A FOURTH YEAR OF COLLATERAL "DAMAGES"!

No rest for the wicked! Glenn Close returns as fiery super-lawyer Patty Hewes in DAMAGES. Image: FX

They say working in the legal business is like swimming with sharks. Well, if that's the case, watch out for the return of one of the biggest and nastiest of 'em all, the Great White herself, Patty Hewes (as played with an always fascinating and antagonistic edge by Glenn Close-when her character smiles, watch out! You'll need either a really good alibi or a firm Kevlar bulletproof vest from the experience!), for the fourth year of the critically acclaimed series DAMAGES (coming to DirectTV in the US next month). Having put paid to the travesties of justice and the secret and manipulative affairs of the previous years draining legal fight against the super-rich Tobin family, resulting in her long-time associate Tom Shayes (Tate Donovan) having been viciously murdered during their investigations, plus the end of Patty's emotionally bitter relationship (once "friendship") and strong guilt with her legal eagle protege, Helen (the ever-lovely, if slightly put-upon looking Rose Byrne), now over (the latter having also finally ended her own attempt at revenge on her boss, forgiving her for her prior unsuccessful attempts at killing her via private hit-man), it's now back to basics and a clean slate for the strong chalk and cheese partnership as this dramatically re-charged season begins, no longer restrained by previous complex internal continuity from the shows writers, as they take on a whole new world of shady corporations, powerful public figures and innocents, and not so innocents, caught in the middle of it all whilst defending a successful and controversial businessman/military contractor (played with weighty superiority by John Goodman) soon to be involved in a wrongful death suit over an incident in a war zone not unlike those seen in Afghanistan or Iraq. Adding further character drama for Ellen, already partner-less and in an often tense relationship with her family, comes the arrival of an old school friend, played by Chris Messina, who reveals a Post-traumatic stress disorder from a prior shocking and terrifying experience. No doubt there will be a link between him and the world of Goodman's arms dealing...of which all kinds of hell and exciting character conflict will surely ensue!

In addition to the superior casting of John Goodman-whose scenes with Close and Byrne will surely be electric and tough- look out for other great acting support from the likes of Judd Hirsch (as an old friend of Patty's-again, watch out, she doesn't like being emotionally compromised by anyone during a case!) and Griffin Dunne as a truth seeking investigative journalist.  

Here are the two trailers so far (via TV GUIDE): VIDEO: Season 4 Damages Trailers Bring Naked Terror - Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.com

No doubt, DAMAGES will return to UK TV screens in 2012. More news and info as and when.

Seasons One to Three of DAMAGES are also available on DVD and Blu-ray from FOX.