So that’s it.
For those keeping score at home, I started watching and blogging this show juuust before season three began, with a marathon run of each and every episode, complete with full-on blogs handing out every detail. 39 episodes later, we’re at what is most likely the end of the show, and you know what?
I’m okay with that.
“Damages” lived and died on a parlor trick – go back and forth in time, show details, then later, reveal the real, honest truth of what happened, and while it was fun for a season or two, I found myself watching this last episode with a sense of relief that about 90% of the storylines are concluded, hopefully for good.
Being tricked once or twice is fun, but after that? You need something to hang on to.
And as the show came to a conclusion, I didn’t feel like there was anything to hang on to.
Consider the final fates of all the characters:
Patty: Wanted to let the Tobin case rest after forever alienating her son. This leads to her thinking about her dead daughter – who is dead because she miscarried more-or-less on purpose. This also tied up the architect storyline, as it seems the guy was a delusion of some kind brought on by her contemplating her life.
I guess we’re supposed to feel sorry for Patty, or somehow get into her emotional realm because she finally realizes all the damage (heh) she’s done. But I just couldn’t. That might be on me. If you’ve got different thoughts, feel free to leave a comment.
Ellen: She’s now without a firm, thinking about what to do with her life. The murder of David is finally solved for her, and she can lay it to rest and really move on. But (you’re going get a lot of these, sorry) the fact that she’s still thinking about going back to work for the person who tried to have her killed? Really? And her whole subconscious, “You don’t like bullies?” thing from before?
It just doesn’t work. Patty is as much of a bully as any of these people, whether she’s seeking justice or not. So I’m just not feeling Ellen any more, either.
Tom: Not only is he dead, but the big “surprise” this week is that Joe killed him, and drowned him in his own toilet. Never mind that Tom had already been stabbed, and should really have called 911, or gone to a hospital.
It was a stupid series of decisions that led to his death, after years of him being smart and trying to be a good guy. That kind of hurt me.
Wes: I nice conclusion where he takes down Arthur and himself in one fell swoop, trying to make things right once and for all. Those scenes were crammed with info (more thoughts on that in a second) but it at least brought some major storylines to a conclusion.
The Tobins: Mom is evil. Joe is evil. Carol is missing. The family fell apart, and whatever sympathy you might want to have for them is super-hard to drum up.
I will give it up for the original Tobin, however who got into a financial mess trying to clean up his son’s life. The writers might have been trying to put a message there: Ellen let her sister twist in the wind because the sister needed to learn that people shouldn’t clean up your messes.
Had Tobin done that to Joe, none of this would have happened.
Michael: Stole the car and hit Patty. That relationship appears to be at an end, except he has no job, no money, and a baby on the way.
Which leads us to loose ends:
Arthur and Wes are both still alive, and I’m sure that if the show comes back those trials will reveal more. Carol is, of course, somewhere out there in the world, but she’s also a murderer.
And Patty, of course, still has quite a few things hanging over her head.
Having read a couple of articles and interviews with the creators of “Damages,” they say they have more ideas for the show, and that this show wasn’t any kind of a series finale. Are they telling the truth?
Well, I don’t know. Given the tone of the show, it’s hard to trust them.
Ultimately, I think they could have used another 30 minutes or so to play a few things out. The Arthur/Wes story could have used a stronger conclusion, the issues with Michael have just begun, and like I said, Carol being gone is troubling.
But there’s one character I forgot:
Winstone: Here’s the thing – maybe it was the way Martin Short played the guy, maybe it was how he was written, but this fellow was the hero of the season. He ran from his family, changed his identity, and then spent the rest of his life in the bosom of the Tobins.
And they betrayed him.
As he walked out of the show, money in hand, I had to admit: I was okay with it. It was clear that he had started over once, and he was going to start over again.
Was he a good guy?
That’s just the thing: On this show, he might have been the best guy we had.
I don’t know if “Damages” will continue, or if we’ve seen the last of this crew, but given the option, I’d kind of like to see more of Winstone.
So maybe it’s better to stop now.
Showing posts with label Damages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Damages. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Damages Season 3, Episode 12
What caught my ear about this episode was not the episode itself, but the scenes from next week. We’ll be getting a 90-minute wrap-up, which indicates to me that everyone knew from the get-go that they were going to be closing up shop.
And that’s okay.
I think I was more struck by the “90 Minutes Next Week!” only because the first two seasons closed off a lot more plot threads during their respective twelfth episodes. Or maybe it’s just that most of the surprises to be found in this episode weren’t really surprises at all.
We already knew Tom was working with Winstone. We already knew that Tom ended up in a random building – we just didn’t know it belonged to Winstone. And that doesn’t strike me as the kind of shock big finishes are made of.
Joe learned that Winstone had been lying about his identity, and dropped Winstone as their lawyer. A shock? Not really, since we already knew he would eventually work with Tom, and the very fact that he had a secret identity had to come out sooner or later.
Tom forced his own resignation in order to tear the Winstone family apart. That was a surprise, I’ll grant you. And we finally got a couple scenes that make it appear we’re finally going to wrap up the murder of Ellen’s fiancé.
I suspect that next week won’t be filled with shocking revelations, but rather with hideous violence, as we finally learn who killed Tom, and why, and how, and Arthur finally gets his just desserts.
Here’s hoping for a great 90 minutes.
And that’s okay.
I think I was more struck by the “90 Minutes Next Week!” only because the first two seasons closed off a lot more plot threads during their respective twelfth episodes. Or maybe it’s just that most of the surprises to be found in this episode weren’t really surprises at all.
We already knew Tom was working with Winstone. We already knew that Tom ended up in a random building – we just didn’t know it belonged to Winstone. And that doesn’t strike me as the kind of shock big finishes are made of.
Joe learned that Winstone had been lying about his identity, and dropped Winstone as their lawyer. A shock? Not really, since we already knew he would eventually work with Tom, and the very fact that he had a secret identity had to come out sooner or later.
Tom forced his own resignation in order to tear the Winstone family apart. That was a surprise, I’ll grant you. And we finally got a couple scenes that make it appear we’re finally going to wrap up the murder of Ellen’s fiancé.
I suspect that next week won’t be filled with shocking revelations, but rather with hideous violence, as we finally learn who killed Tom, and why, and how, and Arthur finally gets his just desserts.
Here’s hoping for a great 90 minutes.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Damages Season 3, Episode 11
For those of you clinging to the hope that “Damages” will rise up and live for a fourth season, the rumor around the campfire is that they’re trying to cut a deal with DirecTV. Basically, subscribers would get first crack at seeing it, and then it would be broadcast elsewhere.
“Friday Night Lights” cut a similar deal a couple of years ago, and it seems to have worked out.
As for the episode itself? I don’t know. I guess it says something that the scenes that interested me most revolved around Arthur, as his comedian buddy slowly started pulling the dark side out of Arthur. How much is Arthur going to reveal? Will it kill his movie?
And when are we going to hear back from that DA with the dirt on Arthur? The stuff that will completely destroy whatever he’s built in the meantime?
I suspect that might all be coming down the pike.
I guess we should get Ellen out of the way next. She went to the person she thought might be her birth mom, only it turns out that her mom really is her mom. It seems that things got “bad” at Ellen’s home back in the day, and the babysitter almost adopted Ellen. This sequence is followed by another where Ellen is put on suspension for working behind Gates’s back, and then she finally goes and talks to “David.” Or the David in her head, at any rate.
Her talk with David tried desperately to put all the bits together and convince the audience that Ellen and Patty both hate “bullies,” which is why Ellen still wants to work for Patty despite, you know, Patty trying to have Ellen killed. I’d love to say that it worked on me, and that all the parts fell into place for me, but mostly I was struck by how much I missed David, the only really nice person on the show.
Then there’s Patty, who fired Alex pretty much for not being Ellen. And Tom admitted that he screwed up with Tessa, and refused to apologize for it.
Finally, it’s time to talk about the Tobins. Turns out that Tessa is Joe’s daughter. Which doesn’t stop him from having her killed, primarily because his mom doesn’t tell him that Tessa is his daughter.
More surprising, to me, was not that Tessa was killed, but that Patty’s never-fail bodyguard/researcher also met a grisly end.
I’m not sure why these plot elements failed to engage me as much as Arthur’s story, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because I feel like I got ahead of them a long time ago. Tessa being Joe’s daughter didn’t feel like much of a shock, just because it felt like an obvious twist. Along the same lines, the fact that Ellen was almost adopted isn’t ever going to be all that important.
And Tom standing up to Patty? Eh. We already know that he’s resigning at some point in the near future, so it’s hard to be shocked.
I’m willing to concede that the problem might be me. TV shows thrive on formula, and the “Damages” formula is “everything we tell you is a lie.” The truth should come out in the next two weeks. Let’s see what they’ve got for us.
“Friday Night Lights” cut a similar deal a couple of years ago, and it seems to have worked out.
As for the episode itself? I don’t know. I guess it says something that the scenes that interested me most revolved around Arthur, as his comedian buddy slowly started pulling the dark side out of Arthur. How much is Arthur going to reveal? Will it kill his movie?
And when are we going to hear back from that DA with the dirt on Arthur? The stuff that will completely destroy whatever he’s built in the meantime?
I suspect that might all be coming down the pike.
I guess we should get Ellen out of the way next. She went to the person she thought might be her birth mom, only it turns out that her mom really is her mom. It seems that things got “bad” at Ellen’s home back in the day, and the babysitter almost adopted Ellen. This sequence is followed by another where Ellen is put on suspension for working behind Gates’s back, and then she finally goes and talks to “David.” Or the David in her head, at any rate.
Her talk with David tried desperately to put all the bits together and convince the audience that Ellen and Patty both hate “bullies,” which is why Ellen still wants to work for Patty despite, you know, Patty trying to have Ellen killed. I’d love to say that it worked on me, and that all the parts fell into place for me, but mostly I was struck by how much I missed David, the only really nice person on the show.
Then there’s Patty, who fired Alex pretty much for not being Ellen. And Tom admitted that he screwed up with Tessa, and refused to apologize for it.
Finally, it’s time to talk about the Tobins. Turns out that Tessa is Joe’s daughter. Which doesn’t stop him from having her killed, primarily because his mom doesn’t tell him that Tessa is his daughter.
More surprising, to me, was not that Tessa was killed, but that Patty’s never-fail bodyguard/researcher also met a grisly end.
I’m not sure why these plot elements failed to engage me as much as Arthur’s story, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because I feel like I got ahead of them a long time ago. Tessa being Joe’s daughter didn’t feel like much of a shock, just because it felt like an obvious twist. Along the same lines, the fact that Ellen was almost adopted isn’t ever going to be all that important.
And Tom standing up to Patty? Eh. We already know that he’s resigning at some point in the near future, so it’s hard to be shocked.
I’m willing to concede that the problem might be me. TV shows thrive on formula, and the “Damages” formula is “everything we tell you is a lie.” The truth should come out in the next two weeks. Let’s see what they’ve got for us.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Damages Season 3, Episode 10
As the latest episode of Damages came to an end, the “What’s Coming Next Week” desperately tried to remind us that we’ve only got three episodes left until the Finale.
I’m guessing this was kept just a little vague, in case it was the Finale-finale, and not just the season finale.
And a couple things struck me, at that moment.
First, we may be down to the last three episodes of “Damages,” ever. I find myself hoping that the last three episodes of the show are going to bring it to a solid close.
At the moment, I can’t see how it’s going to get there.
Which leads me to my second point: I might be worrying about that just be because this episode never really felt like it was going anywhere. With just three episodes to go, the show tossed us a bunch of subplots that are going to have to resolve, pulling time away from other things we actually want to know about.
To lay it all out:
1. Rose talked to a few people and tried to figure out what to do with her drug-dealing sister. It seems that sissy didn’t just sell drugs the one time, and now Ellen is going to leave her to twist in the wind. (I recognize that this is probably meant to show us that Ellen’s life is a bundle of stress and possibly lies, but none of this really made me feel sympathetic towards her.)
2. Even more bothersome for a show with only three episodes left, a whole lot of time was devoted to Ellen dreaming about someone from her past. Neither her mother nor her sister will reveal the true nature of the person Ellen is dreaming about, and the episode ends with Ellen making a 100-mile trek to track down a character who doesn’t affect the main plot in any way, and who has only been introduced just now.
3. Tessa was the big player this week, getting money from Joe, talking to Tom, who claimed her mother was murdered, then talking to Rose who first claimed mom wasn’t murdered and then said she was. Which leads to Tessa going to talk to Patty… except she gets stopped by Gates first. (Also in there, Ellen’s co-worker, Nick, sells Ellen out to Gates for working with Patty. And not having lunch with him.) Oh, and Patty is now guessing that Tessa is taking money out of the Caribbean, not putting it in.
4. Tobin’s wife wants to go to Africa with the charity she always goes with, but Stewart, who sits on the board, shuts her down.
5. And finally, Winstone’s dad comes to town and we learn that Winstone comes from a family of grifters. And dad wants some of Tobin’s money.
Now, let me ask a question: How much of that information is important to the final outcome of the show?
I suppose that the answer could be that it’s all important, and when the dust settles in three weeks we’ll have answers galore and I’ll be nodding my head and going, “Oh, I see now.”
But I suspect it’s more likely that the writers got into plotting the season and realized far too late that they just didn’t have enough story to fill 13 hours.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say again that “Damages” tends to wrap up all the loose ends during the last two episodes of the season, and I’m looking forward to that. But I also kind of want to skip next week, since I suspect it’s going to be more throat-clearing and red herrings as the show treads more water before the big finish.
Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Damages Season 3, Episode 9
So we’ve got four episodes to go, and sakes alive, the ratings are bad. B A D bad. At its best this season, “Damages” managed to grab all of one-fifth of the audience that “Justified,” a wholly new show got the very next night.
At this point, I can see them offering to bring the show back if they can make it cheaper, but and that might be why Tom got offed this season. With him gone, the cost of a recurring character is dropped, and with a few less extras and a few more scenes in sets that are already built, they can maybe shave some cash off the price tag.
I’m probably over-thinking this.
And I haven’t talked about the plot, yet.
Well, I’m still not going to, because even though some chess pieces moved, not a whole lot happened. Even a few “shocking” moments mostly filled in information the audience could have worked out for themselves.
Let’s talk for a second about why the ratings are low.
Two things:
First, the show refuses to dumb itself down at all for the people too slow to follow along. I don’t say that as a bad thing. I say that because I realized while watching today that while the entire season focuses on a Ponzi scheme, no one onscreen has ever once explained what a Ponzi scheme is.
It’s hard to attract viewers who have to run to Wikipedia to know what the thrust of the whole story is.
Second?
We’ve pretty much lost our last loveable character. Tom. He’s gone. Or rather, he will be in a few short weeks, and really, if the only person you can really like is about to go bye-bye, how many people are going to stick around to watch him go?
Recently, I’ve been watching “The Wire,” which in a lot of ways has a similar feel to “Damages.” And the difference between the two shows is, you really do get attached to the (extremely flawed) characters on “The Wire.” They make mistakes, they hamstring their lives sometimes, but more than anything, they want to do the right thing.
The right way.
Patty wants the right thing, but doesn’t care how it happens. And Ellen, who used to be our eyes and ears, is now in bed with a person who tried to kill her. Literally. Hired a man to kill her.
And these are our people.
What did our people bring us this week?
Patty and Michael talked, and Michael told her a bunch of things she already knew.
Patty made a hole in her hall.
Tom and Patty talked to Tobin’s daughter, but didn’t get much out of her they didn’t already know, except that Danielle’s daughter was with Danielle on Thanksgiving.
Winstone went to Danielle on Thanksgiving and got the boots and the cell phone we already saw him stick in the Dumpster.
Oh yes! And Arthur keeps moving forward with his movie, which culminated in Arthur having the movie people meet Patty. Patty, in turn took Arthur to task for all the damage he did to the people in his former company.
Did I miss anything?
Like I said last week, I think at this point we’re just waiting for the last two revelation-packed episodes, at which point this show will wander off into the sunset.
At this point, I can see them offering to bring the show back if they can make it cheaper, but and that might be why Tom got offed this season. With him gone, the cost of a recurring character is dropped, and with a few less extras and a few more scenes in sets that are already built, they can maybe shave some cash off the price tag.
I’m probably over-thinking this.
And I haven’t talked about the plot, yet.
Well, I’m still not going to, because even though some chess pieces moved, not a whole lot happened. Even a few “shocking” moments mostly filled in information the audience could have worked out for themselves.
Let’s talk for a second about why the ratings are low.
Two things:
First, the show refuses to dumb itself down at all for the people too slow to follow along. I don’t say that as a bad thing. I say that because I realized while watching today that while the entire season focuses on a Ponzi scheme, no one onscreen has ever once explained what a Ponzi scheme is.
It’s hard to attract viewers who have to run to Wikipedia to know what the thrust of the whole story is.
Second?
We’ve pretty much lost our last loveable character. Tom. He’s gone. Or rather, he will be in a few short weeks, and really, if the only person you can really like is about to go bye-bye, how many people are going to stick around to watch him go?
Recently, I’ve been watching “The Wire,” which in a lot of ways has a similar feel to “Damages.” And the difference between the two shows is, you really do get attached to the (extremely flawed) characters on “The Wire.” They make mistakes, they hamstring their lives sometimes, but more than anything, they want to do the right thing.
The right way.
Patty wants the right thing, but doesn’t care how it happens. And Ellen, who used to be our eyes and ears, is now in bed with a person who tried to kill her. Literally. Hired a man to kill her.
And these are our people.
What did our people bring us this week?
Patty and Michael talked, and Michael told her a bunch of things she already knew.
Patty made a hole in her hall.
Tom and Patty talked to Tobin’s daughter, but didn’t get much out of her they didn’t already know, except that Danielle’s daughter was with Danielle on Thanksgiving.
Winstone went to Danielle on Thanksgiving and got the boots and the cell phone we already saw him stick in the Dumpster.
Oh yes! And Arthur keeps moving forward with his movie, which culminated in Arthur having the movie people meet Patty. Patty, in turn took Arthur to task for all the damage he did to the people in his former company.
Did I miss anything?
Like I said last week, I think at this point we’re just waiting for the last two revelation-packed episodes, at which point this show will wander off into the sunset.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Damages Season 3 Episode 8
Taking a poke around the Internet, I was surprised to find that not a lot of people dug this episode.
Whereas I felt it was kind of just what I needed.
I’ve been complaining a little bit about how the show hasn’t been doing any callbacks to the plot threads it kind of swore it would come back to: Michael and Jill’s baby. Arthur. Wes.
We were kind of promised all of those things would come back to haunt us, but it’s been a pretty haunt-free season. We’ve just been following the plotlines that they set up in episode 1 of season 3, which is good for new viewers, but not quit as fun for guys like me.
So while this episode leaned heavily on things off the spine of the main plot, it was nice to see that the writers didn’t forget about people like myself, who come each week to see characters evolve.
And what have we got?
Well, we’ve got Patty finding out her grandchild-to-be is going to be born to her son and a woman who was declared an unfit mother in the state of Colorado. She tries to make Jill go away, which is interesting considering her family history.
We’ve got Arthur, who has started a wind-power company and actually written the book he kept saying he was going to write. And I guess it’s good, because by the end of the episode Arthur is cutting a movie deal in hopes of getting a well-loved face in front of his new company.
And we get a little motion on Ellen and Tom and Patty, who are now all working together to take the Tobin family down.
Is there more? There’s more! The homeless guy gets a name! We find out that the money in Tom’s car came from Winstone! We learn that Joe orchestrated Danielle’s death, and is keeping his sister away from anyone who might ask her questions!
And it appears that Ellen and Tom were leaving Patty and Gates and striking out on their own, law-firm-wise.
Was there more to learn? Oh, maybe, but those are the high points. If this season runs like the other seasons, we’ve got three more episodes of setup and red herrings before the big reveals come.
And after that? Time, and ratings, and FX will tell.
Whereas I felt it was kind of just what I needed.
I’ve been complaining a little bit about how the show hasn’t been doing any callbacks to the plot threads it kind of swore it would come back to: Michael and Jill’s baby. Arthur. Wes.
We were kind of promised all of those things would come back to haunt us, but it’s been a pretty haunt-free season. We’ve just been following the plotlines that they set up in episode 1 of season 3, which is good for new viewers, but not quit as fun for guys like me.
So while this episode leaned heavily on things off the spine of the main plot, it was nice to see that the writers didn’t forget about people like myself, who come each week to see characters evolve.
And what have we got?
Well, we’ve got Patty finding out her grandchild-to-be is going to be born to her son and a woman who was declared an unfit mother in the state of Colorado. She tries to make Jill go away, which is interesting considering her family history.
We’ve got Arthur, who has started a wind-power company and actually written the book he kept saying he was going to write. And I guess it’s good, because by the end of the episode Arthur is cutting a movie deal in hopes of getting a well-loved face in front of his new company.
And we get a little motion on Ellen and Tom and Patty, who are now all working together to take the Tobin family down.
Is there more? There’s more! The homeless guy gets a name! We find out that the money in Tom’s car came from Winstone! We learn that Joe orchestrated Danielle’s death, and is keeping his sister away from anyone who might ask her questions!
And it appears that Ellen and Tom were leaving Patty and Gates and striking out on their own, law-firm-wise.
Was there more to learn? Oh, maybe, but those are the high points. If this season runs like the other seasons, we’ve got three more episodes of setup and red herrings before the big reveals come.
And after that? Time, and ratings, and FX will tell.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Damages: Season 3, Episode 7
Having gotten halfway through the season, I’ve gotta say, I think that the creators of the show walked up to the blackboard at the front of the room, scribbled FAMILY on it, and whenever anyone had any ideas, they pointed at the word.
FAMILY.
That seems to be the theme.
Moreover, it appears that the theme applies to both the family you create and the family you’re born into, and how both can be hideously disappointing.
Consider our plotlines so far:
Ellen: It’s clear that even though Patty, you know, tried to have her killed, that she really really really wants to go back to the “Mom” that gets her, as opposed to her actual flesh-and-blood. Who don’t understand the law, and apparently smoke crack.
Patty: She hires Alex, yes, but it’s clear that she misses Ellen. To the point where she tries to make Ellen jealous by having wine with Alex and inviting Ellen to a fake party.
Winstone: He wants to be a member of the Tobin family, and after tonight, you can see why. His mom died five months ago and when he confronts his dad, his dad threatens blackmail.
Must have made for awkward Thanksgivings.
Tom: Tom spent this whole episode tracking down a member of the Tobin family an in effort to get all the money back for his own family, immediate and in-laws. And it’s telling that, to do so, he tried to help another family.
Did anything else happen in this episode that I missed? Well, there’s the double agent keeping the Tobin funds safe in the Caribbean, I guess. And Ellen finding out that Joe’s sister probably gave the killer potassium to Danielle.
Everything else is, of course, speculation.
One final note: We’ve got six episodes to go, and there’s been no word yet on whether or not Damages will be coming back for a round four. I suppose it’s possible that FX is waiting to see if the back half of the season gets some kind of a bump, but I don’t see that happening.
Well, okay, one more note: How great has Martin Short been this season? Honestly, the man has been brilliant in every scene. Maybe they can spin him off into his own show? Assuming his character isn’t dead at the end of this season?
And what do YOU think?
FAMILY.
That seems to be the theme.
Moreover, it appears that the theme applies to both the family you create and the family you’re born into, and how both can be hideously disappointing.
Consider our plotlines so far:
Ellen: It’s clear that even though Patty, you know, tried to have her killed, that she really really really wants to go back to the “Mom” that gets her, as opposed to her actual flesh-and-blood. Who don’t understand the law, and apparently smoke crack.
Patty: She hires Alex, yes, but it’s clear that she misses Ellen. To the point where she tries to make Ellen jealous by having wine with Alex and inviting Ellen to a fake party.
Winstone: He wants to be a member of the Tobin family, and after tonight, you can see why. His mom died five months ago and when he confronts his dad, his dad threatens blackmail.
Must have made for awkward Thanksgivings.
Tom: Tom spent this whole episode tracking down a member of the Tobin family an in effort to get all the money back for his own family, immediate and in-laws. And it’s telling that, to do so, he tried to help another family.
Did anything else happen in this episode that I missed? Well, there’s the double agent keeping the Tobin funds safe in the Caribbean, I guess. And Ellen finding out that Joe’s sister probably gave the killer potassium to Danielle.
Everything else is, of course, speculation.
One final note: We’ve got six episodes to go, and there’s been no word yet on whether or not Damages will be coming back for a round four. I suppose it’s possible that FX is waiting to see if the back half of the season gets some kind of a bump, but I don’t see that happening.
Well, okay, one more note: How great has Martin Short been this season? Honestly, the man has been brilliant in every scene. Maybe they can spin him off into his own show? Assuming his character isn’t dead at the end of this season?
And what do YOU think?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Damages Season 3 Episode 6
Tom and his wife and the only other person we ever see at Patty’s firm talk about the fact that Tom and everyone else around them has lost a whole lot of money, and they need to cut costs. His wife is displeased with the whole conversation, and walks out.
Four Months Later: The two detectives discuss the now-dead Tom. They’ve figured out that Tom died two hours after Patty got hit by Tom’s car. So Tom might be the driver.
Credits!
Now! Tom and Patty talk to a judge about the fact that they seem to be looking for hidden money that isn’t there. The judge warns them that if they don’t get more money soon, they’ll be off the case.
Tom and Patty leave, and talk about Alex, the new hopeful-hire. Patty says she can’t think about Alex right now. She wants to know where Danielle’s daughter went. And what else happened on Thanksgiving.
Ellen and Gates talk about Danielle’s mysterious death. They can’t think of any reason Tobin’s family would have killed Danielle, which probably proves they aren’t all that great at their jobs. They decide to investigate Tobin’s death first, starting with the guy Joe punched.
In his office, Winstone hands Joe a gun, since Joe is going to meet Stewart.
Patty goes to see Sterling, one of the many people she’s put behind bars. She wants to remodel her apartment, and asks for the name of his architect. And to ask him about Tobin and his missing fortune.
He offers to help, but he wants a conjugal visit in return.
Patty brings Alex into her office, and gives her an assignment. Patty asks Alex if she’s ever been to prison.
Joe takes the Subway to the last stop on the line, as directed by Stewart via Winstone. Stewart’s flunky greets Joe on the train. And then, here comes Stewart, an older fellow around Tobin’s age.
Joe wants Stewart to show him the money.
In the office, Tom tells Patty he’s got to go to his kid’s school and talk about what it’s like being a lawyer.
Ellen, Gates, and another guy on the Tobin case talk about the guy Joe assaulted. He won’t talk without an attorney present. His attorney is Patty.
Tom goes to his daughter’s school, and ends up sitting behind… the guy who invested his money. Which is all gone now.
Alex goes to see Sterling. She starts unzipping her boot.
Ellen and pals interrogate Joe’s assault victim with Patty there.
Everyone leaves, except for Ellen. Patty asks her to stay. Ellen admits that Gates is getting desperate to put someone behind bars for something.
Patty also asks Ellen what Ellen thinks of Alex. Ellen says that Alex is talented and dedicated, but implies she doesn’t like Alex very much.
And now it’s time for Tom to present “What it’s Like to Be a Lawyer.” He basically says he wanted to be a lawyer because he understands the value of rules.
Alex goes back to Patty’s firm and tries to get up to see Patty, but Patty calls down and says she’s busy and doesn’t want to see Alex.
Alex leaves.
Joe gets a call on his cell phone, and he’s told to go to 117th Street and 1st Ave.
At her office, Ellen leads her team to the “Tobin killed himself” theory.
On the street, Joe is directed to talk to a woman. He gets a key. He opens box 17, and there’s a dry cleaning slip in it.
Patty goes to visit Sterling in prison. He describes Alex as “delightful.” He directs Patty to the Caribbean. He thinks Patty will find the money there.
Meanwhile, Joe goes to the dry cleaner and hands in his slip. In return, he gets a massive box and the directions to thank Stewart.
Patty gets a phone call at home, and meets with Stewart’s architect. Turns out it’s the guy who hit on her at the start of the season. He thinks the beauty of the living space is actually behind the walls. They need to be torn out. Patty says she’ll be in touch.
Joe takes the box to Winstone. Inside the box? A coat. And directions to give the coat to Joe’s mom. He and Winstone decide to send it back.
Tom speaks to his father-in-law. Because his in-laws lost it all, they don’t have the money to pay their insurance premiums, and Tom’s mother-in-law has medical issues that need to be dealt with.
Four Months Later: Ellen goes to Tom’s place. She knocks. No answer. She tries the door, and gets in. Tom has a bag of money for Ellen. Ellen asks if Patty knows about it. Tom says don’t worry about Patty.
And then we see Patty’s car crash again.
Now! Turns out, Tobin’s money IS in the Caribbean, but none of the Tobin family members handled it.
Tom gets a call from his daughter, which makes Patty unhappy.
Ellen and crew go to visit Tobin’s doctor. They ask about his elevated potassium levels. The doctor says that’s normal. Then they show the doctor Danielle’s death record. Same elevated levels.
The doctor claims he explained the potassium death trick to Tobin, but didn’t give him anything to kill himself with. He also admits that Danielle could have died that way, but he really, really didn’t have anything to do with that.
Alex goes to see Ellen, to talk about Patty again. And we get more of Alex in prison. It seems she smuggled some caviar in. And that’s it.
Ellen says Alex should run away.
Stewart meets his flunky, and they determine they don’t trust Joe, since he didn’t give the coat to his mom.
Tom goes to his daughter’s recital, and the evil investor that lost all his money is there, talking about things like his private jet. The man gets a phone call, and Tom follows him out of the concert.
Tom confronts him about the fact that all his money is gone. It devolves into a fistfight.
Alex calls Ellen. Alex got the job. Ellen seems vaguely emotional about this.
Joe goes home to his hotel room. Stewart and his flunky are there. They want the coat. Stewart explains the fur was for Joe’s mom. The flunky tells Joe to look in the bottom dresser drawer. There’s a case there. With money in it.
Tom calls Patty from the airport. It seems that Danielle’s daughter is a flight attendant for a private airline.
Four Months Later: The detectives go to check out Tom’s car. They open the trunk. Ellen and Tom’s bag of money is in there.
Now! Tom tells his lawyer buddy he’s going to get his money back, and not tell Patty about the lost cash.
Four Months Later: The two detectives discuss the now-dead Tom. They’ve figured out that Tom died two hours after Patty got hit by Tom’s car. So Tom might be the driver.
Credits!
Now! Tom and Patty talk to a judge about the fact that they seem to be looking for hidden money that isn’t there. The judge warns them that if they don’t get more money soon, they’ll be off the case.
Tom and Patty leave, and talk about Alex, the new hopeful-hire. Patty says she can’t think about Alex right now. She wants to know where Danielle’s daughter went. And what else happened on Thanksgiving.
Ellen and Gates talk about Danielle’s mysterious death. They can’t think of any reason Tobin’s family would have killed Danielle, which probably proves they aren’t all that great at their jobs. They decide to investigate Tobin’s death first, starting with the guy Joe punched.
In his office, Winstone hands Joe a gun, since Joe is going to meet Stewart.
Patty goes to see Sterling, one of the many people she’s put behind bars. She wants to remodel her apartment, and asks for the name of his architect. And to ask him about Tobin and his missing fortune.
He offers to help, but he wants a conjugal visit in return.
Patty brings Alex into her office, and gives her an assignment. Patty asks Alex if she’s ever been to prison.
Joe takes the Subway to the last stop on the line, as directed by Stewart via Winstone. Stewart’s flunky greets Joe on the train. And then, here comes Stewart, an older fellow around Tobin’s age.
Joe wants Stewart to show him the money.
In the office, Tom tells Patty he’s got to go to his kid’s school and talk about what it’s like being a lawyer.
Ellen, Gates, and another guy on the Tobin case talk about the guy Joe assaulted. He won’t talk without an attorney present. His attorney is Patty.
Tom goes to his daughter’s school, and ends up sitting behind… the guy who invested his money. Which is all gone now.
Alex goes to see Sterling. She starts unzipping her boot.
Ellen and pals interrogate Joe’s assault victim with Patty there.
Everyone leaves, except for Ellen. Patty asks her to stay. Ellen admits that Gates is getting desperate to put someone behind bars for something.
Patty also asks Ellen what Ellen thinks of Alex. Ellen says that Alex is talented and dedicated, but implies she doesn’t like Alex very much.
And now it’s time for Tom to present “What it’s Like to Be a Lawyer.” He basically says he wanted to be a lawyer because he understands the value of rules.
Alex goes back to Patty’s firm and tries to get up to see Patty, but Patty calls down and says she’s busy and doesn’t want to see Alex.
Alex leaves.
Joe gets a call on his cell phone, and he’s told to go to 117th Street and 1st Ave.
At her office, Ellen leads her team to the “Tobin killed himself” theory.
On the street, Joe is directed to talk to a woman. He gets a key. He opens box 17, and there’s a dry cleaning slip in it.
Patty goes to visit Sterling in prison. He describes Alex as “delightful.” He directs Patty to the Caribbean. He thinks Patty will find the money there.
Meanwhile, Joe goes to the dry cleaner and hands in his slip. In return, he gets a massive box and the directions to thank Stewart.
Patty gets a phone call at home, and meets with Stewart’s architect. Turns out it’s the guy who hit on her at the start of the season. He thinks the beauty of the living space is actually behind the walls. They need to be torn out. Patty says she’ll be in touch.
Joe takes the box to Winstone. Inside the box? A coat. And directions to give the coat to Joe’s mom. He and Winstone decide to send it back.
Tom speaks to his father-in-law. Because his in-laws lost it all, they don’t have the money to pay their insurance premiums, and Tom’s mother-in-law has medical issues that need to be dealt with.
Four Months Later: Ellen goes to Tom’s place. She knocks. No answer. She tries the door, and gets in. Tom has a bag of money for Ellen. Ellen asks if Patty knows about it. Tom says don’t worry about Patty.
And then we see Patty’s car crash again.
Now! Turns out, Tobin’s money IS in the Caribbean, but none of the Tobin family members handled it.
Tom gets a call from his daughter, which makes Patty unhappy.
Ellen and crew go to visit Tobin’s doctor. They ask about his elevated potassium levels. The doctor says that’s normal. Then they show the doctor Danielle’s death record. Same elevated levels.
The doctor claims he explained the potassium death trick to Tobin, but didn’t give him anything to kill himself with. He also admits that Danielle could have died that way, but he really, really didn’t have anything to do with that.
Alex goes to see Ellen, to talk about Patty again. And we get more of Alex in prison. It seems she smuggled some caviar in. And that’s it.
Ellen says Alex should run away.
Stewart meets his flunky, and they determine they don’t trust Joe, since he didn’t give the coat to his mom.
Tom goes to his daughter’s recital, and the evil investor that lost all his money is there, talking about things like his private jet. The man gets a phone call, and Tom follows him out of the concert.
Tom confronts him about the fact that all his money is gone. It devolves into a fistfight.
Alex calls Ellen. Alex got the job. Ellen seems vaguely emotional about this.
Joe goes home to his hotel room. Stewart and his flunky are there. They want the coat. Stewart explains the fur was for Joe’s mom. The flunky tells Joe to look in the bottom dresser drawer. There’s a case there. With money in it.
Tom calls Patty from the airport. It seems that Danielle’s daughter is a flight attendant for a private airline.
Four Months Later: The detectives go to check out Tom’s car. They open the trunk. Ellen and Tom’s bag of money is in there.
Now! Tom tells his lawyer buddy he’s going to get his money back, and not tell Patty about the lost cash.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Damages Season 3, Episode 4
You know, it just occurred to me that Danielle’s name may just be an inside, just-for-the-writer’s joke about Danielle travelling (or rather, not travelling) tonight on a plane.
And one other thought: With this episode, we’re just about a third of the way through what will probably be the final season of the show. What’re your thoughts? Liking it? Hoping it goes another season? Just hoping this one has a solid ending?
Episode 4
Damages Season 3, Ep 4 at The Onion AV Club
In our opening moments, we get a shot of Danielle lying in her hospital bed. We then move to Patty and Tom, who talk about her status: In another 15 minutes, she would have been dead, the cops believe that Joe was taking her to the hospital, and she won’t be able to talk to Patty and Tom for a week.
Which is too late.
Five Months Later: The detectives talk about the fact that Tom drowned. Patty doesn’t know that Tom is dead, even though it was his car that hit her car. So they decide to tell her Tom is dead.
Now: Ellen is at work. Patty walks through, and she asks a co-worker why Patty is there. The co-worker fills her in.
Patty talks to Ellen’s boss. She wants a week to use Danielle against Tobin. She gets a day to talk to Tobin about Danielle.
Winstone talks to Joe in a park. He reminds Joe that Tobin is getting sentenced this week. Then he’s going to prison and never coming out again. Joe doesn’t want to talk to Tobin, even though Tobin wants to talk to Joe. Joe confirms that the money is still coming at a later time, and says he doesn’t need anything else from Tobin.
Winstone also asks if Joe needs to get back into rehab. Joe says he’s fine.
Ellen talks to her sister, Carrie, about the check Ellen wrote her. She cancelled it. She confronts Carrie about the drugs, and Carrie says they must belong to her ex. Carrie gets mad and leaves.
Tobin, the doctor, and Winstone talk. The doc says Danielle is going to be fine, then leaves. Tobin asks if Joe is drinking again, and Winstone avoids the topic. Tobin thinks they need to make alternate arrangements.
Winstone talks to a woman about Joe, and how he used to vanish for weeks during his drinking days. The woman says her people will follow Joe, and gives Winstone an untraceable cell phone to call her in the future.
Michael and Patty meet for lunch. She wanted him to know about the divorce. He already knew, Phil told him. Phil helped him get a job, working in stocks, on an entry level. Patty is quite clearly shocked, though she plays it close to the vest.
Michael also says that he and Jill are over now. Michael pays the bill.
Five Months Later: The detective tells Patty that Tom is dead. She wants to know what happened. So does the detective. She says the last time she talked to Tom, something was “wrong.”
Now: Winstone tells Tobin that Patty wants to talk to him. He also tells Tobin there’s “no real news” on Joe. Tobin decides to talk to Patty, just to get another day of freedom.
At Michael’s apartment, we learn that everything Michael told Patty was a lie. He has no job, he’s trying to paint, Jill is supporting them, and she’s pregnant.
Ellen’s boss tells Ellen that he wants her to sit in on the Tobin interview. Ellen says okay.
Joe talks to his wife, and tells her about Danielle. He says “there’s a way out of this.”
Joe has dinner with his wife. He tells her Joe is drinking again. She says he started drinking because of Tobin not paying attention to him.
Joe talks to his son, Kevin. They talk Tobin.
The dudes spying on Joe report to Winstone that Joe hasn’t been drinking.
Ellen and Ellen’s boss, Gates, go to Tobin’s interview. With Patty, and Tom, and Tobin. Tobin says he called Danielle on Thanksgiving night. He says Danielle was a pathetic old man’s indiscretion.
He tells a story wherein he calls Danielle on Thanksgiving to tell her to bring his heart pills.
He also says he tried to ship her out of the country to avoid bringing any more shame to his family.
Patty pokes and prods with mean words to find out where the hidden money is. Tobin says there is none. Then the interview ends.
Gates and Ellen talk. Ellen knows Patty was looking for a weak link, and that Danielle is it. She tells Gates to let Patty take the lead, because Patty will get something out of Danielle.
Joe’s stalkers call Winstone and say Joe is in the city and drinking. Winstone tells Tobin. Tobin says, “I’ve made my decision.”
Five Months Later: The detective grills Patty about Tom and the Tobin case. She relates a harried phone conversation she had with him.
After the talk with Patty, Tom answers a knock at his door. We don’t get to see who’s there.
Now: Tobin calls Patty at home. And he tells her that Joe didn’t want to see him on his last night of freedom. And some other things, though it doesn’t appear to be important.
In the city, Joe walks down the street and buys some booze in a liquor store.
Winstone also walks down a street, then sees himself on a display of TVs in a window. He looks at himself. He makes faces at himself.
A man follows Joe. Joe sees a couple of newspapers with his dad on the cover. He pours his booze into the street, and throws the bottle in the trash.
The stalker calls Winstone and says Joe might be turning over a new leaf.
Tobin’s doctor comes to visit him. Tobin says he’s ready. The doctor hands him something.
Tobin puts a few drops of something into his tea. He pulls out a manila envelope and sets it on the desk. He drinks the tea.
Ellen goes to see Patty at her apartment. They talk about each other’s families. Viciously. Ellen asks about the Tobin case.
Patty says she just wants Ellen’s company. Ellen needs to “let go of work.”
At his home, Tobin is dead. Joe picks up the manila envelope, and pulls something out of it.
Five Months Later: The detective tells Patty to stay available for the next few days. She says that Tom was like family.
At some point around the same time frame: Patty has a phone call where she says, “I told you to stop!”
And one other thought: With this episode, we’re just about a third of the way through what will probably be the final season of the show. What’re your thoughts? Liking it? Hoping it goes another season? Just hoping this one has a solid ending?
Episode 4
Damages Season 3, Ep 4 at The Onion AV Club
In our opening moments, we get a shot of Danielle lying in her hospital bed. We then move to Patty and Tom, who talk about her status: In another 15 minutes, she would have been dead, the cops believe that Joe was taking her to the hospital, and she won’t be able to talk to Patty and Tom for a week.
Which is too late.
Five Months Later: The detectives talk about the fact that Tom drowned. Patty doesn’t know that Tom is dead, even though it was his car that hit her car. So they decide to tell her Tom is dead.
Now: Ellen is at work. Patty walks through, and she asks a co-worker why Patty is there. The co-worker fills her in.
Patty talks to Ellen’s boss. She wants a week to use Danielle against Tobin. She gets a day to talk to Tobin about Danielle.
Winstone talks to Joe in a park. He reminds Joe that Tobin is getting sentenced this week. Then he’s going to prison and never coming out again. Joe doesn’t want to talk to Tobin, even though Tobin wants to talk to Joe. Joe confirms that the money is still coming at a later time, and says he doesn’t need anything else from Tobin.
Winstone also asks if Joe needs to get back into rehab. Joe says he’s fine.
Ellen talks to her sister, Carrie, about the check Ellen wrote her. She cancelled it. She confronts Carrie about the drugs, and Carrie says they must belong to her ex. Carrie gets mad and leaves.
Tobin, the doctor, and Winstone talk. The doc says Danielle is going to be fine, then leaves. Tobin asks if Joe is drinking again, and Winstone avoids the topic. Tobin thinks they need to make alternate arrangements.
Winstone talks to a woman about Joe, and how he used to vanish for weeks during his drinking days. The woman says her people will follow Joe, and gives Winstone an untraceable cell phone to call her in the future.
Michael and Patty meet for lunch. She wanted him to know about the divorce. He already knew, Phil told him. Phil helped him get a job, working in stocks, on an entry level. Patty is quite clearly shocked, though she plays it close to the vest.
Michael also says that he and Jill are over now. Michael pays the bill.
Five Months Later: The detective tells Patty that Tom is dead. She wants to know what happened. So does the detective. She says the last time she talked to Tom, something was “wrong.”
Now: Winstone tells Tobin that Patty wants to talk to him. He also tells Tobin there’s “no real news” on Joe. Tobin decides to talk to Patty, just to get another day of freedom.
At Michael’s apartment, we learn that everything Michael told Patty was a lie. He has no job, he’s trying to paint, Jill is supporting them, and she’s pregnant.
Ellen’s boss tells Ellen that he wants her to sit in on the Tobin interview. Ellen says okay.
Joe talks to his wife, and tells her about Danielle. He says “there’s a way out of this.”
Joe has dinner with his wife. He tells her Joe is drinking again. She says he started drinking because of Tobin not paying attention to him.
Joe talks to his son, Kevin. They talk Tobin.
The dudes spying on Joe report to Winstone that Joe hasn’t been drinking.
Ellen and Ellen’s boss, Gates, go to Tobin’s interview. With Patty, and Tom, and Tobin. Tobin says he called Danielle on Thanksgiving night. He says Danielle was a pathetic old man’s indiscretion.
He tells a story wherein he calls Danielle on Thanksgiving to tell her to bring his heart pills.
He also says he tried to ship her out of the country to avoid bringing any more shame to his family.
Patty pokes and prods with mean words to find out where the hidden money is. Tobin says there is none. Then the interview ends.
Gates and Ellen talk. Ellen knows Patty was looking for a weak link, and that Danielle is it. She tells Gates to let Patty take the lead, because Patty will get something out of Danielle.
Joe’s stalkers call Winstone and say Joe is in the city and drinking. Winstone tells Tobin. Tobin says, “I’ve made my decision.”
Five Months Later: The detective grills Patty about Tom and the Tobin case. She relates a harried phone conversation she had with him.
After the talk with Patty, Tom answers a knock at his door. We don’t get to see who’s there.
Now: Tobin calls Patty at home. And he tells her that Joe didn’t want to see him on his last night of freedom. And some other things, though it doesn’t appear to be important.
In the city, Joe walks down the street and buys some booze in a liquor store.
Winstone also walks down a street, then sees himself on a display of TVs in a window. He looks at himself. He makes faces at himself.
A man follows Joe. Joe sees a couple of newspapers with his dad on the cover. He pours his booze into the street, and throws the bottle in the trash.
The stalker calls Winstone and says Joe might be turning over a new leaf.
Tobin’s doctor comes to visit him. Tobin says he’s ready. The doctor hands him something.
Tobin puts a few drops of something into his tea. He pulls out a manila envelope and sets it on the desk. He drinks the tea.
Ellen goes to see Patty at her apartment. They talk about each other’s families. Viciously. Ellen asks about the Tobin case.
Patty says she just wants Ellen’s company. Ellen needs to “let go of work.”
At his home, Tobin is dead. Joe picks up the manila envelope, and pulls something out of it.
Five Months Later: The detective tells Patty to stay available for the next few days. She says that Tom was like family.
At some point around the same time frame: Patty has a phone call where she says, “I told you to stop!”
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Damages Season 3, Episode 3
Before we get into what’s happening this week with Patty and Crew, let’s talk a little bit about the show itself.
It’s the ratings. They aren’t good.
At this point, I’m not sure if anything can be done about that, and more to the point, I’m not sure that FX is going to try. If you look around, you’ll see that while Season 1 of Damages is on Hulu, season 2 isn’t. The DVD set of season 2 came out a mere week before the new series hit, which probably wasn’t enough time for the curious to catch up and follow along.
And then there’s a slight feeling of, “We have to let people on the bus!” with this season.
One of the things I really loved about season 2 was its sense of scope. It had a big story going on, yes, but it also carried the story of season 1 with it, along with all the shading and surprises and things that still needed to be revealed.
The only problem was, it wasn’t a good on-ramp for people who didn’t already know the show.
And so the ratings slipped, and I’m guessing someone, somewhere, said, “We need to right this ship!”
Which leads us to season 3. A season that mostly just forgets about everything that came before. Yeah, we’ve got the divorce story as a carryover from last season, but it doesn’t really require any prior knowledge to understand what happened. Phil cheated, and now they’re in court.
There’s still quite a bit of season left to go, so things might yet change… but I kind of doubt it. So for better or worse, we’ve got Ellen and Patty in different offices, and maybe a little something with Tom.
I’m not saying I’m not liking it. I am. But I miss all that could have been. Especially the Wes angle. Something really interesting could have happened there…
(Please, leave a comment if you’ve got thoughts of your own. I’d love to hear ‘em.)
Episode 3
Season 3, Episode Three on The Onion AV Club
We pick right up from last week, with Joe hitting Danielle. He goes to call 911, only a driver shows up to take Danielle to the airport. International flight. Joe explains that the flight was “for him” and that someone was supposed to cancel it.
The driver leaves, Joe opts NOT to call 911, and takes the body into the house.
Credits!
Patty and Tom talk about trying to find Danielle before she leaves the country.
Ellen tells a coworker that she’s having dinner with her parents, her sister, and her new niece. But not her sister’s husband.
Winstone goes on a date with Tobin’s wife’s hairdresser. First, he’s concerned that the flight getting Danielle out of the country has been delayed. Then he gets a call from Joe.
Ellen and Patty bump into each other outside of Ellen’s work. Patty thanks Ellen for the name. Ellen says she has to get to her dinner.
Tom calls his wife and says he’s sorry he’s running late for dinner/telling his in-laws they lost all their money. He’s trying to track down Danielle.
At Danielle’s house, Danielle wakes up. She’s not dead. She asks what time it is. Joe asks if she has someplace to be. Winstone shows up, and he and Joe decide to send Danielle out of the country.
Patty talks to Ellen’s boss, and gives him Danielle’s name. He says he can’t detain her without cause.
At Ellen’s dinner, Ellen holds her niece. Ellen’s sister asks about Wes. They broke up “a few months back.”
Turns out Ellen’s sister’s husband isn’t there because he’s “bowling.”
Tom and Patty talk about the fact that they still haven’t found Danielle.
Danielle, Winstone and Joe talk about the whole “leaving the country” thing. She says she needs a doctor. If he says she’s all right, she’ll leave.
Joe goes out to his car and has some booze. So he gets to see Tom come up to Danielle’s door, knock, and then go hunting around the outside of the house looking for her. Tom spots a broken taillight on Joe’s car, and goes to write down the license plate number.
An elderly neighbor asks if Tom needs help, and confirms that Danielle lives in the house.
Tom calls Patty and leaves a message that he can’t find Danielle, and he heads to his dinner.
And then here comes the elderly neighbor. Turns out he’s the doctor who is going to check out Danielle.
The doctor says she probably has a concussion, and possibly a broken rib. The doctor says she can fly, unless she slurs her speech or gets more nauseous.
Patty brings in her bald-headed dude.
Patty calls Winstone and says she knows about Danielle. Patty threatens to release information about Danielle to the press.
Elsewhere in the house, Danielle calls “someone” on the phone and leaves a message.
At the DA’s office, the guy who interviewed Danielle about the Tobin case now has a voice mail.
At Ellen’s dinner, her sister is crying and mom is comforting while Ellen dries the dishes.
Joe and Danielle talk. She was actually seeing Joe at one point. A year before Joe went to rehab, Danielle started an affair with Tobin. There’s more talk, but it’s deliberately vague.
Winstone goes to see Patty. She hands him a press release. He says he doesn’t know who Danielle is. They verbally spar.
Joe calls the doctor. Her nose is bleeding and she’s slurring her words. The doctor tells Joe that if Danielle gets on a plane, she’ll die.
Danielle’s phone rings. It’s Chris, from the DA’s office. Joe hangs up.
Ellen’s boss is not pleased.
Danielle asks what the doctor said, and Joe says it’s nothing to worry about.
Tom finally gets to dinner with his in-laws and wife. He looks at the water glasses, and goes to make a call. He remembers he saw a water glass, and realizes that Danielle and Company were still in the house.
Ellen asks her sister what’s going on with her husband. He left her, three weeks earlier, and she’s getting money from mom and dad. And also, she’s moving back in with mom and dad. Dad doesn’t know yet.
Ellen’s sister asks Ellen to stay, so they can tell dad together.
Joe drives Danielle to the airport. She’s having some serious mental slips.
Tom tells his in-laws what happened to all their money.
At Ellen’s parent’s house, Ellen’s sister gets chewed out by dad for being a slob. Ellen decides to stay the night.
Joe calls Winstone and says he’s ten minutes from the airport.
Patty calls Ellen’s boss and says they have cause to arrest Joe and Danielle. He’s driving with a broken taillight.
A cop pulls Joe over. Joe said he was going to the hospital. The cop calls for an ambulance.
Patty goes to the airport and talks to Winstone. Winstone says he doesn’t know who Danielle is. Patty says that she now knows for sure that Winstone is helping Tobin hide something.
Ellen heads upstairs to locate something to sleep in, and discovers a crack pipe. And crack. She goes back downstairs, where everyone is watching home movies.
Ellen calls Patty and asks if Patty found her witness.
Hey! No flashbacks or flash-forwards! Interesting.
It’s the ratings. They aren’t good.
At this point, I’m not sure if anything can be done about that, and more to the point, I’m not sure that FX is going to try. If you look around, you’ll see that while Season 1 of Damages is on Hulu, season 2 isn’t. The DVD set of season 2 came out a mere week before the new series hit, which probably wasn’t enough time for the curious to catch up and follow along.
And then there’s a slight feeling of, “We have to let people on the bus!” with this season.
One of the things I really loved about season 2 was its sense of scope. It had a big story going on, yes, but it also carried the story of season 1 with it, along with all the shading and surprises and things that still needed to be revealed.
The only problem was, it wasn’t a good on-ramp for people who didn’t already know the show.
And so the ratings slipped, and I’m guessing someone, somewhere, said, “We need to right this ship!”
Which leads us to season 3. A season that mostly just forgets about everything that came before. Yeah, we’ve got the divorce story as a carryover from last season, but it doesn’t really require any prior knowledge to understand what happened. Phil cheated, and now they’re in court.
There’s still quite a bit of season left to go, so things might yet change… but I kind of doubt it. So for better or worse, we’ve got Ellen and Patty in different offices, and maybe a little something with Tom.
I’m not saying I’m not liking it. I am. But I miss all that could have been. Especially the Wes angle. Something really interesting could have happened there…
(Please, leave a comment if you’ve got thoughts of your own. I’d love to hear ‘em.)
Episode 3
Season 3, Episode Three on The Onion AV Club
We pick right up from last week, with Joe hitting Danielle. He goes to call 911, only a driver shows up to take Danielle to the airport. International flight. Joe explains that the flight was “for him” and that someone was supposed to cancel it.
The driver leaves, Joe opts NOT to call 911, and takes the body into the house.
Credits!
Patty and Tom talk about trying to find Danielle before she leaves the country.
Ellen tells a coworker that she’s having dinner with her parents, her sister, and her new niece. But not her sister’s husband.
Winstone goes on a date with Tobin’s wife’s hairdresser. First, he’s concerned that the flight getting Danielle out of the country has been delayed. Then he gets a call from Joe.
Ellen and Patty bump into each other outside of Ellen’s work. Patty thanks Ellen for the name. Ellen says she has to get to her dinner.
Tom calls his wife and says he’s sorry he’s running late for dinner/telling his in-laws they lost all their money. He’s trying to track down Danielle.
At Danielle’s house, Danielle wakes up. She’s not dead. She asks what time it is. Joe asks if she has someplace to be. Winstone shows up, and he and Joe decide to send Danielle out of the country.
Patty talks to Ellen’s boss, and gives him Danielle’s name. He says he can’t detain her without cause.
At Ellen’s dinner, Ellen holds her niece. Ellen’s sister asks about Wes. They broke up “a few months back.”
Turns out Ellen’s sister’s husband isn’t there because he’s “bowling.”
Tom and Patty talk about the fact that they still haven’t found Danielle.
Danielle, Winstone and Joe talk about the whole “leaving the country” thing. She says she needs a doctor. If he says she’s all right, she’ll leave.
Joe goes out to his car and has some booze. So he gets to see Tom come up to Danielle’s door, knock, and then go hunting around the outside of the house looking for her. Tom spots a broken taillight on Joe’s car, and goes to write down the license plate number.
An elderly neighbor asks if Tom needs help, and confirms that Danielle lives in the house.
Tom calls Patty and leaves a message that he can’t find Danielle, and he heads to his dinner.
And then here comes the elderly neighbor. Turns out he’s the doctor who is going to check out Danielle.
The doctor says she probably has a concussion, and possibly a broken rib. The doctor says she can fly, unless she slurs her speech or gets more nauseous.
Patty brings in her bald-headed dude.
Patty calls Winstone and says she knows about Danielle. Patty threatens to release information about Danielle to the press.
Elsewhere in the house, Danielle calls “someone” on the phone and leaves a message.
At the DA’s office, the guy who interviewed Danielle about the Tobin case now has a voice mail.
At Ellen’s dinner, her sister is crying and mom is comforting while Ellen dries the dishes.
Joe and Danielle talk. She was actually seeing Joe at one point. A year before Joe went to rehab, Danielle started an affair with Tobin. There’s more talk, but it’s deliberately vague.
Winstone goes to see Patty. She hands him a press release. He says he doesn’t know who Danielle is. They verbally spar.
Joe calls the doctor. Her nose is bleeding and she’s slurring her words. The doctor tells Joe that if Danielle gets on a plane, she’ll die.
Danielle’s phone rings. It’s Chris, from the DA’s office. Joe hangs up.
Ellen’s boss is not pleased.
Danielle asks what the doctor said, and Joe says it’s nothing to worry about.
Tom finally gets to dinner with his in-laws and wife. He looks at the water glasses, and goes to make a call. He remembers he saw a water glass, and realizes that Danielle and Company were still in the house.
Ellen asks her sister what’s going on with her husband. He left her, three weeks earlier, and she’s getting money from mom and dad. And also, she’s moving back in with mom and dad. Dad doesn’t know yet.
Ellen’s sister asks Ellen to stay, so they can tell dad together.
Joe drives Danielle to the airport. She’s having some serious mental slips.
Tom tells his in-laws what happened to all their money.
At Ellen’s parent’s house, Ellen’s sister gets chewed out by dad for being a slob. Ellen decides to stay the night.
Joe calls Winstone and says he’s ten minutes from the airport.
Patty calls Ellen’s boss and says they have cause to arrest Joe and Danielle. He’s driving with a broken taillight.
A cop pulls Joe over. Joe said he was going to the hospital. The cop calls for an ambulance.
Patty goes to the airport and talks to Winstone. Winstone says he doesn’t know who Danielle is. Patty says that she now knows for sure that Winstone is helping Tobin hide something.
Ellen heads upstairs to locate something to sleep in, and discovers a crack pipe. And crack. She goes back downstairs, where everyone is watching home movies.
Ellen calls Patty and asks if Patty found her witness.
Hey! No flashbacks or flash-forwards! Interesting.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Damages Season 3, Episode 2
I have to say, I’m getting the feeling they decided to clean a few slates on this season. We’re into the second episode already, and with 2/13 of the season wrapped up, it seems obvious that they’re just going to let a lot of the storylines from last season vanish, never to return.
To wit: There’s been some mention of the people from the last case, but unlike Arthur in season 2, we’re not seeing any of those characters come back.
Also, with two episodes down, there’s been no reference to Wes, to reference to tracking down who killed David, and even Michael appears to be gone, with little chance he’ll return.
I get that having all those stories carry into this season makes it tough to pull in new viewers, but at the moment, I feel like I’m watching a show that used to juggle seven balls at once suddenly decide to juggle just one ball, and it isn’t as impressive.
Episode 2
Episode 2 on The Onion AV Club
As we begin, Joe is talking to Tobin, his dad, about the fact that the money is out there. “Enough for generations,” is what Tobin says. Joe says he could tell Patty about it and clear his name. Tobin says that Joe will have to choose between family or Patty.
Patty calls the cell phone that the Homeless Guy picked up. Patty gives Homeless Guy her name.
Six Months Later: The Detective talks to the Homeless Guy. He asks HG if he knows Tom, and presents him with a picture of the dead Tom.
Credits!
Now! Patty and Phil and their lawyers negotiate the terms of their divorce. Patty wants the apartment. Patty is harsh with Phil, and says she has nothing to hide. Phil says he wishes he could ask Ray about that. Negotiations break down.
Tom says he found someone who is willing to talk – the homeless guy.
Joe talks to Winstone. Winstone says he didn’t know about the money. And that Tobin is going to jail. Joe says he’s going to tell the truth, and get the money back for the investors. Then he gets a phone call from his wife. His apartment was just seized.
Tom takes the Homeless Guy to find out where HG got the cell phone. HG takes Tom to his special Dumpster, where he says he finds a lot of great stuff. It’s the same place they’re going to find Tom’s body, in about six months.
HG shows Tom some other stuff, and Tom tries to buy some boots. HG says he wants Tom’s watch.
At Ellen’s work, one of her co-workers hits on Ellen.
Joe meets with his wife. It seems they have 24 hours to get out of the apartment. She wants to take their kid to see her family, and get him out of the chaos.
Six Months Later: Homeless Guy looks at the picture of Tom, and says he was a good guy, and that they “helped” each other. HG is wearing Tom’s watch.
The Present! Patty and Tom talk. The boots belonged to Tobin. They were custom-made. Tobin also ordered a bunch of women’s clothing for someone with the initials D.M.M. That’s not his wife.
Later, Patty attempts to feed her dog, but the dog won’t eat.
Phil comes to visit Patty, and they talk about the dog. And a little about the apartment. But mostly about how the dog is depressed. Patty asks Phil to take care of the dog.
Elsewhere, Joe meets with a nice black man. It seems that Joe is in AA. He’s been missing meetings. After some vague discussion, the nice man tells Joe that if his family is the most important thing to Joe, then Joe should take care of them.
Tom meets with a guy named Roger. He asks about the initials D.M.M. Roger looks uncomfortable, and hands Tom a folder. Tom looks at it, and then tells Roger not to tell Patty about it.
It seems bad.
Six Months Later: The detectives talk about Tom being dead.
Now! Patty meets with Joe. Joe is angry that Patty has seized his home. Patty reminds him that the apartment was bought with dirty money. Joe offers information, but he wants his assets unfrozen.
Patty says she’s not here to make a deal.
Tom and Patty meet. Tom says that D.M.M. doesn’t mean anything that he can see.
Six Months Later: The detective presents Homeless Guy with Ellen’s “new” purse. And Ellen’s driver’s license. HG says they should be looking for Ellen. She and Tom had “a thing going on.”
Now! Tom and Ellen meet for coffee. He wants help with the Tobin case. Ellen says she can’t. Tom gives Ellen the D.M.M. initials. And says he’s not just asking as a friend.
Phil and his girlfriend play with the dog. She thinks Phil should demand the dog.
Joe and Tobin talk. Joe says he wants the money. He says from today on, Joe and Tobin don’t talk any more until the money is available. Joe also admits that he gave Patty the phone number.
Ellen meets with the flirty guy, and asks for help with the initials.
Six Months Later: Ellen finds out from Flirty Friend that Tom is dead.
Now: Patty brings Tom an envelope from the DA. They’ve got a name. Danielle.
Tom and Patty and Joe meet, and ask if Joe knows who Danielle is. Joe says: Nope.
Later that night, Ellen and Tom meet. They talk about the “file” Tom had earlier. Tom says Patty will pull him from the case.
Tom goes to his wife: They’ve lost everything. They were invested in Tobin, through a feeder company. So was pretty much Tom’s entire family.
Six Months Later: Ellen goes to see Tom’s wife. Ellen asks, “Who else knew about Tom and me?”
Now! Phil brings the dog back to Patty. Patty found some liquor they were saving for when Michael got into college. They debate what to do with it.
Joe talks to Tobin again, about Danielle. Joe wants to know where Danielle is. Danielle is staying at Joe’s sister’s old place. And she knows “nothing” about the money.
Tobin talks to Winstone. Tobin wants Danielle out of the country.
Phil and Patty drink. And argue. And flirt a little bit. Phil says Patty can have the apartment. And he wants one more thing: Another shot with Patty. Patty says she doesn’t need or want Phil any more.
Joe does some drinking and goes to see Danielle. He wants to know what happened. Danielle threatens to call the police, and Joe leaves. Did I mention he’s been drinking?
Patty and Tom talk: Danielle got an expedited passport. They need to get her soon.
Back at Danielle’s house, Joe gets ready to drive away. Danielle sees that her cat has escaped and runs out to get it. Joe puts the car in reverse, hits the gas, and smacks into Danielle. He gets out of his car and looks at her.
Six Months Later: The detective meets with Homeless Guy. Tom has three wounds. No word on the weapon yet. But none of the wounds were fatal. Tom drowned.
To wit: There’s been some mention of the people from the last case, but unlike Arthur in season 2, we’re not seeing any of those characters come back.
Also, with two episodes down, there’s been no reference to Wes, to reference to tracking down who killed David, and even Michael appears to be gone, with little chance he’ll return.
I get that having all those stories carry into this season makes it tough to pull in new viewers, but at the moment, I feel like I’m watching a show that used to juggle seven balls at once suddenly decide to juggle just one ball, and it isn’t as impressive.
Episode 2
Episode 2 on The Onion AV Club
As we begin, Joe is talking to Tobin, his dad, about the fact that the money is out there. “Enough for generations,” is what Tobin says. Joe says he could tell Patty about it and clear his name. Tobin says that Joe will have to choose between family or Patty.
Patty calls the cell phone that the Homeless Guy picked up. Patty gives Homeless Guy her name.
Six Months Later: The Detective talks to the Homeless Guy. He asks HG if he knows Tom, and presents him with a picture of the dead Tom.
Credits!
Now! Patty and Phil and their lawyers negotiate the terms of their divorce. Patty wants the apartment. Patty is harsh with Phil, and says she has nothing to hide. Phil says he wishes he could ask Ray about that. Negotiations break down.
Tom says he found someone who is willing to talk – the homeless guy.
Joe talks to Winstone. Winstone says he didn’t know about the money. And that Tobin is going to jail. Joe says he’s going to tell the truth, and get the money back for the investors. Then he gets a phone call from his wife. His apartment was just seized.
Tom takes the Homeless Guy to find out where HG got the cell phone. HG takes Tom to his special Dumpster, where he says he finds a lot of great stuff. It’s the same place they’re going to find Tom’s body, in about six months.
HG shows Tom some other stuff, and Tom tries to buy some boots. HG says he wants Tom’s watch.
At Ellen’s work, one of her co-workers hits on Ellen.
Joe meets with his wife. It seems they have 24 hours to get out of the apartment. She wants to take their kid to see her family, and get him out of the chaos.
Six Months Later: Homeless Guy looks at the picture of Tom, and says he was a good guy, and that they “helped” each other. HG is wearing Tom’s watch.
The Present! Patty and Tom talk. The boots belonged to Tobin. They were custom-made. Tobin also ordered a bunch of women’s clothing for someone with the initials D.M.M. That’s not his wife.
Later, Patty attempts to feed her dog, but the dog won’t eat.
Phil comes to visit Patty, and they talk about the dog. And a little about the apartment. But mostly about how the dog is depressed. Patty asks Phil to take care of the dog.
Elsewhere, Joe meets with a nice black man. It seems that Joe is in AA. He’s been missing meetings. After some vague discussion, the nice man tells Joe that if his family is the most important thing to Joe, then Joe should take care of them.
Tom meets with a guy named Roger. He asks about the initials D.M.M. Roger looks uncomfortable, and hands Tom a folder. Tom looks at it, and then tells Roger not to tell Patty about it.
It seems bad.
Six Months Later: The detectives talk about Tom being dead.
Now! Patty meets with Joe. Joe is angry that Patty has seized his home. Patty reminds him that the apartment was bought with dirty money. Joe offers information, but he wants his assets unfrozen.
Patty says she’s not here to make a deal.
Tom and Patty meet. Tom says that D.M.M. doesn’t mean anything that he can see.
Six Months Later: The detective presents Homeless Guy with Ellen’s “new” purse. And Ellen’s driver’s license. HG says they should be looking for Ellen. She and Tom had “a thing going on.”
Now! Tom and Ellen meet for coffee. He wants help with the Tobin case. Ellen says she can’t. Tom gives Ellen the D.M.M. initials. And says he’s not just asking as a friend.
Phil and his girlfriend play with the dog. She thinks Phil should demand the dog.
Joe and Tobin talk. Joe says he wants the money. He says from today on, Joe and Tobin don’t talk any more until the money is available. Joe also admits that he gave Patty the phone number.
Ellen meets with the flirty guy, and asks for help with the initials.
Six Months Later: Ellen finds out from Flirty Friend that Tom is dead.
Now: Patty brings Tom an envelope from the DA. They’ve got a name. Danielle.
Tom and Patty and Joe meet, and ask if Joe knows who Danielle is. Joe says: Nope.
Later that night, Ellen and Tom meet. They talk about the “file” Tom had earlier. Tom says Patty will pull him from the case.
Tom goes to his wife: They’ve lost everything. They were invested in Tobin, through a feeder company. So was pretty much Tom’s entire family.
Six Months Later: Ellen goes to see Tom’s wife. Ellen asks, “Who else knew about Tom and me?”
Now! Phil brings the dog back to Patty. Patty found some liquor they were saving for when Michael got into college. They debate what to do with it.
Joe talks to Tobin again, about Danielle. Joe wants to know where Danielle is. Danielle is staying at Joe’s sister’s old place. And she knows “nothing” about the money.
Tobin talks to Winstone. Tobin wants Danielle out of the country.
Phil and Patty drink. And argue. And flirt a little bit. Phil says Patty can have the apartment. And he wants one more thing: Another shot with Patty. Patty says she doesn’t need or want Phil any more.
Joe does some drinking and goes to see Danielle. He wants to know what happened. Danielle threatens to call the police, and Joe leaves. Did I mention he’s been drinking?
Patty and Tom talk: Danielle got an expedited passport. They need to get her soon.
Back at Danielle’s house, Joe gets ready to drive away. Danielle sees that her cat has escaped and runs out to get it. Joe puts the car in reverse, hits the gas, and smacks into Danielle. He gets out of his car and looks at her.
Six Months Later: The detective meets with Homeless Guy. Tom has three wounds. No word on the weapon yet. But none of the wounds were fatal. Tom drowned.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Martin Short, On Being on “Damages”
I have to give Martin Short credit – here’s a man known almost completely for his comedic acting, taking a turn on “Damages.” Which, while it has its moments, isn’t exactly chuckle-worthy most of the time.
And based on the first episode of season 3, the man is doing a bang-up job.
It seems the Toronto Sun thinks this is interesting as well: Check it out.
And based on the first episode of season 3, the man is doing a bang-up job.
It seems the Toronto Sun thinks this is interesting as well: Check it out.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Damages Season 3, Episode 1
Okay, let’s regroup for a second.
First, let us all recall that the last episode of season 2 pressed one really important reboot button: Ellen, who we though all along shot Patty? She didn’t shoot Patty.
But she did get a confession that Patty tried to kill her.
Ellen still has Wes in her life, which is all well and good until she learns how Wes GOT in her life, and by the way, what’s Wes doing for money these days?
And, of course, will Arthur ever get nailed for hiring Rick?
I’m sure there are other, smaller, mysteries, but those are the ones we already know about. And I’m intensely curious to know if they’re going to be dealt with, since there are rumors this might be the last season of “Damages.”
Episode 1
Season Three, Episode 1 on The Onion AV Club
We start off with a bit of a recap – shots of Ellen, Patty, Tom, the people they went up against, how things resolved and, strangely, a shot of Ellen shooting Arthur is included, even though that only happened in a dream.
Eventually, we find Patty at dinner with friends. She steps away for a moment, and a man called Decker hits on her a bit, and tries to get her to come see him “play a set” at some other venue.
Patty politely declines.
Six Months Later: Patty drives and listens to talk radio. And another car hits her car. Hard.
Credits!
Tom talks to Patty. The press wants a statement on “The Tobin Case.”
Tobin has been placed under house arrest for operating a Ponzi scheme. His lawyer is a man called Winstone.
Patty and Tom have been assigned the case, and they have frozen the Tobin family assets while they try to get money for all the people who were ripped off.
Meanwhile, Ellen is working for the DA’s office – and she says she hasn’t talk to Patty in a year.
Winstone is trying to keep Tobin’s son, Joe, from talking to the press about how he wasn’t involved with Tobin’s money scheme.
Six Months Later: Patty’s car gets hit. She gets out, and goes to look at the other car. That guy ran off.
She talks to Victor, the detective who tried to put Purcell away in season 2. He’s trying to figure out if someone crashed into Patty on purpose.
Back in the Present: Tom talks to one of the other associates – they’ve already found 9.7 billion in losses from the Tobin case. And they’re still digging.
Tom asks if it’s finally all right to empty out Ellen’s office. Patty gives her okay.
Ellen makes a bet with a co-worker that she can get a drug seller to give up his supplier. She meets with the guy and his slimy lawyer, and freaks her out just a bit. She gives the guy 48 hours to give up his supplier.
Patty looks around Ellen’s empty office, and makes a decision: She’s putting Tom’s name on the door of the building.
Patty interviews Tobin’s wife. Long story shot: The last time the family talked was Thanksgiving, when Tobin told everyone about the Ponzi scheme. Tobin’s wife claims that if there’s a secret stash of money hidden somewhere, she doesn’t know about it.
The Future: The car that hit Patty is registered to Tom.
The Past: Tom visits Patty in her office. They’ve discovered that Joe tried to go to the press, and they wonder if they can get the “real” story out of him.
Joe, meanwhile, gets assaulted by one of the people who lost money to Tobin. Turns out it was a setup engineered by Patty.
Joe goes to talk to his mom. She wants Joe to visit Tobin. Joe wants mom to tell him everything she knows. Mom says there’s no money. Joe wants to know who dad called on Thanksgiving night.
She gives Joe a slip of paper with something written on it.
The Future: Patty gets some coffee, and the detective goes to “Tom’s” apartment. It’s a basic one-room with a mattress on the floor. And blood on the wall. And papers everywhere. The detectives see someone outside looking at the apartment and go to check it out.
The Present: Tom and Ellen talk. Tom tells Ellen he’s going on the wall. Ellen tells Tom she’s sorry about having the FBI arrest Tom. Tom also tells Ellen that Patty would love to have her back.
Joe goes to see Patty in her home. Joe gives Patty the phone number his mom gave him. In exchange, he wants Patty to clear his name in the court of public opinion.
Two dudes beat up the drug dealer’s motorcycle. He, in turn, flips on his supplier. Ellen’s work buddy gives Ellen a hundred bucks. He also asks if Ellen hired the guys with bats.
Another of Ellen’s co-workers wants to know what’s in the box Patty sent Ellen. She tells him to open it. He does. It’s a purse. The co-worker asks if he can keep it.
The Future: The detectives track down the guy they saw. He’s living in a self-made shelter, selling stuff out of a shopping cart. They find “Ellen’s” bag. It has blood on it.
Now! Joe is out for a jog, when Winstone pulls up in a car, and tells Joe to come with him.
Ellen looks at the bag Patty got her, and calls Tom.
Patty talks to Decker, the guy who hit on her at the beginning of the episode.
Patty goes to the restroom. Ellen meets her there. Ellen wants to know why Patty sent the gift. Also, Ellen thinks Patty sent the thugs to the drug dealer. Ellen tells Patty that Patty’s secrets are safe.
The Future: The homeless dude doesn’t remember where the bloody bag came from.
Now: Winstone takes Joe to see Tobin. Tobin wants Joe to provide for the family. He says, “We’ve got money.”
Ellen takes her bag home.
Patty makes a phone call. It goes to a cell phone: It’s Homeless Guy.
The Future: The detectives open a dumpster and look inside. Victor the detective goes to talk to Patty, and asks, “What are you not telling us?” Cut back to the crime scene: Tom is dead in the Dumpster.
And we’re off! We’ve got some interesting stakes all around. Can’t wait to see how it plays out. What say you?
First, let us all recall that the last episode of season 2 pressed one really important reboot button: Ellen, who we though all along shot Patty? She didn’t shoot Patty.
But she did get a confession that Patty tried to kill her.
Ellen still has Wes in her life, which is all well and good until she learns how Wes GOT in her life, and by the way, what’s Wes doing for money these days?
And, of course, will Arthur ever get nailed for hiring Rick?
I’m sure there are other, smaller, mysteries, but those are the ones we already know about. And I’m intensely curious to know if they’re going to be dealt with, since there are rumors this might be the last season of “Damages.”
Episode 1
Season Three, Episode 1 on The Onion AV Club
We start off with a bit of a recap – shots of Ellen, Patty, Tom, the people they went up against, how things resolved and, strangely, a shot of Ellen shooting Arthur is included, even though that only happened in a dream.
Eventually, we find Patty at dinner with friends. She steps away for a moment, and a man called Decker hits on her a bit, and tries to get her to come see him “play a set” at some other venue.
Patty politely declines.
Six Months Later: Patty drives and listens to talk radio. And another car hits her car. Hard.
Credits!
Tom talks to Patty. The press wants a statement on “The Tobin Case.”
Tobin has been placed under house arrest for operating a Ponzi scheme. His lawyer is a man called Winstone.
Patty and Tom have been assigned the case, and they have frozen the Tobin family assets while they try to get money for all the people who were ripped off.
Meanwhile, Ellen is working for the DA’s office – and she says she hasn’t talk to Patty in a year.
Winstone is trying to keep Tobin’s son, Joe, from talking to the press about how he wasn’t involved with Tobin’s money scheme.
Six Months Later: Patty’s car gets hit. She gets out, and goes to look at the other car. That guy ran off.
She talks to Victor, the detective who tried to put Purcell away in season 2. He’s trying to figure out if someone crashed into Patty on purpose.
Back in the Present: Tom talks to one of the other associates – they’ve already found 9.7 billion in losses from the Tobin case. And they’re still digging.
Tom asks if it’s finally all right to empty out Ellen’s office. Patty gives her okay.
Ellen makes a bet with a co-worker that she can get a drug seller to give up his supplier. She meets with the guy and his slimy lawyer, and freaks her out just a bit. She gives the guy 48 hours to give up his supplier.
Patty looks around Ellen’s empty office, and makes a decision: She’s putting Tom’s name on the door of the building.
Patty interviews Tobin’s wife. Long story shot: The last time the family talked was Thanksgiving, when Tobin told everyone about the Ponzi scheme. Tobin’s wife claims that if there’s a secret stash of money hidden somewhere, she doesn’t know about it.
The Future: The car that hit Patty is registered to Tom.
The Past: Tom visits Patty in her office. They’ve discovered that Joe tried to go to the press, and they wonder if they can get the “real” story out of him.
Joe, meanwhile, gets assaulted by one of the people who lost money to Tobin. Turns out it was a setup engineered by Patty.
Joe goes to talk to his mom. She wants Joe to visit Tobin. Joe wants mom to tell him everything she knows. Mom says there’s no money. Joe wants to know who dad called on Thanksgiving night.
She gives Joe a slip of paper with something written on it.
The Future: Patty gets some coffee, and the detective goes to “Tom’s” apartment. It’s a basic one-room with a mattress on the floor. And blood on the wall. And papers everywhere. The detectives see someone outside looking at the apartment and go to check it out.
The Present: Tom and Ellen talk. Tom tells Ellen he’s going on the wall. Ellen tells Tom she’s sorry about having the FBI arrest Tom. Tom also tells Ellen that Patty would love to have her back.
Joe goes to see Patty in her home. Joe gives Patty the phone number his mom gave him. In exchange, he wants Patty to clear his name in the court of public opinion.
Two dudes beat up the drug dealer’s motorcycle. He, in turn, flips on his supplier. Ellen’s work buddy gives Ellen a hundred bucks. He also asks if Ellen hired the guys with bats.
Another of Ellen’s co-workers wants to know what’s in the box Patty sent Ellen. She tells him to open it. He does. It’s a purse. The co-worker asks if he can keep it.
The Future: The detectives track down the guy they saw. He’s living in a self-made shelter, selling stuff out of a shopping cart. They find “Ellen’s” bag. It has blood on it.
Now! Joe is out for a jog, when Winstone pulls up in a car, and tells Joe to come with him.
Ellen looks at the bag Patty got her, and calls Tom.
Patty talks to Decker, the guy who hit on her at the beginning of the episode.
Patty goes to the restroom. Ellen meets her there. Ellen wants to know why Patty sent the gift. Also, Ellen thinks Patty sent the thugs to the drug dealer. Ellen tells Patty that Patty’s secrets are safe.
The Future: The homeless dude doesn’t remember where the bloody bag came from.
Now: Winstone takes Joe to see Tobin. Tobin wants Joe to provide for the family. He says, “We’ve got money.”
Ellen takes her bag home.
Patty makes a phone call. It goes to a cell phone: It’s Homeless Guy.
The Future: The detectives open a dumpster and look inside. Victor the detective goes to talk to Patty, and asks, “What are you not telling us?” Cut back to the crime scene: Tom is dead in the Dumpster.
And we’re off! We’ve got some interesting stakes all around. Can’t wait to see how it plays out. What say you?
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Damages Recaps Recap – And More!
And so we come to Monday, the day when “Damages” returns to the airwaves, and we find out (maybe):
What happened to Michael and Jill?
What’s going on with Patty and Phil?
Has Ellen figured out how Wes got into her life, yet?
Is Ellen still looking for revenge against Patty? And Arthur?
And what of all the folks in the energy scandal? How are THOSE cases going?
Feel free to drop speculation in the comments section – it’s open to everyone.
And if you want a little refresher, check out the two-minute “Previously On” now available on Hulu:
Damages Season 1 and 2 Recap on Hulu
Or take another look at our in-magazine recap of season 1 and 2
delight! Season 1 and 2 Recap
Or check out the “Damages” blogs to get the whole story:
First Season
Episode 1
Episodes 2 and 3
Episodes 4, 5 and 6
Episodes 7, 8 and 9
Episodes 10 and 11
Episodes 12 and 13
Second Season
Episodes 1 and 2
Episodes 3 and 4
Episodes 5 and 6
Episodes 7 and 8
Episodes 9 and 10
Episodes 11 and 12
Episode 13
First Season
Episode 1
Episodes 2 and 3
Episodes 4, 5 and 6
Episodes 7, 8 and 9
Episodes 10 and 11
Episodes 12 and 13
Second Season
Episodes 1 and 2
Episodes 3 and 4
Episodes 5 and 6
Episodes 7 and 8
Episodes 9 and 10
Episodes 11 and 12
Episode 13
Friday, January 22, 2010
Damages Season 2 Episode 13
As we hit the last episode of the second season of “Damages,” it’s kind of fun to say: “Well, what DO they have to wrap up in 45 minutes?”
Here’s a quick list:
No one has even talked about taking Dave down for corruption.
Arthur is still roaming free, with his paperwork sitting in the DA’s office as a ticking time bomb.
Patty isn’t even close to touching Walter.
Tom is fired again.
We already know that Ellen shot Patty and is, once again, on her way to the clink.
No one has solved David’s murder.
No one has proved that the cops, in general, are corrupt.
Patty has yet to pay any kind of price for nearly getting Ellen killed.
Pete’s “killer” is still on the loose.
Phil and Patty haven’t even started their divorce process.
Finn hasn’t been approached by anyone for his crimes.
Patty is still pretty cranky about Michael’s girlfriend.
Rick is still out there, and stalking Ellen.
Ellen hasn’t figured out who Wes is or where the guy came from.
Have I mentioned I’m very, very curious to see season three? Which starts Monday?
Episode 13
Damages Season 2 Episode 13 on Television Without Pity
Now! Ellen pulls out the gun, and shoots Patty twice. And then the whole talk Patty and Ellen had plays in reverse, until Patty is at Ellen’s door.
Credits!
Then: Patty and Walter and Walter’s new attorney meet with the Corrupt Judge. The fact that the GPS codes are inadmissible comes up – something that the judge reminds Patty of.
Patty gives Ellen the GPS codes. Ellen says they’ll be inadmissible. She asks if Patty has paid off the judge. She offers to do it for Patty, and Patty tells her no. Then she changes her mind, and tells Ellen to find out what the judge’s terms are.
Rick meets with Wes. Wes tells Rick that Ellen is alive and well. And Wes isn’t going to kill her. Wes walks away from Rick. He tells Rick, “Good luck finding me.”
Ellen meets with Tom. She tells Tom he’s better off, and warns Tom that if he tips Patty off, the Feds can still use everything they have against him.
Rick goes to visit Ellen’s hotel room. Ellen is singing in the shower. Rick walks in, and Ellen asks if it’s Wes. Wes says, “Yes!” and sticks a gun in the back of Rick’s head. He warns Rick that the next time he sees him, there won’t be a conversation.
Patty talks to Purcell, and asks if he really killed his wife. Purcell says he did. Patty still wants his help. Purcell tells Patty that Patty needs to forget her work and concentrate on her life.
Purcell also tells Patty to tell Michael that Michael doesn’t have to be like Patty and Purcell.
Ellen meets with the judge. The judge tells her that the bribe will go into his reelection campaign. He tells Ellen that Patty should contribute the usual amount.
Ellen talks to Patty, and tells Patty the judge wants “the usual.” Patty has decided she doesn’t like the judge idea so she goes to…
Talk to Finn. Finn is hopped up on nose candy when Patty comes to visit. She throws two names at Finn: Dave and Walter.
Dave seems to be the magic name.
Patty says, essentially, that she’ll make this offer once. Help her, or go to jail. Finn says he’ll take his chances.
Ellen goes to work, and Rick is there. Ellen kind of remembers him. Rick reminds Ellen where they met before.
Rick finally gives a name for Bad Cop: Elliot. Rick says Elliot has “vanished,” and he thinks someone might be trying to stonewall his investigation. Rick promises to keep looking into it, but they have to keep quiet.
Katie and Ellen meet with Wilcox, who says that Rick is legitimate. He has a sterling reputation.
They give Wilcox Elliot’s file.
Arthur calls his ex-wife, and tells her all about the building for his new company. And how he’s excited to see her and the kids.
Patty talks to Michael, and tells Michael that she read his college essay. And also, that all of Michael’s applications are still in his bedroom. She knows he never applied anywhere. Michael says he’s not going to college. He says Patty needs a man in her life, and she has no one left but him.
Walter and Dave talk. Dave is confident that things will be fine – because Patty is going to bribe the judge, at which point the FBI will nail Patty.
Finn arrives, and says he’s not happy about what Walter and Dave are doing. He says he wants a stake in the company, or he talks to Patty.
Pete’s wife finds a box in their closet. She finds a LOT of money, and also some files.
Ellen goes to visit Patty. Patty has just gotten a bunch of stuff from Pete’s wife. Ellen starts looking through the pictures, and finds a picture of Pete and the guy who tried to kill Ellen. Ellen asks who the other guy is, and Patty says she has no idea.
Ellen tells Wes that Patty is about to bribe a judge. Ellen is grumpy because all that will happen is Patty will go to jail for a couple of years.
Ellen asks if Wes still has the number of the guy who sells guns. She wants one for “protection.” Wes says he has the number, but that Wes would rather pick up the gun himself.
Jill and Michael go to Michael and Patty’s place. Patty is there. Jill stands around, feeling uncomfortable while Jill stands downstairs.
Michael goes up to his room – it’s empty. Patty tells Michael he doesn’t live here any more. All his stuff has been sent to Jill’s place.
Jill and Michael leave.
Later that night, Patty tries to sleep, but she hears music and laughter downstairs. She goes down to check it out, and there’s Phil. And Pete. And Michael. And Ray. And Tom. And Walter.
Ellen is in the kitchen. Ellen calls her in. Ellen tells Patty that everyone hates her: “Trust no one.”
Patty wakes up. She was asleep on the couch.
Patty calls Ellen.
Ellen comes to visit Patty. Patty tells Ellen what happened with Michael. She tells Ellen that the only people who have been loyal to her were Pete and Ellen. Patty tells Ellen that she wishes they didn’t have to bribe the judge.
Ellen asks if Patty is sure if they can trust the judge.
Patty says she doesn’t know if she can trust anyone. But Ellen thinks this is the only chance they’ll have to win the case.
Ellen meets with the Bad FBI guy, and says she’ll let him know a time and place for the bribe.
Patty meets with Dave. She tells him that she knows he’s manipulating the energy market. Dave tells Patty that he knows she’s going to bribe a judge. Patty says she knows she has an informant. She even knows that it’s Ellen.
Dave confirms this.
Dave tells Patty they can help each other. Dave offers to call off the Feds for good, but she has to call off the energy case. Patty says she wants Walter. Dave is fine with that.
Patty wants one more thing. “Ellen is going to bribe that judge. She acted on her own.”
Dave and Patty have a deal.
Ellen goes to her hotel room. Pete’s wife found a folder with Ellen’s name on it. It has pictures. And notes. Pete’s wife says that if Pete did something bad, it was for Patty, because everything he did was for Patty.
Ellen shows Wes the file, and says it’s evidence that Patty tried to have her killed. Ellen says she’s going to use the file to get Patty to confess.
Rick calls. He says he has new information for Ellen. Ellen says she’ll meet with him later. Then she tells Wes that Wes can’t be around today.
Bad FBI guy talks to Dave. Dave says all records of the investigation on Patty are to be destroyed, and Ellen needs to be arrested.
Patty talks to Ellen on the phone. They’re going to meet in three hours. The Bad FBI guy sets up a recording device, and says they need to have Patty authorize the bribe on-camera.
Ellen tells him that she knows the investigation is corrupt, but that they both want the same thing. She says she’s going to get Patty to confess to trying to kill her. FBI says Ellen can ask whatever she wants.
Tom goes to visit Patty, but he can’t get into the office. The security guard won’t let him in.
Ellen calls Wes, and says she called the gun guy. Wes says he won’t pick up the gun.
Ellen calls Tom. Ellen says that if he listens to her, she can get the FBI off his back.
Susie, in her work clothes, hears a knock at the door. She tells whoever it is to come in. It’s Walter. He wants information on Finn. She says she doesn’t know Finn, and he smacks her in the mouth. He tells her the next time he sees Finn, she needs to deliver a message.
Ellen calls Rick. They prepare to meet. Rick gets into his car, looks into his rear view mirror, and there’s Wes. Who shoots Rick in the back of the head.
Someone steps into Patty’s car and gives her a jump drive with the documentation needed to put Walter away.
Finn talks to Susie, and Susie tells Finn that Walter was the one that hit her. She tells him it’s a warning. If Finn talks, Walter will have him killed. Finn leaves.
Wes goes to see Ellen. Ellen reminds Wes that Wes isn’t supposed to be there.
Wes kisses Ellen. The next shot of them is in bed.
Ellen gets a call. Tom tells her, “Ten minutes.”
Wes asks who it was. Ellen won’t tell him. Wes asks again. Ellen’s not talking.
Ellen meets Tom. Tom gives her a gun, and says he wants the feds off his back.
Wes calls the front desk of the hotel and says he wants the room across the hall from Ellen.
Patty arrives at the hotel, and goes up to Ellen’s room. As she gets into the elevator, Finn jumps in with her. He says they can help each other. He’s ready to testify.
Patty says she’s made her decision.
Patty knocks on Ellen’s door. Ellen invites Patty in. She asks if the bag Patty has is “the money.” Patty says yes.
Ellen says they have some unfinished business they need to discuss. Ellen makes herself a drink, and tells Patty that Patty should be terrified. She shows Patty her gun. Then she shows Patty Pete’s “Ellen” folder.
Inside the folder are the words, “The Feds are Watching Us.”
She shoots at Patty twice. It looks like she misses. She does. She shot the FBI’s camera.
The FBI guy runs out of the van.
Ellen sets down her gun and finally asks the question: Did Patty try to have her killed?
Patty says the words: “I told Pete to have you killed.”
Ellen says, “Thank you, Patty.” Then Ellen picks up her gun. Patty wants Ellen to shoot her, but Ellen says Patty is going to have to live with this.
Patty tells Ellen to give the money to the judge.
Ellen puts the gun in her purse, then takes the money and walks out the door of her room. Wes comes out into the hallway, and sees Ellen go into the elevator, but he can’t catch her.
Ellen leaves the building.
Patty comes out of Ellen’s room, crying and bleeding.
Flashback! Patty talks with Finn. Finn stabs Patty.
Ray is “in” the elevator with Patty. He tells Patty there are things far worse than death. He says Patty has a chance to set things right. Ray tells Patty to go to Ellen. The truth is waiting for her.
End Flashback! Patty, bleeding and not in good shape, gets into the elevator.
Wes and Bad FBI guy look for Ellen. FBI finds Patty. He calls Dave. Dave says to leave Patty and go arrest Ellen.
Wes finds Patty.
Wes takes Patty to the hospital.
Ellen takes the bribe to the judge. The judge says the GPS codes will be allowed into evidence. The FBI guy arrests the judge and the FBI Guy.
The U.S. Marshall arrests the FBI Guy. Tom’s sister has a recording of Dave and Patty setting up Ellen.
Patty set the whooole thing up.
Dave gets arrested.
The FBI Guy wants to cut a deal.
1 Month Later: Patty is out at the beach house. Tom is there as well – he asks how Patty is doing.
He tells her that the EPA has started the cleanup in West Virginia. They can’t reach Ellen. She left the hotel, her cell phone is disconnected, and all of Tom’s emails have bounced back.
Ellen talks to David’s grave, and says she got what she needed from Patty for now.
Tom asks what Patty told Ellen. Patty tells Tom to let Patty know when Ellen calls.
Ellen says she has a new job offer, and that she met someone new.
Patty says, “She’ll be back. Trust me.”
Ellen walks away from David’s grave.
Here’s a quick list:
No one has even talked about taking Dave down for corruption.
Arthur is still roaming free, with his paperwork sitting in the DA’s office as a ticking time bomb.
Patty isn’t even close to touching Walter.
Tom is fired again.
We already know that Ellen shot Patty and is, once again, on her way to the clink.
No one has solved David’s murder.
No one has proved that the cops, in general, are corrupt.
Patty has yet to pay any kind of price for nearly getting Ellen killed.
Pete’s “killer” is still on the loose.
Phil and Patty haven’t even started their divorce process.
Finn hasn’t been approached by anyone for his crimes.
Patty is still pretty cranky about Michael’s girlfriend.
Rick is still out there, and stalking Ellen.
Ellen hasn’t figured out who Wes is or where the guy came from.
Have I mentioned I’m very, very curious to see season three? Which starts Monday?
Episode 13
Damages Season 2 Episode 13 on Television Without Pity
Now! Ellen pulls out the gun, and shoots Patty twice. And then the whole talk Patty and Ellen had plays in reverse, until Patty is at Ellen’s door.
Credits!
Then: Patty and Walter and Walter’s new attorney meet with the Corrupt Judge. The fact that the GPS codes are inadmissible comes up – something that the judge reminds Patty of.
Patty gives Ellen the GPS codes. Ellen says they’ll be inadmissible. She asks if Patty has paid off the judge. She offers to do it for Patty, and Patty tells her no. Then she changes her mind, and tells Ellen to find out what the judge’s terms are.
Rick meets with Wes. Wes tells Rick that Ellen is alive and well. And Wes isn’t going to kill her. Wes walks away from Rick. He tells Rick, “Good luck finding me.”
Ellen meets with Tom. She tells Tom he’s better off, and warns Tom that if he tips Patty off, the Feds can still use everything they have against him.
Rick goes to visit Ellen’s hotel room. Ellen is singing in the shower. Rick walks in, and Ellen asks if it’s Wes. Wes says, “Yes!” and sticks a gun in the back of Rick’s head. He warns Rick that the next time he sees him, there won’t be a conversation.
Patty talks to Purcell, and asks if he really killed his wife. Purcell says he did. Patty still wants his help. Purcell tells Patty that Patty needs to forget her work and concentrate on her life.
Purcell also tells Patty to tell Michael that Michael doesn’t have to be like Patty and Purcell.
Ellen meets with the judge. The judge tells her that the bribe will go into his reelection campaign. He tells Ellen that Patty should contribute the usual amount.
Ellen talks to Patty, and tells Patty the judge wants “the usual.” Patty has decided she doesn’t like the judge idea so she goes to…
Talk to Finn. Finn is hopped up on nose candy when Patty comes to visit. She throws two names at Finn: Dave and Walter.
Dave seems to be the magic name.
Patty says, essentially, that she’ll make this offer once. Help her, or go to jail. Finn says he’ll take his chances.
Ellen goes to work, and Rick is there. Ellen kind of remembers him. Rick reminds Ellen where they met before.
Rick finally gives a name for Bad Cop: Elliot. Rick says Elliot has “vanished,” and he thinks someone might be trying to stonewall his investigation. Rick promises to keep looking into it, but they have to keep quiet.
Katie and Ellen meet with Wilcox, who says that Rick is legitimate. He has a sterling reputation.
They give Wilcox Elliot’s file.
Arthur calls his ex-wife, and tells her all about the building for his new company. And how he’s excited to see her and the kids.
Patty talks to Michael, and tells Michael that she read his college essay. And also, that all of Michael’s applications are still in his bedroom. She knows he never applied anywhere. Michael says he’s not going to college. He says Patty needs a man in her life, and she has no one left but him.
Walter and Dave talk. Dave is confident that things will be fine – because Patty is going to bribe the judge, at which point the FBI will nail Patty.
Finn arrives, and says he’s not happy about what Walter and Dave are doing. He says he wants a stake in the company, or he talks to Patty.
Pete’s wife finds a box in their closet. She finds a LOT of money, and also some files.
Ellen goes to visit Patty. Patty has just gotten a bunch of stuff from Pete’s wife. Ellen starts looking through the pictures, and finds a picture of Pete and the guy who tried to kill Ellen. Ellen asks who the other guy is, and Patty says she has no idea.
Ellen tells Wes that Patty is about to bribe a judge. Ellen is grumpy because all that will happen is Patty will go to jail for a couple of years.
Ellen asks if Wes still has the number of the guy who sells guns. She wants one for “protection.” Wes says he has the number, but that Wes would rather pick up the gun himself.
Jill and Michael go to Michael and Patty’s place. Patty is there. Jill stands around, feeling uncomfortable while Jill stands downstairs.
Michael goes up to his room – it’s empty. Patty tells Michael he doesn’t live here any more. All his stuff has been sent to Jill’s place.
Jill and Michael leave.
Later that night, Patty tries to sleep, but she hears music and laughter downstairs. She goes down to check it out, and there’s Phil. And Pete. And Michael. And Ray. And Tom. And Walter.
Ellen is in the kitchen. Ellen calls her in. Ellen tells Patty that everyone hates her: “Trust no one.”
Patty wakes up. She was asleep on the couch.
Patty calls Ellen.
Ellen comes to visit Patty. Patty tells Ellen what happened with Michael. She tells Ellen that the only people who have been loyal to her were Pete and Ellen. Patty tells Ellen that she wishes they didn’t have to bribe the judge.
Ellen asks if Patty is sure if they can trust the judge.
Patty says she doesn’t know if she can trust anyone. But Ellen thinks this is the only chance they’ll have to win the case.
Ellen meets with the Bad FBI guy, and says she’ll let him know a time and place for the bribe.
Patty meets with Dave. She tells him that she knows he’s manipulating the energy market. Dave tells Patty that he knows she’s going to bribe a judge. Patty says she knows she has an informant. She even knows that it’s Ellen.
Dave confirms this.
Dave tells Patty they can help each other. Dave offers to call off the Feds for good, but she has to call off the energy case. Patty says she wants Walter. Dave is fine with that.
Patty wants one more thing. “Ellen is going to bribe that judge. She acted on her own.”
Dave and Patty have a deal.
Ellen goes to her hotel room. Pete’s wife found a folder with Ellen’s name on it. It has pictures. And notes. Pete’s wife says that if Pete did something bad, it was for Patty, because everything he did was for Patty.
Ellen shows Wes the file, and says it’s evidence that Patty tried to have her killed. Ellen says she’s going to use the file to get Patty to confess.
Rick calls. He says he has new information for Ellen. Ellen says she’ll meet with him later. Then she tells Wes that Wes can’t be around today.
Bad FBI guy talks to Dave. Dave says all records of the investigation on Patty are to be destroyed, and Ellen needs to be arrested.
Patty talks to Ellen on the phone. They’re going to meet in three hours. The Bad FBI guy sets up a recording device, and says they need to have Patty authorize the bribe on-camera.
Ellen tells him that she knows the investigation is corrupt, but that they both want the same thing. She says she’s going to get Patty to confess to trying to kill her. FBI says Ellen can ask whatever she wants.
Tom goes to visit Patty, but he can’t get into the office. The security guard won’t let him in.
Ellen calls Wes, and says she called the gun guy. Wes says he won’t pick up the gun.
Ellen calls Tom. Ellen says that if he listens to her, she can get the FBI off his back.
Susie, in her work clothes, hears a knock at the door. She tells whoever it is to come in. It’s Walter. He wants information on Finn. She says she doesn’t know Finn, and he smacks her in the mouth. He tells her the next time he sees Finn, she needs to deliver a message.
Ellen calls Rick. They prepare to meet. Rick gets into his car, looks into his rear view mirror, and there’s Wes. Who shoots Rick in the back of the head.
Someone steps into Patty’s car and gives her a jump drive with the documentation needed to put Walter away.
Finn talks to Susie, and Susie tells Finn that Walter was the one that hit her. She tells him it’s a warning. If Finn talks, Walter will have him killed. Finn leaves.
Wes goes to see Ellen. Ellen reminds Wes that Wes isn’t supposed to be there.
Wes kisses Ellen. The next shot of them is in bed.
Ellen gets a call. Tom tells her, “Ten minutes.”
Wes asks who it was. Ellen won’t tell him. Wes asks again. Ellen’s not talking.
Ellen meets Tom. Tom gives her a gun, and says he wants the feds off his back.
Wes calls the front desk of the hotel and says he wants the room across the hall from Ellen.
Patty arrives at the hotel, and goes up to Ellen’s room. As she gets into the elevator, Finn jumps in with her. He says they can help each other. He’s ready to testify.
Patty says she’s made her decision.
Patty knocks on Ellen’s door. Ellen invites Patty in. She asks if the bag Patty has is “the money.” Patty says yes.
Ellen says they have some unfinished business they need to discuss. Ellen makes herself a drink, and tells Patty that Patty should be terrified. She shows Patty her gun. Then she shows Patty Pete’s “Ellen” folder.
Inside the folder are the words, “The Feds are Watching Us.”
She shoots at Patty twice. It looks like she misses. She does. She shot the FBI’s camera.
The FBI guy runs out of the van.
Ellen sets down her gun and finally asks the question: Did Patty try to have her killed?
Patty says the words: “I told Pete to have you killed.”
Ellen says, “Thank you, Patty.” Then Ellen picks up her gun. Patty wants Ellen to shoot her, but Ellen says Patty is going to have to live with this.
Patty tells Ellen to give the money to the judge.
Ellen puts the gun in her purse, then takes the money and walks out the door of her room. Wes comes out into the hallway, and sees Ellen go into the elevator, but he can’t catch her.
Ellen leaves the building.
Patty comes out of Ellen’s room, crying and bleeding.
Flashback! Patty talks with Finn. Finn stabs Patty.
Ray is “in” the elevator with Patty. He tells Patty there are things far worse than death. He says Patty has a chance to set things right. Ray tells Patty to go to Ellen. The truth is waiting for her.
End Flashback! Patty, bleeding and not in good shape, gets into the elevator.
Wes and Bad FBI guy look for Ellen. FBI finds Patty. He calls Dave. Dave says to leave Patty and go arrest Ellen.
Wes finds Patty.
Wes takes Patty to the hospital.
Ellen takes the bribe to the judge. The judge says the GPS codes will be allowed into evidence. The FBI guy arrests the judge and the FBI Guy.
The U.S. Marshall arrests the FBI Guy. Tom’s sister has a recording of Dave and Patty setting up Ellen.
Patty set the whooole thing up.
Dave gets arrested.
The FBI Guy wants to cut a deal.
1 Month Later: Patty is out at the beach house. Tom is there as well – he asks how Patty is doing.
He tells her that the EPA has started the cleanup in West Virginia. They can’t reach Ellen. She left the hotel, her cell phone is disconnected, and all of Tom’s emails have bounced back.
Ellen talks to David’s grave, and says she got what she needed from Patty for now.
Tom asks what Patty told Ellen. Patty tells Tom to let Patty know when Ellen calls.
Ellen says she has a new job offer, and that she met someone new.
Patty says, “She’ll be back. Trust me.”
Ellen walks away from David’s grave.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Damages Season 2, Episodes 9 and 10
First, a housekeeping note: Someone recently visited this blog, searching for an explanation of Ellen and Patty’s relationship.
I’d have to go with “complicated.” But if you’re talking strictly work-related, Ellen works for Patty’s firm.
Second, I had a thought yesterday. Well, two thoughts that tie together.
The first is that this show is finally out of good guys. In the last season, you could argue that Ellen only did what she thought was right, so maybe her. And Nye did as well as can be expected. And David, though the show led you to think otherwise for a while, never cheated on Ellen.
But Nye hasn’t been in an episode in a while, and doesn’t appear to be coming back. And David is dead.
Even Phil, who seemed to be trying to do the right thing, is both cheating on Patty and perhaps making deals Patty wouldn’t approve of.
And for eight episodes now, it looks like Ellen is going to shoot someone at the end of the season.
Which leaves the show with something of a rooting problem. Who do you choose to root for? Can you really root for anyone, when everyone seems to have an agenda, and not necessarily an honorable one?
You could argue that Ellen is seeking justice, and that people don’t want to see folks who did harm to others behind bars. They really want to see “justice,” and if that means putting a bullet in someone’s head then so be it. But I don’t think that’s the case.
Perhaps I’m wrong.
More importantly, this led me to my other thought: TV writers can no longer just think about what happens on their show from week to week. In days of yore, a lot of the time they’d have to carefully repeat information, because if someone missed an episode, there was no way to see it again.
Today, of course, an episode airs, and then a few hours later it’s online. Sometimes for free, sometimes for pay, but it’s always there. And a lot of cable companies are even making episodes of various TV shows available for perusal without leaving the comfort of your couch.
What this means, of course, is that you can watch a show in compressed form. Instead of watching a show week-by-week, you can watch it over a couple of days. And TV writers have to take that into consideration. Repeat too much information, and watchers get bored. They don’t need to be reminded of what happened three weeks ago, because they’re watching on DVD or the internet and it “just” happened, in their mind.
This also means that hard-to-take character turns, like Ellen with her gun, can get difficult to watch. Catch the show once a week, and Ellen seems like a woman bent on getting justice. Watch every episode over the course of a couple of weeks, and she seems a little less likeable. A little too driven. A little harder to take, since she’s constantly pointing that gun at the screen.
We’re near the end of the second season now, sitting on the back five episodes, and it’s going to take a lot of justification to explain Ellen and those gunshots.
Episode 9
Damages Season 2, Episode 9 on Television Without Pity
Then: Ellen goes to meet with the FBI. She tells them that the FBI is no longer just targeting Patty – Patty is now targeting the FBI.
Patty talks to Tom and Ellen about the FBI. Tom is angry that he’s just finding out about it now.
2 Months Later: Tom goes to the office to visit Patty. He’s told that he’s not allowed in the building any more. Tom tells the guard at the front door that he tried to warn Patty, and that he’s filing suit against Patty for wrongful termination.
Tom gets a gun. He gives it to Ellen.
Ellen holds the gun on Patty, while Patty says, “It’s not who you are.”
Credits!
Then: Walter talks to Dave while Walter golfs. Dave wants to increase the number of transactions he and Walter are having.
Tom goes to talk to Patty, and tells her he’s upset about not knowing about the FBI. Tom says he’ll make a call because they need information.
Tom asks his sister, a US Attorney, to find out what the FBI knows.
Dave talks to Finn. Dave tells Finn about some new transactions. Finn tells Dave he kicked the nose candy and the lady-friend to the curb. Dave says that’s a good thing. Finn gets belligerent and reminds Dave that Finn is the only one who can do what he does.
Wes plays pool with Katie. And loses. Ellen is there. It’s “girl’s night.”
Patty, at her house, stands and thinks about something. Phil asks how she’s doing. Phil thinks they should cancel their dinner party. They talk about Pete. Then Phil tells Patty to drop the UNR case. Patty says she thinks the FBI killed Pete.
Ellen talks to her group counselor. The counselor is concerned about Ellen and Wes, and their developing relationship. She wants them to go to different groups. And Wes has agreed.
Dave and Phil talk. Dave wants Phil’s opinion on who to put into an energy seat in the White House. Phil suggests Sam. You remember Sam, right? From the start of the season?
Wes and Ellen practice shooting. Ellen is improving. A lot. Wes apologizes for asking Ellen out. He says they shouldn’t get involved. Wes asks if he can ask Katie out. Ellen gives Wes Katie’s number.
Wes meets with Rick, and says he has nothing to report yet. Rick tells Wes to deliver some guns to Jersey. Wes says no. Rick says that Wes is going to do it.
Finn meets with Susie. Susie’s got the nose-candy Finn wanted. Finn asks about Tom. Susie says she’s been ignoring him.
Tom meets with his sister, who says there’s no official FBI file on Patty and/or her firm. There’s no investigation.
Tom, Ellen and Patty talk about the lack of file.
Ellen confronts the FBI about their lack of file. The FBI guys tell Ellen that they had the file pulled, because they know Patty has contacts at the justice department. Ellen leaves, and the FBI guys talk about Ellen.
Susie has a visitor. It’s Patty. Patty wants the story on the arrest of Susie and Finn.
Patty and Phil have a dinner party. Dave talks to Sam about being the energy secretary.
Later, at dinner, a bunch of people ask Phil for advice on investing.
Ellen and Katie talk. Katie asks if it’s okay to go out with Wes. Ellen says she’s fine with it.
Back at the dinner party, everyone convinces Sam to sing “Danny Boy,” while Michael plays the keyboard. Patty warns Dave about Sam being something of a spoiled brat.
The FBI men talk to their boss. He says that the file on Patty has become need-to-know, because the case could make or break his career.
Walter meets with Wayne. They talk weather. And energy strategy.
Susie meets with Patty and Tom at the office. Susie tells Patty about the SUV and Finn.
The Messenger goes to the SUV and puts in some numbers.
Phil and David talk. Dave talks to Phil about going to Washington and taking the energy job. Phil says he’ll think about it.
Patty goes to visit the FBI men’s boss. She tells him that she holds the FBI responsible for Pete’s death. Patty says the investigation is corrupt, and that when she proves it, the guy’s career will be over.
The Boss makes a call and asks what the person on the other end of the line wants him to do.
Wes and Katie have a date. Wes asks Katie why no counseling? Katie says therapy is not for her.
Then Wes asks if Katie thinks Arthur killed David. Katie says Arthur DID kill David. Then she spouts a bunch of information she probably shouldn’t. Katie also tells Wes that it’s obvious that Wes wants to be with Ellen, not with Katie.
Finn goes to the SUV and gets the numbers.
Tom sees the SUV, and Finn, and takes down the SUV information.
Later that night, Ellen goes to visit Wes. He asks if everything is okay. She say’s it’s fine. And she knows that Katie called off Katie and Wes’s date. Kissing happens. Then more than kissing happens.
Wes goes to see Rick again. Wes tells Rick that Ellen knows about Arthur’s security firm. Rick tells Wes to take Ellen out, and make it look like an accident. If Wes does that, he’s “done.”
Episode 10
Damages Season 2, Episode 10 on Television Without Pity
Then: Ellen meets up with Wes in a park. Ellen left without saying goodbye. She’s “confused” about what happened. Wes asks if Ellen wants to get away for the weekend. Ellen says she needs some time.
The FBI keeps on looking for information on Patty, but they aren’t having any luck. One of the FBI guys gets a call from his “wife.” He’s in the middle of a divorce. Only one problem – the person on the other end of the phone is a man.
Now (Six Weeks Later): Ellen confronts Patty on Ellen’s room. Only now we get to see that the FBI is listening in.
Ellen shoots twice and the FBI dude jumps out of the van.
Credits:
Then: Ellen talks to the FBI about how Patty is trying to prove that the UNR is manipulating energy prices.
Phil, Michael and Patty talk. Michael is waiting for college letters to come in. Also, they want to meet his girlfriend.
Walter and Dave talk about Phil becoming their energy man. Dave recommends that Walter settle Patty’s case to keep her from finding out any more than she already knows.
At UNR, Walter celebrates 20 years of service from Claire. Along with a whole lot of other people. Including Claire’s dad, who takes off early.
Walter tells Claire to settle, and to go as high as 50 million.
At the art gallery, we meet Tanya, Michael’s girlfriend. She has multi-colored hair and a whole lot of tattoos and piercings.
The FBI guy with the wife problem gets a call, but he’s not by his phone, so the other one answers… and hears the male voice on the other end.
Ellen and her mom talk. Mom is worried about Ellen.
Ellen goes to Patty’s office – Ellen was late again today. Ellen apologizes. Ellen is about to leave, but Patty has a question: Does Ellen know anything about Michael’s girlfriend? Ellen doesn’t.
Patty is clearly concerned about Michael’s girlfriend.
Patty and Phil talk about the girlfriend as well. Patty says if she has piercings or a tattoo, she’s walking out. Michael introduces Phil and Patty to his, “girlfriend,” Jill. Who taught at Columbia from 1988 to 1992.
And who isn’t that other girl with the funny hair.
Claire has lunch with her dad. She asks how retirement’s been. He says it would be less quiet if he had grandchildren.
She reminds her dad how successful she’s been, and he asks her what she has to look forward to.
The FBI men confront each other about the phone call. They dance around what’s really going on. The “guy” on the phone is, apparently, paying a little something from time to time to find out where Patty’s case is at.
Patty and Michael talk during something resembling breakfast. Patty tells Michael that last night meant a lot to her.
Claire goes to see Patty about a settlement. Claire tells Patty that neither of them really want to settle, so she’s leaving. Patty tells Claire to mention Finn’s name to Walter, and then triple the offer.
Claire talks to Walter. She tells him Finn’s name, and looks for a reaction. Claire is upset, because she went into Patty’s office without all the facts. Walter lies about who Finn is.
Ellen gets ready to go to bed. She has a message on her phone from Katie. Katie tells Ellen to come out for a drink. Ellen goes. She and Katie drink. Ellen kinda flirts with a dude on the other side of the bar.
Then she goes to talk to him. Ellen invites the flirty guy back to her room. Kind of.
Claire meets with Purcell. She tells Purcell about Finn, the guy who trades energy futures.
Purcell notes that UNR has had some unusual power outages. And we get a sort of layman’s explanation of what’s going on. If an energy trader knows when a power outage is going to happen, he can time his trades to make money.
Claire doesn’t think Walter would do something like this, because he could lose the company. Purcell tells Claire that he cut a deal with Walter about the toxic compound.
Ellen, who is now super-drunk, goes back to her apartment. Katie came with her. Not the other guy. Ellen tells Katie that she’s not really working for Patty. Then Ellen passes out.
Claire talks to Walter about Purcell. Walter lies, and says the compound isn’t dangerous, and that Claire needs to stop asking questions.
Patty goes to meet with Jill, the “girlfriend.” It appears she really is the girlfriend. Which doesn’t please Patty at all.
Claire meets with Purcell. She’s finally realized that Walter is a criminal. This makes her angry. So she fools around with Purcell.
Someone is watching their hotel room on a laptop.
The FBI guy who is not taking money wants to meet the money-giver. He wants in. Or so he says.
Ellen goes to visit Wes.
Two men go to visit the FBI guy who is not on the take. It looks bad for him.
Wes wakes up. He’s in bed. Ellen is sitting at the foot of the bed, looking sad. Ellen tells Wes that she told Wes something she probably shouldn’t have. That Patty tried to kill her.
Wes says that’s insane.
Ellen tells Wes that she was approached by the FBI five months earlier. And that she became an informant. In flashback, Ellen gets out of the FBI car, and walks down the street… right past Wes.
Wes meets with Rick, and tells Rick that the FBI is using Ellen against Patty. Wes tells Rick that Rick is safe. Rick agrees: Because he still wants Wes to kill Ellen.
The “bad” FBI guy arrives home and finds that the “good” FBI guy has “died from a drug overdose.”
He meets with Dave. Dave informs Bad FBI that Good FBI reported him. And it turns out that the FBI Boss is also in on this.
Now: And we’re back where we started, with Ellen shooting Patty, and Bad FBI Guy hopping out of the van. Patty steps out of the hotel room. She’s freaked out. And she’s got blood on her hands. She collapses in the elevator.
I’d have to go with “complicated.” But if you’re talking strictly work-related, Ellen works for Patty’s firm.
Second, I had a thought yesterday. Well, two thoughts that tie together.
The first is that this show is finally out of good guys. In the last season, you could argue that Ellen only did what she thought was right, so maybe her. And Nye did as well as can be expected. And David, though the show led you to think otherwise for a while, never cheated on Ellen.
But Nye hasn’t been in an episode in a while, and doesn’t appear to be coming back. And David is dead.
Even Phil, who seemed to be trying to do the right thing, is both cheating on Patty and perhaps making deals Patty wouldn’t approve of.
And for eight episodes now, it looks like Ellen is going to shoot someone at the end of the season.
Which leaves the show with something of a rooting problem. Who do you choose to root for? Can you really root for anyone, when everyone seems to have an agenda, and not necessarily an honorable one?
You could argue that Ellen is seeking justice, and that people don’t want to see folks who did harm to others behind bars. They really want to see “justice,” and if that means putting a bullet in someone’s head then so be it. But I don’t think that’s the case.
Perhaps I’m wrong.
More importantly, this led me to my other thought: TV writers can no longer just think about what happens on their show from week to week. In days of yore, a lot of the time they’d have to carefully repeat information, because if someone missed an episode, there was no way to see it again.
Today, of course, an episode airs, and then a few hours later it’s online. Sometimes for free, sometimes for pay, but it’s always there. And a lot of cable companies are even making episodes of various TV shows available for perusal without leaving the comfort of your couch.
What this means, of course, is that you can watch a show in compressed form. Instead of watching a show week-by-week, you can watch it over a couple of days. And TV writers have to take that into consideration. Repeat too much information, and watchers get bored. They don’t need to be reminded of what happened three weeks ago, because they’re watching on DVD or the internet and it “just” happened, in their mind.
This also means that hard-to-take character turns, like Ellen with her gun, can get difficult to watch. Catch the show once a week, and Ellen seems like a woman bent on getting justice. Watch every episode over the course of a couple of weeks, and she seems a little less likeable. A little too driven. A little harder to take, since she’s constantly pointing that gun at the screen.
We’re near the end of the second season now, sitting on the back five episodes, and it’s going to take a lot of justification to explain Ellen and those gunshots.
Episode 9
Damages Season 2, Episode 9 on Television Without Pity
Then: Ellen goes to meet with the FBI. She tells them that the FBI is no longer just targeting Patty – Patty is now targeting the FBI.
Patty talks to Tom and Ellen about the FBI. Tom is angry that he’s just finding out about it now.
2 Months Later: Tom goes to the office to visit Patty. He’s told that he’s not allowed in the building any more. Tom tells the guard at the front door that he tried to warn Patty, and that he’s filing suit against Patty for wrongful termination.
Tom gets a gun. He gives it to Ellen.
Ellen holds the gun on Patty, while Patty says, “It’s not who you are.”
Credits!
Then: Walter talks to Dave while Walter golfs. Dave wants to increase the number of transactions he and Walter are having.
Tom goes to talk to Patty, and tells her he’s upset about not knowing about the FBI. Tom says he’ll make a call because they need information.
Tom asks his sister, a US Attorney, to find out what the FBI knows.
Dave talks to Finn. Dave tells Finn about some new transactions. Finn tells Dave he kicked the nose candy and the lady-friend to the curb. Dave says that’s a good thing. Finn gets belligerent and reminds Dave that Finn is the only one who can do what he does.
Wes plays pool with Katie. And loses. Ellen is there. It’s “girl’s night.”
Patty, at her house, stands and thinks about something. Phil asks how she’s doing. Phil thinks they should cancel their dinner party. They talk about Pete. Then Phil tells Patty to drop the UNR case. Patty says she thinks the FBI killed Pete.
Ellen talks to her group counselor. The counselor is concerned about Ellen and Wes, and their developing relationship. She wants them to go to different groups. And Wes has agreed.
Dave and Phil talk. Dave wants Phil’s opinion on who to put into an energy seat in the White House. Phil suggests Sam. You remember Sam, right? From the start of the season?
Wes and Ellen practice shooting. Ellen is improving. A lot. Wes apologizes for asking Ellen out. He says they shouldn’t get involved. Wes asks if he can ask Katie out. Ellen gives Wes Katie’s number.
Wes meets with Rick, and says he has nothing to report yet. Rick tells Wes to deliver some guns to Jersey. Wes says no. Rick says that Wes is going to do it.
Finn meets with Susie. Susie’s got the nose-candy Finn wanted. Finn asks about Tom. Susie says she’s been ignoring him.
Tom meets with his sister, who says there’s no official FBI file on Patty and/or her firm. There’s no investigation.
Tom, Ellen and Patty talk about the lack of file.
Ellen confronts the FBI about their lack of file. The FBI guys tell Ellen that they had the file pulled, because they know Patty has contacts at the justice department. Ellen leaves, and the FBI guys talk about Ellen.
Susie has a visitor. It’s Patty. Patty wants the story on the arrest of Susie and Finn.
Patty and Phil have a dinner party. Dave talks to Sam about being the energy secretary.
Later, at dinner, a bunch of people ask Phil for advice on investing.
Ellen and Katie talk. Katie asks if it’s okay to go out with Wes. Ellen says she’s fine with it.
Back at the dinner party, everyone convinces Sam to sing “Danny Boy,” while Michael plays the keyboard. Patty warns Dave about Sam being something of a spoiled brat.
The FBI men talk to their boss. He says that the file on Patty has become need-to-know, because the case could make or break his career.
Walter meets with Wayne. They talk weather. And energy strategy.
Susie meets with Patty and Tom at the office. Susie tells Patty about the SUV and Finn.
The Messenger goes to the SUV and puts in some numbers.
Phil and David talk. Dave talks to Phil about going to Washington and taking the energy job. Phil says he’ll think about it.
Patty goes to visit the FBI men’s boss. She tells him that she holds the FBI responsible for Pete’s death. Patty says the investigation is corrupt, and that when she proves it, the guy’s career will be over.
The Boss makes a call and asks what the person on the other end of the line wants him to do.
Wes and Katie have a date. Wes asks Katie why no counseling? Katie says therapy is not for her.
Then Wes asks if Katie thinks Arthur killed David. Katie says Arthur DID kill David. Then she spouts a bunch of information she probably shouldn’t. Katie also tells Wes that it’s obvious that Wes wants to be with Ellen, not with Katie.
Finn goes to the SUV and gets the numbers.
Tom sees the SUV, and Finn, and takes down the SUV information.
Later that night, Ellen goes to visit Wes. He asks if everything is okay. She say’s it’s fine. And she knows that Katie called off Katie and Wes’s date. Kissing happens. Then more than kissing happens.
Wes goes to see Rick again. Wes tells Rick that Ellen knows about Arthur’s security firm. Rick tells Wes to take Ellen out, and make it look like an accident. If Wes does that, he’s “done.”
Episode 10
Damages Season 2, Episode 10 on Television Without Pity
Then: Ellen meets up with Wes in a park. Ellen left without saying goodbye. She’s “confused” about what happened. Wes asks if Ellen wants to get away for the weekend. Ellen says she needs some time.
The FBI keeps on looking for information on Patty, but they aren’t having any luck. One of the FBI guys gets a call from his “wife.” He’s in the middle of a divorce. Only one problem – the person on the other end of the phone is a man.
Now (Six Weeks Later): Ellen confronts Patty on Ellen’s room. Only now we get to see that the FBI is listening in.
Ellen shoots twice and the FBI dude jumps out of the van.
Credits:
Then: Ellen talks to the FBI about how Patty is trying to prove that the UNR is manipulating energy prices.
Phil, Michael and Patty talk. Michael is waiting for college letters to come in. Also, they want to meet his girlfriend.
Walter and Dave talk about Phil becoming their energy man. Dave recommends that Walter settle Patty’s case to keep her from finding out any more than she already knows.
At UNR, Walter celebrates 20 years of service from Claire. Along with a whole lot of other people. Including Claire’s dad, who takes off early.
Walter tells Claire to settle, and to go as high as 50 million.
At the art gallery, we meet Tanya, Michael’s girlfriend. She has multi-colored hair and a whole lot of tattoos and piercings.
The FBI guy with the wife problem gets a call, but he’s not by his phone, so the other one answers… and hears the male voice on the other end.
Ellen and her mom talk. Mom is worried about Ellen.
Ellen goes to Patty’s office – Ellen was late again today. Ellen apologizes. Ellen is about to leave, but Patty has a question: Does Ellen know anything about Michael’s girlfriend? Ellen doesn’t.
Patty is clearly concerned about Michael’s girlfriend.
Patty and Phil talk about the girlfriend as well. Patty says if she has piercings or a tattoo, she’s walking out. Michael introduces Phil and Patty to his, “girlfriend,” Jill. Who taught at Columbia from 1988 to 1992.
And who isn’t that other girl with the funny hair.
Claire has lunch with her dad. She asks how retirement’s been. He says it would be less quiet if he had grandchildren.
She reminds her dad how successful she’s been, and he asks her what she has to look forward to.
The FBI men confront each other about the phone call. They dance around what’s really going on. The “guy” on the phone is, apparently, paying a little something from time to time to find out where Patty’s case is at.
Patty and Michael talk during something resembling breakfast. Patty tells Michael that last night meant a lot to her.
Claire goes to see Patty about a settlement. Claire tells Patty that neither of them really want to settle, so she’s leaving. Patty tells Claire to mention Finn’s name to Walter, and then triple the offer.
Claire talks to Walter. She tells him Finn’s name, and looks for a reaction. Claire is upset, because she went into Patty’s office without all the facts. Walter lies about who Finn is.
Ellen gets ready to go to bed. She has a message on her phone from Katie. Katie tells Ellen to come out for a drink. Ellen goes. She and Katie drink. Ellen kinda flirts with a dude on the other side of the bar.
Then she goes to talk to him. Ellen invites the flirty guy back to her room. Kind of.
Claire meets with Purcell. She tells Purcell about Finn, the guy who trades energy futures.
Purcell notes that UNR has had some unusual power outages. And we get a sort of layman’s explanation of what’s going on. If an energy trader knows when a power outage is going to happen, he can time his trades to make money.
Claire doesn’t think Walter would do something like this, because he could lose the company. Purcell tells Claire that he cut a deal with Walter about the toxic compound.
Ellen, who is now super-drunk, goes back to her apartment. Katie came with her. Not the other guy. Ellen tells Katie that she’s not really working for Patty. Then Ellen passes out.
Claire talks to Walter about Purcell. Walter lies, and says the compound isn’t dangerous, and that Claire needs to stop asking questions.
Patty goes to meet with Jill, the “girlfriend.” It appears she really is the girlfriend. Which doesn’t please Patty at all.
Claire meets with Purcell. She’s finally realized that Walter is a criminal. This makes her angry. So she fools around with Purcell.
Someone is watching their hotel room on a laptop.
The FBI guy who is not taking money wants to meet the money-giver. He wants in. Or so he says.
Ellen goes to visit Wes.
Two men go to visit the FBI guy who is not on the take. It looks bad for him.
Wes wakes up. He’s in bed. Ellen is sitting at the foot of the bed, looking sad. Ellen tells Wes that she told Wes something she probably shouldn’t have. That Patty tried to kill her.
Wes says that’s insane.
Ellen tells Wes that she was approached by the FBI five months earlier. And that she became an informant. In flashback, Ellen gets out of the FBI car, and walks down the street… right past Wes.
Wes meets with Rick, and tells Rick that the FBI is using Ellen against Patty. Wes tells Rick that Rick is safe. Rick agrees: Because he still wants Wes to kill Ellen.
The “bad” FBI guy arrives home and finds that the “good” FBI guy has “died from a drug overdose.”
He meets with Dave. Dave informs Bad FBI that Good FBI reported him. And it turns out that the FBI Boss is also in on this.
Now: And we’re back where we started, with Ellen shooting Patty, and Bad FBI Guy hopping out of the van. Patty steps out of the hotel room. She’s freaked out. And she’s got blood on her hands. She collapses in the elevator.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Damages Season 2 Episodes 7 and 8
In case you forgot, Damages Season 2 is available on DVD as of today. I keep pushing the Amazon link only because, as I write this, the entire season is $25, which is a pretty great price:
Damages Season 2 on Amazon
A few thoughts before we go on.
One of my favorite TV shows of the last decade was Veronica Mars, a show that used its second-season finale to tell you that everything you knew about the first season was wrong.
I’m exaggerating a bit to make a point about plot threads. If all you ever saw was the first season of “Damages,” you’d make a lot of assumptions about the characters that are no longer true.
Phil, who seems like a nice enough guy, cheats on his wife.
Arthur, who seemed like he was probably going to be dead soon, lived.
And Patty seems to get away with everything.
On truly great TV shows, the writers are always thinking ahead – sometimes a few episodes, and sometimes a couple of seasons. And in the case of “Damages,” it looks like they thought way, way ahead.
With season three starting next week, I’ll be curious to follow along on a week-to-week basis, if only to see what loose ends can still be tied up from season one – and what effect they’ll have on season 3.
But of course, right now, this is still mid-season two. Dead center, to be exact.
Episode Seven
Damages S 2, Episode 7 at Television Without Pity
Then! Ellen is in the office late at night. She sees Uncle Pete there. Ellen remembers Tom saying that “Uncle Pete is really the one who runs everything around here.”
Ellen goes into her office, and sees that her computer is running. And her monitor is warm.
The FBI checks out Uncle Pete – his criminal history goes back something like 50 years. He’s been with Patty ever since she served as his lawyer. He probably knows where the bodies are buried.
Patty meets with Arthur. They’re setting up a press conference. Arthur wrote down some things he wants Patty to say. Arthur wants to fix his reputation. Patty warns Arthur that they’re going to have to vet his financials. Arthur says he has nothing to hide.
Ellen walks into Patty’s office, and Patty informs Ellen that Arthur is going to be their lead plaintiff.
Walter takes his grandkids to the zoo. In New York. His granddaughter says she hates New York. She’s, like, eight.
Dave and Walter meet. One of their guys got caught with cocaine and a lady of the evening. They need a lawyer.
Arthur meets with his spiritual advisor. Arthur says he’s struggling with the press conference – is he getting involved with “these people” for the right reasons?
Ellen talks to Patty. She’s not pleased about Arthur being brought in. Patty doesn’t seem to care. Probably because she doesn’t.
Uncle Pete takes care of his wife, who appears to be on oxygen.
Pete meets with a couple of younger guys. The FBI men observe Pete doing so – they know the guys with Pete. They both have rap sheets.
Ellen and Wes meet for more shooting lessons. Ellen is improving. Slowly. Wes tries to invite Ellen to dinner, but she’s reluctant. They decide to meet again the next week for more shooting practice.
Ellen and Katie talk over a newspaper, which says that Katie’s “follower,” the Bad Cop, is missing. Katie realizes it was a mistake to report him, as they’ve now lost that lead.
Rick meets with Arthur and tells Arthur that Arthur needs to pull out of the lawsuit. He tells Arthur that Katie is “back in the picture.” Rick reminds Arthur that once Arthur chose to go down this road, there was no turning back.
Claire defends the lady of the evening in court. The lady pleads guilty, and gets off with a suspended sentence. Tom sees Claire do this in court.
Claire asks Walter why she was defending the lady of the evening in court. She tells Walter that they need to talk about Arthur’s lawsuit. She suggests they get the stock prices up. Walter says they’ve already lined up some money people.
Walter meets up with The Messenger again, and says that they need to “try again.” He gives The Messenger a slip of paper with coordinates on it.
Tom meets with Patty, and tells her who Claire was defending. They know there was another person on the police report whose named was redacted. Patty says to find her and run down the other name.
And now we start to see how the coordinates thing works. The Messenger gets into the new car, and puts in a Latitude. Then the other guy (who got busted, but released) gets into the same car at another time and writes down the Latitude. Then he leaves. There’s probably more to it, but we don’t get to see it. Yet.
At the press conference, Patty talks Arthur up, since that’s what he asked for. Arthur is as smooth as ever.
Tom orders a lady of the evening. Oddly, he orders the wrong one. Ah, wait, no – he tells the girl he did get that he was hoping to talk to Susie. He pays her, and tells her he just wants the name of Susie’s other client.
His name is Finn. The lady asks if Tom wants to stay, since he already paid.
Patty and Ellen talk strategy, and Uncle Pete brings in Polish pastry. His wife makes it. Turns out they’ve been married almost 60 years.
This seems to make Ellen a little sad.
Ellen asks how long Patty has known Uncle Pete. Since she was a kid. Pete is Patty’s mother’s brother, and, “The Most Loyal Man I’ll Ever Know.”
A couple of dudes meet with Pete’s boys, from the start of the episode. The guys bust Pete’s boys for selling stolen goods.
The FBI guys go after Pete. They bust him with a $3,000 payoff. Racketeering.
They offer him some options. 10 years in prison $250,000 in charges. Second option, he goes home to his wife. The catch is, Pete has to give up Patty. At first, Pete says he’s not going to do it. Then he says he’ll think about it, but he can’t see Patty again. He can’t look her in the eye.
Pete says he has evidence in a storage locker in his house. The FBI guys get ready to take him there. He wants to pick up some strawberries, because he wife will wonder where he was.
Patty talks to Tom, and asks Tom if Tom had a good time with his lady of easy virtue. Tom says he got a name.
Finn. Finn’s a trader in the energy market.
Finn does some trading. With a lady-friend in the room.
Dave calls Walter, and tells him that the trade went through. Walter is happy.
Patty gives Ellen some information about Arthur. They have a lead on the dead Bad Cop.
Wes meets with Rick, and gives Rick the lowdown on the FBI guys. Rick is mad that Wes can’t get Ellen to talk about the missing Bad Cop. Wes says he needs to play it his way. Rick says he’ll have to try someone else: Katie.
Ellen and Katie talk in a bar, and there’s Wes. Ellen calls him over. They drink. Katie tells Wes that she just broke up with her boyfriend. Ellen’s phone rings, she walks away from the table. It’s the FBI. They let Ellen know they’ve got Pete.
Pete goes to the kitchen of his house and tells his wife to “keep these guys company.” He gets a key. And he tells the FBI guys that he has to use to the bathroom, and give his wife her medication. He does so. As far as we know at this point. You really can’t trust this show.
Pete takes the FBI guys to his storage location.
At home, his wife’s inhaler has run out. She takes off her oxygen and goes to get another inhaler.
Pete tells the guy that the information they need is on the third shelf. The trunk.
Pete’s wife finds a note from Pete.
Pete gives the FBI guys a combination to the trunk. It’s empty.
Pete falls over. He’s dying.
Pete’s wife looks through all the medication. It’s all gone. His note says, “I’m sorry. Pete.”
Episode Eight
Damages S 2, Episode 8 at Television Without Pity
Ellen lays in bed. It’s 3 in the morning. She takes some pills, drinks some water. She hears a voice: “Can’t sleep?”
It’s David. He tells her that she’s having a hallucination. She tells David that he was right about everything. He asks her why she hasn’t opened her wedding present. He tells her that she’ll know what it means, and that it will make Ellen laugh.
The phone rings. He asks if it’s Patty. She says it’s the FBI. She says it will be one minute… and then David is gone.
The FBI tells Ellen that Pete tried to kill himself, and they don’t know if he’s going to live.
Patty goes to Pete’s bedside, and talks to Pete’s wife, who is already there. She gives Patty Pete’s note.
Patty has a flashback. Patty is a little girl, and someone is yelling that they want to see their wife.
Ellen talks to the FBI. They fill her in on Phil.
Dave talks to Phil. He wants Phil to invest in UNR. Phil says there’s a conflict of interest. Dave thinks the case will vanish. Phil tells Dave that Patty never loses.
Arthur goes out to his land with his spiritual advisor. He shows the advisor where he was when he was shot by Larry. Arthur talks about how the patch of land they’re standing on changed his life.
He wants his spiritual advisor to build a healing center in his field. He buries the bullet he was shot with in the dirt he was shot on. He thinks this could be his new beginning.
Pete’s wife sees Patrick, the guy Pete told to get out of town. He offers to give her a ride to the store.
Ellen goes to visit Patty in her office. She asks about Pete. Pete is still unconscious. Patty tells Ellen about her father, who was an angry, angry man. Patty’s dad left. Then Pete stepped in to help raise Patty.
Patty reminds Ellen that Ellen warned Patty that this would happen. Ellen asks if Pete has anything incriminating on Patty. She asks what they’ll do if Pete wakes up.
Rick and Wes go to visit Arthur. Wes tells Arthur about Ellen going to visit him in the hospital. And Rick tells Arthur, again, to drop the lawsuit.
Ellen and Wes go back to the group counseling. She tells everyone about the wedding gift from David, and how she can’t open it. Wes says that if Ellen never opens the gift, she always has one more moment with David to look forward to.
Patty talks to Phil, and tells Phil that Pete might never wake up. Phil tells Patty that UNR is expecting an influx of capital that will turn the stock around.
Patty takes that information, and mentally ties it to Finn. She thinks Finn might be manipulating energy futures.
Tom finds Susie the escort. And asks her about Finn. And Claire. He tells her that she can talk to him, or she can go down with the rest of the people Tom is going to take down.
Phil invests in UNR stock.
Patrick talks to one of Pete’s boys. Pete’s boy fingers the guy who set up Pete.
Pete wakes up for a moment, and touches his wife’s hand. She calls for a nurse.
One of the FBI fellows goes to talk to Pete. Once again, he tries to make Pete choose between his wife or Patty.
Once again, Finn makes a deal online. While Susie looks on. Susie tells Finn about Tom. Finn tells Susie to never talk to him again. He also says some other things, which freak her out a bit.
Rick goes to visit Arthur’s spiritual advisor. Who is petting a rabbit.
Rick has been reading the guy’s books. First he tells the guy a freaky story, and then he asks to hold the bunny. Rick wants the advisor to tell Arthur that Arthur is still Rick’s pupil.
Then Rick gives the bunny back.
Patty asks Pete what Pete was arrested for. Pete tells her that he got caught doing bad. Patty also asks what the FBI wants to know. Pete says they want Patty, and they have enough to either put Pete or Patty away.
Arthur’s spiritual advisor tells Arthur that no matter what Rick does to Arthur’s body, Rick can’t touch Arthur’s soul.
He also says Arthur’s options are to run from Rick for the rest of his life, or to turn himself in.
Arthur makes a call, and says, “I need to see you.”
Ah. Arthur called his own lady of the evening. When he’s done, he says, “Yeah, I’ll do it.”
Patty, sitting with Pete, flashes back to the days when things were bad in her house.
Turns out, there’s a wire in Pete’s room.
Patty asks why Pete stuck around when her dad took off. Pete says he doesn’t know. Patty tells Pete to give the FBI whatever he needs to.
Arthur talks to Rick, and says he’ll drop the suit. And give Rick the funds Rick needs.
Susie meets with Tom in the middle of a park. He asks if she’s ready to talk. Susie tells Tom she’s scared of Finn. She tells Tom she’ll need protection.
Tom asks if Finn knows Walter.
Arthur drops the lawsuit. But the class-action suit is already on its way to a solid start.
Pete talks to Patrick. The FBI is listening. They don’t know the guy’s voice. The FBI sends Ellen in to ID Patrick. Patrick, of course, being the guy who almost killed Ellen.
Patty walks by a playground, and sees all the happy kids playing.
Pete tells Patrick that Patrick really needs to get out of town for good. Patrick injects something into Pete’s IV.
Ellen juuust misses seeing Patrick. Pete starts dying. Quickly.
Ellen calls Patty to tell her Pete’s dead.
Patrick calls Pete’s boy, Mikey, and they get into Mikey’s car and drive away.
In flashback, Uncle Pete takes Patty to go get some licorice.
Three Months Later: Pete’s wife opens up a box in the closet and finds a bunch of files. Including pictures of Katie’s dog. And a red folder with Ellen’s name on it.
She gives the folder to Ellen.
And there it is: Ellen is talking to someone. It’s Patty. And there’s Ellen with her gun. She tells Patty it isn’t loaded. Then she shows Patty the Ellen folder. Two gunshots. BAM. BAM.
Damages Season 2 on Amazon
A few thoughts before we go on.
One of my favorite TV shows of the last decade was Veronica Mars, a show that used its second-season finale to tell you that everything you knew about the first season was wrong.
I’m exaggerating a bit to make a point about plot threads. If all you ever saw was the first season of “Damages,” you’d make a lot of assumptions about the characters that are no longer true.
Phil, who seems like a nice enough guy, cheats on his wife.
Arthur, who seemed like he was probably going to be dead soon, lived.
And Patty seems to get away with everything.
On truly great TV shows, the writers are always thinking ahead – sometimes a few episodes, and sometimes a couple of seasons. And in the case of “Damages,” it looks like they thought way, way ahead.
With season three starting next week, I’ll be curious to follow along on a week-to-week basis, if only to see what loose ends can still be tied up from season one – and what effect they’ll have on season 3.
But of course, right now, this is still mid-season two. Dead center, to be exact.
Episode Seven
Damages S 2, Episode 7 at Television Without Pity
Then! Ellen is in the office late at night. She sees Uncle Pete there. Ellen remembers Tom saying that “Uncle Pete is really the one who runs everything around here.”
Ellen goes into her office, and sees that her computer is running. And her monitor is warm.
The FBI checks out Uncle Pete – his criminal history goes back something like 50 years. He’s been with Patty ever since she served as his lawyer. He probably knows where the bodies are buried.
Patty meets with Arthur. They’re setting up a press conference. Arthur wrote down some things he wants Patty to say. Arthur wants to fix his reputation. Patty warns Arthur that they’re going to have to vet his financials. Arthur says he has nothing to hide.
Ellen walks into Patty’s office, and Patty informs Ellen that Arthur is going to be their lead plaintiff.
Walter takes his grandkids to the zoo. In New York. His granddaughter says she hates New York. She’s, like, eight.
Dave and Walter meet. One of their guys got caught with cocaine and a lady of the evening. They need a lawyer.
Arthur meets with his spiritual advisor. Arthur says he’s struggling with the press conference – is he getting involved with “these people” for the right reasons?
Ellen talks to Patty. She’s not pleased about Arthur being brought in. Patty doesn’t seem to care. Probably because she doesn’t.
Uncle Pete takes care of his wife, who appears to be on oxygen.
Pete meets with a couple of younger guys. The FBI men observe Pete doing so – they know the guys with Pete. They both have rap sheets.
Ellen and Wes meet for more shooting lessons. Ellen is improving. Slowly. Wes tries to invite Ellen to dinner, but she’s reluctant. They decide to meet again the next week for more shooting practice.
Ellen and Katie talk over a newspaper, which says that Katie’s “follower,” the Bad Cop, is missing. Katie realizes it was a mistake to report him, as they’ve now lost that lead.
Rick meets with Arthur and tells Arthur that Arthur needs to pull out of the lawsuit. He tells Arthur that Katie is “back in the picture.” Rick reminds Arthur that once Arthur chose to go down this road, there was no turning back.
Claire defends the lady of the evening in court. The lady pleads guilty, and gets off with a suspended sentence. Tom sees Claire do this in court.
Claire asks Walter why she was defending the lady of the evening in court. She tells Walter that they need to talk about Arthur’s lawsuit. She suggests they get the stock prices up. Walter says they’ve already lined up some money people.
Walter meets up with The Messenger again, and says that they need to “try again.” He gives The Messenger a slip of paper with coordinates on it.
Tom meets with Patty, and tells her who Claire was defending. They know there was another person on the police report whose named was redacted. Patty says to find her and run down the other name.
And now we start to see how the coordinates thing works. The Messenger gets into the new car, and puts in a Latitude. Then the other guy (who got busted, but released) gets into the same car at another time and writes down the Latitude. Then he leaves. There’s probably more to it, but we don’t get to see it. Yet.
At the press conference, Patty talks Arthur up, since that’s what he asked for. Arthur is as smooth as ever.
Tom orders a lady of the evening. Oddly, he orders the wrong one. Ah, wait, no – he tells the girl he did get that he was hoping to talk to Susie. He pays her, and tells her he just wants the name of Susie’s other client.
His name is Finn. The lady asks if Tom wants to stay, since he already paid.
Patty and Ellen talk strategy, and Uncle Pete brings in Polish pastry. His wife makes it. Turns out they’ve been married almost 60 years.
This seems to make Ellen a little sad.
Ellen asks how long Patty has known Uncle Pete. Since she was a kid. Pete is Patty’s mother’s brother, and, “The Most Loyal Man I’ll Ever Know.”
A couple of dudes meet with Pete’s boys, from the start of the episode. The guys bust Pete’s boys for selling stolen goods.
The FBI guys go after Pete. They bust him with a $3,000 payoff. Racketeering.
They offer him some options. 10 years in prison $250,000 in charges. Second option, he goes home to his wife. The catch is, Pete has to give up Patty. At first, Pete says he’s not going to do it. Then he says he’ll think about it, but he can’t see Patty again. He can’t look her in the eye.
Pete says he has evidence in a storage locker in his house. The FBI guys get ready to take him there. He wants to pick up some strawberries, because he wife will wonder where he was.
Patty talks to Tom, and asks Tom if Tom had a good time with his lady of easy virtue. Tom says he got a name.
Finn. Finn’s a trader in the energy market.
Finn does some trading. With a lady-friend in the room.
Dave calls Walter, and tells him that the trade went through. Walter is happy.
Patty gives Ellen some information about Arthur. They have a lead on the dead Bad Cop.
Wes meets with Rick, and gives Rick the lowdown on the FBI guys. Rick is mad that Wes can’t get Ellen to talk about the missing Bad Cop. Wes says he needs to play it his way. Rick says he’ll have to try someone else: Katie.
Ellen and Katie talk in a bar, and there’s Wes. Ellen calls him over. They drink. Katie tells Wes that she just broke up with her boyfriend. Ellen’s phone rings, she walks away from the table. It’s the FBI. They let Ellen know they’ve got Pete.
Pete goes to the kitchen of his house and tells his wife to “keep these guys company.” He gets a key. And he tells the FBI guys that he has to use to the bathroom, and give his wife her medication. He does so. As far as we know at this point. You really can’t trust this show.
Pete takes the FBI guys to his storage location.
At home, his wife’s inhaler has run out. She takes off her oxygen and goes to get another inhaler.
Pete tells the guy that the information they need is on the third shelf. The trunk.
Pete’s wife finds a note from Pete.
Pete gives the FBI guys a combination to the trunk. It’s empty.
Pete falls over. He’s dying.
Pete’s wife looks through all the medication. It’s all gone. His note says, “I’m sorry. Pete.”
Episode Eight
Damages S 2, Episode 8 at Television Without Pity
Ellen lays in bed. It’s 3 in the morning. She takes some pills, drinks some water. She hears a voice: “Can’t sleep?”
It’s David. He tells her that she’s having a hallucination. She tells David that he was right about everything. He asks her why she hasn’t opened her wedding present. He tells her that she’ll know what it means, and that it will make Ellen laugh.
The phone rings. He asks if it’s Patty. She says it’s the FBI. She says it will be one minute… and then David is gone.
The FBI tells Ellen that Pete tried to kill himself, and they don’t know if he’s going to live.
Patty goes to Pete’s bedside, and talks to Pete’s wife, who is already there. She gives Patty Pete’s note.
Patty has a flashback. Patty is a little girl, and someone is yelling that they want to see their wife.
Ellen talks to the FBI. They fill her in on Phil.
Dave talks to Phil. He wants Phil to invest in UNR. Phil says there’s a conflict of interest. Dave thinks the case will vanish. Phil tells Dave that Patty never loses.
Arthur goes out to his land with his spiritual advisor. He shows the advisor where he was when he was shot by Larry. Arthur talks about how the patch of land they’re standing on changed his life.
He wants his spiritual advisor to build a healing center in his field. He buries the bullet he was shot with in the dirt he was shot on. He thinks this could be his new beginning.
Pete’s wife sees Patrick, the guy Pete told to get out of town. He offers to give her a ride to the store.
Ellen goes to visit Patty in her office. She asks about Pete. Pete is still unconscious. Patty tells Ellen about her father, who was an angry, angry man. Patty’s dad left. Then Pete stepped in to help raise Patty.
Patty reminds Ellen that Ellen warned Patty that this would happen. Ellen asks if Pete has anything incriminating on Patty. She asks what they’ll do if Pete wakes up.
Rick and Wes go to visit Arthur. Wes tells Arthur about Ellen going to visit him in the hospital. And Rick tells Arthur, again, to drop the lawsuit.
Ellen and Wes go back to the group counseling. She tells everyone about the wedding gift from David, and how she can’t open it. Wes says that if Ellen never opens the gift, she always has one more moment with David to look forward to.
Patty talks to Phil, and tells Phil that Pete might never wake up. Phil tells Patty that UNR is expecting an influx of capital that will turn the stock around.
Patty takes that information, and mentally ties it to Finn. She thinks Finn might be manipulating energy futures.
Tom finds Susie the escort. And asks her about Finn. And Claire. He tells her that she can talk to him, or she can go down with the rest of the people Tom is going to take down.
Phil invests in UNR stock.
Patrick talks to one of Pete’s boys. Pete’s boy fingers the guy who set up Pete.
Pete wakes up for a moment, and touches his wife’s hand. She calls for a nurse.
One of the FBI fellows goes to talk to Pete. Once again, he tries to make Pete choose between his wife or Patty.
Once again, Finn makes a deal online. While Susie looks on. Susie tells Finn about Tom. Finn tells Susie to never talk to him again. He also says some other things, which freak her out a bit.
Rick goes to visit Arthur’s spiritual advisor. Who is petting a rabbit.
Rick has been reading the guy’s books. First he tells the guy a freaky story, and then he asks to hold the bunny. Rick wants the advisor to tell Arthur that Arthur is still Rick’s pupil.
Then Rick gives the bunny back.
Patty asks Pete what Pete was arrested for. Pete tells her that he got caught doing bad. Patty also asks what the FBI wants to know. Pete says they want Patty, and they have enough to either put Pete or Patty away.
Arthur’s spiritual advisor tells Arthur that no matter what Rick does to Arthur’s body, Rick can’t touch Arthur’s soul.
He also says Arthur’s options are to run from Rick for the rest of his life, or to turn himself in.
Arthur makes a call, and says, “I need to see you.”
Ah. Arthur called his own lady of the evening. When he’s done, he says, “Yeah, I’ll do it.”
Patty, sitting with Pete, flashes back to the days when things were bad in her house.
Turns out, there’s a wire in Pete’s room.
Patty asks why Pete stuck around when her dad took off. Pete says he doesn’t know. Patty tells Pete to give the FBI whatever he needs to.
Arthur talks to Rick, and says he’ll drop the suit. And give Rick the funds Rick needs.
Susie meets with Tom in the middle of a park. He asks if she’s ready to talk. Susie tells Tom she’s scared of Finn. She tells Tom she’ll need protection.
Tom asks if Finn knows Walter.
Arthur drops the lawsuit. But the class-action suit is already on its way to a solid start.
Pete talks to Patrick. The FBI is listening. They don’t know the guy’s voice. The FBI sends Ellen in to ID Patrick. Patrick, of course, being the guy who almost killed Ellen.
Patty walks by a playground, and sees all the happy kids playing.
Pete tells Patrick that Patrick really needs to get out of town for good. Patrick injects something into Pete’s IV.
Ellen juuust misses seeing Patrick. Pete starts dying. Quickly.
Ellen calls Patty to tell her Pete’s dead.
Patrick calls Pete’s boy, Mikey, and they get into Mikey’s car and drive away.
In flashback, Uncle Pete takes Patty to go get some licorice.
Three Months Later: Pete’s wife opens up a box in the closet and finds a bunch of files. Including pictures of Katie’s dog. And a red folder with Ellen’s name on it.
She gives the folder to Ellen.
And there it is: Ellen is talking to someone. It’s Patty. And there’s Ellen with her gun. She tells Patty it isn’t loaded. Then she shows Patty the Ellen folder. Two gunshots. BAM. BAM.
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