While a reboot does not feel necessary for a young show like Damages, its Season 3 premiere feels exactly as such.  Despite the presence of several familiar elements, the show has mysteriously shifted gears in more subtle ways to once again catch viewers off guard.

Bad Bad Better

The show is notorious for its morally corrupt, self-serving set of characters.  Yes, they are intelligent and intriguing, but a day without lies is nonexistent in the world of Damages.  In this sense, the premiere still retains its infamy with the underhanded dealings of Patty Hewes.  However, the dosage and extremity of everyone’s actions are significantly toned down in this episode.  No, it doesn’t mean they are innocent in the long run (the flashforwards implicate pretty much every cast member to some very form shady business), but the introduction feels much more character-driven rather than plot-centric.

Therefore, viewers are no longer barraged with a constant sense of corruption.  Instead, ‘Your Secrets Are Safe’ develops a sense of pause and evolution, especially for Ellen and Patty, who seem more human than ever before.  The introduction of the new cast also establishes their personality rather than their guilt.  While there is a prevailing sense of secrecy at every turn, it is not the focus, at least not this week.

Is it possible the show is allowing viewers to care about the characters?  This is the biggest twist of all.

Time Relativity

There is also a noticeable difference in the usage of the time jump.  The previous two seasons employ the time jump to discombobulate viewers.  By showing a past that bares no resemblance to the inevitable future, the intrigue is figuring out how the characters get there over the course of the show.  The premiere still retains this relationship, but also establishes several key elements six months earlier that is later seen in the flashforwards (i.e. the purse, the homeless man and Tom Shayes).  Given their connection to a mystery yet unknown, it is not simply our job to be thrown off course, but to put together the pieces of the puzzle in a much more deliberate manner.  Thus, the relationship between the present and the future is not only seeded in the characters, but a Lost-like commentary between two disparate time periods.

Talent

I won’t mention this every week, but the immense talent Damages attracts continues to impress me.  With a stellar cast that includes Lily Tomlin, Reiko Aylesworth, Martin Short, Campbell Scott, and of course, existing powerhouses Glenn Close and Rose Byrne, it is not only a trust in the writing that keeps me returning.  With a group like this, they can do the chicken dance and still manage to get an emotional response from me.

All in all, ‘Your Secrets Are Safe’ delivers in an unexpected yet understated manner.  After two seasons, it seems like a guarantee that the third installment if Damages will continue to surprise viewers.

Rating: 9.6/10

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