We never got around to watching Damages this year when it was actually on the air, but we dutifully recorded it to catch up with some time.

There, an entire season sat, taunting us.

I remembered that last year, with Season 1, we knew, somehow, that we were going to like the show, but just couldn’t get ourselves to hit “play” on the first episode.

We’re not big on the procedural in our house. Only the star power of the cast – Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Ted Danson – and the fact that it was on FX made us take a second look.

About five minutes into the first episode, we were completely hooked.

Oddly enough, the same thing happened this season.

It ended weeks ago – April 1 – and we hadn’t started watching it until over the Memorial Day weekend. We’d exhausted most of the other shows and movies on the DVR that we watch together.

So we finally caved in and started watching Season 2 of Damages.

About 5 minutes into it, we were completely sucked in.

I’m not sure how they do it, but the writing, the acting, the lighting, the cinematography is stunning.

Glenn Close is a revelation; her character is mercurial and changes from happy and pleasant to angry and bitter at a moment’s notice. And both are believable. Rose Byrne has earned my respect as an actress.

And Ted Danson? I forgive you for the Three Men and a Baby movies, Ted.

The success of Damages on cable is bittersweet, though. It makes me realize that a fantastic show like Kings would probably have aired its entire run in consecutive weeks and have been renewed for a second season if it had been on FX rather than NBC. It makes no sense that the highest quality shows on TV today (OK, besides Lost) are all on Expanded Basic Cable, or whatever they’re calling it these days.

I’m reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace right now and in his descriptions/rants about the entertainment technology of the future, it reminds me too much of now.

The Big Four Networks running the show makes no sense. Once Lost & 24 are over next season, I’ll have little reason to stick to the major networks. OK, I think Fringe is going to keep me hooked for a couple of years.

But give me shows like Damages and Breaking Bad, short seasons, off the broadcast spectrum, and I’d be a happy TV camper.

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