Trust No One on ‘Damages’

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer

So, remember last week when I talked about Damages being a pretty darn good elevator ride of suspense? And how you keep heading up to the next floor to find out what is going to happen?

I think we shot up 12 floors this week.

Whoa, Nelly.

Or should I say whoa, Ellen.

And make sure you trust no one.

Since the show began, we’ve been wondering how young lawyer protégé Ellen has ended up in a police precinct bloodied, beaten, bruised and trying to claim she did not kill fiancé doc David. And recently, we learned that somehow, Patty Hewes is involved in Ellen’s present-day predicament, yet is conveniently MIA.

Well, we got a partial answer to this dilemma last night. And, no roadmap was required given the clever producers of this show know exactly where it is headed (unlike, ahem, Saving Grace). Gee, imagine that.

Anyways, it seems Ellen and David had a bit of a fight (over hot-to-trot Lila, perhaps?), and Patty offered up her apartment to Ellen whilst she was headed out of town. Whilst staying in Patty’s digs, bad guy comes in, attacks, Ellen stabs the guy (thinking she’s killed him), escapes (hence the blood and bruises), goes to check on David (who we’ve known for weeks is dead in their apartment bathtub), and of course inadvertently picks up the murder weapon (a Statue of Liberty bookend).

Ellen, Ellen, Ellen … did you never watch police shows when you were … well, even younger than you are now? How about a good cop movie? Never touch stuff at the scene of the crime, babe. You become Prime Suspect Numero Uno if you do. What are they teaching in law school these days ... hmmm ...

So, alas, Ellen is still a bit buggered. And Patty is nowhere to be found

Meanwhile, flashing back to before the present day whodunnit, Patty is desperately trying to depose Gregory Malina given the entire Frobisher case now hinges on his testimony.

Enter subpoena.

And enter Lawyer Ray trying to quash the subpoena.

Since Patty (never to be outdone, of course) has documentation ol’ Greg did indeed dump his stock on the same day as Frobie, the subpoena stands.

Bummer for Ray.

And Greg.

So as Ray delivers the bad news to Greg, who has been holed up in a dinkpod hotel on Frobie’s watch, Ray conveniently encourages Greg to disappear. (Can I digress and say what exactly is going on between Ray and Greg? I’m still not sure. Seems like Ray has a thing for Greg, but maybe I’m reading way too much into it).

Anyways, did we say Patty is never outdone?

She’s been monitoring Greg with her own mafia police bodyguard something-or-other. Under armed escort, she’ll depose him and keep him safe.

Except Greg has other plans.

All the while, Ellen and whipping boy Tom go back and forth as to whether to tell Patty about their brief inclination to run off and start a firm together. Sensing something, Patty devilishly tries to drive a wedge between the two – asking one to keep an eye on the other and vice versa.

I think if you looked up control freak in the dictionary, you would find a picture of Patty Hewes. This woman covers every base and then some – even when there isn’t a base to be covered. How she knows what she knows (or suspects) is played out in a brilliantly cryptic way, revealing only a touch here and there. (Have we mentioned lately how good Glenn Close is? Do we even need to reiterate?)

But alas, whilst Ellen and Tom vow to trust each other, they essentially keep to playing other.

What’s that X-Files saying …? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

And as if all that wasn’t enough, Patty is dealing with son Michael’s pending release from his juvenile delinquent boot camp (even if it does look to be somewhere in Amish country):

Patty: “It’s like a cult compound. All the kids look like zombies.”

We remember he was kidnapped (literally) and sent there in order to get his act together. But in his new Zen-centered self, he’s not really interested in coming home and being controlled my mom again.

That is, until she issues emancipation papers for a full parental divorce.

Patty: “I’m tired of fighting you Michael. You sign these papers, you’re on your own … you’re in control … you win.”

Turns out he is a mama’s boy after all (which is likely all part of Patty's plan to win once again, of course).

I guess Michael can at least trust mom to do as she normally does.

Which is more than I can say for anyone else at Hewes and Associates.

Ellen (phoning lawyer in jail): “Mr. Nye, Tom’s full of [it]. Stay on ‘em. He’ll lead you to Patty.”
Tom (leaving jail): “I just saw her … you better not come back here, Patty.”

Stay tuned.

We’re approaching the Penthouse Level.

New episodes air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on FX. You can also have fun visiting the Hewes and Associates Official Web Site.

**PTR Note: I will be on vacation next week, so review of the next Damages episode will be delayed.