DAMAGES 2.8 - "They Had To Tweeze That Out Of My Kidney"

||SPOILERS|| Okay, now things are beginning to move with a stronger sense of purpose. It was a surprise to me that Uncle Pete survived his suicide bid, and the flashbacks to Patty as a child were also interesting. Pete was clearly her father-figure growing up, and it was nice to see Patty assure Pete he should give the Feds any incriminating evidence concerning her. A few other thoughts:

• Arthur Frobisher just can't escape his past, can he? He's making progress in his spiritual teachings, but Det. Messer just can't allow his former-employer to wash his hands of his misdeeds. It looks like Frobisher will have to see things through to the bitter end, tragically. To this end, he backs out of his lawsuit against UNR, but fortunately Patty already has other claimants that have come forward as a result of Frobisher's actions.
  
  
• Some nice scenes with Tom proving his worth, by getting that hooker to talk about her mysterious client Finn Garrety.
  
  
• Patty's husband Michael is investing money in UNR stock. Is he part of this whole conspiracy, or does he have another motive for helping them?
  
  
• Of course, the big surprise is Uncle Pete being murdered by his own accomplice, Patrick -- the man he assigned to kill Ellen's fiance last season. The FBI have no idea who this guy is, and Ellen arrives too late to ID him. Also, some fantastic acting from Glenn Close when Patty gets the news about Pete's death over her cellphone, while watching a little girl and her father in a city playground.
  
  
• Also, we find out who Ellen is talking to in that hotel apartment (in the flashbacks set "6 Months Later".) It's Patty! Does this mean Ellen will shoot Patty, as we saw in an earlier flashback? I'm guessing that scene was deceiving and Ellen was aiming elsewhere. An obvious reveal in hindsight, but you rarely see what's under your nose. But they surely can't kill Patty in the finale, can they? That would be too radical.
  
  
• Finally, whatever happened to Daniel Purcell? William Hurt just appears to have vanished between the cracks.

So, some big revelations, great performances and a tangible feeling that the season is beginning to pick up the pace, as the thirteenth episode finale appears on the horizon. What did you think? But please, no spoilers about future episodes. I know season 2 has just finished in the US, but we're six weeks behind here in the UK.


5 April 2009
BBC1, 10.20pm

Writer: Michael Pressman
Director: Aaron Zelman