FX's "Damages" ended its first season last night with an episode that sought to wrap up loose ends and propel the series into a possible second season. At this point I'm torn about whether it's earned it. (Spoilers ahead if you didn't watch the season finale.)

The case against depraved corporate titan Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson) did appear to end, although it was somewhat anti-climatic. After attorney Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) blackmailed him into a $2 billion settlement -- and then turned around and gave an incriminating tape she promised not to let out to the district attorney in exchange for a favor -- Frobisher was shot in a field by a disgruntled former employee. Is he dead? Who knows. Viewers didn't see him take his last breath, so I wouldn't be surprised if he survived.

Meanwhile, it turns out Ellen's lawyer, Hollis Nye (Philip Bosco), was not the traitor he appeared to be last week. Instead, he was working with the FBI, who are investigating Patty for fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice. They enlist Ellen (Rose Byrne) to work for them and she agrees to return to work for Patty as an FBI spy. Ellen thinks Patty tried to have her killed. There was some confusing activity near the end of the season finale that indicates Ellen may be correct about that, although it was murky enough to be fairly unclear.

The episode also left me more confused than ever about Patty and her motivations. She went to a cemetery to see her daughter who died at childbirth in 1972. We also see her sobbing and quaking after maybe ordering the hit on Ellen. She's a monster! She's human! She's a monster! She's human!

Look, I don't expect black and white characterizations, but I wish "Damage" was less opaque about the characters and their motivations.

I suppose this is why I'm ambivalent about the show returning. I fear it will be another long tease, a game of cat and mouse as Ellen tries to bring Patty down (shades of "The Shield"), but if she does that, the show is over, so instead the writers will stretch it out beyond the breaking point.

As it is, the first season would have been better served as an 8-episode miniseries. The story, though told through time jumps, isn't as dense as the FX folks like to portray it as and didn't merit 13 hours.

More Channel 11 blunders: Just when it seemed like WPXI had its technical difficulties under control, last night's 11 p.m. news was marred by a report that froze, which resulted in a string of commercials, maybe as long as five minutes.

"We want to apologize for the technical difficulties we've had," said news anchor Darieth Chisolm when the newscast resumed. "Thanks for hanging in for us."

Later, video froze during John Fedko's spotscast, his microphone went out and a promo eventually cut him off in mid-sentence. Anchors Chisolm and David Johnson returned again to put the newscast out of its misery, apologizing again for the flubs. They then sat there for a long 11 seconds, looking uncomfortable as ambient studio sound played (no music, no sound effects) until they were finally off the hook as the newscast cut to commercial. Another day, another embarrassing Channel 11 newscast.

Not to be outdone, a commercial for a "Just Pay Half" sale on WPXI.com followed. One problem: it was a sale "starting April 10th." Would that be in 2007 or 2008?