMT

FX does drama well, and "Damages," which returns for Season 3 tonight, is a crown jewel this season for the network.

"Damages" has managed to top last year's efforts in ripped from the headlines fashion, and aided by three of my favorites, Keith Carradine, Martin Short and Lily Tomlin, added to a fine cast headed by Emmy winning Glenn Close, who dominates the series as Patty Hewes, the killer Queen attorney who excels in subterfuge and keeping secrets.

FX does drama well, and "Damages," which returns for Season 3 tonight, is a crown jewel this season for the network.

My favorite season was the first, dazzled by the Arthur Frobisher - Ted Danson storyline and the quality delivered each episode.

Then, the second season came and fizzled out for me as I got lost in where the writers were taking us. 

Not the case with season three as the writers rip-saw us six months forward, six months back over and again weaving a tale inspired by the Madoff scandal, and colored in by the ongoing Ellen Parsons - Rose Byrne tension between that character and Patty (Close) herself.

Keith Carradine is cast as an architect who makes a move on frosty Patty, currently divorcing.

FX sent two episodes for our review, and the story takes Patty inside a huge case for the U.S. government, set to recover billions of dollars lost by a masterful Ponzi scheme run by Louis Tobin (Len Cariou).  His wife and son deny they knew anything.

Marilyn Tobin (Lily Tomlin), and son Joe (Campbell Scott), are guided by the slick Tobin family lawyer, Leonard Winstone (Martin Short).

At the recent winter press tour in Pasadena, the cast of "Damages" spoke to the assembled TV writers and Tomlin revealed a tidbit, "I want to be a really bad character. I want to go toe-to-toe with Patty."

Tomlin said she was a fan of the series and was hell bent on working with Close; she revealed she "physically accosted 'Damages' producer Todd Kessler at a photography show" in hopes of landing a role on the series.

Patty is managing the seizure of assets from the Tobin family coffers and is trying to find the hidden stash, confirmed by Louis in a secretive confession to his horrified son. 

Glenn Close, also at the TCA "Damages" panel, said that she knew people affected by the real-life Bernie Madoff scandal and "a family in her building who had lost millions."

For fans of this series, I will not reveal any more, other than you will be shocked at the end of the first episode.  The multi-layered onion of intrigue with our wide-eyed Ellen Parsons (Byrne) and her complex professional pas de deux with Ms, Patty, who keeps Ellen on her radar 24/7 continues.

Don't let the muddled feel of season two dissuade you from watching some excellent TV tonight. "Damages" has redeemed itself in a fierce way.