Storyline
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.
Episodes
Specials
No overview available for this season.
Season 1
Most of the season follows two different timelines. The primary timeline begins with Ellen Parsons' recruitment by Patty Hewes to "Hewes & Associates" and follows proceedings of a class action lawsuit against Arthur Frobisher by his former employees, whom Patty represents. The initial episodes follow Patty's attempts to capture potential witness Gregory Malina through Katie Connor. The arc further details Malina's involvement with Frobisher's lawyer Ray Fiske and the pressure Patty brings to bear on Fiske on Malina's subsequent death. The narrative includes multiple flashforwards of the alternative timeline, set approximately six months after Ellen's appointment, until both timelines converge in the penultimate episode of the season. The alternative timeline details the attack on Ellen, her arrest for the murder of her fiancé David Connor, and the subsequent murder investigation.
Get Me a Lawyer
Jul 24, 2007
Attorney Patty Hewes hires a new associate, Ellen Parsons, to help her as she tries to ruin Arthur Frobisher. Hewes represents a group of employees that are suing Frobisher after he sold his company, leaving the employees devastated. Ellen is unaware that her best friend, Katie Connor, is working for Frobisher.
Jesus, Mary and Joe Cocker
Jul 31, 2007
Ellen convinces Katie to testify against Arthur Frobisher, which has him considering drastic measures. Patty begins to question if Katie is giving honest and accurate testimony.
And My Paralyzing Fear of Death
Aug 07, 2007
Patty receives a mysterious threat at her office that could destroy her case against Arthur Frobisher. Ellen continues to struggle with the demands of her new job at Hewes and Associates.
Tastes Like a Ho-Ho
Aug 14, 2007
Katie is getting ready for her upcoming deposition in the Frobisher case while Gregory withholds information that could be even more important that Katie's.
A Regular Earl Anthony
Aug 21, 2007
Tom Shayes considers his options as Patty continues to strain to keep her clients happy. Arthur tells Ray that he needs to put more pressure on Patty to make the case go away.
She Spat at Me
Sep 04, 2007
Patty tries to find out what Gregory knows about the case. Arthur Frobisher tries a new strategy to save his family and his money. David and Ellen have strains on their relationship as Lila tries to reenter David's life.
We Are Not Animals
Sep 11, 2007
Tom and Ellen think that Patty is trying to control them so they decide to make an alliance and keep information from her. Patty must keep Gregory Malina secure until his deposition because her case will fall apart without it.
Blame the Victim
Sep 18, 2007
Ellen gets some bad news from her parents. Arthur Frobisher and his team do everything they can to keep things going their way while a witness remains missing.
Do You Regret What We Did?
Sep 25, 2007
Patty Hewes and Arthur Frobisher continue to struggle for dominance as the deposition nears.
Sort of Like a Family
Oct 02, 2007
Ellen tries to get herself back into the mix as Patty and Frobisher fight it out at the deposition.
I Hate These People
Oct 09, 2007
Patty offers Ellen her job back, however, Ellen declines but volunteers to keep helping Patty with the Frobisher case. Lila is back, and bringing more havoc into David and Ellen's lives. Patty uses the newly acquired evidence to blackmail Ray, and offers him an ultimatum.
There's No 'We' Anymore
Oct 16, 2007
Patty finally posts bail for Ellen as Frobisher learns about a tape made by Gregory Malina that could ruin him.
Because I Know Patty
Oct 23, 2007
Ellen talks Patty into defending her in exchange for the Gregory Malina videotape.
Season 2
The second season, like the first, follows two different timelines. The primary timeline follows Patty, Ellen, and Tom as the firm goes up against an energy company who have engaged in unethical practices. A former lover of Patty's, Daniel Purcell, brings the matter to her attention, but then inexplicably backs out, leaving Patty up against UNR CEO Walter Kendrick and his fierce lawyer Claire Maddox. Meanwhile, Ellen works with the FBI to bring down Patty, while also seeking revenge on Arthur Frobisher for his presumed role in her fiance's death. Ellen is unaware that Patty is suspicious of her, and that Frobisher's criminal connections appear to extend to her new friend Wes. A second timeline takes place six months later, when Ellen meets with an unknown person in a hotel room, and subsequently appears to shoot them.
I Lied, Too
Jan 07, 2009
Fresh off her legal victory over billionaire CEO Arthur Frobisher, Patty is taking a break from the law and pouring her energies into her new charitable foundation. But when Patty receives a call from Daniel Purcell, a man from her past, she finds herself entangled in a case with personal and professional repercussions, the likes of which she could never have imagined.
Burn It, Shred It, I Don't Care
Jan 14, 2009
Patty suspects there is more to Daniel Purcell's case than simple murder; Ellen secretly assists the FBI in their attempt to flip Tom Shayes and use him against Patty.
I Knew Your Pig
Jan 21, 2009
Patty begins to suspect Purcell of withholding vital information; Ellen uncovers a decades-old secret from Patty and Purcell's past.
Hey! Mr. Pibb!
Jan 28, 2009
Patty works to clear Daniel in his wife's murder; Ellen and Tom go to West Virginia to gather vital information in the case against Ultima National Resources.
I Agree, It Wasn't Funny
Feb 04, 2009
Patty begins to question Ellen's motives for returning to the firm; Patty tries to stop a corporate merger that she thinks is connected to Christine Purcell's murder.
A Pretty Girl in a Leotard
Feb 11, 2009
Convinced that she knows who is responsible for Christine's murder, Patty uses the media to wage war; Ellen gets closer in her attempt to link Frobisher to David's murder.
New York Sucks
Feb 18, 2009
Ellen, furious at Patty's new alliance, provides the FBI with a new lead to bring her down.
They Had to Tweeze That out of My Kidney
Feb 25, 2009
As she copes with mounting pressure, Patty begins to unravel Walter Kendrick's energy scheme. Meanwhile, Arthur Frobisher's past will come back to haunt him.
You Got Your Prom Date Pregnant
Mar 04, 2009
As Patty goes on the offensive against the FBI, Ellen discovers troubling news about the investigation. Meanwhile, Patty's husband gets an intriguing offer
Uh Oh, Out Come the Skeletons
Mar 11, 2009
As Patty increases the pressure in her case against UNR, the opposition starts to show its cracks; Wes and Ellen's relationship heads in a new direction; the FBI's investigation into Patty takes a shocking turn.
London, of Course
Mar 18, 2009
Claire risks everything to oust CEO Walter Kendrick; Ellen discovers a secret about Patty's personal life.
Look What He Dug Up This Time
Mar 25, 2009
Ellen convinces the FBI to radically change their approach in the investigation. Meanwhile, Daniel Purcell reenters Patty's life and becomes critical to her case against UNR.
Trust Me
Apr 01, 2009
Patty goes to extremes to win her case against UNR, as Ellen's season long quest for revenge builds to an explosive conclusion.
Season 3
Set a year after season two, Patty's focus now rests on Louis Tobin, the patriarch of a wealthy family, who has just confessed to orchestrating the largest Ponzi scheme in Wall Street history. The government has tasked Hewes and Shayes with finding the Tobins' hidden money and uncovering any evidence that other family members had knowledge of the fraud. Ellen Parsons has taken a job at the New York District Attorney's office, but she finds herself being pulled further and further back into Patty's orbit. Tom, who had invested with Tobin, has lost 70% of his net worth, as have numerous others he helped invest. He struggles to keep his involvement from interfering with the case and secret from Patty.
Your Secrets Are Safe
Jan 25, 2010
Patty Hewes has been appointed by the U.S. government to recover billions of dollars lost to the largest investment fraud in Wall Street history. The new case pits Patty against the powerful Tobin family, which includes Joe Tobin, Marilyn Tobin, and the family's trusted attorney Leonard Winstone. Meanwhile, Ellen Parsons adjusts to the challenges of her new job, and life, away from Patty Hewes.
The Dog Is Happier Without Her
Feb 01, 2010
Patty and Tom continue to dig into the Tobin family's sordid past, while Joe Tobin must decide between his family and his integrity. Ellen aids Tom in his investigation of the Tobin's, but in doing so receives some bad news of her own. While locked in the midst of a bitter divorce, Patty and Phil find one piece of common ground in the form of their beloved dog.
Flight's at 11:08
Feb 08, 2010
Patty is forced to race against the clock to prevent a key witness in the Tobin case from fleeing the country. Meanwhile, Ellen learns a dark and shocking family secret.
Don't Throw That at the Chicken
Feb 15, 2010
Patty drills Louis Tobin about his fraud while his son Joe makes a decision that will determine the fate of the Tobin family forever.
It's Not My Birthday
Feb 22, 2010
Patty Hewes squares off with the D.A. over access to a key witness. A job candidate at Hewes & Shayes asks Ellen for insight into Patty.
Don't Forget to Thank Mr. Zedeck
Mar 01, 2010
Patty is under tremendous pressure from the Attorney's Office to make progress in the Tobin case, and winds up striking a bargain with an unlikely source. Ellen discovers some new evidence in Louis Tobin's death and Tom's financial troubles begin to effect him in more obvious ways.
You Haven't Replaced Me
Mar 08, 2010
Patty sends Tom out of the country to follow the money trail of the Tobin fraud. Ellen must choose between her new boss and Patty. Leonard Winstone leaves the city under mysterious circumstances.
I Look Like Frankenstein
Mar 15, 2010
Carol Tobin suddenly disappears and it is up to Patty and Ellen to track her down. Arthur Frobisher returns to the fold to open his new foundation.
Drive It Through Hardcore
Mar 22, 2010
Patty finally manages to track down the missing Carol Tobin and forces her to give up the truth about the fateful Tobin Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Ellen's home life is turned upside down and Frobisher begins to make his movie.
Tell Me I'm Not Racist
Mar 29, 2010
A professional disaster looms for Patty when her clients ask that she be thrown off the Tobin case. Tom makes a risky move that may cost Ellen her job at the D.A.'s office.
All That Crap About Your Family
Apr 05, 2010
Patty's star witness is arrested, forcing her to strike an unusual deal with the D.A.'s office. Frobisher reveals a little too much about his past.
You Were His Little Monkey
Apr 12, 2010
Patty and Ellen set out to tear the Tobin family apart. When Tom Shayes' job and marriage unravel, he strikes up a deadly alliance.
The Next One's Gonna Go in Your Throat
Apr 19, 2010
Ellen and Tom take matters into their own hands in an attempt to win the Tobin case; Patty Hewes is haunted by the price of her success.
Season 4
The fourth season takes place two years after the Tobin case. Ellen has moved on with her life. Now an attorney at her old mentor's firm, she's content with her cases and colleagues. Deep down, however, she wants a bigger challenge. When she discovers her friend has been through a traumatic experience while working for High Star, a private security firm hired by the U.S. government to carry out special missions in Afghanistan, she suspects foul play and asks Patty for help. Patty knows that trying a case against High Star can make Ellen's career. Or ruin it. It was inspired by recent events and controversies surrounding Blackwater Security Consulting.
There's Only One Way to Try a Case
Jul 13, 2011
Ellen investigates Howard Erickson's company despite warnings from her boss and from Patty; Patty takes on a big pharmaceutical firm; Erickson goes after defense contracts for his company.
I've Done Way Too Much for This Girl
Jul 20, 2011
Ellen takes the High Star case to the senior partners; Chris feels certain he is being targeted; Erickson and Boorman try to make the lawsuit go away.
I'd Prefer My Old Office
Jul 27, 2011
Ellen learns that Chris used to hunt down terror suspects; Patty rejects Erickson's settlement suggestion for the High Star case.
Next One's on Me, Blondie
Aug 03, 2011
Ellen meets the son of Chris' Afghan contact; Erickson decides to torture Chris for information about the possibility of an intelligence breach; Patty discovers that High Star extracts terror suspects for the CIA.
We'll Just Have to Find Another Way to Cut the Balls Off of This Thing
Aug 10, 2011
Ellen and Patty move Nasim to a safer place as they gather evidence against High Star; Boorman frames Nasim for an attempted bombing to prevent his deposition; Erickson struggles to maintain his CIA contact.
Add That Little Hopper to Your Stew
Aug 17, 2011
Now that Nasim is labeled as a terrorist, he loses his credibility as a witness. Erickson buys land to build a private army. Ellen enlists journalist Dean Gulickson to track down Chris in Afghanistan. Michael comes to see Patty and demands to meet Catherine.
I'm Worried About My Dog
Aug 24, 2011
Patty uses her drug-company case to gain information on High Star; and a journalist tries to embed with High Star mercenaries in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Michael Hewes seeks out his daughter, Catherine.
The War Will Go on Forever
Aug 31, 2011
While reporter Dean Gullickson (Griffin Dunne) heads to Afghanistan, Erickson orders his staff there to deal with Sanchez once and for all. He also confronts Boorman. Meanwhile, the judge in the High Star case allows Ellen to depose Erickson. "Just remember that we're in the middle of a game," Patty tells her. "We don't have to win it now. We just want to keep playing."
There's a Whole Slew of Ladies with Bad Things to Say About the Taliban
Sep 07, 2011
Boorman tries to align himself with Patty. Meanwhile, Chris' life remains in jeopardy and the case becomes personal for Erickson.
Failure Is Lonely
Sep 14, 2011
Ellen is furious with Patty for violating their agreement about the High Star case. And tempers come to a head between Erickson and Boorman—with Chris' life hanging in the balance.
Season 5
In the final season of Damages, Patty and Ellen are pitted against one another in two separate cases. The first involves a wrongful-death suit brought against Channing McClaren, the founder of a whistleblowing web site, who's implicated in the death of a trader for an investment firm. In the other case, Ellen is called as a witness to testify against Patty in the custody battle with Patty's son, Michael.
You Want to End This Once and for All?
Jul 11, 2012
A whistle-blower case puts Patty and Ellen against each other.
Have You Met the Eel Yet?
Jul 18, 2012
A hacker claims to have pertinent information about the leak at Princefield; Patty's former colleague offers her services to Ellen.
Failure Is Failure
Jul 25, 2012
Ellen detects inconsistencies in McClaren's story. Later, Ellen's mother requests her help.
I Love You, Mommy
Aug 01, 2012
Patty and Ellen seek the source of the Princefield leak, while Patty takes on Ellen through the press.
There's Something Wrong with Me
Aug 08, 2012
Someone from McClaren's past turns up and sheds light on his personal life; Patty has a confrontation with an adversary.
I Need to Win
Aug 15, 2012
The attack Ellen suffered years ago comes back to haunt her.
The Storm's Moving In
Aug 22, 2012
A blizzard strands Patty and Ellen; McClaren uncovers a major player in the trading scandal.
I'm Afraid of What I'll Find
Aug 29, 2012
Ellen begins to uncover the truth about her attacker. Chris Sanchez approaches McClaren with information.
I Like Your Chair
Sep 05, 2012
McClaren's latest leak thrusts Ellen into the spotlight. Tensions between McClaren and Rutger Simon come to a head.
But You Don't Do That Anymore
Sep 12, 2012
Series 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.
Series Info
Status
Ended
Seasons
5
Episodes
59
Language
en
Networks
