As "Failure is Lonely" and the rest of the fourth season proved, Damages' move to DirecTV came at not loss, and even gains. With a reduced season of 10 episodes, it was plotted tighter, allowing for each episode to hit the pertinent points with greater force than before. Along with the great performances from John Goodman and Dylan Baker, this season turned out to be damn good, possibly rivaling the first season.
As far as plot details go, I'm satisfied with how it turned out. Chris was actually still alive, Boorman is dead, and Erickson is going down. There some cool twists--Boorman revealed as the one who killed the team, and the boy being Boorman's son--but nothing as extreme as in previous seasons.
What the episode hammers home, however, is the differences between Patty and Ellen. Ellen wants to be successful and she wants to have a life. Patty, on the other hand, is successful and believes that is enough. In her own words, "Failure is Lonely." And is it this stark difference which eventually drives them apart. Ellen does not want to gamble lives while Patty is fine doing so. At the end of the day, both are kind of right. Ellen does not get the recognition she probably deserves for the work she put in, but Chris is also alive; it balances out.
I don't really like Michael, but the final development of the season, Ellen as witness against Patty, leads into the final season. Everything will come full circle, as Ellen can recap all the things Patty has done to her since the beginning of the final season. It's fitting that Ellen has finally turned against Patty to take away the last thing Patty has left, Katherine.
Score: 9.3/10
Showing posts with label Damages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Damages. Show all posts
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 5 We'll Just Have to Find Another Way to Cut the Balls Off of This Thing
Halfway through the season, this season of Damages just doesn't interest me as much as the previous seasons did. The case against High Star seems cut and dry, and the antics to protect the company aren't that exciting either. High Star is conducting raids for the CIA and one of these missions left Chris Sanchez's team dead. Now, Erickson and Boorman are trying to cover their tails--Erickson getting the DoD to black out most information and Boorman by having Marwat jailed. Erickson and Boorman each have their backstories, but there's nothing polarizing about them, in comparison to the always-electric Frobisher.
More interesting is Patty turning towards religion in light that Katherine has a 1 in 36 chance of having leukemia. There's no one to sue, no one to berate on national television, no one to threaten. It's leukemia, and Patty isn't quite sure how to approach it.
Score: 8.5/10
More interesting is Patty turning towards religion in light that Katherine has a 1 in 36 chance of having leukemia. There's no one to sue, no one to berate on national television, no one to threaten. It's leukemia, and Patty isn't quite sure how to approach it.
Score: 8.5/10
Friday, July 29, 2011
Review - Damages Season 4 Episode 3 I'd Prefer My Old Office
The ending of "I'd Prefer My Old Office" is very perplexing, indicating that Muslim will target Hewes & Associates in the next three days, and quite frankly, out of the blue. After an entire where the flashbacks are either Chris's recollection of his teammates dying, or Michael becoming a drug dealer, this thing pops up, leaving us with more questions. Could Boorman be setting a trap?
Speaking of Boorman, Erickson appears more and more to be a decent person led astray by Boorman. He clearly has his convictions and believes in more than self-interest. On face value, he seems rather genuine. However, Boorman is constantly insinuating that less-than-legal actions must be taken, and Erickson more or less declines to respond, recognizing that for High Star to survive and continue on his vision, the company must first survive.
After Ellen's trick to get Patty to offer her help last week, Patty is fully on board this week after Ellen hits a major roadblock, with Chris being coerced by AC. It's clear that the mercenaries in Afghanistan are unforgiving, emphasized by the shooting of Chris's informant, so we can see how easily it would be for Chris to end up where he was in those flashforwards.
I'm not entirely sure about the Michael stuff, however. While I recognize the importance of Michael, I never really cared about him beyond how Patty reacted to him. An entire episode with flashbacks of what he's doing didn't resonate with me. Now that he's back in the picture and likely up to something devious I sort of care, but I could have done without so much of him in the episode.
Score: 8.7/10
Speaking of Boorman, Erickson appears more and more to be a decent person led astray by Boorman. He clearly has his convictions and believes in more than self-interest. On face value, he seems rather genuine. However, Boorman is constantly insinuating that less-than-legal actions must be taken, and Erickson more or less declines to respond, recognizing that for High Star to survive and continue on his vision, the company must first survive.
After Ellen's trick to get Patty to offer her help last week, Patty is fully on board this week after Ellen hits a major roadblock, with Chris being coerced by AC. It's clear that the mercenaries in Afghanistan are unforgiving, emphasized by the shooting of Chris's informant, so we can see how easily it would be for Chris to end up where he was in those flashforwards.
I'm not entirely sure about the Michael stuff, however. While I recognize the importance of Michael, I never really cared about him beyond how Patty reacted to him. An entire episode with flashbacks of what he's doing didn't resonate with me. Now that he's back in the picture and likely up to something devious I sort of care, but I could have done without so much of him in the episode.
Score: 8.7/10
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Review - Damages Season 4 Episode 2 I've Done Way Too Much for This Girl
While the season premiere last week had its fill of deception, "I've Done Way Too Much for This Girl" is the episode where the wheels start churning and you tell yourself, "Damages is back." Boorman manages to get Chris to Afghanistan, separating him from Ellen, through some underhanded tactics, a cooked up story about a mullah going after Chris. Boorman is clearly a bad guy, willing to kidnap and torture a poor Afghani immigrant to solidify the story, and Erickson isn't too bad yet. Yes, he wants to keep the company clean, but he explicitly tells Boorman not to hurt anyone and is upset when he learns of the psychiatrist's death. However, he seems to realize that getting dirty and doing potentially illegal things are within the boundaries.
One of the interesting twists of the episode is how Ellen and Patti eventually team up once again to take down High Star. Ellen doesn't want to reach out to Patti and owe her anything--unless Patti reaches out herself--so Ellen concocts a situation so Patti will offer help. She takes the High Star case on her own and while eating with Patti in a restaurant, some guys pound on the window to threaten her. She later orders drinks for them and it's revealed that they are her friends. Nicely played, Ellen. I'm not too sure whether the writers should have revealed that this soon, though. It's nice that there is definite momentum for Ellen and Patti's plot, but the revelation possibly could have had more impact later.
Interestingly, the episode has no flashbacks until the very last scene--a grisly torture--the earliest the show has done this. But the season also has 10 episodes opposed to the usual 13, so that could explain why the writers are doing it this way.
Score: 9.0/10
One of the interesting twists of the episode is how Ellen and Patti eventually team up once again to take down High Star. Ellen doesn't want to reach out to Patti and owe her anything--unless Patti reaches out herself--so Ellen concocts a situation so Patti will offer help. She takes the High Star case on her own and while eating with Patti in a restaurant, some guys pound on the window to threaten her. She later orders drinks for them and it's revealed that they are her friends. Nicely played, Ellen. I'm not too sure whether the writers should have revealed that this soon, though. It's nice that there is definite momentum for Ellen and Patti's plot, but the revelation possibly could have had more impact later.
Interestingly, the episode has no flashbacks until the very last scene--a grisly torture--the earliest the show has done this. But the season also has 10 episodes opposed to the usual 13, so that could explain why the writers are doing it this way.
Score: 9.0/10
Friday, July 15, 2011
Review - Damages Season 4 Episode 1 There's Only One Way to Try a Case
Damages is a show of diminishing marginal returns, starting from its premise. The elaborate setup of flashforwards and flashbacks was revolutionary in the first season, especially with a bloody Ellen running into the street. But after three seasons, we know what to expect. The devilish twists and turns don't quite have the pop they used to have, and there will always be the combinations of corrupt corporate types and hired hit men.
And yet, Damages remains a fascinating show, stretching the boundaries of television storytelling when so few shows take that extra step. The push-pull relationship between Patti and Ellen, despite them going back and forth many, many times, is still interesting, as each character evolves separately and their relationship in turn also evolves. The clues are doled out slowly, the writers refusing to give us easy answers and by the end of the episode the viewers--along with Ellen and Patti-are sucked into a crusade that will last a season.
The setup this season doesn't seem too different from the previous ones. There is a private security company trying to get enough votes for the government to renew its contract while Ellen looks into the company for an illegal operation. The acting remains topnotch, with Glenn Close and Rose Byrne joined by John Goodman playing the CEO of the private security company and Dylan Baker as his associate. The flashforward shows a hooded person, presumably in Afghanistan, getting killed before Ellen walks in and begins crying. The obvious choice for the hooded person is Christopher Sanchez, but the writers probably have more twists lined up.
Score: 8.7/10
And yet, Damages remains a fascinating show, stretching the boundaries of television storytelling when so few shows take that extra step. The push-pull relationship between Patti and Ellen, despite them going back and forth many, many times, is still interesting, as each character evolves separately and their relationship in turn also evolves. The clues are doled out slowly, the writers refusing to give us easy answers and by the end of the episode the viewers--along with Ellen and Patti-are sucked into a crusade that will last a season.
The setup this season doesn't seem too different from the previous ones. There is a private security company trying to get enough votes for the government to renew its contract while Ellen looks into the company for an illegal operation. The acting remains topnotch, with Glenn Close and Rose Byrne joined by John Goodman playing the CEO of the private security company and Dylan Baker as his associate. The flashforward shows a hooded person, presumably in Afghanistan, getting killed before Ellen walks in and begins crying. The obvious choice for the hooded person is Christopher Sanchez, but the writers probably have more twists lined up.
Score: 8.7/10
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 13 The Next One's Gonna Go In Your Throat
"The Next One's Gonna Go In Your Throat" was probably the series finale and it did it's part, wrapping up the major storylines of the season. There were still a few hanging out there, but the resolutions for the main characters was adequate. If there is a fourth season, there are some existing plots to go with along with a new case. A debriefing period on the Tobin case would have been nice, but there was a limited timeframe.
We see Tom getting stabbed, and he wanders around New York for a while, making a phone call before Joe catches up to him and drowns him in a toilet. Hey Tom, every heard of a hospital? Leonard Winstone makes his escape with the money after turning over the evidence and a lot of blank paper. Joe is caught and Marilyn takes the plunge off the bridge. All in all, it was fairly standard stuff with nothing that unexpected.
If there needed to be more indication that the reemergence of Frobisher was a mistake, Wes enters the episode fairly early and exits, along with Frobisher, less than halfway through the episode, both being led away in handcuffs. We never see Ellen's reaction to this turn of events nor do we get any follow-up.
Patty took a backseat, letting Tom and Ellen do everything else as she remembered the time when she was pregnant herself and how she deliberately went against the doctor's orders and got a still-born baby, so she could advance her career at a large New York law firm. It comes after she gets Jill on statutory rape. The car crash, the event speculated to have been done by Tom, was actually done by Michael. There was again no follow-up which made the situation very incomplete.
So who exactly is Julian Decker? In the flashback 30 years ago, he look identical to the way he looks now. Was he just Patty's past haunting her all along? Everything with Patty this season has been confusing and ambiguous from the dreams to Decker to the horses. Did the finale do enough to reveal the significance?
The episode ends with Patty standing on a pier and Ellen walking away. After contemplating where they are and what they've become, neither of them truly knows what to do next, ending the season and probably series on an uncertain but fitting note.
Score: 8.7/10
We see Tom getting stabbed, and he wanders around New York for a while, making a phone call before Joe catches up to him and drowns him in a toilet. Hey Tom, every heard of a hospital? Leonard Winstone makes his escape with the money after turning over the evidence and a lot of blank paper. Joe is caught and Marilyn takes the plunge off the bridge. All in all, it was fairly standard stuff with nothing that unexpected.
If there needed to be more indication that the reemergence of Frobisher was a mistake, Wes enters the episode fairly early and exits, along with Frobisher, less than halfway through the episode, both being led away in handcuffs. We never see Ellen's reaction to this turn of events nor do we get any follow-up.
Patty took a backseat, letting Tom and Ellen do everything else as she remembered the time when she was pregnant herself and how she deliberately went against the doctor's orders and got a still-born baby, so she could advance her career at a large New York law firm. It comes after she gets Jill on statutory rape. The car crash, the event speculated to have been done by Tom, was actually done by Michael. There was again no follow-up which made the situation very incomplete.
So who exactly is Julian Decker? In the flashback 30 years ago, he look identical to the way he looks now. Was he just Patty's past haunting her all along? Everything with Patty this season has been confusing and ambiguous from the dreams to Decker to the horses. Did the finale do enough to reveal the significance?
The episode ends with Patty standing on a pier and Ellen walking away. After contemplating where they are and what they've become, neither of them truly knows what to do next, ending the season and probably series on an uncertain but fitting note.
Score: 8.7/10
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Preview of Week 04/18/10 - 04/24/10
Riverworld - Syfy, Sunday, April 18, 7:00pm ET
If you have absolutely nothing else to watch on Sunday night, meaning you don't want to watch Breaking Bad, Treme, The Pacific, Brothers and Sister, Desperate Housewives, Cold Case, Army Wives, The Tudors, Til Death, Sonny with a Chance, or an ant walking around, there's Riverworld on Syfy, possibly the worst thing I've seen this year.
Damages - FX, Monday, April 19, 10:00pm ET
The 90-minute season finale and probably series finale has many stories to tie up, but I trust the writers to get it done. I'll be really disappointed if and when the official cancellation announcement comes down. The first season remains one of the most innovative, exciting, and intriguing seasons of television of all time.
United States of Tara - Showtime, Monday, April 19, 10:30pm ET
For the first time last week, we saw Tara take on a personality from someone she meets. Tara will learn something about her new Shoshana personality. Also, Max's beating of Sully will have consequences. If I had to guess, he'll land in the big house.
Stargate Universe - Syfy, Friday, April 23, 9:00pm ET
This is a Young episode, but more importantly, Daniel Jackson makes an appearance.
Party Down - Starz, Friday, April 23, 10:00pm ET
Party Down was one of the pleasant surprises of last year, airing on Starz, a network whose only other scripted program was the bad rendition of Crash and the equally bad Head Case. The comedy can crude enough to turn certain people off, but to others, it was totally hilarious.
If you have absolutely nothing else to watch on Sunday night, meaning you don't want to watch Breaking Bad, Treme, The Pacific, Brothers and Sister, Desperate Housewives, Cold Case, Army Wives, The Tudors, Til Death, Sonny with a Chance, or an ant walking around, there's Riverworld on Syfy, possibly the worst thing I've seen this year.
Damages - FX, Monday, April 19, 10:00pm ET
The 90-minute season finale and probably series finale has many stories to tie up, but I trust the writers to get it done. I'll be really disappointed if and when the official cancellation announcement comes down. The first season remains one of the most innovative, exciting, and intriguing seasons of television of all time.
United States of Tara - Showtime, Monday, April 19, 10:30pm ET
For the first time last week, we saw Tara take on a personality from someone she meets. Tara will learn something about her new Shoshana personality. Also, Max's beating of Sully will have consequences. If I had to guess, he'll land in the big house.
Stargate Universe - Syfy, Friday, April 23, 9:00pm ET
This is a Young episode, but more importantly, Daniel Jackson makes an appearance.
Party Down - Starz, Friday, April 23, 10:00pm ET
Party Down was one of the pleasant surprises of last year, airing on Starz, a network whose only other scripted program was the bad rendition of Crash and the equally bad Head Case. The comedy can crude enough to turn certain people off, but to others, it was totally hilarious.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 12 You Were His Little Monkey
Is anyone else slightly worried about the season finale? "You Were His Little Monkey" moved every storyline forward, but only so they could be resolved later. Frobisher, Wes, Michael and Jill, Patty, Julian and the horse, Tom's death, and Leonard Winstone all look like they will get some kind of ending. I hadn't expected all the loose ends to be tied up by the end of the season and certainly not all in the final episode. We'll have to hope the writers can cram it all into a 90 minute episode without being too frenetic.
Patty is nearly crushed during the episode, having lost Tom and Tessa, but with the break on Leonard Winstone, she's back in the game. Tom had purposely leaked his financial information, so he would get fired and be able to make a deal with Leonard/Lester. Tom's proactivity, however, comes at the cost of his life as we are reminded at the end of the episode.
Jill takes $500k from Patty to leave, but in dealing with her son, Patty is completely myopic, and doesn't realize that Jill will just take the money and not leave which is exactly what she does. Now it looks more likely Patty will kill Jill like Tom.
Frobisher doesn't make an appearance and I doubt we'll see the movie, but Terry Brook comes forward with the name Rick Messer. Messer's name links to Wes, and apparently Ellen never looked into him, so that's the first time anyone is hearing of this. Hopefully Frobisher will finally get what's coming to him.
If Frobisher story was to be tied up this season, I would have wanted it to be wrapped up earlier. The season finale will be packed beyond belief and I have a hard time keeping interested if there are so many threads bouncing around without focus.
Score: 8.8/10
Patty is nearly crushed during the episode, having lost Tom and Tessa, but with the break on Leonard Winstone, she's back in the game. Tom had purposely leaked his financial information, so he would get fired and be able to make a deal with Leonard/Lester. Tom's proactivity, however, comes at the cost of his life as we are reminded at the end of the episode.
Jill takes $500k from Patty to leave, but in dealing with her son, Patty is completely myopic, and doesn't realize that Jill will just take the money and not leave which is exactly what she does. Now it looks more likely Patty will kill Jill like Tom.
Frobisher doesn't make an appearance and I doubt we'll see the movie, but Terry Brook comes forward with the name Rick Messer. Messer's name links to Wes, and apparently Ellen never looked into him, so that's the first time anyone is hearing of this. Hopefully Frobisher will finally get what's coming to him.
If Frobisher story was to be tied up this season, I would have wanted it to be wrapped up earlier. The season finale will be packed beyond belief and I have a hard time keeping interested if there are so many threads bouncing around without focus.
Score: 8.8/10
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Preview of Week 04/11/10 - 04/17/10
Treme - HBO, Sunday, April 11, 10:00pm ET
David Simon has an uncanny ability for immersing viewers into a completely different world. We'll see if he can do it again with post-Katrina New Orleans.
House - Fox, Monday, April 12, 8:00pm ET
There's a lockdown which causes weird parings of characters. Also, Cameron returns...
The Big Bang Theory - CBS, Monday, April 12, 9:00pm ET
Wil Wheaton is back! That means Sheldon will get another chance to bring down his nemesis.
Damages - FX, Monday, April 12, 10:00pm ET
The penultimate episode of the season/series will have twists. That's all anyone can predict about the show. I don't understand why the ratings are so low.
Human Target - Fox, Wednesday, April 14, 8:00pm ET
I'm not interested in the show anymore, but all the hints will finally come to fruition as we see flashbacks of Chance and how he came to be where he is now.
Supernatural, CW, Thursday, April 15, 9:00pm ET
The 100th episode of Supernatural looks to be particularly explosive. At the end of the last episode, Dean ran off to the angels. It looks like the situation isn't as simple as it seems.
Not that anyone cares, but the season premieres of Army Wives and The Tudors are on Sunday, April 11.
David Simon has an uncanny ability for immersing viewers into a completely different world. We'll see if he can do it again with post-Katrina New Orleans.
House - Fox, Monday, April 12, 8:00pm ET
There's a lockdown which causes weird parings of characters. Also, Cameron returns...
The Big Bang Theory - CBS, Monday, April 12, 9:00pm ET
Wil Wheaton is back! That means Sheldon will get another chance to bring down his nemesis.
Damages - FX, Monday, April 12, 10:00pm ET
The penultimate episode of the season/series will have twists. That's all anyone can predict about the show. I don't understand why the ratings are so low.
Human Target - Fox, Wednesday, April 14, 8:00pm ET
I'm not interested in the show anymore, but all the hints will finally come to fruition as we see flashbacks of Chance and how he came to be where he is now.
Supernatural, CW, Thursday, April 15, 9:00pm ET
The 100th episode of Supernatural looks to be particularly explosive. At the end of the last episode, Dean ran off to the angels. It looks like the situation isn't as simple as it seems.
Not that anyone cares, but the season premieres of Army Wives and The Tudors are on Sunday, April 11.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 11 All That Crap About Your Family
There's two episodes left in the series, and I'm dreading the day the final episode airs. Despite reports that DirecTV will pick up Damages as they did with Friday Night Lights, the ratings are simply too low for the show to be saved. FNL got at least 3 times as many viewers as Damages and at least 5 times more in 18-49 adults. I have no clue how DirecTV could make money from picking up Damages, which is not a cheap show.
The case took a startling turn for the worse, ending the episode with uncertainty and almost nowhere to go. Patty manages to get Tessa out of jail by providing Curtis Gates the information to arrest Carol. The plan is for Tessa to go back to Antigua and take a closer look at the documents she was using to deposit the money. That would lead them right to the offending charity and everyone except the Tobins will be happy. Joe, scared that Tessa will talk, plans to have her killed. Leonard Winstone tells Marilyn to inform Joe that Tessa is his daughter. Leonard has a heart and wouldn't want to see a father kill his daughter. On the other hand, Marilyn's greed has overcome her and she doesn't tell Joe even thought she tells Leonard she did. Tessa ends up shot and the documents are stolen.
The Frobisher movie is underway and it isn't going well. Terry Brooke decides he needs to dive into the real Frobisher and ends up banging a chick in a car and snorting drugs. Frobisher drops a hint about how far he would go. Will Frobisher say something about David's murder?
Ellen discovers the deal behind Annie, and I was kind of disappointed there wasn't a bigger connection. Ellen's father had made the situation so bad at home that Ellen and her sister were adopted by Annie. Could that be why her sister is messed up? With Patty mad at her, Curtis Gates leaving her out in the cold, and these new revelations about her family, Ellen turns to David, his ghost, to talk out her problems.
The rift between Patty and Tom grows after Patty learns of Tom's engagement with Tessa. She definitely fuming, but enough to have Tom killed? The flashforwards were gone for another week, and with the penultimate episode next week, I doubt we'll get any more clues of what happens.
Patty and Ellen's relationship has gone up and down and up and down multiple times. In one episode, Patty first goes into her trance-like state, accusing Ellen of embarrassing her on purpose. She says Ellen is a parasite, always looking to get to the top. Her hypocrisy is just incredible, but as she works with Alex Benjamin and her mindset is more stable, she remembers Ellen saying she didn't like Alex, and fires Alex on the spot. I don't fully understand why, but I think she finds a kindred spirit in Ellen.
Score: 9.4/10
The case took a startling turn for the worse, ending the episode with uncertainty and almost nowhere to go. Patty manages to get Tessa out of jail by providing Curtis Gates the information to arrest Carol. The plan is for Tessa to go back to Antigua and take a closer look at the documents she was using to deposit the money. That would lead them right to the offending charity and everyone except the Tobins will be happy. Joe, scared that Tessa will talk, plans to have her killed. Leonard Winstone tells Marilyn to inform Joe that Tessa is his daughter. Leonard has a heart and wouldn't want to see a father kill his daughter. On the other hand, Marilyn's greed has overcome her and she doesn't tell Joe even thought she tells Leonard she did. Tessa ends up shot and the documents are stolen.
The Frobisher movie is underway and it isn't going well. Terry Brooke decides he needs to dive into the real Frobisher and ends up banging a chick in a car and snorting drugs. Frobisher drops a hint about how far he would go. Will Frobisher say something about David's murder?
Ellen discovers the deal behind Annie, and I was kind of disappointed there wasn't a bigger connection. Ellen's father had made the situation so bad at home that Ellen and her sister were adopted by Annie. Could that be why her sister is messed up? With Patty mad at her, Curtis Gates leaving her out in the cold, and these new revelations about her family, Ellen turns to David, his ghost, to talk out her problems.
The rift between Patty and Tom grows after Patty learns of Tom's engagement with Tessa. She definitely fuming, but enough to have Tom killed? The flashforwards were gone for another week, and with the penultimate episode next week, I doubt we'll get any more clues of what happens.
Patty and Ellen's relationship has gone up and down and up and down multiple times. In one episode, Patty first goes into her trance-like state, accusing Ellen of embarrassing her on purpose. She says Ellen is a parasite, always looking to get to the top. Her hypocrisy is just incredible, but as she works with Alex Benjamin and her mindset is more stable, she remembers Ellen saying she didn't like Alex, and fires Alex on the spot. I don't fully understand why, but I think she finds a kindred spirit in Ellen.
Score: 9.4/10
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 10 Tell Me I'm Not Racist
There's three episodes left in the season and likely the series--a highly disappointing fact that can be only be attributed to the ratings. The writers regained the creative magic of the first season, and created a great season that critics and fans love. "Tell Me I'm Not Racist" took another step toward the finale with more revelations and a new storyline for Ellen.
Patty isn't the only one with weird dreams. Ellen dreams about a woman she has no clue about. The surreal nature of the dream makes Ellen and us curious. Later, we learn she is named Annie and used to babysit Ellen. Could she be Ellen's mother?
If Ellen didn't already have enough on her plate, she still has to deal with her sister. As she learns from Malcolm, Carrie is deeper into the drug trade than she admitted. Ellen punishes her by not helping her. Haha.
Tom is getting desperate for money, and after the plaintiffs balk at Patty's appeasement, he takes matters into his own hands, going behind Patty's back and gets Ellen to tell Tessa what happened to her mother. Scared, Tessa turns to Patty, and the chips start falling in place. Unfortunately, Ellen's coworker at the DA snitches on her, and Tessa is arrested.
Marilyn wants to donate to charity and go on a trip to Africa, and Zedeck feigns helping her, in reality, to keep her away from the charity. It looks like that's how the Tobins funnel the money back into the United States.
Leonard's father shows up and he is sure Leonard is running a game. Leonard has access to the money and probably stole money in the past. Will he cave in?
Score: 9.1/10
Patty isn't the only one with weird dreams. Ellen dreams about a woman she has no clue about. The surreal nature of the dream makes Ellen and us curious. Later, we learn she is named Annie and used to babysit Ellen. Could she be Ellen's mother?
If Ellen didn't already have enough on her plate, she still has to deal with her sister. As she learns from Malcolm, Carrie is deeper into the drug trade than she admitted. Ellen punishes her by not helping her. Haha.
Tom is getting desperate for money, and after the plaintiffs balk at Patty's appeasement, he takes matters into his own hands, going behind Patty's back and gets Ellen to tell Tessa what happened to her mother. Scared, Tessa turns to Patty, and the chips start falling in place. Unfortunately, Ellen's coworker at the DA snitches on her, and Tessa is arrested.
Marilyn wants to donate to charity and go on a trip to Africa, and Zedeck feigns helping her, in reality, to keep her away from the charity. It looks like that's how the Tobins funnel the money back into the United States.
Leonard's father shows up and he is sure Leonard is running a game. Leonard has access to the money and probably stole money in the past. Will he cave in?
Score: 9.1/10
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 9 Drive It Through Hardcore
Damages is a show that makes a lot more sense later on People and events that are significant come into focus and those who aren't go to the wayside. That's the main problem with reviewing episodes week by week. We don't know where everything fits, and the puzzle looks kind of crooked right now. "Drive It Through Hardcore" didn't make much sense and was all over the place, but could it gain more significance when we look back on the episode. Or it might not.
Carol Tobin is beginning to crack as the weight of her murder of Danielle Marchetti comes down on her. Leonard Winstone is left to sequester her and keep an eye on her all the time, only letting her out of sight when he brings her to the psychiatrist. I got a weird vibe between Leonard and Carol, so there could be something going on between them. Patty, meanwhile, is on top of everything and is waiting for Carol at the psychiatrist's office one day. Carol spills everything and Patty learns that Tessa was there on Thanksgiving.
Patty has troubles of her own. Her son, Michael, comes clean and tells her what she already knows. Then, under the guise of looking for family health problems he asks irritating questions which upset Patty. She has no one in her life and he feels to reinforce that, sticking the knife in and turning it several times. Michael turned out to be a terrible person like his mother. Patty also deals with Julian Decker who wants to knock down her walls. She hits a hole in the wall on her own, and in one of her dream sequences, sees a horse. I have no clue what it means. Could the writers be any more vague?
Arthur Frobisher seems to be unrelated to the Tobins and will provide a separate plotline. Terry Brooke and his producer, Gail Sturmer, want to make a movie about Frobisher's redemption. Initially, they want to paint Patty as the bad guy, but Frobisher, surprisingly, pulls them back and offers to let them meet her. At the meeting, Frobisher wants Patty to say something good about him, but she repeats what she's been saying. Frobisher is a bad person who stole money from his employees and still hasn't paid them back. Outside, an incensed Frobisher tells his producers to finish her off.
Ellen's sister gets caught with meth and turns for Ellen for help. She is unwillingly to help at first and her colleagues tell her to stay as far away from the case as possible. As with Patty, Ellen has a soft spot for family, and asks Patty to help her with the situation.
The two flash forwards revealed almost nothing. Tom hands Patty his resignation letter, and she isn't completely surprised. The last flash forward is Tom calling someone, presumably his wife, to say that he loves her. Something falls off the bridge into the water. From the shape, it doesn't look like a human, but it's reasonable to think it was Tom who jumped or was pushed off. It makes the most sense.
Score: 8.5/10
Carol Tobin is beginning to crack as the weight of her murder of Danielle Marchetti comes down on her. Leonard Winstone is left to sequester her and keep an eye on her all the time, only letting her out of sight when he brings her to the psychiatrist. I got a weird vibe between Leonard and Carol, so there could be something going on between them. Patty, meanwhile, is on top of everything and is waiting for Carol at the psychiatrist's office one day. Carol spills everything and Patty learns that Tessa was there on Thanksgiving.
Patty has troubles of her own. Her son, Michael, comes clean and tells her what she already knows. Then, under the guise of looking for family health problems he asks irritating questions which upset Patty. She has no one in her life and he feels to reinforce that, sticking the knife in and turning it several times. Michael turned out to be a terrible person like his mother. Patty also deals with Julian Decker who wants to knock down her walls. She hits a hole in the wall on her own, and in one of her dream sequences, sees a horse. I have no clue what it means. Could the writers be any more vague?
Arthur Frobisher seems to be unrelated to the Tobins and will provide a separate plotline. Terry Brooke and his producer, Gail Sturmer, want to make a movie about Frobisher's redemption. Initially, they want to paint Patty as the bad guy, but Frobisher, surprisingly, pulls them back and offers to let them meet her. At the meeting, Frobisher wants Patty to say something good about him, but she repeats what she's been saying. Frobisher is a bad person who stole money from his employees and still hasn't paid them back. Outside, an incensed Frobisher tells his producers to finish her off.
Ellen's sister gets caught with meth and turns for Ellen for help. She is unwillingly to help at first and her colleagues tell her to stay as far away from the case as possible. As with Patty, Ellen has a soft spot for family, and asks Patty to help her with the situation.
The two flash forwards revealed almost nothing. Tom hands Patty his resignation letter, and she isn't completely surprised. The last flash forward is Tom calling someone, presumably his wife, to say that he loves her. Something falls off the bridge into the water. From the shape, it doesn't look like a human, but it's reasonable to think it was Tom who jumped or was pushed off. It makes the most sense.
Score: 8.5/10
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 8 I Look Like Frankenstein
Arthur Frobisher is back? I can understand why he was in Season 2; he resolved Ellen's lingering issues. What doesn't make sense is why he returns again. Ted Danson was brilliant in Season 1, and the writing was near perfect. Unquestionably, Frobisher is one of the best characters of the show. But his arc is over. He's been shamed and beaten. Among the Tobin's, he doesn't quite belong.
Frobisher returns with a path to redemption. Wind power, he says, is a way to help everyone. Of course, like T. Boone Pickens and Al Gore, he'll probably stand to earn millions. At face value, Frobisher appears to have been reformed, but it's likely he's running some kind of game. Who knows why the writers had to bring him back?
There wasn't much movement on the main plot front other than a few new revelations that didn't go anywhere. We learned how everything got into the dumpster in the 3 months forward and in the past. Joe was the one who gave the idea to Carol. Ellen and Tom will plan to start their own law firm. With these new plotlines, there will be some good stories coming up.
Patty found out inadvertently from Ellen that Michael and Jill have a baby coming along the way. Lots of people hate on Rose Byrne, but the way the realization dawned on her was great.We learn that Jill previously had a child and was deemed an unfit mother. Patty isn't completely uncaring and offers Jill hundreds of thousands to go away. Jill doesn't take the offer. So is she crazy or something?
Score: 8.6/10
Frobisher returns with a path to redemption. Wind power, he says, is a way to help everyone. Of course, like T. Boone Pickens and Al Gore, he'll probably stand to earn millions. At face value, Frobisher appears to have been reformed, but it's likely he's running some kind of game. Who knows why the writers had to bring him back?
There wasn't much movement on the main plot front other than a few new revelations that didn't go anywhere. We learned how everything got into the dumpster in the 3 months forward and in the past. Joe was the one who gave the idea to Carol. Ellen and Tom will plan to start their own law firm. With these new plotlines, there will be some good stories coming up.
Patty found out inadvertently from Ellen that Michael and Jill have a baby coming along the way. Lots of people hate on Rose Byrne, but the way the realization dawned on her was great.We learn that Jill previously had a child and was deemed an unfit mother. Patty isn't completely uncaring and offers Jill hundreds of thousands to go away. Jill doesn't take the offer. So is she crazy or something?
Score: 8.6/10
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 7 You Haven't Replaced Me
Patty and Ellen have been slowly moving towards each other, and they're just about Ellen, angry with her boss over his insistence on pure criminal convictions, turns to Patty, the only person who can get the money back. Patty has been slowly manipulating Ellen, inviting Ellen to her party on the wrong day just so Ellen sees Alex Benjamin with
I was a bit confused with the appearance of Josh Reston last week, and I still am. Ellen uses him to write a story about Alex--something Patty won't like. It's an awfully petty thing for Ellen to do, and if that's her sole reason for sleeping with Josh, she's almost identical to Patty.
The Tobin's lawyer, Leonard Winstone has a backstory of his own. His real name is Lester Wiggin and came from humble roots. He's lying to the people he's also lying for.
Tom is in Antigua, and follows Tessa around, finding the bank the money is in. He's close to accessing her money with the help of a clerk, but Brother Mouzone of The Wire is there to quash all action. And no, he didn't pull out a gun and ask for The New Republic.
Score: 9.1/10
I was a bit confused with the appearance of Josh Reston last week, and I still am. Ellen uses him to write a story about Alex--something Patty won't like. It's an awfully petty thing for Ellen to do, and if that's her sole reason for sleeping with Josh, she's almost identical to Patty.
The Tobin's lawyer, Leonard Winstone has a backstory of his own. His real name is Lester Wiggin and came from humble roots. He's lying to the people he's also lying for.
Tom is in Antigua, and follows Tessa around, finding the bank the money is in. He's close to accessing her money with the help of a clerk, but Brother Mouzone of The Wire is there to quash all action. And no, he didn't pull out a gun and ask for The New Republic.
Score: 9.1/10
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Review – Damages Season 3 Episode 6 Don't Forget to Thank Mr. Zedeck
The hunt for money is over. It's somewhere in the Carribean, and was delivered by Danielle Marchetti's daughter. Joe finds the mysterious Stuart Zedeck, who claims to know where the money is. Even after a test, Joe is unsure.
Other than that, the episode focused on Tom, and we saw a few new things in the future. Since Tom is dying at the end of the episode, he's become the focus of the show with his own money troubles tied directly to the Tobin case. What makes me disappointed is the inevitability of a cancellation. With all the focus on Tom, some of the other characters are lost in the shuffle, and we won't be able to see them in a season without Tom.
Tom confronts, , the broker who got him into a group that dealt with the Tobins. By now, his loss of personal money and in-law's is consuming his every thought. He makes several sideways references to following rules during a presentation at his daughter's school. He confronts the investment advisor and they have a little fight. In the flashforwards, he has a bag of money, and is hiding everything from Patty. Ellen is also there, and later, the police find the money in his car.
Alex Benjamin continues to do everything Patty wants, including bringing caviar to Sterling Biddle. For a while it seemed like Patty sent her to have sex with him. She didn't, but how far would Alex go? Alex talks to Ellen about getting the job, and after Patty blows her off several times, gives her to job. Ellen agrees to work with Patty, and the deal is made. She's back in.
Score: 8.6/10
Other than that, the episode focused on Tom, and we saw a few new things in the future. Since Tom is dying at the end of the episode, he's become the focus of the show with his own money troubles tied directly to the Tobin case. What makes me disappointed is the inevitability of a cancellation. With all the focus on Tom, some of the other characters are lost in the shuffle, and we won't be able to see them in a season without Tom.
Tom confronts, , the broker who got him into a group that dealt with the Tobins. By now, his loss of personal money and in-law's is consuming his every thought. He makes several sideways references to following rules during a presentation at his daughter's school. He confronts the investment advisor and they have a little fight. In the flashforwards, he has a bag of money, and is hiding everything from Patty. Ellen is also there, and later, the police find the money in his car.
Alex Benjamin continues to do everything Patty wants, including bringing caviar to Sterling Biddle. For a while it seemed like Patty sent her to have sex with him. She didn't, but how far would Alex go? Alex talks to Ellen about getting the job, and after Patty blows her off several times, gives her to job. Ellen agrees to work with Patty, and the deal is made. She's back in.
Score: 8.6/10
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 5 It's Not My Birthday
I know this is late, and Lost is coming up, so I'll be brief. Sorry if you wanted more.
Danielle is dead, but we know why there was the hubbub about her. She had Louis Tobin's daughter, and Marilyn says she was supposed to leave the country so the family wouldn't splinter. She can't be trusted, but Danielle is dead now.
Ellen hooked up with some random guy again. This season, it's Josh Reston, the reporter from season 2. It's definitely not anything new, but Josh may be integral to the story. What I'm more interested in is Wes. Ellen brought him up, so he is on her mind, but how much does she know about him?
Patty's dream sequences are back, and seemed to indicate something ominous on the horizon. Other than that, I really didn't get it. Horse + Blood + Uncle Pete + Ellen = ? Yeah, that's how far I am.
The flashforwards showed Tom dying in a grotesque fashion. It looks like Zedeck is involved since his assistant took Tom's body to the dumpster. Tom manages to call someone, and tell him/her he loves her. The most obvious choice is his wife, but it could be anyone.
Score: 8.8/10
Danielle is dead, but we know why there was the hubbub about her. She had Louis Tobin's daughter, and Marilyn says she was supposed to leave the country so the family wouldn't splinter. She can't be trusted, but Danielle is dead now.
Ellen hooked up with some random guy again. This season, it's Josh Reston, the reporter from season 2. It's definitely not anything new, but Josh may be integral to the story. What I'm more interested in is Wes. Ellen brought him up, so he is on her mind, but how much does she know about him?
Patty's dream sequences are back, and seemed to indicate something ominous on the horizon. Other than that, I really didn't get it. Horse + Blood + Uncle Pete + Ellen = ? Yeah, that's how far I am.
The flashforwards showed Tom dying in a grotesque fashion. It looks like Zedeck is involved since his assistant took Tom's body to the dumpster. Tom manages to call someone, and tell him/her he loves her. The most obvious choice is his wife, but it could be anyone.
Score: 8.8/10
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 4 Don't Throw That at the Chicken
After a week without any flashbacks, they were back in full force, and we got a revelation in the end that was not at all unexpected, but set the course for the rest of the season. Patty gets called in and she's devastated by the news, so we immediately don't think she's involved. The problem is that she's Patty Hewes. While leaving the station, she frantically calls someone telling them not to go through with it. Well Patty, it's too late. It may be another misdirect, but it looks like Patty put a hit out on Tom and couldn't rescind the order in time. Right now, Tom hasn't done anything too bad, and it's hard to imagine what Tom could do that would force Patty to get rid of him.
The other big revelation was the death of Louis Tobin. We all thought he was a major player, but he's dead four episodes in. He's just small fish compared to the other powers. Patty and everyone else knew he was lying, so they knew they knew they would get to Louis eventually and find the truth. Joe finds an envelope addressed to Patty. Was it the location of the money?
Before dying, Louis presumably gave an order to his goons to kill Joe if he drinks again. Showing great restraint, Joe only drinks after entering the city and leaving his family. He gets a bottle but dumps it out, preventing his own death. It seems like a situation that could happen to Tom. Signals get crossed and Tom gets killed.
Patty's son Michael makes an appearance and has a lame story about getting a job. Patty either can't see through his lies or doesn't care anymore, because it really he's still with Jill, without a job, painting, and has a baby on the way.
The story is moving along with all the random scenes that may or may not matter in the end. They're still fascinating which is why Damages is so great. The insignificant scenes carry weight because the acting is so great and the writers are so clever in the way they position everything.
Ellen is basically back in Patty's camp, so hopefully she'll have more to do. I know lots of people have problems with Rose Byrne, but she does a great job when she's allowed to show her range.
Score: 8.8/10
The other big revelation was the death of Louis Tobin. We all thought he was a major player, but he's dead four episodes in. He's just small fish compared to the other powers. Patty and everyone else knew he was lying, so they knew they knew they would get to Louis eventually and find the truth. Joe finds an envelope addressed to Patty. Was it the location of the money?
Before dying, Louis presumably gave an order to his goons to kill Joe if he drinks again. Showing great restraint, Joe only drinks after entering the city and leaving his family. He gets a bottle but dumps it out, preventing his own death. It seems like a situation that could happen to Tom. Signals get crossed and Tom gets killed.
Patty's son Michael makes an appearance and has a lame story about getting a job. Patty either can't see through his lies or doesn't care anymore, because it really he's still with Jill, without a job, painting, and has a baby on the way.
The story is moving along with all the random scenes that may or may not matter in the end. They're still fascinating which is why Damages is so great. The insignificant scenes carry weight because the acting is so great and the writers are so clever in the way they position everything.
Ellen is basically back in Patty's camp, so hopefully she'll have more to do. I know lots of people have problems with Rose Byrne, but she does a great job when she's allowed to show her range.
Score: 8.8/10
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 3 Flight's at 11:08
The only word I can think of for the episode is weird. There's only episodes left in the season and the third was spent with almost no plot development and flashforwards to reveal something new. It was almost like a different show. Everyone was doing something unrelated to the case, so it was new but not executed well. In a serialized show that brings something new each week, you'd think an episode like this would be refreshing, but it dragged on for an entire hour and ended up being boring.
Ellen takes a trip to New Jersey to where her wacky parents live (the one's that got into the car crash mess in season 1 and never showed up again), her sister comes to town (the one who got married in the pilot and never showed up again), and they all eat dinner. It's a typical dinner in a dysfunctional family. Ellen's father is angry and cynical, her mother doesn't care, and her sister is on the verge of breaking down. It turns out her sister's husband left announced, and later Ellen finds a pipe and what I assume is meth in her bag. By the end of the day, Ellen gives Patty a call. Her situation at home is so bad the only thing she can turn to is work, and Patty offers her the greatest opportunity.
Tom juggles the Tobin case and a dinner with his in-laws to tell them he lost all their money. He goes to Danielle's house, but isn't very thorough and leaves will a tiny push from Dr. Carl. At the dinner, he realizes he missed the glass of ice water inside the house. He calls Patty, but by then it's too late. Tom proceeds to tell his in-laws that he screwed up, and that's the last we see of him in the episode. His world is crashing down and he'll be dead at the end of the season.
Danielle is injured from Joe hitting her, but she still needs to get out of the country. Even though she could be in serious trouble after flying due to her hematoma, but he decides to bring her to the airport anyways. Patty does some quick thinking, and a cop pulls Joe over before he can get her to the airport.
Score: 8.7/10
Ellen takes a trip to New Jersey to where her wacky parents live (the one's that got into the car crash mess in season 1 and never showed up again), her sister comes to town (the one who got married in the pilot and never showed up again), and they all eat dinner. It's a typical dinner in a dysfunctional family. Ellen's father is angry and cynical, her mother doesn't care, and her sister is on the verge of breaking down. It turns out her sister's husband left announced, and later Ellen finds a pipe and what I assume is meth in her bag. By the end of the day, Ellen gives Patty a call. Her situation at home is so bad the only thing she can turn to is work, and Patty offers her the greatest opportunity.
Tom juggles the Tobin case and a dinner with his in-laws to tell them he lost all their money. He goes to Danielle's house, but isn't very thorough and leaves will a tiny push from Dr. Carl. At the dinner, he realizes he missed the glass of ice water inside the house. He calls Patty, but by then it's too late. Tom proceeds to tell his in-laws that he screwed up, and that's the last we see of him in the episode. His world is crashing down and he'll be dead at the end of the season.
Danielle is injured from Joe hitting her, but she still needs to get out of the country. Even though she could be in serious trouble after flying due to her hematoma, but he decides to bring her to the airport anyways. Patty does some quick thinking, and a cop pulls Joe over before he can get her to the airport.
Score: 8.7/10
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Review - Damages Season 3 Episode 2 The Dog Is Happier Without Her
Ellen and Tom? That's what last night's episode hinted at, but I think it's one of the numerous misdirects of the show. The flashforwards show the hobo with Ellen's bag. He refers to her as Tommy's girl and Ellen goes to Tom's house and asks his wife if anyone else knows about us. At face value, it's clear what that means, but in the world of Damages, that could mean anything. The medical examiner finds that Tom died of drowning and we see Ellen on a pier looking out into the bay. Does that mean she killed him? Does she know who killed him? We see how that could happen. Ellen helps Tom with the investigation, meeting him several times and giving him the name of the mysterious DMM. She's moving back to Patty through Tom and something could happen between them.
Phil is back and he squabbles with Patty over the divorce, and of course Patty won't give anything up, and will fight tooth and nail to get what she wants. They have a long talk and it's going well until Phil asks to fix their relationship. Obviously Patty says no, and uses a colorful phrase telling him to find a dog breeder.
It's obvious Joe Tobin is slowly becoming a bad guy just like Tom is. Their morals are being compromised for various reasons. Tom does anything to please Patty, and Joe protects his family. Patty uses Ellen's information quickly and tells Joe the name of DMM: Danielle Marchetti. Joe asks his father who basically tells Joe where to look. Joe shows up at the house and confronts Danielle who instantly threatens to call the police. As Joe is leaving, Danielle's cat runs out, so she runs out after it, getting hit by a drunken Joe in the process. It's a really artificial way for him to further compromise his morals, but it could work in the end.
Score: 8.8/10
Phil is back and he squabbles with Patty over the divorce, and of course Patty won't give anything up, and will fight tooth and nail to get what she wants. They have a long talk and it's going well until Phil asks to fix their relationship. Obviously Patty says no, and uses a colorful phrase telling him to find a dog breeder.
It's obvious Joe Tobin is slowly becoming a bad guy just like Tom is. Their morals are being compromised for various reasons. Tom does anything to please Patty, and Joe protects his family. Patty uses Ellen's information quickly and tells Joe the name of DMM: Danielle Marchetti. Joe asks his father who basically tells Joe where to look. Joe shows up at the house and confronts Danielle who instantly threatens to call the police. As Joe is leaving, Danielle's cat runs out, so she runs out after it, getting hit by a drunken Joe in the process. It's a really artificial way for him to further compromise his morals, but it could work in the end.
Score: 8.8/10
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Last season of Damages?
I normally don't post on cable ratings because cable shows are renewed much easier and aren't as competitive week to week, but I'll make an exception for Damages because it is a show that never got off the ground ratings-wise.
The third season premiered with a meager 1.428 million viewers, higher than the season two finale but lower than the season two premiere. As history tells, the viewers will drop off until the end of the season when there might even be less than a million viewers.
Damages is one of the most expensive shows on FX and it's ratings had been bad throughout the three seasons to say the least (with the exception of the beginning of the first season). Damages does get lots of critical success and has picked up a number of awards. With the ratings dropping, Damages may not be able to stay on air despite the quality of the show. Keep your fingers crossed!
The third season premiered with a meager 1.428 million viewers, higher than the season two finale but lower than the season two premiere. As history tells, the viewers will drop off until the end of the season when there might even be less than a million viewers.
Damages is one of the most expensive shows on FX and it's ratings had been bad throughout the three seasons to say the least (with the exception of the beginning of the first season). Damages does get lots of critical success and has picked up a number of awards. With the ratings dropping, Damages may not be able to stay on air despite the quality of the show. Keep your fingers crossed!
