Friday, September 2, 2011

Friday Giveaway: Damages

Brutal knivings, dove-grey Chanel handbags, senseless sexual encounters, dealing with double-crossing corrupt businessmen, more murders. That's what I've been doing the last couple of weeks...watching Damages.

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If I was a good mother and a decent blogger I would be writing about my four children's first day back at school. But putting in hard-core sessions until 1am watching Damages has left me drifting through the days in a telly hangover.

Back To School.... now when was that, how did it go? I have a hazy memory of three of my kids -  boys I think -  heading off somewhere. Did they walk or did I drive them? One child, a 10-year-old girl who calls herself Tallulah, seems to be still at home waiting for her new school to start, a shadowy figure wandering the rooms. I even attended the myriad of Class Information nights and morning Meet and Greet coffee and croissants, but who knows what was said, what was done...

You see: I had to prioritise. And the thing that has filled my time, my thoughts, my very being is Damages.

Damages is a legal drama about the world of New York City litigation, following the "turbulent lives of Patty Hewes, the nation's most revered and reviled high-stakes litigator, and her bright ambitious protégé Ellen Parsons."

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Patty Hewes is played by Glen Close, with subtle glimpses of her spurned bunny boiler in Fatal Attraction and the fan-fluttering manipulative Marquise in Dangerous Liaisons. What is it about Glen Close's sparkling eyes and secretive close-mouthed smile that reveals so little and promises so much drama and intrigue? Is she pure evil or simply a flawed advocate of the underdog? And the beautiful Ellen Parsons  - played by the Aussie Rose Byrne - is she truly sweet or as corrupt as Patty herself?

Another treat is to see them spar against Ted Danson, who with his grey "hair" bolstered by infinitely better hair plugs than he previously sported, plays a dirty corporate dog. And the fantastically ever-creepy William Hurt, Patty's old love and the man who seems to be hiding something. (Hmm...also a closed-lip smiler.)

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These matters have somewhat obsessed me over the last few weeks. And, umm...I might have let a few things go...

One evening Jackson, 11, came into the TV room wailing: "Cy just deleted all of my book report!!!"
Me, staring straight ahead: "How do you know it was Cy?'
Jackson: "The screen was on Angel by Shaggy -  Cy's favourite song!"(Which, by the way, is sexist and stupid and no attentive mother would let seven-year-old Cy watch it.)
Me: "Please step outside, I'm terribly busy, I can't deal with this now."

Another entreaty from Harley, 13, as he heads off to catch the 7.30am bus to his new high school:  "Please, please Mum, could you do some grocery shopping! Please! There is nothing for my lunch again!"

The good news is that watching Patty Hewes with her 17-year-old son Micheal makes you feel like a fabulous mother. Her son despises and fears her.
Michael: You were right. I was playing games with you. I was very angry, and I was acting out.
Patty: Acting out? You sent me a hand grenade and almost killed your stepfather.

My "Damages Friend" Lesley, and I have filled our in-boxes, barbecues, dinners out and standing on the playground with analysing the relationship between Patty and Ellen. Over the weekend our back-and-forth "doyouthink..." induced other 'friends' to splutter into their margaritas appalled: "Jody! Lesley! These are not real people! They are characters on TV!" Lesley and I shook our heads and smiled our best conspiratorial closed-lip Patty Hewes smile. They don't know, they are not one of us. But that's been part of the commitment - ignoring the detractors, the scoffers.

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When our friend Rina was just here from London she was hooked. She visited for only four days but two nights were devoted to Damages. "Uggh!" she said after a four-hour session one night: "I feel emotionally violated." But we pressed on, clocking in another four hours the next night.

It was something Kevin and I could do together, though truthfully his commitment wavered at times...he had a job to go to in the morning. One night he broke down: "I can't go on!" he cried; "I've got to go to bed. And..." he added: "no more tomorrow night - Patty Hewes is giving me nightmares." We pushed through it.

But now? Now it's over, we can get on with our lives. Stacking the dishes in the dishwasher, talking to the kids, putting on make-up (necessary as I have multi blemishes from excessive lying on the sofa) doing the grocery shopping.

Yes, it's over. Until Season Four...

Today's First Friday Giveaway is the first three seasons of Damages. To enter, you need to be a Follower or Subscriber and leave a comment. You get an extra point for each if you Facebook and-or Twitter the offer. The winner will be drawn - randomly - next Friday 9 September.

What's your current telly obsession?

17 comments:

  1. Oh... I am the exact same way with my *beloved* Friday Night Lights. Blitzed through seasons 1-3 and starting 4 this weekend. And then- only one more season to go (show ended at 5). What will I dooooooooo when its all over???

    Probably attend 'volunteer tea meetings'... like the one that is occurring right now. As I sit hear and read blogs. Prioritizing. =)

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  2. Sopranos. The Killing (original) Time and time again.......I love love love the Soprnos.......and justified/spiral/east bound and down.....

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  3. Oh yes I am a follower and I would love love this!! It is something that would engulf me as well.

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  4. So funny! That's how I am when I watch shows on dvds. I'm hooked on a Lost marathon, one show after another, non-stop. I can't get anything else done around here. Horrible. But it's the way to watch shows, instead of having to wait for it every single week.
    I never even heard of "Damages". Where have I been??

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  5. Oh god, I hate to admit it but the other night I couldn't sleep and must've watched 8 episodes of storage wars. The humiliating part is that I liked it. Well my friend, I was a closet Damages watcher and just like you--love watching Patty because she makes me feel good about myself as a person. Also, since we're on the subject, didn't it seem as if Ellen didn't really love her fiance enough to marry him? I love Kevin's response--Patty Hewes is giving me nightmares! Exactly! That's why it's so brilliant. Also, I didn't know that the new season was starting soon--something to look forward to!

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  6. Damn. I always meant to watch Damages when it was on tv - nicely parcelled out in weekly episodes so I couldn't overdose
    Now it's too late....I can see me buying the box set....I forsee a lost weekend...

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  7. I have recently watched the first two episodes of Damages and I'm hooked!

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  8. Hubs watches that but it's never interested me until I read your opening paragraph.
    On mac and cheese- it's cheese, yuk I can't stomach it, give me bread and pasta but hold the cheese!

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  9. Since no one else will admit it, I will. I am hooked on that Kardashian train wreck. Guilty (and regular!) pleasure.

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  10. As the result of all your teliviewing, are you now a damaged woman? One hopes not, but one isn't sure. Are we about to see a more dark and sinister Jody? Will the children starve, because there is no food in the house?
    To be continued. . . ?

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  11. hands down the best show on television....but we are behind 2 episodes...somehow our blasted dvr did not tape an episode and we WILL not watch ahead....no! no! no!
    i'm a true blood whore...that's with a double-U thank you very much, and pretty much msnbc junkie. everything else during the summer is intolerable. i'm jonesing for the good wife to start up!!

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  12. How have I never heard of this?! Sounds fabulous!

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  13. Jody- If I win, give your Damages to someone else as I don't have the time for that. Hours and hours? Can't do it.

    With no cable or dish or Fios stuff, my current TV obsession is a network show: The Nate Show. I tape it on a VHS tape (so cheap!so low tech!) I watch the charming Mr. Berkus when I fold laundry and the three kids love it, too. I think they are decorating and picking up their rooms a bit more, too.

    Loretta

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  14. The Wire did that to me. There is something about Dominic West ... Much like Macy, I'm slightly scared of the box set - I may not surface for days!

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  15. oh man, this is what happened to me when i started watching mad men. lOVE that show.

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  16. I've been dying to see this and by the sounds of it I know I'd be hooked!!! My kinda show for sure :) I'd love to win.

    Hope you're having a great long weekend xoxo

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  17. It's been much too long since I had a good TV obsession! Bring it on!

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