THE END IS NIGH. 'DAMAGES' SEASON FIVE

A case too far? The stakes have never been higher, or more deadly, for Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) and Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) in the fifth and final season of DAMAGES. Images: DIRECTV.

She's taken on some of the most powerful, influential and corrupt businessmen and women in the world. She's been shot, stabbed and car rammed by family and friends who have felt the sharp end of her mind and tongue in pursuit of her own set of unique ideals, but now manipulative and hierarchical super lawyer/super bitch Patty Hewes, as always brilliantly played by Glenn Close, goes into battle against one of her own, her once protege and confidante, Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne), as the final series of the hit legal thriller series DAMAGES goes out on a memorable high with its critically well received fifth and final season of ten episodes, recently aired on the American DIRECTV channel and likely to arrive on British airwaves, via DVD from SONY HOME ENTERTAINMENT, in the new year.

Getting her own back after having been betrayed once too often during Season Four's investigation into a corrupt arms dealer, former military man (John Goodman) and his High Star corporation, Parsons takes part in the legal battle against Hewes by her son, Michael (Zachary Booth), to win back his daughter in a custody battle, but as the fireworks and cat scratching begins, an even bigger case breaks out that will overshadow their personal events and ego clashes, one that will hurtle them all back into a new web of deceit and intrigue, as well as even greater danger for the pair, both personally and professionally, as a brutal murder sees them put everything on the line for one last time.

Patti Hewes takes on the defence for the Wikileaks-esque whistleblower character of Channing McClaren (Ryan Phillippe).

Trailer: Damages Season 5 Official Trailer - YouTube

No strangers in using today's controversial headlines to craft intriguing and atmospheric storytelling, series writers and creators Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman start their final year with the mother of game-changing, shock opening episode teases, as we quickly enter the shadowy and criminal world of super banks, whistleblowers, the controversies surrounding freedom of information, and the price of fame, all of which merge into a river of blood, pain and falsehoods. The very domain in which Patty Hewes has thrived and been consumed by for so long...

Look out for more on the final season of DAMAGES on the KOOL TV site in the not too distant future...

MEN OF HONOUR FACING A 'LAST RESORT'

US submarine fugitives make a stand at the LAST RESORT. Images: ABC TV/SONY.

Looking set to combine the claustrophobic edge of your seat drama of CRIMSON TIDE, as well as shades of Nevile Shute's classic Nuclear War novel ON THE BEACH and probably a little bit of LOST's lush island visuals thrown in, the upcoming submersive drama THE LAST RESORT, created by THE SHIELD's Shawn Ryan and Karl Gajdusek, promises much in its premiere series ambitions, starting on the UK's SKY ONE HD channel at the end of the month (30th October).

Trailer: Last Resort ABC Trailer (HD) - YouTube

On the bridge of the Colorado, Robert Patrick and Andre Braugher face a nuclear catastrophe.

Finally getting away from lots of supporting roles on film and TV, though staying within the realm of  normally playing stern or gruff military men or authority figures which I've always known him for, experienced character actor Andre Braugher gets a chance to take series centre lead as Captain Marcus Chaplin, captain of the US nuclear submarine Colorado, who questions a vital order from his superiors to fire nuclear missiles on Pakistan. Its a decisive action against his superiors that soon leads him and his loyal crew into becoming pursued fugitives from their homeland. Arriving and commandeering a NATO listening station far out in an undesignated spot in the Pacific Ocean, the shows conspiracy thriller roots are explored as the crew try to find out what has lead them to this scenario. Other sub-plots and story directions ripe for exploration include the Captain and his command crew overcoming internal dissent, trying to get along with the island's already fractious established natives, and taking on a dangerous drug cartel.

Islanders and command staff mix in the opening episode. But will they get along?

Executive produced and directed by top New Zealand action director, and helmer of two of the best modern James Bond films- GoldenEye and Casino Royale, Martin Campbell will surely add style and gloss to the opening pilot episode, whilst a solid supporting cast includes Bruce Davison, DOLLHOUSE's Dichen Lachman and THE UNIT's always great Robert Patrick. It's been a long time since there's been a series like this on the small screen, surely a bold and expensive gamble by ABC TV, and as a huge fan of the edge of your seat submarine thriller sub genre I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing how this format crossing series will pan out. Currently getting respectable ratings in its US timeslot, lets hope that LAST RESORT gets a chance to show future episodes rise to the surface rather than dive, dive, dive down the Nielsens.

KOOL TV BABE OF THE WEEK: 'LAS VEGAS's VANESSA MARCIL

High stakes gambling has never been more compulsive and glamorous than when in the presence of LAS VEGAS star Vanessa Marcil. Images: NBC UNIVERSAL. 

By no means a classic American series, the glossy, colourful and sometimes (well, a lot) trashy NBC UNIVERSAL hit LAS VEGAS-about the lives, loves and adventures of the dedicated and good looking staff and security people of the fictional hotel of the Las Vegas based Monetecito resort and casino, shored up by the gruff lead series star presence of the always excellent actor James Caan- was fun, and certainly a guilty pleasure for my televisual viewing every week in its early seasons, before it lost its story arcs and basically became an out there soap opera.

For me it was especially essential viewing in it's babe factor, with the series having no less than four gorgeous ladies amongst its main cast, including lovely blond model/actress Molly Simms as Caan's quirky, mercurial (often airhead) and exhibitionist "Daddy's Girl" daughter, Delinda, the voluptuous Nikki Cox as Mary Connell, on/off girlfriend to young lead Josh Dushamel's ex-Marine Danny McCoy (currently top eye candy for the ladies and a big star in the hit TRANSFORMERS movie series), and later staff member of the Montecito, British actress and later LOST star Marsha Thomason, looking delectable in her white business suits as crack table boss Nessa Holt, and lastly, and my favourite, the cute and lovely Victoria Marcil as Sam Marquez the waifish, pixi-like, cheeky and sassy character of Sam Marquez, whose primary role at the casino was as uber super concierge to the richest and most powerful gamblers arriving daily through it's spacious lobbies, making sure that they never leave it and spend all their money on its facilities and gambling tables. With Marcil acting as my personal liaison, I certainly never would have left!

Titles (European version): Las Vegas Intro (Season 1) - European Version - YouTube

The character had her occasional dark secrets, and several on and off lovers making re-appearances in her life, but Sam was always loyal and very protective of her friends and major league clients. And as an actress, Marcil was certainly the right gal for the role, possessing sly assertiveness beneath her tiny frame and lots of big time, unobtainable sex appeal in her pat's mission to be the best of the best in her Vegas job- a fantasy cocktail environment of dreams and occasional madness, before it became a bloody CSI weekly crime scene!, where anything can happen and probably will. Inhabiting Sam, I'm sure Miss Marcil's fans will agree with me that there was already a lot of not inconsiderable charm, craftiness (of a positive kind, like a female Artful Dodger) and sex appeal already present with the actress.

Vanessa Marcil with the amiable cast of LAS VEGAS.

Beyond her five season stint on the series, created by film writer Gary Scott Thompson, the lovely Californian actress has since appeared in several long running series including WITHOUT A TRACE, and was last year appearing in the long running US soap opera, GENERAL HOSPITAL, as Brenda Barrett.

KOOL TV hopes to see Miss Marcil in another hit series or film in the not too distant future.

All five seasons of LAS VEGAS are available on DVD. The series is also in re-runs on the UK's SONY ENTERTAINMENT TV channel.