Good news! Damages has been saved from cancellation and there will be a fourth and fifth seasons. Unfortunately, not all of the show’s fans will be able to see the new episodes.
Damages revolves around Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), a tough New York attorney. She takes on tough cases and will do just about anything to make sure her clients come out on top. Prominent castmembers have included Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan, Ted Danson, Zeljko Ivanek, Noah Bean, Anastasia Griffith, and Philip Bosco.
The FX series has been declining in the ratings for some time and the third season finale only drew 925,000 viewers. The cable channel said that they couldn’t afford to keep broadcasting the show based on those numbers. They also said they’d be open to some sort of partnership deal if Sony could find another buyer (ala the shared airings of Friday Night Lights between NBC and DirecTV).
DirecTV has come to the show’s rescue but is financing new episodes for exclusive airings, in a similar vein to the deal they made for Passions a couple years back. This means that viewers who don’t have DirecTV won’t be able to see the episodes.
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“FX was very proud to have developed one of the best scripted series on television, but, in order to have a future, the show needed DirecTV and we are thrilled they stepped in,” said John Landgraf, President & General Manager, FX Networks. “Sony Pictures Television is a great production partner and we at FX Productions are excited for these next two seasons.”
Under the exclusive deal, DirecTV has ordered 20 new episodes of Damages that will play out over the course of two seasons. They’ll air on DirecTV’s exclusive 101 channel in 2011 and 2012. The satellite provider has also acquired the rights to rerun the first three seasons of Damages.
For those without DirecTV, the episodes will surely be released on DVD at some point.
What do you think? Are you glad to hear that Damages has been saved? If you don’t already subscribe, would this news make you consider ordering DirecTV?
Image courtesy FX.
I absolutely am shocked that Damages was cancelled, I think it is amazing and so well written.
It is hard to imagine not watching it!! I was thinking it is the only show left to watch after 24 ended. We have too many trees for direct tv,. Give us cable users a chance to watch it!!
I am so bummed that there are only two more seasons. Moreover, I am especially upset b/c I dont have Direct TV and cannot get it where I live. This is by far one of the most intellectually stimulating shows on TV. I watch very little TV, but this one is worth working my schedule around. Come on FX. Give us back some great TV.
Damages brought high quality, acting, directing and producing to television…..something it is lacking.
Congratulations! Television has failed us again!! It is amazing to have such a quality show disposed of because executives at FX don’t know how to pick their programming times correctly. All TV channels should review the quality of the scripts and place all of the “brain-tapping” shows on one entire evening. There are too many shows that are just plain silly. There is no structure for people who demand more from television. The West Wing, Mad Men, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, the well written new series Rubicon, etc. are all shows that require a human IQ to watch. Nothing is… Read more »
Sorry to see this go to Direct TV as well. Loved the series and will miss it !! I cannot go back to fighting with Direct tv once again, but just wanted to say that this will be missed, if you ever consider bringing it back to FX count me in!!! thanks for the great writing staff and program….
I’m really disappointed FX didn’t “Man-Up” and promote the hell out of the show before it started sinking in ratings so badly that DirecTV had to step in to save it. Now I won’t be able to see the fourth and fifth seasons at all…not unless I find them as torrents online. I don’t subscribe to any cable/dish provider as I don’t feel my money is well spent on all the crap I don’t watch. There are so few television shows I do watch, and Damages was one of the best. Seem the American viewer is too stupid to understand… Read more »
Sorry to hear we won’t be able to watch the next two seasons. We tried to subscribe to Direct-TV but wee unable to get all 3 local networks. We live in Panama City and would not be able to receive CBS out of Dothan. It is a great series and one that we looked forward to seeing.
I am very glad that Directv picked up Damages I think this is a series that needs to be saved. Thanks Directv.. I gald I’m your customer
I’m very disappointed and will not be subscribing to DTV. Guess I”ll wait for the DVD.
THIS IS the smartest show on tv – I think failure to promote the show has been the problem. Hopefullly, it’s not lack of brain power from some tv viewers. I think the 3 min recap Nip Tuck did would be an excellent adjunct to the show because of story line jumps. I don’t have direct tv…….
I am very disappointed that Damages will not be returning to FX as I don’t belong to Direct TV. . .I think it is one of the best shows on TV. . .the writing is incredible and it always keeps me on the edge of my seat. I will probably have to wait for the DVD’s to come out. Glenn Close is wonderful in this role and the rest of the cast is excellent also. Again, I am sooooo disappointed that FX did not pick this show up again.
I, like many of the people who have written a response to the series being cancelled, am so disappointed that the FX network has chosen to not renew it for the 2010 season. I have followed it over the past four years along with “RESCUE ME” and several dramas that are featured on other cable network channels that have successfully wrapped up their story lines like “Saving Grace” on TNT. I am so relieved to see that that NBC had the good sense to run their episodes of “Friday Night Lights” during the summer months to give that series some… Read more »
“Damages” is the ONLY show I watch, so viewing the third season via iTunes was perfect for me. The episodes were in hd and commercial-free and I only had to pay around thirty bucks (as opposed to several monthly cable fees for crap that I don’t want). I would love it if the 4th and 5th seasons were once again made available on iTunes, but — if not — I’ll subscribe to DirecTV, because I love the show that much (and I’m very grateful to DirecTV for saving it). I couldn’t imagine waiting two years to see Patty and Ellen… Read more »
This is really depressing news. Just read the update about the next two seasons which my husband and I will not see. Not sure if we would have access to DirectTV. In Canada we watched program on Showcase. It will be a long time before DVD’s are sold for the last two seasons. I can’t understand why ratings were low. It’s a fantastic show!! By the time the DVD’s are available we will have totally forgotten how the third season ended.
sigh…………so disappointing. glenn close is at the top of her game in this series. the writing is perfection. not very often i find a series that i am willing to sit and actually watch. plan my evening around….so sad. i’ll miss it but have no intention of subscribing to direct tv. i wish them the best. i hope the direct tv customers appreciate what they are getting!