Damages Commentary
On the advice of some fellow writers, I decided to check out FX’s Damages whose first season is conveniently available for free (and legally I believe, since it was linked from Hulu) on Crackle.com.
I was actually predisposed to dislike the show, despite the raves of some writers I know, the concept just didn’t do much for me.
And watching the first few episodes, I felt like I should be disliking it while it engrossed me anyway.
Just as a matter of personal taste, I have a tough time getting into shows where no one is sympathetic.
On Damages, at least through the first couple episodes I saw, there are few really sympathetic characters.
No Sympathetic Characters, Basically
The lead lawyer/crazy bitch is Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), who to the point I’m at has killed a dog, treated a lot of people like shit, and seems pretty much like a horrible lady to work for.
Her protegee figure is Ellen (Rose Byrne), who is ostensibly supposed to be the sympathetic character. But frankly, as Ellen continues to show a willingness to sacrifice to be with Patty Hewes despite obvious signs Patty is nuts, it’s tough to feel sympathetic towards her. If anything it’s easier and more intriguing to me to consider the dark undercurrent of the show, that Ellen is actually ready to sell her soul for success, and is not as sweet as she appears.
Probably the most likeable character, albeit in sort of a sick way, is the big company boss Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson). Frobisher does order a hit on a witness against him, but is obviously extremely conflicted about it, and calls it off as soon as the witness signs a confidentiality waiver. On this show, that sort of naked concern for another person’s well-being is somewhat rare.
But obviously the guy’s not that sympathetic, he cheats on his wife, does coke, order’s someone killed, and may or may not have screwed 5,000 of his employees out of all their money.
So Why is the Show Good?
The reason why, in my estimation, is the plotting. Damages packs a LOT into one episode.
BIG Events
Besides the repeated flash-forwards to a future where Ellen is covered in blood and sitting in an interrogation room, Damages packs the present tense with huge events.
In the Pilot Alone
-Patty tricks an attorney into agreeing to a $150 million dollar settlement.
-Ellen gets engaged.
-The workers Patty’s representing cave to Frobisher’s offer of $100 million
-Patty fires her ten-year employee and right hand man Tom with little just cause
-Someone kill’s the dog of a potential witness against Frobisher (who also happens to be Ellen’s sister-in-law)
-It’s revealed Patty hired Ellen to get to her sister-in-law, planned the dog killing (and faked firing Tom) in order to get the witness angry (since the witness assumed it was Frobisher’s doing) and gave herself a spy by pretending to fire Tom (who was later confided in by Ellen, who figured Tom could be trusted)
-It’s also revealed Ellen’s fiance dies in the future
All that happens JUST in the pilot.
Why this is a good writing lesson
As writers it is easy to settle. We think our story is probably exciting. Movie X, Y and Z had similar events, and people liked those, right?
But we always have to push ourselves above and beyond. The audience is beyond jaded, and to shake them out of their stupor you really have to go for it.
-Dan Benamor