Damages: Because I Know Patty

Four or five episodes ago, you might have caught me saying that I was getting sick of Damages. It was getting slow and I was tired of all the questions. But with each week after that, things turned around and the season finale definitely made up for any shortcomings this phenomenal season had. All the big questions got answered. The ones I was left with won't drive me crazy.

For the majority of the episode, I was rewarded with everything I've been expecting and hoping for. No bells and whistles. The story played out smoothly. Patty got Ellen off for David's murder by cracking a deal with the D.A. and Ellen turned over the tape. I finally saw David and Ellen's "hiding place"; there was a hidden compartment in the Statue of Liberty book-end. David's killers had been holding what they wanted the entire time. Speaking of his killers, I got some illumination on that too. Wiry red-haired goon? He's a detective, and his name is Rick. That's one of the loose ends I'm left with. It'll be interesting to see how Ellen approaches the situation when she finds out that Frobisher had a cop in his pocket.

Art's story wrapped up neatly too. Patty showed him the tape and he caved for her price. Art shelled over almost 93% of his net worth and Patty agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding all evidence. At the settlement party, all the other clients came down hard on Larry when they found out he was the leak. In his rage about being cut out, Larry found Frobisher, shot him, and left him for dead. Now, while I saw Art gasp for breath and flop around in the field as blood gushed from his gut, it was still a little ambiguous. I personally think he's dead, but it did leave it open for him to come back.

Once all that stuff was out of the way, the rest of the show got fun. That grave Patty had been visiting? It was family. On May 24th, 1972, Patty had a still-born daughter that she named Julia. It had no connection to her crusade against Frobisher. As far as I could tell, it served one purpose for a mere few minutes in this episode: it built up the possibility for me that Patty had accepted Ellen as the daughter she never had. However, the second that really sunk in, it was shattered and I got hit with the big (although fairly predictable) shocker: Patty ordered the hit on Ellen. Not Frobisher.

It all makes sense now, doesn't it? After Ellen admitted her regret and guilt, Patty saw her as a threat. Short, simple, logical. I like it. The irony is that had her goon succeeded, Patty would have never found out about the Gregory Malina tape.

So where does that leave me? Well, now I get to watch Ellen try and take down Patty while simultaneously trying to nail Frobisher's goons for David's murder. She's teamed up with Hollis Nye and his FBI buddies (Hollis wasn't bad after all) and agreed to feed them dirt. Patty isn't stupid though, right? So a.) she must know that she's being investigated and b.) the only reason she wants Ellen back at work is because she knows Ellen isn't stupid either. She wants to keep an eye on her since her hitman failed.

More stuff on my mind...

• I'm terrified of Uncle Pete. When he called Patty and said "it's done" after he let the goon into the apartment... that old dude is creepy.
• There was no pay-off with Patty's son. Why was he back in the apartment that night? Does it even matter now?
• With Frobisher potentially dead, does the D.A. having the tape matter either? At this point, if the Frobisher case somehow plays any substantial role in the next season, it'll just be annoying.
• What's going to happen to Larry? He shot Art no problem. Did he go after anyone else?
• The FBI had a laundry list of things they were investigating Patty for. So... what exactly did she do? And how much does Tom actually know?
• Does Patty's husband have any idea what his wife is actually like? I don't think he does. Phil seems like a genuinely nice guy. I bet Ellen tries to flip him.

The thing I found most amusing about the episode was how, at certain moments, I was supposed to feel bad for Patty. Let's not forget that the season started with her saying, "Yes. Kill the dog." This woman is not nice and now that Ellen is on to her, who knows what else is going to be dug up. With this chapter over, here's to next summer's second season.

Damages: I Hate These People

"You're a baptist, right Ray? Repent!" - Patty

This was the first episode this season since the pilot where I really felt a tense energy. It's definitely because I'm getting closer to the point when the past catches up to the future. It went from eight days away, to six, to two in this episode and now I'm just waiting for the point when the toned down colors of the present suddenly change to indicate that I just crossed the line.

First up, let's talk about that quote. I threw it in because, while I thought it was harsh, I never actually thought Ray would take it literally and go all the way. He shot himself right in front of Patty (which explains the single blood drop on her shoe), but it's a little disappointing. With the announced second season, it's too bad Ray won't be around. He could have just fled to country with the same results to the Frobisher case. It was dramatic and all, but I don't think it was necessary.

I can understand why it happened though. With all that southern charm and pride he's known for, finding out that he was a closet homosexual (that kissing scene was awkward) and guilty of insider trading would have ruined his life. Sure Patty offered him a job, but he would have never recovered from a blow like that. I loved the flashbacks between him and Gregory though. I was waiting for when I would finally see how they met and what led to Palm Beach.

So the blood was Ray's and that means that Patty might not have been present for Ellen's attack or David's murder. It's starting to look more and more like Frobisher is indeed behind it all. He had no problem taking out Moore and now that Ray is gone, so is any shred of Art's conscience. He'll find out about the tape and go after whoever has it. It's his only salvation.

Katie seems to have dropped the tape off at Ellen and David's apartment, but it also seemed like she was waiting for Ellen to leave. This all happened in one of the "2 Days Later" flash-forwards so I assume I'll get an answer, but is there something on that tape that leads David to break it off with Ellen? Is there something Ellen did that I still don't know about? That might be a stretch, but at this point, I'll consider anything when it comes to this show.

Now, I've mentioned the blood drops a few times, but I liked how that and some other little things played out in this episode. I appreciate stuff like that, when the writers pay attention to details. I finally saw Ellen leave the message on Lila's phone that the cops found. I saw Lila use the keys to the apartment again. I loved how Ellen turned down Patty's offer to have the job back and then even said no to her brown envelope stuffed with cash. I saw what appeared to be a look of worry on Patty's face when she finally heard Tom's message about Ellen in jail. With that in mind, it seems like Patty might be fleeing just because she needs some time to think. She's clearly torn up about witnessing Ray's suicide and the trial is still over four weeks away. So what else happened that pushed her to run?

As I've come to expect from this show, there are still lots of lingering and new questions:

• What were Patty's real-estate goons doing in the apartment? Bugging it? Searching for something? If it was indeed bugged for whatever purposes, what did they use? Just listening devices? Or fibers optics? Could there be video of David's murder hidden on some hard drive video feed in Patty's office?
• How's the story with Lila going to pay off? At first, I thought she might be behind David's murder, but now I feel like Frobisher is and someone was just looking for that tape. However, if Katie did indeed drop the tape there, Arthur would only know it's there if he got to Katie. I know she's alive in the future... so... my head hurts.

I'm not sure what else to think at this point. All season long I've been hoping for this big twist and now it seems that it's wrapping up with the safe finish and it's all Frobisher's fault. I hate to say it, but it even looks like Patty might not be that bad after all.

Damages: Sort of Like a Family

"I'm so sick of your bullsh*t." - Ellen

And there it was. The moment that I wasn't necessarily waiting for, but definitely was expecting. Ellen strikes back. She went from being timid to bold enough to tell off Patty -- the woman who made her that way. However, despite that and some other stellar moments in this episode, I'm officially frustrated with Damages. It really is one of the best things on TV right now, but it has also knocked off Lost as the biggest culprit in terms of the questions to answers ratio. The one silver lining is that it's a cable show and rather than wait a full 22, I'll hopefully get some results in the final three episodes.

I'm not saying lay it all out. I still want a good finale... but give me something. It's no fun when a show of this caliber spends a whole hour doing nothing but confirming assumptions that I've had for weeks now.

So Ellen finally spoke her mind after she went out on her own and uncovered a lead that Patty never even knew existed. And what did she get? Fired. It was to be expected as was Patty's end of episode phone call to Ellen, expressing her satisfaction with Ellen's findings. Will she "un-fire" Ellen as she did with Tom? I would assume so, but I'm sure Ellen will have conditions. Especially being put back on the Frobisher case. Initially, Tom commented that Ellen isn't Patty's kind of lawyer. After all, her hiring was only a set-up to get to certain parties. Maybe she is more like Patty though. David certainly won't be happy if that's what happens.

At the end of all this, what do I know that's new? Well... nothing really. In the present tense, flash-forward type scenes, I heard all sorts of things that most people have already discussed. Ellen thinks Patty tried to kill her and Tom seems to be jumping on board. What's the deal with Tom though? Why has Ellen scrapped Hollis Nye and gone with Tom instead? Is he trustworthy?
Regardless, Tom found some trace amounts of blood in the apartment. So maybe he is in the dark too. The clean-up crew wasn't 100% thorough. Now even though Patty was implicated with that one shot that showed some blood droplets on her shoe, that was a bit vague. Didn't Tom find signs of a struggle at Patty's beach house? Broken glass and picture frames; a scotch stain on the wall? Patty could have been attacked too, no? However, my gut still says Patty is behind the hit on Ellen and that David's murder is an unrelated incident. Why else throw in the story about obsessive Lyla if it isn't going to go anywhere?

Now as I said earlier, there were some stellar scenes in this episode. I loved the deposition, seeing Frobisher and Patty square off. Danson and Close are both fantastic and those scenes really showcased it. The only question I had was how Patty would get Frobisher to explode on camera. He saved himself by going public with the events of 1983, so the divorce (and Patty's inside knowledge of it) provided an easy (and story wise, convenient) out for Patty to get under Art's skin. It did become a bit much when she used about every marriage related metaphor though.

In the end, what did I learn from the deposition? Nothing I didn't know already. Arthur played stupid about Gregory Malina though. I thought he might try and act as if he knew him and come "clean" the same way he did about Virgina.

So after all that, what new questions can I add to the list?

• Who was taking photos when Ellen met with Moore? My initial thought? Katie. She watched the confession tape and now she's helping Ellen by tracking her without anyone's knowledge.
• Will Moore's old S.E.C. colleague testify that Moore wasn't the probing investigator that everyone thought he was?
• What happens when Frobisher finds out that Ray, the one person he still trusts, is lying to him?
• Does Patty's creepy doorman have any connection to the attempted murder?
• Is Tom just playing dumb? Or does he know more about Patty's whereabouts and intentions?

I think, at this point, that one of the few things that will justify so many questions like this will be to find out that Patty somehow has a deeper involvement with Frobisher. I honestly don't think that will happen, but it would tie it together... you know? As of right now, it feels like whatever is going on with Ellen and Patty in the present tense is an unrelated matter and the Frobisher case was simply what brought them together. Short of being involved with the man that she's fighting so hard to bring down, what could Patty possibly be hiding that would cause her to kill the people around her and flee the state?

Damages: Do You Regret What We Did?

Well, that certainly made up for the last few episodes. It's been slow to build, but I think that most of what's going to shape the rest of this season took form in this episode of Damages. Granted, a lot happened. Definitely a blink and you missed it kind of situation. But then again, that was one of the things that made me fall in love with the pilot in the first place. I'm actually starting to believe that the writers may be able to wrap this season up with a logical and satisfying ending.

Everything is starting to come together. All the little things I've assumed or only heard bits and pieces about were finally laid on the table for me in plain English. It's slightly annoying to me that everything was such a guessing game up until now, and just like that -- it's all out.

First off, I saw the first hint that David and Ellen aren't going to last. Lyla, who apparently has a pocket full of restraining orders, has chosen David as her next "lover." She made copies of his keys, planted them back in Ellen's sock drawer, and even visited Ellen at work. I don't think Ellen believes her right now, but something tells me that Lyla's persistence will wear her down. It's hard to ignore someone who says she's sleeping with your fiancé. Throughout all this, I loved seeing how Ellen has changed. I think I mentioned this last time. She wears only black and acts much colder. She was going to call security to get rid of Lyla and then she ripped David a new one when she interrogated him about Lyla later that day. Despite the mini-vacation they went on to Patty's beach house, the engagement is definitely rocky.

Speaking of Patty's beach house, what happened there? In the present, things are still moving forward. Now that Ellen has been transferred to Riker's Island, she seems to have renewed some of her trust in Tom. I think she believes him when he says that he has no idea where Patty is. No one does. All I know is that she was driving out of New York like a crazy person behind the wheel, crying and sobbing.

Even though Ellen told Patty that the engagement was off (What did they do that Ellen regrets?), I doubt very much that's what has her torn up. If she did order a hit on David and Ellen, what would Patty's motive be? The only clue so far is Ellen admitting to Tom that she knows something. I should hope so! If she doesn't know something, this is going to sink fast.

Random thought... I haven't seen Frobisher once in the present. Where's he at? Would he have a reason to visit Ellen in jail?

Back in the past, the only other thing to talk about is Frobisher's side. People are frustrated with him, especially Moore. Spilling info to Ellen was interesting, but I personally think that Arthur having his own personal Chappaquiddick (sort of) is a bit too convenient at this point in the season. It just makes it easier for Patty to take him down I think. Takes away some of the challenge. Anyway, Moore and Fiske brought it all out in an attempt to bring Arthur into settlement mode. Seems foolish since he's been so stubborn thus far. Plus, now that Ray and Moore sent some goons to take out Gregory, that's another missing puzzle piece which only makes a trial seem more attractive to Frobisher.

Ah... but what about the tape? Assuming it wasn't destroyed when Gregory was hit by the car, the police are going to find that on his body. I think he stuck it in his pocket. Or did he leave it in his bag when he went to walk the dog? I forget. Either way, the police or Katie are going to find that tape and after that it all falls down. Even if Moore is able to kill all knowledge of Gregory's stock sale, Katie now has the check to prove it. But I know how they operate now. If they know Katie has any of this stuff, she's in trouble. I know she doesn't get killed because we saw her ID David's body in the present, but that doesn't mean they can't try. The question is who will come after her first? Patty or Arthur? Both sides want what she has.

Damages: Blame the Victim

Oh in case you are wondering what my costume was for this year's Halloween Office contest . . . I was a "Tacky Tourist". My office was decked out in an island theme (seeing that I just returned from the Fiji Islands). I had fun island music playing in the background and wore a sarong that I bought while on vacation. Unfortunately, I wasn't a repeat winner this year(Renaissance Megan took top honors), but the kids sure liked playing with all my beach toys.

On to my Damages review: Despite the minor complaints about this show that I have read, I tell you what -- it still holds my attention for the whole hour. I'm almost getting used to the fact that Damages has a tighter lipped writing staff than Lost does.

So what does that mean for this episode? Well... not much. One bombshell that I knew was coming got let out of the bag and a few other little tidbits were let loose too. I think one of the most bothersome things for me is that new info doesn't come when you expect it. Stuff gets revealed in conversations that don't necessarily relate to the revelations. If anything, it keeps me on my toes as a viewer. I think I use my VCR remote to rewind scenes from this show more than anything else I've ever watched.

So first up I want to talk about Moore. He has a name! Frobisher's pudgy little friend is actually crucial to this whole mess because with him in the picture, this goes even deeper. Initially, I thought he was the infamous broker who proffered the sale of all Arthur's stock. Not the case. Think bigger. Think government. Moore works for the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). He tried to take Frobisher down and failed. Obviously. He's in bed with him. If you ask me, this is huge for the story. The case now has a huge connect and it makes it that much more exciting. Additionally, it was needed sorely. With Gregory in the wind, Moore's identity now gives Patty something fresh to uncover.

Moving on to Ellen. I've seen her develop all season, but more so than any other episode, her transformation into Patty Jr. was very prevalent this time around. This was mainly due to her parents being around. It showed us where she came from. A loving family where honor, pride, and self-accountability are all paramount. Rather than soften her, the presence of her mom and dad served only to dehumanize Ellen. It created a contrast to show how cold and calculating she's become. Couple that with her new super fashionable style of nothing but black and her new hobby of firing assistants, and the picture is complete. Granted, half the time I just wanted to yell at the TV, "Medavoy! Stop stuttering!" Her dad is played by Gordon Clapp of NYPD Blue fame.

Future Ellen (yes, I'm now calling her that) may have some issues. If her parents did indeed settle from her father's accident, how are they going to pay for her bail? It's been set and she was sent off to spend some quality time at Rikers. Even though I knew anyway, more confirmation that she didn't kill David was given as we saw him answer the door for someone else -- his killer. So she's innocent... of that anyway. With five episodes left, who knows what else I'll find out.

One thing I need closure on is the connection between Ray and Gregory. Get to the point already! Were they or were they not having an affair? Ray is married... yes? Regardless, Moore told Art to look into why Ray had Gregory set up the condo in Palm Beach. Seems like part of the reason that Ray continually gets so angry at Frobisher's poor choices is because deep down he knows that he already made one decision that could seal the fate of this case. Could this mean that Ray paid off Gregory in stock?

Speaking of getting paid off, looks like Larry is content with not having a windfall. I don't really see how Patty is going to gain all that much from using Larry as an earpiece to Frobisher. Art seems fairly selective in what he tells Larry, but then again, he could slip up. I suppose the point to be made is that just like having Katie's dog killed, Patty has the power to manipulate and turn anyone. For Larry, all it took was a visit.

Damages: We Are Not Animals

Structurally, this episode felt different. I had a hard time more than once, trying to determine where I was in "time." Some of the flashbacks lacked that bronze "antique" look and it caused confusion. Was it the actual flashback or was it something from Ellen's recollection to Hollis Nye? Normally there's three sets of time periods in the show. Obviously, the present -- Ellen sitting in an interrogation room. Then on top of that, there are two levels of flashbacks. There's the bulk of the episode, which covers everything that happened. But there's also that set of flashbacks that only encompass David's murder, Ellen's attack, the cops and their investigation, and Ellen's arrest. The two sets of flashbacks seemed to blur a little in this episode and that's where my confusion stemmed from... OK, moving on.

So what did I find out? Most of it was obvious or at least alluded to in a previous episode. Gregory Malina is the lynch pin to this case. OK, I knew that. While many speculated (myself included) that his cover-up was related to some kind of sexual involvement with Ray Fiske, I did not get any confirmation of that. Granted, Ray seemed emotionally torn up that Gregory's life has been destroyed but that could be his Southern charm kicking in. Here's to hoping that Ray turns out to be the "wealthy patron" who paid for Greg's trip down to Florida. Would the restaurant owner that Greg worked for recognize Ray?

Beyond that, the big puzzle pieces (if you can call them that) came out in the present tense as Ellen and Hollis spoke. I now know that the attacker was an unknown. Ellen didn't recognize him. Patty was out of town, Ellen had fought with David, and she spent the night at Patty's place. So, who was the attacker intending to kill? Was he there for Patty? Or had Patty hired him to kill Ellen? That might be a stretch but I do think he was there for Ellen. He beat Ellen's location out of David first, then went looking for his actual target. It'd actually be interesting to find out that David's murder and Ellen's attack were unrelated... although, even as I type that, it sounds like an easy out. Maybe not.

The biggest surprise of the episode? Ellen and Tom aren't as buddy-buddy as we thought. Patty played them against each other and it seems like it worked. No matter what, Tom can't help but be loyal to Patty. If that means lying to Ellen and betraying Ellen's trust, oh well. I loved the end of the episode, present tense. Ellen isn't stupid. She knows that Tom is "full of shit." He knows something. With Patty out of town, wherever she is, it wouldn't surprise me if Tom was the one who orchestrated the clean-up at Patty's place. The whole season, I've had an idea about Tom's true nature. Now I've seen it in action. He's the ultimate "yes man."

Damages: A Regular Earl Anthony

This was a bit of a split for me. While this was an enjoyable episode, it got a little bogged down with all the Tom scenes. I got the idea pretty early on that he was uneasy about leaving Patty, but it was continually pounded into my head over and over whether it be through conversation with his buddy (Donal Logue was an odd choice, no?) or through straight hallucinations of Patty with him in the men's room. It just got redundant and took away from the episode as a whole.

I knew from the very beginning that Tom would end up back with Patty. So why even try to pretend otherwise? It was the same deal with Patty's son and the grenades. I think the one thing to take away from it is how Tom's mind works. The Patty in his head says he's number one. The Patty in real life says he's number two. It's sad really, how she just whittles away at his self-esteem. All he wants is recognition and despite the fact that she gave him the title of partner, how's anyone going to know if his name isn't plastered next to hers on the front door? I hope before the season is out, that we see Tom (just once) really show Patty up.

OK, enough about Tom, because if you saw the episode there should only be one question on your mind. What the heck did Katie tell David about Ellen? Her "sordid sex life?" Whatever it was, it couldn't have been bad, because David didn't come home angry. But there is definitely a connection between Ellen and Gregory Molina. At least Patty says there is.

Moving on, let's talk about Frobisher. His actions confused me a little here. Why would he pull the settlement? He's guilty! I know it and no matter how many times he says otherwise, he knows it too. I don't think he's stupid... so why choose a trial? He wants his name back but he has to realize that he'll lose. Unless, and I've said this before, we're being fooled. What if he somehow is innocent? He can still be a bad guy, but what if he is in the clear here? I loved the scene when Tom told Ray that he wants to see him explain to a jury that Frobisher isn't a crook. Ray didn't really twitch though. That'd be a twist if it played out.

I'm on the edge of my seat for all this, but here's my one gripe. Does it feel a little forced to anyone else? As if the plot that's developing now didn't exist in the minds of the writers a few episodes ago? Like they're flying blind? That's my one fear for this series. It's so good and the plot is so intertwined, that I hope the writers aren't digging a huge hole and forgetting to bring a ladder so they can climb out.

Damages: And My Paralyzing Fear of Death

Um... what changed? It's not that this episode was bad, but there was a huge drop off between this episode and the last episode in terms of tension. As a viewer, the last two episodes made me feel nervous and anxious. Not so much this time. Nothing about this episode really made me gasp or jump out of my seat. It was just a lot of what I already knew, with some extra info thrown in. The biggest issue? Way too much of the episode was devoted to Patty's misfit son. Unless something is switched around, he means nothing to the story as a whole.

So he sent the grenade to Patty and planted the second one in Phil's glove compartment. How predictable was that? The fact that it was so obvious that he was behind it rendered the truth as being completely anti-climactic. I loved all the little hints we got from Frobisher throughout the episode suggesting that he may have been behind the grenade threats. I wish he had been! Seeing the episode close with him palming another grenade and smirking... or something like that would have been great in my opinion.

My point? When does Arthur finally become the bad guy? Or maybe he doesn't? If that's the case, when does Patty become the bad guy? She never will in my eyes as long as they keep humanizing her with all this sentimental "my family is falling apart" business. It's three episodes in and I still don't know who I'm rooting for. I'm loving this show, but I need some direction. If the ambiguity keeps up, I'm going to lose interest. Take a cue from Tom and his frustrations with Patty sidelining him. I need something bigger to sink my teeth into.

What did I learn? Simple things, that while interesting, don't necessarily make up for the slow pacing of the rest of the episode. I know Greg (Katie's Florida fling) is now married and became some kind of consultant. While Tom hasn't found anything yet, I'm sure there's a Frobisher connection buried in there somewhere. We know Ellen brought on Hollis Nye as her lawyer and not Patty. That has to mean something. We know that Ellen and David eventually called off the engagement. The question is why? Again, I'm quite certain that too will have ties to the case and David's disgust that Ellen got Katie involved.

But who killed David? For the first time in the flashbacks, we finally saw a third party in the apartment. Someone was attacking Ellen with a knife. That doesn't mean it was David's killer though. Unless it wasn't a third party and David was the one with the knife? If that was the case, Ellen would be safe in saying she didn't murder David but rather that she was merely protecting herself out of self-defense.

Beyond all those questions, it was very much a Patty-centric episode and I'm really not sure that I care about her home life too much. She's afraid of dying. She cries in her husband's arms and worries for his safety and then turns around and sets her son up to be kidnapped in an effort to knock some sense into him. Well which is it? Is she compassionate or ruthless? I'm getting tired from sitting on this fence.

Soup of the Week & Damages: Jesus, Mary & Joe Cocker

It's been a while since I made a pot of soup, so I was ready to try something totally wild. This is an excellent example of how convenience foods can be combined to make a tasty entree. Ready in minutes, this soup will remind you of eating Stuffed Peppers - one of my favorites meals.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 pouch (8.8 oz) ready-to-serve long grain and wild rice

1 lb ground beef

2 cups chopped green peppers

1 cup chopped onion

1 jar (26 oz) chunky tomato pasta sauce

1 can (14 1/2 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (14 oz) beef broth

Prepare rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large pan, cook the beef, green peppers and onion until mean is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the pasta sauce, tomatoes, broth and prepared rice; heat through.

Damages: Jesus, Mary & Joe Cocker

I gotta be honest. I'm just blown away by this show and I'm only two episodes in! I mean... how does FX do it? This is what? The third legitimately good show they've pumped out now that I watch (Rescue Me and The Riches)? Not bad for a basic cable network.

I think what has me so impressed are the characters themselves and how much they're already developed. The characterization that's been achieved here in two episodes is something that other shows often don't reach over the course of an entire season. I know motives, vices, and whats drives all the players involved. Yet at the same time... I still don't know who to trust. If Damages preaches one truth, it's that everyone lies.

Take Frobisher for instance. I love this character, even more so than Patty. Arthur is quickly becoming one of those guys you hate to love. Throughout the whole episode I kept seeing these glimpses of his dark side. Some were in my face (the prostitute and the cocaine) and some were far more subtle (when he fed the omelet to the dogs rather than letting his chef enjoy the meal). He values his family, yet at the same time he's prepared to lose it. He's back and forth on everything. Kill Katie... or don't kill her. That scene where he discussed the "solution" with his henchman was phenomenal. Danson owns this character.

Patty, while I'm not as enthralled with her as I thought I was, is still fun to pick apart. It almost seems like the more callous she is, the more people respect/trust/believe in her. She's mean and people flock around her. Katie is a prime example. She played right into Patty's game and now she's fully invested. The question remains... what does she know?

I know she was late to work that day because of a one night stand that resulted in an abortion. I also know that she had virtually no interaction with Frobisher in Florida that weekend. So how could she possibly know something? It has to be tied to this guy (Greg) that she slept with. What's his involvement? Katie catered and cooked the meal. Is Greg a waiter? Did he serve the meal, thus giving him an opportunity to overhear something from Frobisher and his broker? If that was the case though, why wouldn't they be trying to keep him quiet too? He's plays into this whole mess somehow. Now that Katie signed Ray's confidentiality agreement, it's going to be tougher though.

Moving on, I'm finding Tom's involvement to be odd. He genuinely thought he was fired until he got his new marching orders. Even Uncle Pete said that the whole office thought Tom was canned. Was Patty tracking him only to find out he had a friendship with Ellen and then decided he was worth keeping? I guess my point is that Tom seems like a genuinely smart guy. So why is he so dedicated to Patty? Can't he see that to some extent, he's being used too? It's clear he's good at what he does, but considering the circumstances, why isn't he doing it somewhere else? Is it the money?

OK, enough with the characters. Once again, I loved the flash-forwards. The way they're used and integrated into the episode is flawless. I especially like the little running motifs as it bounced back and forth. The pigeon. The bathroom itself. The Statue of Liberty bookends. Somebody killed David. I know how he died. Bludgeoned repeatedly by the crown that Lady Liberty wears. But who swung? If it was Ellen, what's the motive? By the end of the season, will she become so much like Patty that she's willing to kill to win a case? And if that's true, why was David the necessary victim? Unless he knows something about Florida too. It's all one big question.

One more thought. Patty set up Ellen's new apartment. It's probably safe to say that the entire place is bugged and wired with the tiniest of devices. Does that mean Patty has a recording (audio? video?) of what really happened?

Damages: Pilot

"If you were a man, I'd be worried." - Patty Hewes

I think it's pretty clear that FX is on to something big here. It didn't take much for Patty Hewes (Glenn Close as good as she's ever been) to be FX's new reigning female lead. Frankly, I'm terrified of her.

Patty Hewes. The beginning, middle, and end when it comes to law in this twisted tale of deception, lies, loyalty, and death. From the very beginning when I first meet a bloody Ellen Parsons right to the end when she calls for a lawyer, you're constantly asking how Patty fits into the whole mess. I was given plenty of clues. Some subtle and some not so much (Saffron's dog collar was about as in your face as you can get). But I truly loved the way the story unfolded, especially through the flashbacks.

Some shows use flashbacks only as it suits them. They're peppered erratically throughout the show, only used when it fills a hole in the story. Damages has a bit of a twist on this usage. The flashbacks are the true story, whereas the present day stuff (where the real mystery lies) feels almost like a flash-forward. It doesn't feel forced either. The difference is that rather than being quick blips on the radar, the flashbacks are the meat and the present day stuff is lacking.

Whenever a scene from the present day popped in, it was solely because something in the past triggered it. There was always something to tie it in. It was a nice touch and it made the entire episode flow much more smoothly despite the fact that we were moving back and forth from six months ago to present day. It felt seamless and a lot of shows (films, too) using that technique don't achieve that feel as often as you'd like.

OK, enough about the style of the show. The short answer is that it works and it works well. On to the characterization. Rather than dissect everyone, let's just look at Patty and Frobisher (Danson is about as far away from Cheers and Becker as you can get in this role). I feel like it's still a bit too early to take apart Ellen, suffice to say that I love how I was introduced to her as the victim only to find out immediately that she's actually an integral part to the entire story.

I love the connections between Patty and Arthur. They're almost the same person. Dedicated, successful, and extremely good at what they do. By the end of the hour I wasn't sure which side I was rooting for. They're both ruthless, but at the same time they both have families that they're trying to look out for and provide for. It's a dichotomy that just happens to be full of similarities. That sounds completely contradictory, but I hope you get what I'm trying to say.

The one thing I don't get is why try and paint those two so similarly? Frobisher is supposed to be the classic Enron-esque bad guy. Of course you want to introduce things that make him seem wronged and innocent. Why not play against stereotypes and actually make him the genuine good guy and Patty the legit bad girl? For a while I thought they were going this route until I found out that Patty was indeed married, had a son, and she was deeply troubled about her family. So she has a soft side. Fine. I just think it may have been better to save that tidbit for a few episodes. The longer she seemed completely heartless, the better. Although, the final few scenes did save some face in that regard.

Other stuff on my mind:

• Why is Frobisher trying to buy out a settlement if he truly says he did nothing? Well that's a dumb question. Obviously he did it. Or does he actually just want this behind him so he can get on with his life? You could make a good argument for either scenario.
• Again, with Frobisher. Why is he invested in Katie's restaurant? Sounds like a conspiracy to me. Something is being covered up. The question is what did she see or hear that fateful weekend in Florida?
• Did anyone actually believe that Patty really fired Tom? By doing so, she created a shoulder for Ellen to cry on. He would be too valuable to lose since Ellen trusts him.
• Finally, where does Hollis Nye play into Ellen's life? She turned down his job offer, but it appears that she kept in touch with him.

Damages... thoroughly impressive.