Image Credit: Craig Blankenhorn/FXAt FX’s pre-upfront bash last night, every last one of the network’s shows was represented… except Damages. A bad omen? Hard to see it as anything but. However, FX prez John Landgraf assured me that the April 19th season-ender isn’t necessarily the series’ finale.
“Sony is talking to DirecTV,” he confirmed to me with what I took to be a tone of genuine optimism. “We couldn’t be happier with Damages creatively. The third season is superb. It’s a massive success from a creative standpoint.
“But,” he added, “it’s a show that has always struggled from a ratings standpoint. I think that’s because it’s so complicated. It takes an incredible amount of devotion and an incredible attention span to watch it.”
We could’ve debated whether those are really such bad things, but he quickly moved on to what was worse: Damages‘ pricetag. “It’s a fairly expensive show to produce,” he noted. “One of the reasons we’ve been able to keep it going for three years is because it’s done very well globally.”
In the end, I came away feeling like Landgraf was rooting for a fourth season almost as hard as I was. “If Sony can find the right partner, we’ll be happy,” he insisted. “There’s no question — we love it. It brings a lot of cache to our network.”
So imagine what it could do for DirecTV. What do you think? Is Patty Hewes down for the count? Shouldn’t HBO pick it up? Or Showtime? Heck, QVC, for that matter!
Another season of Damages is only a good thing for the television world.
Does a DirecTV deal mean you can’t see it without subscribing to DirecTV? Didn’t this happen with Friday Night Lights? Couldn’t you see those episodes later on USA or something? If anyone knows how this will work or has worked in the past, could you please let me know?
Brian,
What will happen if the deal goes through is DirecTV will have the 1st option to run the 13 episodes and then they will air on FX later in the year. Friday Night Lights airs May 7th on NBC next month.
Too bad The Riches couldn’t be saved by DirecTV but hopefully Damages will be.
Pleasepleaseplease, someone save this gem. I think it would be tremendous on premium cable, but in any way, shape, or form, “Damages” needs to be saved.
Ausiello is right on with this– you have to have a tremendous attention span to watch this show! It’s one of my favorite “escapes” in that regard– for 45 minutes, my mind can’t drift away to any drama in my life. Otherwise, you’ve missed some major plot point. There’s plenty of shows I enjoy, in a variety of genres, but this is the ONE where I know my mind is 100% occupied.
I agree, please please please save this show. It’s too freakin good to let go this early. Give us one more season so the writers can go all out for the last season and have a Patty vs. Ellen showdown.
I agree that I am captivated and I have to pay attention every second (and I’m an attorney – most legal related shows I can’t stand). Lost and when it was on, Battlestar Galactica are the only other shows that you have to watch that intently. This makes me wonder how it does on Itunes and with DVR.
Not only do you have to pay attention to this amazing show, you have to do it while still trying to takea breath.
Yes, you do have to pay attention to this show, and that’s one of the things that makes it soooo great. For one whole hour your attention is totally on this show. I always use my DVR on this one so I can go back and re-watch it, because I always miss something!! Please save this show!!!
The guy’s right – this season has been incredibly good. The last episode alone…! Amazing. Really hoping for a DirecTV intervention here.
I adore this show!! hopefully directv will save it just like they did with friday night lights. They’re definitely doing something right over there.
And yes @Pete, last episode was unreal!!! Can’t wait to see how the season ends in 2 weeks.
I fail to understand why more people do not watch and devote a little bit of their attention span to this terrific show… I’m pretty sure it will do them good to take a little break from American Idol and DWTS… Currently this ranks as my no. 1 favorite show on TV up there with Lost so I will not be happy if this gets canceled!
Couldn’t agree with you more!! What a great show … this is the best season yet. The Idol and DWTS crowd are missing a real gem.
Chris Shifty – my thoughts exactly! I loved the Riches and still wish for another season… and I love Damages too…
I gotta say, it’s a little refreshing to hear a tv exec that seems to actually enjoy television. Some tough decisions come along with running a network, but it’s good when they sound willing to fight.
Yes I agree. I’m glad to hear that he appreciates a creative and smart show. I really hope some network would save this show. It’s so smart. But I agree that you do have to have a good attention span and patience to watch this show. And I’m not sure America’s tv audience fits into that description.
I don’t care what channel or time of day they decide to air Damages as long as it continues for at least one more season. Put it on at 4am on QVC, I don’t care. Damages is one of the best shows on TV, with THE best cast on TV. Right now, my love for it rivals that of Lost, which is my main obsession. So yes, I’m pretty fanatic about Damages. This season has been so magnificent, I really don’t think I can pinpoint a single flaw. There are only two episodes left this season, and if those are the final two episodes of the series, I may have a heart attack. Please DirecTV, save this show! Or HBO, or AMC, or somebody, anybody! I need more Patty Hewes!
And like a few other people noted, I still miss The Riches too. Too bad that brilliant show wasn’t saved by another network.
I understand the agonizing over renewing the series. It’s brilliant, but it’s almost necessary to either DVR the entire season or watch the DVDs back-to-back. The complexities are astounding (that’s a compliment), and it’s also, arguably, television’s best-acted drama. I’m routing for a fourth season. Glenn Close is superior.
it MUST be saved!
A confirmation… of what we already know? Call me when DirecTV makes a decision one way or the other.
ilove the series i they bring back
After this week’s episode, I’ll be completely bummed if it doesn’t come back. This is the ONLY show that I make sure I tune in to every week (I gave up on Justified). Hopefully, global turnout is good enough to sway DirecTV. I hope a decision is made soon.
I tune in every week too, but I’m not a house that is counted in Nielsen’s ratings. I really hope this show gets saved. This is in my top 3 favorite shows. I haven’t been crazy about Justified, but I think this latest dentist episode was great. I think I liked the brighter Los Angeles look to it. Granted I’m a California girl, but I think the dark filming of the southern town (it might still be filmed in LA, I’m not sure where it’s really filmed) but the dark,dusty, brown, and rather depressing visual look that they are going for, just doesn’t do it for me. Justified definitely has more funny parts where I laugh out loud, as opposed to the serious Damages look, but visually speaking, Damages is much better and prettier to look at, along with being an amazing show. I’m going to stick with Justified for a while and see how it goes, while keeping my fingers crossed that Damages gets renewed by DirectTV.