More Damages, Luckily

The fourth season of Damages started on DirectTV last week (July 13).  The first three seasons were well-made thrillers with plenty unexpected twists and turns, and I expect nothing less from the latest season.  And while I have always found Glenn Close to be scary as a character as well as in real life, she is the perfect star in this psychological (if not pathological) thriller where her law firm is in the middle of high stakes drama.  Sadly, this season will not run on network TV as has been the case with the past DirectTV-created episodes, but I expect the new season will be available on iTunes and Netflix down the road.

Damages has also has the ability to breath life into actors we had taken for granted while also identifying new talent.  For instance, his part in the first three seasons of the show caused me to reevaluate my opinion of Ted Danson, who I had previously viewed as a has been sit-com actor.  His role as Arthur Frobisher, a ruthless corporate owner, later somewhat daft reformed soul, was fun to watch and a solid piece of acting. Of course, as I tuned into Mr. Danson again I found he was still quite funny in Curb Your Enthusiasm while also the essential ingredient in a three-way friendship on another great HBO program, Bored to Death.

Timothy Olyphant also showed his stuff as a dark hero primarily in season two of the program.  While he met a gruesome end, his nuanced character added depth and mystery to the show.  Of course, Mr. Olyphant went onto to great things with his own series Justified.  Season two also brought William Hurt onto the show as a suffering scientist, husband, and father who recently lost his wife.  His character was difficult to watch since he was always holding something back.

Season three brought Martin Short onto the cast and allowed us to see him in a whole new light as a power-grabbing, manipulative lawyer defending a Bernard Madoff-like businessman and his family.  He also had a chance to act with Lily Tomlin, who played the businessman's wife.  As is always the case, the show was completely ruthless and both Short and Tomlin were in the thick of things until the bitter end.

Season four brings John Goodman to the forefront.  I have not seen him on anything since Treme, where his character was a little over the top, so I hope they provide him with a more subtle role.  Damages has a way of showing us a new side of an actor and I look forward to this new season.