A touch of melodrama in Damages

The 3rd episode of season 2, Damages, introduces a melodramatic element, which most viewers could see coming across the horizon - William Hurt character (what's his name?) turns out to be the father of Patti's son. That kind of plot twist seems out of keeping with the harsh and sinister mood of the series, but so be it - it does explain why Patti was willing to come to his aid (though not why she had never told her son about his paternity). We continue to be suspicious of the FBI guys, who ask Ellen to lie low on her sting operation against Patti. It's becoming increasingly a whodunit, as we really don't know who killed Hurt's wife - probably not him, probably not the mysterious intruder who'd threatened him, possibly (Marge's suggestion) someone Hurt hired to do the job (we do see that someone is pawning his wife's ring). Why Hurt would tell the cops about the ring remains mysterious. As does why he would try to flee the country. Again, you have to wonder whether the writers even knew the answers, although they presumably had the larger arc of the story sketched out? New element introduced of an investigative reporter checking out environmental damage in w.va. that multinational energy company (Hurt's client?) may be causing. Who put him on the case? Still a great series and you literally can't drift off for a second while you're watching it, but it's almost impossible to hold all the plot strands in mind at any one time! Rose Byrne, actress playing Ellen, looks incredibly haggard - maybe appropriate for the part (grieving, stressed, in a vise) but painful to look at her at times.