Damages Season 3, Episode 5

As usual, a note or three.

I really wish that FX would start putting Damages back up on Hulu. Although FX runs the show a bunch of times each week, I can’t help but thinking that if people could catch up with this season, they might want to follow along.

Especially since there aren’t a whole lot of ties to previous seasons – or at least not ones you can’t work out pretty easily.

Does anyone else think that trying to guess who-dun-what is probably impossible with this show? By which I mean, if you start at the beginning of the season, first episode, and go, “I think this person did it?” there’s no way you know yet? Possibly because the bad guy has yet to be revealed?

This episode got me thinking, what with the fact that we’re still meeting new characters at this late hour.

As it is, I make in-episode guesses from time to time, and I’m wrong just about the same amount that I’m right. Which makes for good TV, in my estimation.

Episode 5

We’ve got a dream sequence beginning. Dead Uncle Pete wishes Patty a happy birthday, and shows her the gift she got. It’s a pony.

Ellen is also there, warning her that a pony is a big responsibility. She also says Patty can keep her, but Patty has to wash her feet first. Patty’s feet are covering in blood.

Patty wakes up. Credits!

And now we’re at Tobin’s graveside. The only people who are there are his wife, his two kids, and his lawyer.

Tobin’s daughter, Carol, gives a long speech about how Tobin wasn’t greedy or evil. His investors were, and they deserve to be underground, not him.

Ellen and Gates meet with Tom and Patty. They make plans to depose Danielle.

Joe and Winstone talk. Joe presents Tobin’s envelope to Winstone. It was to be given to Patty, and in it is a letter apologizing to Patty, and telling her where to find the hidden money. Tobin didn’t want to taint Joe.

Winstone reveals to Joe that Tobin told him he was going to kill himself.

The letter to Patty mentions a name: Stewart. Joe wants to meet him.

Ellen and Gates determine that they need to talk to Danielle before Patty and Tom do.

Patty and Tom determine they need to talk to Danielle before Gates and Ellen do.

Patty also wonders why Tom hasn’t hired a new associated to replace Ellen yet. He says he’s working on it. He can only think of one good candidate: Alex Benjamin.

Five Months Later: The detective and Patty talk about what happened to Tom.

Just Before That: We see Tom try to pull himself out of his apartment, only to be pulled back in.

Now! Tom brings in Alex for an interview. He gives her the same speech he gave Ellen, down to the word. He gets ready to set her up for an interview, and she says she’ll miss her own sister’s wedding for the interview.

(Can I just say, I really miss moments like this, which require knowledge of all that came before to really get them? I love that kind of stuff, and I wish this season had more of it.)

Patty attempts to see Danielle, and Gates drops by to let Patty know that Gates and his people now have sole access.

Gates and Ellen meet with Danielle. They give her 48 hours to help them. If she does, they’ll give her immunity.

Joe meets with his mom and sister. He tells them dad killed himself. He shows them the potion Tobin did it with.

Joe tells Carol that they have to stop blaming other people: Tobin did this to himself.

Winstone meets with a lady of the evening. He tells her that his “father” died.

Ellen goes to work. Someone is waiting for her in the conference room. It’s Josh! The reporter! He’s working at a paper in New York.

He wants to know about the Tobin case. Also, he wants an anonymous source at the DA’s office.

Tobin’s family goes through Tobin’s apartment. Patty is selling it so the money can go to the people who got ripped off, so the family gets one last quick look to see if there’s anything that belongs to them. Anything worth more than twenty bucks goes to auction.

Winstone gets a phone call. Carol says she can’t handle it and leaves.

Tobin’s wife wants the pictures. And also something else, but they’re told they’ll have to bid on it for the auction.

The Future: Tom, who is limping, walks to a pay phone and makes a call. He tells someone he loves them. There’s blood on his shirt.

Now: Tom and Patty talk about Tobin’s will. An earlier draft had a blind trust set up. They decide to call Tobin’s wife.

One of Stewart’s associates meets with Joe and Winstone. Apparently, they can’t get the money. It has something to do with Danielle. Until Danielle is dealt with, there’s no money.

Joe says he’ll take care of Danielle.

Patty meets with Alex. She says she’ll check Alex’s references and get back to her.

Joe meets with Danielle. Gates subpoenaed her. Joe hands her a statement – he says they just have to stick to the same story. He also says that now that his dad is dead, he can take away everything Danielle has.

Alex meets with Ellen. It was Patty’s suggestion. Alex loves Ellen’s bag that she got from Patty.

Ellen tells Alex that once Alex signs on with Patty, Patty will own her.

Patty and Tobin’s wife meet in the cemetery. Patty got her the objects she wanted. She tells Patty that Tobin killed himself, and that she’s worried about Carol. Patty says she wants the truth about Danielle and Thanksgiving.

Story time: Tobin needs his heart pills, and calls Danielle. And more: Danielle brings the pills, and… It turns out Danielle and Tobin had a child.

It seems Tobin tried to get Danielle out of the country, because he knew that Danielle would tear his family apart.

Later, Ellen and Josh are in bed. At her place. Josh asks why she got out from under Patty.

Ellen decides to do some baking.

Danielle gets a call from Patty. Patty tells Danielle not to give a fake story to the DA’s office. Patty just wants Danielle to plead the fifth, and Patty will take care of Danielle and her daughter.

And so, Danielle refuses to say anything. She does indeed take the fifth.

Patty get a package. Birthday cupcakes from Ellen.

Carol goes to see Danielle. She wants to know what things were like for Danielle and Joe. And Danielle and her dad. Carol wants to know if Tobin took care of Danielle.

She goes with, “It’s complicated.” Then she asks Carol to leave.

Five Months Later: Tom is wrapped in a blanket and thrown in a Dumpster.

Now: Patty asks Tom to go see Danielle, make sure she’s still on board.

Tobin’s wife goes to see Danielle’s daughter.

Tom goes to see Danielle. Danielle is dead.

Carol throws something into the river. Probably the potion she killed Danielle with.

Patty, up late at night, eats one of Ellen’s cupcakes. No, wait. Dream again.