Dexter on SHO - Page 174

Maybe he missed the sarcasm and felt the need to bring this thread back to reality and yes this is another sarcastic post in case you missed it.....

Yet another skip we're supposed to not notice?
A glimpse of Harrison and back to the story. People with kids know better.
Jaime is a marvel of babysitting. No problem with all night stays, being there all
the time. She's a super hot young chick in Miami who doesn't mind postponing
her life to hang out? Next it will be no problem with her boyfriend gone. She's always there,
ready to serve? She never asks questions? She never talks to Angel?

Where are these girls, and when can I hire one!!

Jamie (despite the hotness) and Harrison aren't the main focus of the series; they're just stock characters for the show.

Jamie is Miguel's Sister or Cousin? It was kind of convenient for Louis to loose his job and girl in the same day. I guess loosing his life is worse

She's Batista's sister isn't she?

Yes!

Why the heck was I thinking Miguel? It's not even close to Angel Batista.

One Harrison was kidnapped last season, that moved him into the main focus of the series. Apparently he's only going to appear when it's convenient for the plot.

Agreed.
There is a reason why W.C. Fields said he never works with dogs and kids....

Just saw "Buck the System" last night (don't ask, life is mocking me and is making it hard to find "Dexter" alone time). Love the 'fake' acts of Dex violence (killing the mailwoman, stabbing Mazuka) that culminate in a real-life 'Dex beats suspect' moment that for just a second you're not sure whether it's real or not until Deb steps in. Dex's 'I think about him (Harrison) all the time' was such bull**** from the writers; if he hadn't mentioned it Harrison wouldn't have played an important part in this episode at all. I'm glad Harrison's out if he's not going to play a part in the main plot, but kids would add weight/drama if properly handled and this season of Dex has really thrown Harrison into the closet where Astor and Cody are stored until the next time the show needs to pull them out as one-offs plot devices.

Ray Stevenson is new to me (haven't seen "Punisher: War Zone" or "Rome") and I have to say I'm impressed so far with his performance. For this type of show (a police procedural with 'pulp fiction' elements) we know the antagonist that goes against Dexter will bite the dust by season's end, so it's up to the guest actor and the writers to milk their character's time until the good (Lithgow) or bad payoff (Peter Weller going out like a bitch) unfolds. So far everytime we're with Isaak I don't lose interest and actually care about what this guy says/does, predictable and cliche' as it might be. The scene where Isaak meets Dexter without knowing him was a little forced, but the sparks between the actors was genuine; you can't help until they meet against under different circumstances (maybe with Isaak holding baby Harrison over a cage full of sharks, "Licence To Kill"-like).

Plus Isaak got rid of Louis decisively instead of Dex's 'beating around the bush' approach (hooray! ). The camera lingered on Louis' blood hitting the Slice of Life's deck, and the show has established Dex can smell/feel the blood a mile away. Even is Isaak's guy cleans it good, Dex can sense even a microscopic amount. Unless we're thrown a twist where Miami Metro investigates Dexter after Louis' disappearance and they target Dex (evidence of their animosity, the videogame Louis left behind, etc.) we're in for a cat-and-mouse game between Isaak and Dex that's promising. The thing is, will Dex spot

The meet with Yvonne Strahovski was straight out of Season 2's coffee after the group meeting. Like Rita sending Dex there to cure his 'addiction' this season Deb sent Dex to a case hoping to keep him from trouble, and instead her unintended effect is Dex's messed-up inner feelings getting aroused by a repressed 'femme fatale.' Nice 'six degrees' like parallel to the common perception now that Season 7 is a remix/remake of sorts of Season 2, which is fine by me. If "Dexter" is going to steal it might as well steal from the best, i.e. itself during the early years.

Loved the bitter-sweet ending of the episode where Dex gets his freedom, but it sinks on Dex for the first time that things will never be the same between him and Deb. We've know that from the end of S6, but even as early as the first episode of this season Dex thought he could still keep a semblance of what their relationship was like in years past. A perfect sign of just how emotionally stunted Dex's arrested development for some things can be, that ending actually broke my heart a little bit. Dex just found out what it's like to lose innocence from a brother-sister relationship that cannot be repaired. That hurts.

Kudos to the writers for showing Deb's set of convictions that are as strong and built into her character as Dex's trauma and need to kill. I don't see Deb ever setting foot on or assisting Dex in a kill room execution after their exchange last night where she asked him to move back with Harrison. In an episode (and the next one given the previews) where the writers stacked the deck to the rafters to show Deb that her brother was in the right (the death of the woman stalked in the maze, evidence in the mausoleum of previous crimes, LaGuerta denying Deborah's request for a warrant, etc.) she still held her own. Ironically now that she knows her brother is a serial killer I buy Deborah more as a cop and a captain than I did when she didn't know.

Loving life and "Dexter" so far. The show hasn't been this consistently good in years and the 'bad' or slow parts (Quinn and the stripper = snore, lame 'serial killer of the week' plot, Dexter hunting for a kill while her sister is on her tail... really, Dex? ) aren't enough to diminish the thunderstroke from the awesome.

Nice copy dad. Stevenson has been great. I have a feeling his ark will end in too soon.

Seriously, when was the last time "Dexter" had a streak of four good-to-excellent episodes since the first two seasons (five if the previews live up to expectations next week)? "Run" was another winner even though when the show goes into Emaych's 'planet Dexter' mode (the airport kill in the premiere, this episode's maze inside a building, etc.) it really lifts into the stratospheres of silly. Still, when the plot kicks ass it takes no prisoners.

-Isaak is really growing on me. Yes, he's as cliche' a character as they come (the evil intimidating Russian mob boss) but when he's on you can't help but grab to every word and watch every movie Stevenson makes. I really hope that, unlike Peter Weller's gumshoe on S5, Isaak doesn't go dumb on us toward the end when he and Dex have their eventual face-off. His forcing the bartender to suicide himself (do we even know if he'll follow through with his promise to the bartender to look after his family? I'm guessing he's not) was such a creepy and tense moment even though you knew exactly what was going to happen. It's not easy making predictable stuff compelling, and Ray is the one making it seem so.

-Isaak is a fashion fascist though, who cares that Miami Metro cops don't dress-up as well as Isaak at a crime scene? Heck, Miami Metro had a sharp dresser, Isaak, and your boy Viktor killed him: Mike Anderson (he dressed fine).

-So, were Isaak and Viktor gay lovers? Why did Viktor keep the picture of him and Isaak hidden? Or they were just really tight? The way that scene in Viktor's empty apartment was framed and shot really made it seem like the relation between Isaak and Viktor was more than just mob friends/associates. They're obviously not known as brothers given the manager of Fox Hole (the dude that got stuck with Louis clean-up duty last week) said things about Viktor that he wouldn't have if it was known Viktor and Isaak were close.

-Ironically, for a show that has fallen victim to how predictably incompetent Miami Metro is at their job, Batista is showing signs of competency by being skeptical of how neatly the suicide takes care of all the deaths. Batista also had the rare honor of a funny one-liner when he said he was a 'twice-divorced detective staring at the barrel of retirement, I'm already a cliche', don't need to add stripper to the myth.'

-Very peculiar way the director frames the meet between Hanna and Dex at Miami Metro. For a few scenes these two were on extremes of their respetives close-ups, showing us blood slides (Dex's close-up) or a ceiling fan (Hanna's close-up). Very odd, "artsy" shots on a cute meet still on par with the 'femme fatale' angle.

-I'm drawing a blank: was the security blanket that the nanny wanted to throw out (the one Dex says Rita gave Harrison) seen/visible on Harrison's crib in S4 or S5? It would be a neat tie-in with the episode's big moments...

-... of Deb questioning Dexter about Rita's death/Trinity. Again, I love how the reality of the show that we take for granted (Dex hunting Arthur Mitchell, playing with him, Dex getting to him after Mitchell had gotten to Rita, etc.) seems so far-fetched and odd when a civilian described it back to Dexter who, unlike the cool and collected voice-over we hear on the show, struggles with words and comes across sounding insane when he tries to explain to Deb the circumstances. We know Dexter loved Rita and loves Harrison, but you totally understand from Deborah's perspective why she'd wonder whether Dex really loved Rita (remember that Deb introduced Dex and Rita and that a girl just died, so Deb is naturally fearing that she's indirectly responsible for Rita's death by introducing her to Dexter) or that he truly loves Harrison if he exposes him to danger. And, from the previews, looks like Dex was smart to send Harrison packing to Orlando but not for the fear of the bad guy he thought would give him trouble.

-Anyone get "Sopranos" flashbacks when Deb dreamt that her bathtub was filled with blood? And how creepy was that dream Dexter asking Deb 'will you be mine?' in tux? That's the still-latent-but-now-buried 'Deb loves Dexter' feelings/plot from last season. It hasn't been forgotten, just that the writers are now smart enough to be 'artsy' about it rather than just ****ing spilling it and turning off half or more of the audience.

-Unbelievable, dream-like ending (with a fade to black, the first time the show hasn't just 'cut' before credits). It's almost as if Deb wanted Dexter to say that yes, he killed the a**hole that she wanted to kill herself earlier in the day at Mike Anderson's funeral. I always liked this show's scenes between Dexter and Deborah, but this season has taken those to a whole new level. I could watch a show of just Deb and Dex talking for an hour and it'd be the best episode ever. Also I love the new never-before-seen alley outiside Miami Metro where the two of them rush to when they want alone time. It's such a barren and empty alley, which mirrors how the once-strong sibling relationship between the two of them is stripped bare and has to be rebuilt from scratch.

-For the 2nd time in the series Dex loses his box of slides, but this time it's Dex on his own destroying his trophies. Will the season/show end with Dexter somehow getting a hold of his old box of slides that currently resides in Maria LaGuerta's office?

-Line of the episode: Dexter yelling 'F********'' back to Speltzer (the way Hall mimmicked Speltzer was priceless, I was howling, it was hilarious).
Edited by dad1153 - 10/21/12 at 8:21pm

Dexter doesn't know Laguerta found the slide he lost at the church, does he? Why did he feel the need to destroy all of his slides in this episode? If he destroyed them after finding out about Laguerta's find, it would make more sense.

^^^ Per the previews, he'll find out about that slide next week from Deb, who presumably was told by LaGuerta (another 'girlfriends' moment between these two?). In this episode though he got rid of them because, as he said before cremating Spetzer, time to move on. Like the nanny separating the old toys from the old stuff that needs to be thrown out (but which we hold on to for sentimental reasons, i.e. the slides for Dex and that particular blankie for Harrison) we hold on to the stuff that means the most to us until we're forced to 'grow up.' While deeply symbolic to Dex and to us as an audience, Dex just came to the conclusion holding on to his trophies was 'too hot' to continue. To me that's what gives the final scene between Deb and Dex so much power: she's looking at Spetzer's remains, but for Dex it's literally and figuratively his entire life's work going up in smoke.

He also had to get rid of the "trophies" because Debra discovered them. Part of his way to show Debra that he is not like other serial killers.

"Did You Do That For Me?"
"No"
"How Do You Feel?"

It's been a long time since it was this good.

Exactly.

Great Show. Its like watching Dexter from the start, Harrison is going to his Grand Parents, no problem no need to know any more. Dexter is in a Crematorium, not a problem he's a Cop he's going to know where those places are.

I'm getting the feeling Quinn or Angel is going to be a casualty.

Another great episode this season! Is it just me, or is this already better than season 5 and 6?

Well, duh. That's why he kept the picture hidden and why Isaac is so obsessed with finding - and avenging - Viktor's killer. It's "personal". Homosexuality is probably frowned upon in the testosterone drenched world of the Russian mafia. Everyone around Isaak likely knows, but if any of them are stupid enough to say so, he'd get a screwdriver through the brain. Being the boss comes with perks.

This was the same plot device used recently, and with a bit more subtlety, in 'Breaking Bad' to help explain Gus Fring's obsession with destroying the Mexican cartel (and his seething hatred of Hector) that killed his chemist "friend" years earlier.

You mean the two worst seasons?

Finally Deb learns the truth: American justice doesn't work! Miami cops can't wait for a suspect they beat down to regain consciousness to read him his Miranda rights! They've got other suspects to beat up! And they can't reread him his rights after bringing him into the station and before questioning him like real police do. And Miranda laws mean they can't use testimony that the person gives before knowing their Miranda rights... except in Miami which means it's a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Just give Dexter a cape and a van and let him exact justice on Miami criminals. The cops suck there!

Me thinks the Russian Mob will knock off Quinn for being overly protective and/or for just fooling around with the girl.

It wouldn't surprise me.

I like the ending conversation where she says "I'm glad."
Gotta wonder where that will lead....

Does Miami have the highest rate of serial killers in the Country?
I'd be moving!

Too bad ole ram head got killed off already. Seriously, he is how I imagine a serial killer in my worst nightmares. He was one scary ass dude. Umm him running down a corridor with an axe in a maze, that mask and his build, yikes!!!

Maybe Deb will join the serial club in later seasons. she's feeling it.

Rick

I really hope that's not where things are headed. I think Deb's acceptance of Dexter is coming around too quickly as it is, but for her to join in with the kills would be over the top.

I agree with this. Deb isn't Lumen who had been tortured and left for dead. Deb has been a cop her entire life. She has no "dark passenger". She isn't a closet psycho like Miguel Prado was. Having her become Dexter's killing buddy would make Deb an impressionable idiot, not the tough woman we've been seeing.

Lol - yup.

If Deb becomes Dexter's killing partner the show will be ruined; it won't happen. I do see them having her feed Dexter bad guys to take care of, though.

Either way, the final 3 minutes of episode 4 was a first step.

Acceptance and buddy are two different things. She may be OK with Dexter taking care of business when all other legal methods fail (like they did in the last episode). As she said before she understands what and why he does it, but the dosent mean she is OK with it. She did have a personal connection to him (the Bull) from when she tried to arrest him, got attacked, was rescued, followed through and got her man, only to lose him over another cops lack of doing his job.....IMO she may give Dex the green light, as a tool to get the killers off the street...

I think Hannah will be Dexter's killing partner by the looks of it... maybe Deb will be jelous and kill her or something like that..

I can see that. Kindred spirits, as it were -- it's like she senses who he is and she already has a weakness for killers. As for Deb, I think she will come to grudgingly accept Dexter's lethal proclivities since she's been so shaken by the "unnecessary" death of that waitress. But she would never join him and kill or directly assist a kill; that's just crazy talk. She's the moral center of the show.