'Damages' is all the Rage

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Last week, payback was a b*tch.

This week, getting made is all the rage.

And Damages threw out so many morsels suggesting we haven't really-truly-deeply seen anything yet that I'm not even sure where to begin.

Ding.

That would be (as I said over and over again during the first season) our arrival at the next floor in this masterful elevator ride of suspense.

But let me start with a "Yay!" for Tate Donovan on directing last night's ep. When we talked to Tate towards the end of the first season, he had mentioned in passing that should the show be picked up for a second season, he was going to be able to direct an ep (or two). Given the fact this ep referenced a couple of the humdingers from the first season, Tate was the man for the job.

Namely, Ellen's "attacker" SURVIVED.

Second, Uncle Pete despises Ellen much more than I think I ever suspected. True, his whole job in life is to protect Patty from friends, enemies, frenemies and everything in between. But, he got serious about planting the seed in Patty's mind that she should be paying much closer attention to Ellen.

And it took Patty all of five seconds to agree.

The whole keep your friends close and your enemies closer thing.

Now, how Ellen remains so calm and cool under pressure is a marvel, and I appreciate Rose Byrne's consistency in the portrayal. Character consistency is a HUGE issue with me. When shows botch it (Cold Case), I get irritated. When shows master it (The Closer), I applaud it. Thus, Ellen's progression from wide-eyed-Bambi to the only one who can seemingly be a true nemesis to Patty has been wonderfully layered. And, the seed of rage that has been planted in her to take down Patty rivals Patty's own inner-rage at ... well, whatever is her rage flavor of the month. It's wonderfully ironic how similar the two of them actually are at this point in the series.

And now that we have it confirmed Wes is NOT Ellen's friend, and creepy evil detective killer guy from season one is back in the picture, I'm wondering if this is something Uncle Pete is coordinating.

I know, I know. STOP trying to figure it out.

Now, I didn't think it was possible to hate another CEO more than I despised Arthur Frobisher, but Walter Kendrick is getting under my skin. I'm wondering if we could just send Cameron over to terminate him? She's not busy right now, is she?

And what is up with Patty's husband's two-timing? I was beginning to think Michael Nouri was only going to show up for dinner in the kitchen and to help Patty's son Michael with his college applications. Clearly, that's not going to be the case.

And Daniel Purcell is on the UNR payroll (duh, okay we knew that). And his WIFE was ready to pull a Norma Rae and go after big energy herself.

But Darrell Hammond as the killer?

I'm still waiting on the Bill Clinton impression.

KID-ding.

Next floor, please.

New episodes of Damages air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX. To catch up on the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of the show, head on over to the official Damages Web site.