Damages: Season or Series Finale? What Would Come Next?

It’s no secret that the ratings for Glenn Close and her Damages TV show have not been very good for awhile. If the series hadn’t gotten a two-season renewal, it likely wouldn’t have gotten a third year at all. Tonight’s episode marks the last of the season and very well may be the last of the series — but not if the Sony studio has their way.

There’s been talk of Sony trying to find a partner like DirecTV to share Damages’ production costs with FX. Unfortunately, the series is expensive and the ratings aren’t good so it’s a harder sell than others. It seems hard to imagine that a buyer could be found but Sony says that they’re continuing to try to make it happen.
Sony maintains that international sales of the show will play a key factor in keeping the show going.

According to the NY Times, Sony makes about $2 million an episode from international sales.
Zack Van Amburg, president of programming and production for Sony Pictures Television, said, “International is critical for these shows,” he said. “Five years ago broadcast shows were more valuable. They were thought of as better-produced and of higher quality. Now cable shows have gone out and performed well.” Van Amburg also says that the series has been a labor of love for the studio.

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If Sony isn’t successful, it sounds like Damages fans will be getting some degree of closure. After wondering for an entire season, viewers will find out how Tom Shayes (Tate Donovan) died. Of course, they aren’t the only ones who were kept in the dark. Donovan didn’t find out until shortly before he was to shoot his death scene for the finale.

Damages series co-creator Todd A. Kessler says that, because of the format of the show, the season (or series) finale will have closure. He said, “Each season is one case, so the nature of our storytelling is that the story comes to an end. Tom’s death will forever change Patty Hewes’ life and Ellen Parsons’ life, and in many ways, that is where the emotions of this season end.”

If the show does continue on, Patty will be affected by Tom’s death but, co-creator Daniel Zelman believes, “There’s some question as to whether Patty is capable of taking the full amount of responsibility that she probably should take. Because if she did, she would have to stop. That’s a question we have to answer: Is she capable of taking responsibility or is she stuck in a place where no matter what the consequences are, she has to push forward and hold on to her power?”

What do you think? Would you like to see Damages continue on? If it doesn’t, are you satisfied with tonight’s being the last episode?