Damages is a 13-part legal drama series, set in New York. It stars Glenn Close as Patty Hewes, a reviled high-stakes litigator, and follows her and her ambitious protege, Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne), as they enter a legal battle with Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson), an allegedly corrupt CEO of a major corporation. The series premiered on July 24, 2007 at 10 pm/9C on FX Network. Both Close and Byrne have stated that the show will not be a full-running TV Show, and that it will not be renewed for a fall season.Damages has done so well in its series premiere that FX Network decided to continue to air encore presentations. It's also listed under My Network TV schedule which is owned by FOX.

The premiere episode begins with Ellen Parsons running through the streets, visibly stained with blood on her hands and face, and in a state of shock. The police arrive and take her in for questioning, but she refuses to give any information; she simply demands to see a lawyer. Using a bloodied business card found on her with the words "I was warned" and her signature on the back of it, they contact someone who tried to employ her once, and clues start to unfold.

With that the show shifts to its main focus, a timeline six months in the past. It first introduces Patty Hewes, a ruthless lawyer, then details how Ellen came to be one of Patty's associates. Hewes is in the midst of a huge class-action lawsuit against Arthur Frobisher, and is willing to do anything - and use anyone necessary - to win it.

The story shifts back and forth between two timelines, providing connecting details (for example, six months ago, a pair of miniature Statue of Liberty bookends is given as a gift, while in the present it is seen as evidence, i.e., a murder weapon).