DamagesI Knew Your Pig
Original Air Date: 21 Jan 2009
Tom R - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com
While Lost takes time-hopping to a new level, Damages is smart enough to take one hop out of the mix this week, as more characters come into play. Good call. We flash back 10 years to a previous meeting between Patty and Purcell, and we follow events regarding a possible lawsuit in West Virginia. While the writers don’t skip forward to Ellen’s current activities, we see enough of her red room and the red wall in her office. The implication is there while we absorb all the new stuff.
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[photo: FXnetworks.com]
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While Lost takes time-hopping to a new level, Damages is smart enough to take one hop out of the mix this week, as more characters come into play. Good call. We flash back 10 years to a previous meeting between Patty and Purcell, and we follow events regarding a possible lawsuit in West Virginia. While the writers don’t skip forward to Ellen’s current activities, we see enough of her red room and the red wall in her office. The implication is there while we absorb all the new stuff.
ReplyDeleteWalter Kendrick emerges as this season’s villain. The CEO of Ultima National Resources, he has energy man Wayne Sutry in his pocket. UNR has had 200 suits filed against them, and only one has resulted in a ruling against them. The judgment set them back two day’s profit. At this time, reporter Josh Reston has been snooping around farms in West Virginia to document a connection between the coal factory and deaths of local livestock. (The title refers to a prize-winning pig that has become a casualty.)
Back in New York, Ellen ignores the FBI’s advice to lay off Purcell and wait for their case. Ellen keeps digging and finds that Patty and Purcell have met twice before. The timing of the first meeting coincides with the conception of her son Michael. We find out that in the second case, Purcell deliberately crumbled under Patty’s cross-examination. As a reward, she let him know that he had a son. Amazing work between two phenomenal actors, as Close and Hurt show us when and how the seeds of distrust were planted.
Hurt does a fantastic job of getting us to wonder what’s going on in Purcell’s head. There are moments when you want to trust him, but more moments that make you ask what he’s hiding. We see flashbacks of an argument, but we don’t know what was said, and there is no violence shown. When Purcell is questioned by the police, Patty stands back, watching carefully, looking for holes in his story. Purcell tells the police that there was a ruby ring that was taken by his wife’s killer. Odd, since her diamond ring was still there, and nothing else was taken during either of the two break-ins. Suspicion turns back to Purcell when the police find a restraining order against him. Since it had been sealed by family court, Patty was unaware.
Even more questions emerge about Purcell’s agenda when he is picked up trying to flee the country. Patty agrees with him about the ring, and Purcell offers to divulge all he knows about UNR, including Josh’s investigation. The catch is that he wants Patty to represent him. Why he would decline her offer of an experienced criminal attorney is another mystery.
In the final moments, which are always well-shot and riveting, we someone walk into a pawn shop and sell a ruby ring. Without a clear look, it may possibly be Wes. Is this is the killer? On any other show, you could jump to those conclusions, but here, I have the feeling it would be a huge mistake.
Cheers for the final point-of-view shot, leaving the pawn shop. So much of last season created tension by moving the camera toward something. This shot makes such a nice distinction.
Side note: Glenn Close recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She commented that people who hated her characters could stomp on her at will. She mentioned Fatal Attraction’s Alex Forrest by name, but I’m sure Patty was between the lines as well. Bunnies or puppies, I’m sure the ASPCA isn’t too crazy about some of her on-screen activity.
So there’s my two cents...I’d love to hear where your thoughts. Drop in your comments or send me a note at: tom@thetwocents.com.