Inside: We're watching DAMAGES

The first episode of Damages started off with a bang, setting up a legal battle between high stakes lawyer Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), who fights (very) dirty for the little guy and a billionaire (Ted Danson), who ripped off his employees to line his own pockets (or did he?); a mystery that will end in murder; and solid amount of enjoyable dialog and twists.

The subsequent episodes have slowed a bit (naturally), but this is still a great watch.

Like: I dig the structure of the show. The majority of each episode covers events beginning six months ago and leading to the present, which is revealed in tiny flashbacks (or flash-forwards? flash-presents?). I love Close and Danson, particularly that their characters are complex in refreshing ways...Patty Hewes is evil, manipulative and consumed with her career, yet has a warm and solid relationship with her husband. By now, we're pretty sure that Arthur Frobisher is guilty of stealing from his employees (or of something else he's even more worried about Katie remembering), but his character is...dare I say it?...kind of....sort of....sympathetic (ack. I said it). When he insists that he didn't do it, I believe him.

Dislike: This week's episode was probably the weakest so far. Tom's personal journey to realize that he doesn't want to work for anyone but Patty (not even himself), while not unnecessary, still didn't require the bulk of an episode.