- This review contains spoilers -
With two episodes left in the series, I'm left scratching my head. How can a show that was pulling Primetime Emmy nominations as recently as last year (Michael C. Hall for 'Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series') become "True Blood?" The difference is that "True Blood" doesn't pretend to be a serious drama.
We all know that this is the last season of 'Dexter.' So there's no reason to pull any stops or worry about setting a basis for continuation. This show should be firing on all cylinders, instead of constantly glossing over plot holes? But what we're witnessing is arguably the worst season of 'Dexter' yet. Keep in mind that a bad season of 'Dexter' is still above most of the stuff you see on broadcast TV. But this is the show that gave us Season 4 and an awesomely badass Arthur Mitchell. And this season who do we get as Dexter's final Big Bad? The underwhelming Oliver Saxon.
Looking back, I think a big part of me died with Rita in Season 4.
I had high hopes going into this season. The first few episodes introduced to coldly dispassisonate Dr. Vogel, played by Charlotte Rampling. This is Dexter's creator, who teamed up with Harry (before he became Captain Obvious, aka Ghost Harry) to give a young sociopathic Dexter a code to live by, that served as the basis for our favorite boat-owning vigilante serial killer. And all season, we've waited patiently after suspending disbelief and emotionally investing in Dr. Vogel. And what happens with just a few episodes until the end? Dr. Vogel becomes a doting mother of another serial killer and gets a Columbian necktie for her efforts. All at the hands and psychopathy of the previously-mentioned Oliver Saxon.
The Dexter we knew in earlier seasons had to contend with the Ice Truck Killer, Doakes, Miguel, and Arthur Miller. He would have dispatched Saxon as easily as he did Freebo. Oh, the good old days!
Debra has come a long way this season. Jennifer Carpenter has been a bright spot this season, bringing it every episode. But she's gone from a suicidal backseat driver to harboring a fugitive in the form of Hannah. And she's quitting Elway's PI business to become a homicide detective again. Sadly, I don't see how Debra gets out of this series alive.
And what about Elway? Debra's former boss (no hug?) steals alternatively every show from either Sonny Crockett's or Deion Sanders' closets as he and Clayton are in hot pursuit of Hannah, and I imagine they both will play a signficant role before the finale.
Batista? Not sure what he's doing right now, except agreeing with a neutered Matthews. Both characters deserve better.
Masuka somehow figures out his daughter (Becky from 'Friday Night Lights') is a pothead, which is amazing considering he has spent 8 years sharing a lab with a serial killer. Sherlock Holmes he ain't.
And then there's Quinn. Desmond Harrington has done a good job with a character that has never been given a primary purpose, other than to chase women only to realize he's in love with Debra. He dumps Jamie, which means that we've seen the last of Aimee Garcia exercising the "lots of nudity" clause in her contract. But I feel that Quinn's buildup this season suggests something's in store for Miami Metro's perpetual dunderhead. Maybe Quinn's going to be the one to finally figure out who Dexter really is. It would be nice if there was a least one good detective somewhere at Miami Metro.
A surprise this season is not the character of Saxon, but the actor that plays Saxon. Darri Ingolfsson has done an exceptional job with the thinly nuanced character he's been given and he gets an A+ for selling "crazy."
Two episodes to go, and I don't have a strong feeling whether or not Dexter gets to retire to Argentina with Hannah, Harrison, and Ghost Harry. But I've been with this show through thick and thin (lots of "thin" lately) for 94 episodes, what's a few more hours?
Quote of the night:
Debra: Hanging out with two serial killers. Doesn't get better than that.
What did you think?
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