I lied, too. [HD]

Still Great - But not as riveting as Season 1
Season 1 was taut and terrifying magic. Season 2 tries to mix in a major new storyline while still carrying forward the lethal fallout from last season's Arthur Frobisher case. Although teasing and confusing the viewer are part of the stylistic tone of this production, things got a little muddy with too many characters in mid-season. Still, the Season Finale was so brilliant, it more than paid off its mid-season markers. Meanhile, the acting of the major characters - Rose Byrne deserves more credit, IMHO - continues to shine.

Sometimes Less Is More
The first season of "Damages" was brilliant.

The second season was very good as well. But, it seems to be missing something.

Upon reflection, I believe the missing ingredient was villians who were just as compelling as the "heroes."

In Season 1, the series benefitted greatly from Ted Danson's portrayal of the wayward billionaire Arthur Frobisher. Danson's Frobisher was equal parts "average joe made good" and inaccessible, plutocratic jerk; the rare character who you find yourself both repulsed by and rooting for. (This combination made him a yin to Patty Hewes's yang.)

There are no "villians" who the viewers can identify with in the 2nd season. The primary antagonist in this installment was an industrialist who would not acknowledge the illegal dumping of hazardous waste because he would "have his company taken away from him" if he did. There's nothing nuanced, complicated or vaguely sympathetic about that.

Glenn Close once again...

Still excellent in the second season
Season 2 of "Damages" picks up right where Season 1 left off, with fallout from the Frobisher case lingering. In season 2, a new case is introduced involving an energy corporation and its nefarious CEO, played smashingly well by John Doman. William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden and Timothy Olyphant join the cast.

In season 2, the show is still excellent, but the plot is somewhat more convoluted that it was in season 1. While convolution, in my book, generally adds a welcome layer of depth, mystery and complexity to a show, in this instance it brought some confusion with it, particularly with regard to a character named Dave Pell who's trying to get Patty Hewes' husband Phil Grey to become energy commissioner. Since I watched the show on DVD, I didn't have much down time between episodes, so confusion was minimized. If I'd spaced out the viewing, however, I might have gotten lost. So, when you're watching, pay attention to Dave Pell and how's he's involved...

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