With the new FX legal drama, "Damages," premiering July 24th at 10PM, I was lucky enough to get my hot little hands on a screener of the first episode of the show. As a fan of the extremely talented and multi-faceted Glenn Close, I had high hopes and was not disappointed. The episode opens with a woman covered in blood, wearing a trench coat, heels and not much else, running panicked through the streets of New York City. She is subsequently picked up by police and then interrogated about who she is and how she got in the state in which she was discovered. She refuses to speak, sitting in what appears to be a stunned silence.
More on Lisa's review of "Damages" after the jump...
A flashback reveals her to be a newly minted lawyer, contemplating a lucrative offer from a New York City law firm. However, she confesses to her interviewees that she has an upcoming meeting scheduled with the notorious Jessica Hewes, played by Glenn Close. Hewes is famous for a stellar career of high-profile legal cases, as well as her tough-as-nails persona. Close plays Hewes as a less frosty, but more manipulative Miranda Priestly, that is if Priestly had the ability to destroy people's lives, as opposed to raise or lower hemlines by flexing an eyebrow. Ellen Parsons (played by Rose Byrne) is the young lawyer, whose ambition belies her mousy exterior.
Not wanting to give too much of the story away, I'll simply say that I was impressed both with the performances, as well as the intrigue presented in the first episode. Much like my beloved Veronica Mars, the first episode ends by answering a few questions, but by introducing a macabre murder mystery that I suspect we'll all enjoy watching unravel throughout the course of the first season. Do yourself a favor and check out the show on FX, which is fast becoming a reliable source of quality television drama.
Oh yes, and I would be remiss if I left out what I believe is a subtle wink to Close's portrayal of Cruella de Vil at the very end of the episode.
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