What I’m Watching: Damages

Damages: Season 5, Episode 5 “There’s Something Wrong with Me” (B)

With the focus turned back on Naomi in this episode, Channing had plenty of time to run free and make stupid mistakes that might hurt him later. The existence of an illegitimate child isn’t all too surprising, and it didn’t take Channing long to deliver on his promise to ruin Jeff’s life if he didn’t adjust his attitude about Charlie. He did fail to follow through, however, on actually meeting his child, affirming his self-destructive nature. It’s very exciting to see a new addition to the cast in Victor Garber, introduced matter-of-factly as the CEO during a televised press conference in which he alleged that he took no sides. Patty’s obnoxious manipulation of the SEC agent led her to learn that he was having an affair with Naomi, which is quite damaging to her case, but she did succeed in blackmailing him enough to withhold that crucial information from Ellen. It’s a real shame considering the relative success she had proving that Patty had in fact purchased the information from the Samurai and procuring it from her. With Ellen’s family’s personal problems forgotten, it’s time to focus on Patty’s personal life, something which I imagine no one wants to go near. Her visit to her father was full of contempt and hatred, and its only potential effect is to distract her from the case at hand. At least she’s not the only one having terrifying dreams, since Ellen seems to be doing a pretty good job working herself up every time she falls asleep.