Cheers: Damages' Dazzling Finale

Glenn Close by Barbara Nitke/FX

Cheers to Damages for ending its first season with a major bang. FX's legal thriller answered an amazing number of questions — from (Spoiler alert for DVR viewers) the location of the incriminating videotape (it was inside the Statue of Liberty murder weapon!) to the revelation that Patty (Glenn Close) apparently tried to have Ellen (Rose Byrne) killed — while leaving others tantalizingly unresolved. Is Frobisher (Ted Danson) dead? Will Ellen be able to help the FBI bring down Patty? And what's taking FX so long to renew Damages for a second season? If they don't, it'll be a real crime. (For more on that, check out today's Ask Ausiello.)

Got burning questions about the Damages finale? Share them here, and TVGuide.com will try to get them answered.

More Cheers & Jeers: Read and react to Bruce's opinions on Heroes, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mad Men and Bionic Woman, then share your own raves and rants about other shows on the new Reader Cheers & Jeers discussion board. Your comments could wind up in TV Guide magazine!

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Posted by

Bruce Fretts

Oct 24, 2007 3:31 AM

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The Shield is approaching its final season, Nip/Tuck's L.A. move looks great but the show is long in the tooth, Rescue Me is still strong but Season 5 has yet to be announced (trouble I hear???) and Dirt is, well, unwatchable. FX needs to keep Damages around. Besides the fact that it's a fantastic show, what else do they have????
Posted by socalj Oct 24, 2007 6:20 AM Report Abuse

I'm still not convinced that Patty tried to have Ellen killed. A lot of creative editing around that scene...we have yet to see the full fight played out with Ellen and the dead guy.

My theory: he was there to protect her (or at worst, scare her into not tattling on Patty) and things got out of hand. (Ellen went for the knife...what freaked her out? A stranger in the house? He didn't have a weapon?)

OR...maybe he was there for something to do with the son...another kidnap to take him away?? There's something a bit odd about him showing up that night.

I think Ellen will learn the truth halfway through Season 2 and then have to backpedal her way out of the FBI thing to save Patty.

p.s. does Glenn Close really want to make this character a cold-blooded murderer?

My 2 cents...

Posted by socalj

Oct 24, 2007 6:26 AM

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It was pretty great. The scenes between Ellen and Patty the last couple of weeks have been amazing. Rose Byrne really upped her game as the season went on. One question though-am I off the mark by assuming Frobisher was the father of the baby Patty lost in 1972? This would certainly go a long way towards explaining Patty's obsession with him.
Posted by Buffy Freak Oct 24, 2007 9:26 AM Report Abuse

I am definitely agreed with you. This was an awesome finale.
Posted by PixieSpy Oct 24, 2007 9:55 AM Report Abuse

Definitely agree! The finale was full-on awesome. What is taking FX so long to renew the show?
Posted by Rod Oct 24, 2007 10:27 AM Report Abuse

Wow, what a fantastic season finale! They answered a ton of questions and still had some surprises. Last week everyone was thinking that Nye was a baddie and that was all wrong.

I loved that they made Patty look like she tried to have Ellen killed but I like what the poster above said that it could have had something to do with her son. Why was he there?

I knew that when we saw Frobisher on his land that someone was going to shoot him, I just wasn't sure who it would be. Loved that it was the old man and how he said he owes him nothing now. Just Brilliant! The guy who killed David is a cop and now he has the evidence which kind of annoyed me because that flashlight was on top of the table when Ellen came home after her arrest, who put it under the table since then?

Whoever cast Rose Byrne was a genius! This woman has truly held her own against Glenn Close and I would nominate her for an Emmy! Yesterday I had said that it didn't matter to me if the show ended with just 1 season....I now take that back. Season 2 could be just as great!

Posted by buffybot

Oct 24, 2007 10:35 AM

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I, too, agree that Damages should come back next season. There is too little I enjoy to watch now of the winter season. The summer season on cable stations is much better.
Posted by Baxmoore Oct 24, 2007 1:12 PM Report Abuse

I think the whole business of Patty ordering the hit on Ellen is a red herring and I agree that Ellen (although she believes it now) will find out the truth next season and will have to get out of the FBI involvement somehow. That is, if they really are the FBI. On another note, Glenn Close's scene crying on the beach reminded me exactly of her scene crying in the shower in The Big Chill.
Posted by brad44 Oct 24, 2007 1:29 PM Report Abuse

On another note, Glenn Close's scene crying on the beach reminded me exactly of her scene crying in the shower in The Big Chill. Good point, Brad. One big difference: didn't we get a slight boob shot during The Big Chill scene? I'm just sayin'.
Posted by Rod Oct 24, 2007 3:13 PM Report Abuse

I agree with "Buffy Freak". The father of Patty's dead baby must have been Frobisher. The way she didn't answer, but just had her sad smile when Frobisher asked her "Why do you hate me so much?" certainly seemed to imply that there is a backstory between them that she remembers but he may not. Fathering the baby certainly would have been just a one-night thing for him, but a life altering event for her.

Posted by DKUVA

Nov 7, 2007 10:28 AM

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