'Damages': Who is Ellen pointing that gun at?

Talk about anxiety. The first season of “Damages” gave us such whiplash (albeit the kind we were grateful for) that it was hard to imagine the next season could include as many time-jumping twists and turns in a way that didn't seem contrived.

Could the show still surprise us? This time around, Ellen’s agenda is clear -- Take down Patty Hewes! -- and watching Patty with anything less than an upper-hand might not satisfy fans of Patty as puppet master. Giving us a weaker, less diabolical attorney? It's practically blasphemous.

Happily, the premiere overdelivered, and I second the review of Mary McNamara, who said the second season "promises to be even better than the first." If like me you were worried about a softened Patty, have no fear. She might be a little shaken by the ghost of Ray Fiske, but she still had the nerve to tell Ellen, whom she tried to have bumped off, that she was like the daughter Patty never had. Ho ho ho, so evil.

That said, it’s never too early to start talking theories, and there’s already much to discuss. Here's the season’s first round of Burning Questions. (They will pop up during those weeks in which I’m truly confounded by the show's tangled web of intrigues.)

Who is Ellen threatening with a gun? She wants the truth dangit, and she’ll blow your head off if she doesn’t get it. We can probably rule out Patty right now. That wouldn’t be much of a surprise, and we all expect more. Could it be Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson), the man responsible for the death of her scrumptious doctor-fiance? (Thank you, by the way, to the writers who decided we needed a flashback of his face. Sigh, that was nice.) Or could it be her cute but stalker-y grief counseling pal Wes Krulik? My money’s on the latter.

Speaking of Wes, what’s his deal? Clearly, he doesn’t just want to jump in her pants. You don’t cast Timothy “Crazy Eyes” Olyphant in a thriller like “Damages” unless he’s going to play someone with a screw loose. Or two. He isn’t just in Ellen’s revenge support group by coincidence. So why is he following her around? Is he related to the stalker lady who tried to steal away Ellen’s man in the first season? Is he an undercover FBI agent keeping her in check? Is he the real FBI and the stooges Ellen’s dealing with are just that? Stooges?

Who killed the wife of Daniel Purcell (William Hurt)? Too early to tell. Way too early. But if you’ve got a theory, I’d love to hear it.

Tom Shayes (Tate Donovan). Why is he still on the show? He doesn't seem to have a purpose, and I couldn’t figure that one out during Season 1 either...

When was the last time an attorney made an appearance on “Regis & Kelly”? I know that’s not a burning question, but I can’t be the only person who laughed when Patty sat down for a chat on a morning talk show? Have they ever even had a lawyer on the show as a guest? Or any kind of non-celebrity? David E. Kelley does not count. (And even then, has he ever been on the show?)

Why does Daniel tell Patty that she owes him? And what kind of dirt does he have on this company he works for?

What’s with the mother-son bonding between Patty and Michael all of a sudden? Michael tips mommy off to a friend’s coke problem (winning back Patty’s charity’s investor in the process) like a good little lackey, not unlike Uncle Pete. Remember the last time we saw him? He was lying to mom and dad about being in the apartment while Ellen was about to be attacked? He had told Ellen: "Don't tell my mom I was here." Creepy. Maybe Patty's enlisted him.

Why has Rose Bryne lost so much weight? Also not a burning question, but skeletal arms and sunken cheeks were distracting. I guess if the new Ellen is supposed to be a whiskey-swilling shill bent on destroying the woman who tried to kill her, eating wouldn’t be a priority.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete "Damages" coverage

Photo credit: FX

Comments

[DUrek]

As to why does Patty owe Daniel, perhaps because he had something to do with her stillborn daughter.....?

[Laurie in Lawrence, KS]

Don't be fooled thinking Patty doesn't know what Ellen is up to. NO ONE on that show is who they appear to be. I would even start to say that about Ellen. I love this show. It always keeps me guessing.

[bcarter3]

Uh, I don't think it's technically known as a "revenge support group."

[Denise Martin]

Right you are, bcarter. Forgive my poor attempt at comedy.

[AVB]

I definitely think Daniel's Patty's first husband -- and there must be a lot of dirt there.

[Maggie]

You might want to check this out:

http://www.televisionaryblog.com/2009/01/talk-back-damages-season-two-premiere.html

Has some interesting theories that might help piece things together.