9.050 minSeason 5 • Episode 10
LatestSeries Finale: While looking to use Michael Hewes' custody hearing to bring down Patty (Glenn Close), Ellen (Rose Byrne) is double-crossed by a key witness in the McClaren trial.
Damages is an American legal thriller television series created by the writing and production trio of Daniel Zelman and brothers Glenn and Todd A. Kessler. The plot revolves around the brilliant, ruthless lawyer Patty Hewes and her protégée, recent law school graduate Ellen Parsons. Each season features a major case that Hewes and her firm take on, while also examining a chapter of the complicated relationship between Ellen and Patty. The first two seasons center around the law firm Hewes & Associates. Later seasons center more on Patty and Ellen's relationship as Ellen begins to distance herself from Hewes & Associates and begins an independent career.
Acting
Glenn Close's micro-expressions deserve their own Emmy category.
Writing
Nonlinear structure that lies to you beautifully.
Direction
Cold, blue-tinged prestige TV before it was everywhere.
Creators
Allen Coulter, Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
FX originally passed on the pilot; it became DirecTV's first original series for seasons 4-5 after nearly dying.
The show inverted the typical legal drama: cases were solved in season premieres, with the 'how' and 'why' unfolding backwards. This structure eventually exhausted viewers and critics alike.
US
