Character

In episode 10, “Sort of Like a Family,” we are exposed to the concept of Ellen slowly becoming Patty Hewes. The development of Ellen’s character grows through each episode. At the beginning of the episode, Ellen and David are having some fun and suddenly, Patty’s face appears where Ellen’s face should be. This freaks David out and he asks where Ellen is. She replies, “We’re right here.” This chilling episode sends a signal to viewers. Immediately after David wakes up from the nightmare, he finds Ellen out on the dock, looking out to the sea. She says she “could get used to this.” The line merely indicates the fact that she really likes the place and the idea of success; however the subtext suggests the fact that Ellen may be getting used to becoming more like Patty. It is a heads up to the slow fusion of Ellen and Patty. Another example is when Patty took Ellen off the deposition; Ellen does not like it – a sign of her persistence and desire to want to work closely with Patty. This may suggest Ellen’s desire to work closely with Patty and learn from her, which can easily lead to Ellen morphing into Patty.

There are so many hints at the dualism between Patty and Ellen; these hints are found throughout the entire season. For instance, in the episode, “Blame the Victim,” Ellen fires her assistant and we are given a glimpse of her behaving like Patty Hewes. When the assistant was fired, Ellen was in the elevator and right as she fired him, the music came on. This emphasized the growth, the change in Ellen. She was slowly becoming Patty. The music added to the suspense so much that Ellen does not seem to be aware of the fact that she is turning into Patty. It is daunting.

It is through the characters we are given the premise of the show. The question of how much damage a person is willing to take in order to achieve a goal. Sometimes, the character does not realize it until it is too late. Will Ellen figure out what is going on before she loses her own identity?

The first 5 minutes determine the last 5 minutes...

Damages, by far, is one of the most dramatic and suspenseful television shows I have come to watch. Each episode is filled with flashbacks, clues, and surprises. Up until recently, I had gotten into the habit of passively watching the episodes and walking away with confusion, shock and perhaps a little bit of fear of what’s to come.

Through Fr. Gary’s classes and with his encouragement, I have begun to actively watch the series. Little did I realize that there are so much to analyze in Damages. There is so much material; it would take months to get through everything. That’s what makes it work – the complexity of characters, plot, premise, EVERYTHING.

At this point, I have begun to look for clues, to try and see if I can figure out what will happen in the last 10 minutes of the episode. Fr. Gary has said quite a few times that in every movie and television show, everything you need to know about that particular episode is given in the first 5 minutes. Unable to believe Fr. Gary, I set out to prove him wrong.

I watched the “Blame it on the victim” episode. Amazingly, no matter how hard I tried, I got sucked into the drama of the series. I was able to pick out a few things that seemed to connect with the beginning of the episode. For instance, the inability to choose was emphasized in the beginning and end – only the situation has changed. In the beginning, she had to decide which kind of cake she’d like to have for the wedding (a much happier situation) and in the end, Ellen is forced to decide between David and her job. The situation is much more intense and dark compared to the wedding cake choices.

Another example is the discussion Tom and Patty had in their office; they were trying to figure out the next move because Gregory Malina has disappeared. Because Gregory is no longer available for trial, Patty has no case. In the end of the episode, we find out that Patty now has a move to make.

I can easily say this – it will be awhile before I am able to really keep my eyes open for clues. The plot becomes thicker and more complex as the episodes unravel. I can only imagine how much more dramatic everything is going to be when I get through the season.

A 30 second challenge...

In the wise words of Shawn T.

"Get Fit or get out!"

This here is a commercial that captures the intense workouts of Insanity.
Special thanks to Pat May, Kathleen Horton, and Kyle Finegian!


Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm_ZXVDbiWo