(S01E08) "Patty Hughes has ears too! Maybe I'm talking to the wrong person." - Larry

Despite the minor complaints about this show that I think most people have been expressing, I tell you what -- it still holds your attention for the whole hour. I'm almost getting used to the fact that Damages has a tighter lipped writing staff than Lost does.

So what does that mean for this episode? Well... not much. One bombshell that I think we all knew was coming got let out of the bag and a few other little tidbits were let loose too. I think one of the most bothersome things for me is that new info doesn't come when you expect it. Stuff gets revealed in conversations that don't necessarily relate to the revelations. If anything, it keeps you on your toes as a viewer. I think I use my DVR remote to rewind scenes from this show more than anything else I've ever watched.

So first up I want to talk about Moore. He has a name! Frobisher's pudgy little friend is actually crucial to this whole mess because with him in the picture, this goes even deeper. Initially, I think most people thought he was the infamous broker who proffered the sale of all Arthur's stock. Not the case. Think bigger. Think government. Moore works for the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). He tried to take Frobisher down and failed. Obviously. He's in bed with him. If you ask me, this is huge for the story. The case now has a huge connect and it makes it that much more exciting. Additionally, it was needed sorely. With Gregory in the wind, Moore's identity now gives Patty something fresh to uncover.

Moving on to Ellen. We've seen her develop all season, but more so than any other episode, her transformation into Patty Jr. was very prevalent this time around. This was mainly due to her parents being around. It showed us where she came from. A loving family where honor, pride, and self-accountability are all paramount. Rather than soften her, the presence of her mom and dad served only to dehumanize Ellen. It created a contrast to show how cold and calculating she's become. Couple that with her new super fashionable style of nothing but black and her new hobby of firing assistants, and the picture is complete. Granted, half the time I just wanted to yell at the TV, "Medavoy! Stop stuttering!"

Future Ellen (yes, I'm now calling her that) may have some issues. If her parents did indeed settle from her father's accident, how are they going to pay for her bail? It's been set and she was sent off to spend some quality time at Rikers. Even though we knew anyway, more confirmation that she didn't kill David was given as we saw him answer the door for someone else -- his killer. So she's innocent... of that anyway. With five episodes left, who knows what else we'll find out.

One thing I need closure on is the connection between Ray and Gregory. Get to the point already! Were they or were they not having an affair? Ray is married... yes? Regardless, Moore told Art to look into why Ray had Gregory set up the condo in Palm Beach. Seems like part of the reason that Ray continually gets so angry at Frobisher's poor choices is because deep down he knows that he already made one decision that could seal the fate of this case. Could this mean that Ray paid off Gregory in stock?

Speaking of getting paid off, looks like Larry is content with not having a windfall. I don't really see how Patty is going to gain all that much from using Larry as an earpiece to Frobisher. Art seems fairly selective in what he tells Larry, but then again, he could slip up. I suppose the point to made is that just like having Katie's dog killed, Patty has the power to manipulate and turn anyone. For Larry, all it took was a visit.