Ep 1. Get Me A Lawyer

Patty Hewes, one of the most successful and ruthless lawyers in New York City, takes on a high-profile case in the premiere episode of Damages. When a young woman named Ellen Parsons lands her dream job at Hewes and Associates, she quickly learns that there's more to Patty than meets the eye.

The episode opens with Ellen frantically packing up her apartment and leaving a string of unanswered voicemails in her wake. It's clear that she's running away from something, but we don't yet know what. As Ellen makes her way to her new job, we get a glimpse of the cutthroat world of high-powered law firms.

Patty Hewes, played to perfection by Glenn Close, is a formidable presence from the get-go. She's intelligent, direct, and unapologetic, with an air of controlled chaos that suggests she's used to getting her way. When Ellen arrives at the Hewes and Associates office, she's greeted by a group of sharp-suited lawyers who all seem to be vying for Patty's approval.

It's only after Ellen has signed her employment contract that she learns the nature of the case she'll be working on. Patty has been hired by Arthur Frobisher, a billionaire industrialist who's being sued by his former employees for insider trading. Frobisher is played with oily charm by Ted Danson, who manages to make the character both repugnant and fascinating at the same time.

As Ellen begins her work on the Frobisher case, she quickly discovers that all is not as it seems. She starts to piece together a web of lies and deceit that implicates both Frobisher and Patty in some very shady dealings. Meanwhile, Patty is dealing with her own personal demons, including a marriage that's on the rocks and a son who's struggling with addiction.

One of the most striking things about Get Me A Lawyer is the way it uses flashbacks to slowly reveal the events that led up to Ellen's frantic departure from her apartment. We gradually learn that she was involved in a violent altercation with her fiancé, David, and that there may be more to the story than meets the eye.

As the episode progresses, the tension ramps up and we're left wondering what will happen next. Will Ellen be able to uncover the truth behind the Frobisher case? Will Patty's personal and professional lives implode at the same time? And what exactly happened between Ellen and David that drove her to flee in the middle of the night?

Overall, Get Me A Lawyer is an excellent introduction to the complex and compelling world of Damages. It's a tense and tightly-plotted thrill ride that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat from beginning to end. The acting is superb, with Close and Danson both delivering standout performances that showcase their considerable talents. If the rest of the series is anything like the first episode, viewers are in for a treat.