This week’s “Damages” toyed with the idea of family. First, how does one define family? Then, who belongs to that group and who doesn’t?

Ellen gets disowned
When we last left Ellen, she was on her way to discover the woman from her dreams, Annie. In this episode, she finds her. I think she was going there fully expecting the woman to be her real mother. That would then explain why Ellen felt so different from the family she had always known. In the end, she found out that Annie wasn’t her true mother. Instead, she discovered that her mother had almost given her away when times were rough at home. I’m not sure what’s worse. I couldn’t quite tell what her emotional response was. Was she disappointed that Annie wasn’t her mother or relieved? Was she hurt that her mother tried to give her away or happy that her mother changed her mind? What do you think?

For the full review, go to LATimes.com.

Photo: Lily Tomlin as Marilyn Tobin in "Damages." Credit: Craig Blankenhorn / FX

Labels: damages, FX, LATimes.com, Los Angeles Times, Review