Last night’s episode of Damages reminded me of a classic scene from Mommie Dearest in which Joan Crawford beats her young daughter in back-to-back swimming contests, then merrily declares, "You lost again!" I could almost imagine Glenn Close’s win-at-all-costs attorney Patty Hewes making a similar declaration after — ** spoiler alert! ** — having her son kidnapped on a street corner and driven off to a hardcore reform school. Granted, the kid had it coming, seeing as he’d surreptitiously mailed a hand grenade to mom’s office, and left a similar surprise in dad’s glove compartment, but Close (pictured) always lets us see that twisted side of Patty where we know that, amidst the pain of dealing with her son’s criminal activities, she takes a sick pleasure in showing him who’s really in charge.
It’s fun watching Patty toy with Ellen, too, although unfortunately, Rose Byrne never changes her character’s expression from one of blissfully vapidity. Seriously? This is one of America’s great, young legal minds? Here’s hoping as the season progresses, we’ll get new and equally matched foes for Patty. You know the inevitable showdown with Ted Danson’s deliciously ambiguous Frobisher is gonna be a doozy.
How did you feel about last night’s Damages? And how do you hope the rest of the season plays out?
I’m enjoying the show so far, but I agree that Rose Byrne has yet to show any acting ability.
It’s ridiculous. This is SO my new favorite show. (But, true – Rose Byrne isn’t very good.)
you know, ive never watched that show, b/c the commercials werent exactly conducive to telling people what the show is about. im still not sure… i mean it shows a cryptic commercial like water on a window pain, then someone saying “everyone has secrets” seriously. that means so many different things…
Sorry, but I couldn’t make it through one episode of this. Appallingly bad dialogue and actors not good enough to overcome it. And yes, Rose Byrne is jaw-droppingly bad.
I could have sworn that the grenade mailed to the office was really sent by Frobisher. Patty just thought it was her son, who was behind the one in the car.
i think we are supposed to have no idea if frobisher did or did not send the grenades or he was just messing with his lawyer, or if the son sent both. nothing in the show is clear cut, including this!
Actually, Frobisher mailed the original grenade to her office. Her son, however, was the one who put the grenade in her husband’s glove compartment. Not an original kid, remember. He’s the one who stole his mom’s nightmare and claimed it as his own!!
p.s. what’s “blissfully vapidity”?
I’m glad there are people around who agree with me about Rose Byrne. Ever since the first time I saw her in ‘Two Hands’ with Heath Ledger here in Australia, in which she was amazingly dull, I have never understood her rise to popularity. Sure she’s got the looks, but she just has zero acting range. How she got the lead in a major US network drama, I’ll never know. US, she’s yours now. We don’t want her back
Rose Byrne is terrible on this show, but it is still worth watching for Glenn Close. She is doing a great job completely carrying this show.
What’s with the Rose Byrne bashing all of a sudden? Her character’s obviously going to catch on to Patty’s scheme and try to out-thwart her. Anyway, I think Byrne’s a knock-out. She holds a quiet, subtle beauty about her.
I am very disappointed at the comments regarding Rose Byrne, particularly from a fellow Australian ie’we don’t want her back’. Rose is an excellent actress and deserves to be recognised accordingly.
I really like Rose Byrne, and that’s why I’m still watching this so-far mediocre
show. However, her character just isn’t that interesting. Maybe it’s the writing or maybe Byrne just isn’t a good fit.
F***.. people
My god, Rose byrne is an Amazing and TALENTED actress, she won the volpi Cup in 2001, she was one of the youngest actress who had receved the volpi, she was excellant in troy, wicker park, the dead girl, sunshine…
wait…
people can be stupid…
So Rose byrne is Excellant.
especially in her movies.