What I’m Watching: Damages

Damages: Season 5, Episode 3 “Failure is Failure” (B+)

There’s something odd about seeing Ellen on the prosecutorial side and Patty being the one bringing up the defense. After a harsh negotiation about deposition length and breaks over lunch, Ellen ended up being the one to brutally interrogate Rachel in extreme detail and do her best to poke holes in her carefully-prepared story. You could see the steam coming out of Patty’s ears as she tried to reason what Ellen was doing by reading back the text of Rachel’s last conversation with Naomi, and Ellen managed to turn the tables in that deposition when she revealed that the call she had described lasted only two seconds. It’s disconcerting to see Rachel’s version of the meeting between Naomi and Channing, and the fact that she had a monogrammed possession of his definitely suggests that he’s not telling the whole truth either. Something tells me that Rutger is going to fight for Ellen to stay on despite his investor’s uncertainty, though the latest break in the case may mean they have a fighting chance. After being given what she thought was busy work, Kate proved herself competent and earned herself a seat at the deposition next to her new boss. Her personal connection to Patty hopefully won’t impact her ability to go against her in court. Likewise, Ellen’s mother’s situation may prove distracting to her important case. At least she has Chris by her side, who sprung into action to defend Ellen when he heard a noise in the middle of the night. The most crucial positive about this episode – no flashes to the future. And it didn’t make it less impactful; if anything, more so!