“Damages” Moves to DirecTV

Posted Jul 20, 2010 by Walt Belcher

Updated Jul 20, 2010 at 10:29 AM

Canceled by FX, the Glenn Close thriller “Damages” has been picked up for two more seasons by DirecTV.

The dark award-winning legal drama will be back with brand new episodes to be produced early next year and debuting exclusively on DirecTV. Emmy winner Glenn Close, Emmy nominee Rose Byrne and other principal cast members will return for the new episodes.

Unlike DirecTV’s current deal for “Friday Night Lights,” whereby the show airs first on DirecTV and then on NBC, the new episodes of “Damages” will air only on DirecTV which also has the rights to air previously produced seasons 1 through 3.

“We’re excited to partner with Sony Pictures Television as we breathe new life into this outstanding drama,” said Patty Ishimoto, vice president of entertainment for DirecTV.  “It’s a win for our customers because only they will be able to see these new episodes and another great step forward as we continue to build our growing portfolio of exclusive, award winning programming.”

“Damages” is simply one of the best shows on television, and we’re grateful to DirecTV for the opportunity to produce more episodes of this groundbreaking show,” said Jamie Erlicht, president, programming and production, Sony Pictures Television. 

“We’re thrilled to have a new home for the show and our team of award-winning writers, producers and actors will not only maintain that standard of excellence, but deliver our best seasons yet,” added Zack Van Amburg, president, programming and production, Sony Pictures Television.

Over its first three seasons on television, “Damages” has featured what is arguably the most impressive cast and guest stars of any series on television – Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan, Ted Danson, Željko Ivanek, Anastasia Griffith, Noah Bean, Tom Aldrege, Philip Bosco, Michael Nouri, Peter Facinelli, Peter Reigert, Mario Van Peebles, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Timothy Olyphant, John Doman, Clarke Peters, Kevin Corrigan, Paige Turco, Tom Noonan, Garret Dillahunt, Campbell Scott, Martin Short, Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Michael Gaston, Darren Goldstein, Sarah Wynter and Reiko Aylesworth.

The drama recently received five Emmy Award nominations for its critically acclaimed third season, Glenn Close for Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Rose Byrne for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Željko Ivanek for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Ted Danson for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series and Lily Tomlin for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

The series earned seven Emmy Award nominations in each of its first two seasons and Close, who won twice, became the first actress from a basic cable series to win the Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama; Željko Ivanek became the first actor from a basic cable series to win the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor for a Drama Series, and “Damages” also was the first basic cable series to take home the Emmy for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series.