Now that summer’s rapidly drawing to a close (yeah, yeah, it doesn’t officially end until late September, but find me anyone who doesn’t consider Labor Day weekend to be the end of summer), I’ve finally caught up on some of my summertime DVR selections and, well, let’s just say I’ve freed up a lot of space without having to watch an awful lot of it.
That’s not to say there hasn’t been some highlights and even some spectacular shows. Read more of this entry »
If you’re hooked on the new Glenn Close legal thriller “Damages”—like I am—then you already know New City’s Maya Days.
She plays Detective Rosario Ortiz, one of the cops interrogating Ellen about her fiance’s murder.
And while Days’ role isn’t huge, the police play a pivotal part in the show: They’re just like us viewers, trying to figure out the mystery behind the murder and the lawsuit handled by Close’s character, Patty Hewes.
Anyway, I got the chance to interview Days earlier this month at the Rockland home she shares with her three-year-old son, Boston, and her husband, Keith Flannery. (Check out my story in today’s Journal News.)
As I mention in the story, Days’ hubby is a big part in how she landed this plum role—her first ever on television. Until now, this Broadway performer spent most of her career onstage in shows like “Rent,” “Aida” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
You see, Keith is an NYPD detective, just like the one his wife plays on TV.
When Days was auditioning for “Damages,” he told her exactly how a real-life investigator would react to finding a body in a bathtub (which, as the show’s fans already know, is what the cops discovered in the first episode).
Here’s an audio clip of Days talking about her husband’s advice:
Speaking of acting tips, Days is thrilled to be on a show that stars Bedford’s Glenn Close, who’s been nominated five times for an Oscar and won three Tony awards and an Emmy.
Yikes! So is it intimidating being, uh, so close to Close’s talent?
Days hasn’t had a scene with CLose yet, but she acknowledges her “big presence.”
But here’s what she was up to in 1998, when she was lead vocalist for “Feel It,” a pop song by the Tamperer that went to No. 1 in the U.K. and was a huge club hit here in America.
Any of you club kids remember this tune? Check out Days in the video, which she says played “twice an hour” on MTV Europe at the time.
So look for Maya Days on “Damages” tomorrow night…and hopefully you’ll have gotten that chimney song of hers out of your head by then!
(Photo of Days: Angela Gaul/The Journal News. “Damages” photo courtesy of FX.)
FX’s new legal thriller, “Damages,� starring Bedford’s Glenn Close, did some major damage in the ratings.
The show’s Tuesday night premiere “drew 3.7 million viewers”:http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-damagespremiereratings,0,1646857.story?coll=zap-tv-headlines – a number that went up to 5.1 million when additional airings were factored in.
Hey, it’s not “CSI� numbers – but for basic cable, that’s a bona-fide blockbuster.
As “Zap2It.com”:http://www.zap2it.com/ notes, more eyeballs were on “Damagesâ€? than on the Season 4 premiere of “Rescue Meâ€? last month.
So what did you all think of the show’s shocking opening episode? Who’s the bad guy: Patty, Arthur—or both? Why, oh why, does poor Ellen need a lawyer? What will the cops find in her blood-stained apartment?
And speaking of poor creatures, poor Saffron the dog. Anyone ID the real killer before that surprising closing scene?
Tune in next Tuesday for a few more clues – I’m betting you’ll stay hooked!
The mere fact that Bedford’s Glenn Close is starring in her first TV series would be enough to make me tune into the premiere of “Damages� tonight (FX, 10 p.m.).
But after checking out the show’s very first episode, I’m sure you’ll join me in returning for more every Tuesday night. That’s because “Damages� might just be the best new show of the year.
Check out “my review in today’s Journal News,”:http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070724/ENTERTAINMENT/707240311/1275/ENTERTAINMENTFRONT but here’s my opinion in a nutshell: I’m totally hooked on this finely written, beautifully acted thriller!
You can also catch a sneak peek of the show before tonight’s premiere by going to the official site for “Damages”:http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/damages/. (Click on “Videosâ€? once you enter the site to view trailers.)
And here’s a few extra fun facts for lovers of TV trivia:
• “Damagesâ€? was created by brothers Glenn and Todd Kessler and “Daniel Zelman.”:http://imdb.com/name/nm0954664/ Zelman’s name might be familiar to regular readers of US Weekly: He just happens to be married to “Will & Graceâ€? star Debra Messing and father to their three-year-old son, Roman.
• Close hasn’t ever starred in her own series, but she’s done plenty of TV work that’s earned her 10 Emmy nominations. Her most recent nod was for her portrayal of Capt. Monica Rawling on Season 4 of FX’s “The Shield.â€? Close “told TV Guide”:http://www.tvguide.com/News/glenn-close-examines/070604-01 that her great experience on “The Shieldâ€? played a big part in taking on “Damages.â€?
• Stick around for tonight’s credits. After viewing the episode’s surprise ending, you’ll laugh out loud to hear the White Stripes’ ““I Think I Smell a Ratâ€?”:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgDnDne6ryE used to conclude the premiere.
Enjoy tonight’s show and come back here tomorrow to post your thoughts!
Well, I meant to post this about a week ago, but it slipped through the cracks. Here’s a list of all the summer series on all the various stations, courtesy of Ain’t It Cool News.
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