"A Beautiful Day" Not Destined For DEXTER

Article first published as DEXTER Season 8 Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 93%

The title of Showtime’s DEXTER’s final season premiere is “A Beautiful Day,” which is misleading because there is nothing beautiful about the days in which the episode takes place, six months having passed. Dexter (Michael C. Hall) is in the darkest place he’s arguably ever been in, with Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) out of touch, off the grid as a renegade private investigator, taking the tough, dangerous cases. And from there, it only gets worse.

It’s not surprising that Deb has taken off. After killing La Guerta (Lauren Velez) to protect her brother, Deb finds she has trouble living with those decisions. The people that do kill in DEXTER tend to be psychopaths, and since Deb is a ‘normal’ person, she can’t find it in herself to accept such heinous crimes. As such, she flees from Dexter and her life as a cop, unable to move past what she has done.

Dexter, on the other hand, is a psychopath. He is someone who doesn’t value life or the feelings of others. He has been able to fake it all these years, but has never learned to truly care, except in very rare cases. With one of those exceptions, Deb, gone, Dexter has a hard time getting by.

Could it be that Deb is the one person that is holding Dexter together all along? Because he values his sister, the girl he is raised with, Dexter keeps himself in check to spare her. Last season, when he ditches the code that Harry (James Remar) taught him, it’s to protect Deb, proving that his feelings for her override pretty much everything else.

Now, with her gone, Dexter is going off the deep end. He snaps at work, says incriminating things, and even puts his son, Harrison (Luke Andre and Evan George Krunthcev), in harm’s way to save Deb’s life. His behavior is erratic and dangerous and he will get himself caught if Deb can’t forgive him and come back sometime soon.

It’s pretty unfortunate that just as Dexter is slipping up, Dr. Evelyn Vogel (Charlotte Rampling, Melancholia) comes onto the scene. Unlike past investigators, Vogel knows right away who Dexter is and what he is capable of. By the end of the first hour, she makes a move that may be either very smart or very dumb, but viewers and Dexter alike will not be kept wandering how close she’ll get all year. Instead, what remains in the dark is her motivation and what she wants.

It’s very likely Vogel has ties to Dexter’s past. She is acquainted with Captain Matthews (Geoff Pierson), and has relics from Dexter’s childhood. What is her connection to Harry, how long has she known about Dexter, and why is she doing what she is doing now?

Also, there is yet another serial killer in town. I can’t help but feel, giving Dexter’s penchant for twists, the fact that this is the final season, and the absence of seeing the killer in “A Beautiful Day,” that this particular murderer just may be someone we’ve seen before. Doakes and the Bay Harbor Butcher are elements of DEXTER that won’t just go away. Perhaps it’s all part of the same plot.

La Guerta’s death has shaken up the department in more ways than just running off Deb. Both Captain Matthews and Batista (David Zayas) have canceled their retirements and returned to the force in order to fill in gaps in the ranks. For Matthews, who was forced out, this makes total sense. But for Batista, who leaves the job after careful consideration, it’s kind of disappointing. I get what the writers are doing, wanting to keep him involved in the show, and given the way he is taking La Guerta’s passing, it makes sense. Yet, it also feels like an unnecessary step backward for him.

As many might have expected by the end last season, Quinn (Desmond Harrington) and Jamie Batista (Aimee Garcia) are now regularly hooking up. It seems mostly about sex, but they are definitely very into one another. I’m not really sold on this relationship, feeling like she can do better, and he should pick someone more age appropriate, but I’ll try to reserve judgment until we see how it all plays out.

We have a couple of new faces around in “A Beautiful Day,” too, as usual, but unlike past years, none of them stand out as well-known casting coups. That’s good, keeping the focus on the central players in the last year, which is important to end the series properly. There’s a good guest turn by Entourage’s Rhys Coiro, but he won’t be sticking around, so it doesn’t detract from this.

It’s too soon to tell if DEXTER’s eighth season will be more like its fantastic seventh or its lackluster sixth. However, with only a dozen episodes left to tell the story, there will definitely be closure. DEXTER feels like it’s moving into its final act, exploring the last corners of Dexter’s personality, making him desperate right before his triumph or downfall, depending on which direction the show goes in. It’ll be interesting for invested fans to find out which choice has been made.

DEXTER airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.

"Are You...?" Dexter?

Grade: 96%

DEXTER is back for another round of murder and mayhem on Showtime. Last season ended with Dexter’s sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), catching him in the act of killing a killer. This year’s premiere, “Are You…?,” picks up right in that same moment. Dexter (Michael C. Hall) struggles to explain to Deb what she is seeing. No matter how good a liar he may be, it’s awfully hard to justify the plastic wrap and a roll of knives when Deb is staring right at them. And she’s certainly no slouch in the detective department.

Much of Deb’s story in “Are You…?” is digesting her discovery. As one might expect, this is not something she can easily just accept. Deb loves Dexter, so the decision on how to act is complicated by a lot of feelings. But before she can even decide what she should do, she first has to come to grips with the fact that her brother is a monster. This is not something done quickly.

Deb has come awfully close to catching Dexter before, numerous times. Long before now, it’s seemed a certainty that she would find out her brother’s dark secret. Now that the time has come, DEXTER faces a tipping point. Deb can’t possibly un-see what she saw. So she can either take Dexter down, fulfilling her job in the Miami police force, or she can let him continue on. The first can’t happen unless the series is coming to a permanent end. The second would provide complications for her both morally and professionally. But both are preferable to option number three: Deb has to die.

Dexter spends this episode way too nonchalant. Is it because he thinks that Deb won’t tell? Or does he believe that he may have convinced her of his innocence? Both of those possibilities would be hopelessly naive. Or maybe Dexter just doesn’t know what to do. However, were that the case, one would think it would be reflected in his monologue. Instead, there is an utter lack of urgency about the Deb situation from the titular man.

Just before the big reveal last season, Deb is set up to have romantic feelings for Dexter. Might that color her decision? If she wants a full sexual relationship with her adopted brother, she may be less likely to turn him in. The thought of the two of them together is incredibly disturbing for most viewers. But Deb is led to her conclusion naturally, and given her scarred up brining, one can see how she might have inappropriate urges. Dexter, on the other hand, has little feeling to spare, so if he were to commit to Deb, it would be coming from a logical place, rather than because of any real feelings for her. While I seldom argue for leaving a plot hanging, let’s hope this topic is just dropped.

Seeing as flashbacks to childhood are part of the episode (with Parenthood’s Savannah Paige Rae playing Deb), romance will probably (thankfully) not figure into the proceedings nearly as much as a sibling bond. They might not be blood related, but Deb and Dexter were raised as brother and sister. They have a lot of history. No matter Deb’s initial disgust, she has to consider this when deciding what to do about Dexter.

Dexter and Deb aren’t the only two characters in DEXTER, and while the majority of “Are You…?” deals with the two of them, there are other happenings. A member of Miami Metro is killed. This is presumably part of a larger arc that may lead Dexter to the Big Bad of season seven. There is an international side to the story, which could move some of the action out of Miami in a way that DEXTER hasn’t explored yet. The potential here is quite exciting.

LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) has been a character that has confused me for years. Once upon a time, she was nice and loyal to (most of) her employees, even having a little crush on Dexter. By the time she married Angel (David Zayas), there wasn’t much to complain about in her character. But she got divorced, was eventually promoted, and last season she became a huge pain in the butt for Deb. Sure, the two women had never gotten along, but it was more than that. LaGuerta became power hungry and less scrupulous. Every drama series needs some tension among the cast, but this felt forced. It was a sad turn of events.

As season seven begins, it appears there might be some hint of a return for the LaGuerta we loved. I don’t know if she’s too far gone to be forgiven, but any likeability factor will not be restored easily. I’m glad DEXTER is choosing to pursue this avenue; I just wish it had never been an avenue that needed pursuing.

There is room for LaGuerta to go good again because Louis (Josh Cooke) decides to start causing trouble. This intern’s motivations remain murky, but he has not forgotten that Dexter disappointed him. If the serial killer isn’t willing to act like the benevolent mentor-hero that Louis wants, he’s not just going to sit by and leave Dexter alone. Whatever Louis is up to, it cannot possibly be long before Dexter gets wind of his new foe. Does this mean that Louis’s days are numbered?

Yes, there are some missteps in this episode. But it is a great season premiere, with a ton of awesome moments for Carpenter, and several new stories teased in. For that reason, I dare say that it’s one of the better openers DEXTER has done, and if this season can maintain the excitement and anticipation present in episode one, it’s going to be a satisfying year, much more so than last season.

DEXTER returns on September 30th to Showtime.

Dexter travels to "Nebraska"

     In "Nebraska," this week's entry on Showtime's Dexter, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) tells Dexter (Michael C. Hall) that the Trinity Killer has returned, murdering his own wife and daughter. Knowing that Trinity is actually dead, and egged on by the ghost of his brother, Brian (Christian Camargo), Dexter travels to Nebraska to dispatch the likely killer, Trinity's son Jonah (Brando Eaton, The Secret Life of the American Teenager). But the truth is more complicated, and Jonah admits only to hurting his mother during a fight, after his sister kills herself. Determining that Jonah feels guilt, and is not a monster, Dexter refuses to do the deed, leaving Jonah pleading in the rearview mirror for Dexter to end things.

     It is neat that Dexter revisits a former recurring character, which stems from a very dark period in Dexter's life. And while Trinity is one of Dexter's best foes, the current story applies very centrally to Dexter's life as it is now, rather than just dredging up the past for nostalgia's sake. Following his murder of Brother Sam's (Mos) killer, Dexter is poised on a precipice. Should he follow in his brother's footsteps, embracing his inner psycho, and killing anyone that he wants? Or should he remember the teachings of Brother Sam, a better Brother than Dexter's real brother, finding mercy for those who have done wrong, and searching for inner light?

     At first, Dexter goes fully over to Brian's side on his trip to "Nebraska." He steals a gun and screws a convenience store worker. Confronted by a potential blackmailer (Scott Michael Campbell, The Event), Dexter takes him out, breaking his own code, as the blackmailer has not killed anyone. Dexter is also very tempted to take out Jonah without satisfying his need for proof that Jonah deserves it. This is Dexter on the edge, rebelling against the kinder, gentler man he is these past few weeks with Sam's friendship. A backlash is natural and expected. Brian is the perfect manifestation of such feelings.

     But then, Dexter is a very complicated guy, and Sam has touched something inside of him that cannot be ignored. Dexter tries to deny having any light to combat his darkness, but seeing Jonah, and thinking of his own son, he realizes that is simply not true. Without light, there can be no darkness. Dexter isn't going to stop killing all together, as Sam surely would prefer. But he will remember the code that Harry (James Remar) taught him. And he compares Jonah to Harrison, both kids of serial killers, and can't help but feel sorry for the lad. Fittingly, as Dexter returns home, his mission reavowed, it is Harry that climbs into Dexter's car, replacing Brian, whom Dexter has run over. Wonderful ending to a really cool plot.

     Too bad Dexter spends four days in "Nebraska," though, especially right now, because Deb could really use him. Throughout Dexter's road trip, excused to babysitter Jamie (Aimee Garcia) and Deb as dealing with the grief that Trinity's "reemergence" triggers, Deb can't afford to allow him the break that he seeks. Not that Dexter gives her a choice. Maria (Lauren Velez) is coming down hard on Deb to find the Doomsday Killer, or DDK. This is make it or break it time for Deb as the new Lieutenant, a position she is struggling with, and without Dexter's expertise, her job becomes much harder. It may not be completely out of character for Dexter to not be there for Deb when she needs him, despite their "closeness," but it's unfortunate under these circumstances.

     Maria goes back and forth between being a good or a bad character. Fans will have trouble finding much to like about her this season, though. With her promotion to an office not situated in the department's main area, she becomes much of what she despises in her boss. She turns her back on now ex-husband, Angel (David Zayas), and worries more about politics and public image than actually catching bad guys. It's deeply regrettable, and while Maria is never the most likeable character to begin with, it seems as if she will not recover from the latest changes.

     Quinn (Desmond Harrington), on the other hand, is trying very much to divert from the bad path he is on. Sleeping with random women and making a fool of himself at a party, Quinn goes to Deb in "Nebraska" to apologize for his recent behavior. Unlike Maria, Quinn has a good excuse: he is suffering over the loss of his relationship with Debra. Now that Debra is his boss, she cannot go back to being with him. But they do seem to find some sort of peace and balance in the closure-filled conversation, leading to the impression that Quinn will clean up his behavior, and go back to being a pretty good guy.

     The key to catching DDK may just lie in a new character, Louis (Josh Cooke). Vince's (C.S. Lee) third intern this season so far, Louis shows Jamie, whom he is dating, a video game he is creating based on the homicide department. He also writes some code to help Debra narrow down the list of suspects for the DDK's student. With DDK himself known, but seemingly vanished, Deb turns her attention to finding his assistant. Louis is valuable in that effort. Viewers know, though, that he has other motivations, given his video game career. Will he remain helpful, or end up causing more trouble than he is worth?

     This plan only works if DDK, a.k.a. Professor Gellar (Edward James Olmos), can lure the student, Travis (Colin Hanks), back to his side. Travis releases their potential sacrifice, and tells Gellar he is done with their dark deeds. But Gellar shows up outside Travis's sister's (Molly Parker, The Firm, Swingtown) house, and leaves a picture of himself and Travis in the kitchen. Travis appears wavering, returning Gellar's things in person in "Nebraska," bringing him back to the lair. How strong is his vow to resist "God's will?" Can Dexter take out Gellar and Travis before Deb catches them? A race to the finish is brewing, and will break out soon.


     Dexter's latest season starts slow, but is now quite excellent, raising some interesting philosophical questions. Don't miss any more episodes, airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

     Please click here to watch streaming episodes or buy DVDs and Blu-rays of Dexter.

Article first published as TV Review: Dexter - "Nebraska" on Blogcritics.

Dexter doesn't worry about "Those Kinds of Things"

     Showtime's Dexter begins season six last night with "Those Kinds of Things." Dexter (Michael C. Hall) attempts to get Harrison (Evan George Kruntchev and Luke Andrew Kruntchev) into a great pre-school. The one he chooses happens to be religious, so Dexter finds himself wondering about faith, something he's never really thought about before, and something he has a very hard time comprehending. Dexter also attends his 20th high school reunion, finding his new-found popularity makes it harder for him to accomplish his real mission: a kill. 

     Dexter and Dexter tackle many things over the years, a great number of them issues of morality. It seems appropriate, after six years, to finally get around to faith and religion. After all, the way that many people live their lives by often has something to do with their religious beliefs. Dexter has Harry's (James Remar) code, carefully taught to him so that he will only murder the right people. Sure, the crucifix symbol may appeal to Dexter's dark side, but for Dexter to start to consider sin, that would open him up to guilt and reflection upon what he is done. Thankfully, it does not appear the series will be going down that road, as it could ruin the character.

     Instead, Dexter explores religion from the standpoint of a father. He worries that Harrison will not have a normal childhood without some religious base, and hopes that this pre-school might fill that need. Dexter is honest about his need for help in this area with the admissions director (Michael Hyatt, The Wire), and the truth, combined with a sincere desire to do right by Harrison, is likely what leads the program to accept Harrison. Go Dexter!

     Dexter's other main story, attending his reunion, is more fun than deep, a welcome relief from the great, but dreary, storytelling of last season. Dexter has a great job, is in wonderful physical shape, and has a sad story involving the death of his wife. As such, he finds himself the center of attention, an unusual situation for him. It's hard to tell if Dexter enjoys it all, though he doesn't seem to be too annoyed by it, even though it means delaying the kill. An old classmate, Trisha (Kristen Miller, She Spies, That's My Bush), gives Dexter an extra special present, and as unrealistic and out of place as that scene comes across, it's nice to see Dexter get some female-induced pleasure.

     Dexter attends the reunion in order to take out Joe (John Brotherton, One Life to Live), an abuser who killed his wife, a girl who was nice to Dexter in high school. Joe pleads with Dexter to spare him, arguing that God will get even. It's a silly claim to make, considering that if God does take vengeance for the murder of innocents, Joe would already have suffered such retribution. Unless one considers that perhaps Dexter is an instrument of God, a stretch to be sure, and thus his selective killings are the universe's way of balancing the scales. Harry could even serve as the way that God speaks to Dexter. If nothing else, this is something to ponder, and heads into controversial and murky moral areas.

     Of course, Dexter is never the only one out taking lives. This season's new killer duo, Travis (Colin Hanks, The Good Guys, Roswell) and Professor Gellar (Edward James Olmos), are introduced in "Those Kinds of Things." For unknown reasons, they slaughter a fruit vendor, leave his intestines on his scale, sew snakes into his stomach, and leave a Greek Alpha / Omega pattern on the victim's chest. There are religious undertones to what they are doing, which allows viewers a brief glimpse of another new character, Brother Sam (Mos, formerly Mos Def, The Italian Job), but what they are up to is unclear. Gellar is clearly teaching Travis, but to what end? Future episodes will have to reveal that. What they contribute to the premiere is to leave Dexter a tasty mystery to begin to unravel.

     There is some shake up in the police department in "Those Kings of Things." Maria (Lauren Velez) blackmails Tom (Geoff Pierson) into promoting her, making her future on the show unclear, since she will no longer work in Dexter's department. She recommends Angel (David Zayas) to replace her, which he does, at least on a temporary basis. Why not go ahead and make Angel's position permanent? Does that mean Maria will soon be demoted? Blackmail can have consequences, and it's regrettable that she resorts to such tactics to get ahead, no matter how much Tom deserves it for treating her so poorly.

     Also strange is Angel's whole demeanor. He is growing comfortable again working with Maria, now his ex-wife. But he is also on edge around young women. All of the sudden, he is very nervous that people will think he is dating a much younger girl. He even freaks out when his sister, Jamie (Aimee Garcia, Off the Map, Trauma), Dexter's new babysitter, looks too sexy in a restaurant. What are we to make of this? Surely he isn't just worried about appearances costing him a promotion. Something else must be going on here.

     Masuka (C.S. Lee) is now a teacher, and is tasked with picking an intern from among his motley class. Perhaps surprisingly, he chooses based on academic standards, rather than hotness, a sign of maturity from the somewhat sleazy forensics guy. But when his first pick, Peter (Christopher Frontiero), faints at a crime scene, Masuka is only too excited to tap the next in line, hottie Ryan (Brea Grant, Heroes). At least Masuka can say he tries, right?

     Finally, the biggest shake up on the horizon is Quinn's (Desmond Harrington) forthcoming proposal to Deb (Jennifer Carpenter). He is acting nervous, tipping off Deb that there is something going on, though she likely doesn't suspect him to pop the question. He is prevented from doing so this week when a gunman comes into the restaurant where they are eating. This is the second unrealistic, out of place event in an otherwise solid episode. But the delay will only be temporary, and he will try again.

     The question is, how will Deb take it? She deserves happiness, and Quinn seems like a good guy. However, the last time she gets engaged, back in season one, the man turns out to be Dexter's half brother, a serial killer with less scruples. The experience badly scars Deb emotionally, and will probably make her resistant to attempting such a union again, if the previews for next week are any indication. Can Deb defeat her biggest obstacle, herself, to find a happy ever after?


     Watch Dexter, already starting season six fantastically, Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.

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     Please click here to watch streaming episodes or buy DVDs and Blu-rays of Dexter.

Article first published as TV Review: Dexter - "Those Kinds of Things" on Blogcritics.

Hawthorne promises "For Better or Worse"

     TNT's Hawthorne begins season three tonight with "For Better or Worse." Christina (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Tom (Michael Vartan) barely get through their "I do's" before having to rush off to work because of a neighbor's car wreck. At the end of the day, Christina is beat up badly in the parking lot. Tom convinces Brenda (Anne Ramsay) to do multiple risky procedures to try to save their baby, though Cat (Lauren Velez, Dexter) refuses. The baby dies anyway, and Christina insists on pushing it out, rather than having it removed. Nick (Marc Anthony, now a series regular) hunts, and eventually finds, her attacker. With Christina down, Morrissey (James Morrison) immediately and permanently replaces her as CNO with Bobbie (Suleka Mathew). After learning Bobbie has accepted the position, Steve (Adam Rayner) decides not to propose to her, as he has planned on doing. Candy (Christina Moore) returns to the hospital and delivers her own baby.

     Given that Hawthorne begins as a standard procedural, there is no reason to watch the beginning of the series. This episode, however, is excellent, and if it representative of what the show has become, then Hawthorne deserves another chance. The story may be somewhat self contained, but also plays on larger arcs about relationships and pregnancies. There is a real focus on the characters and their various bonds rather than on a case of the week. With the slew of medical series currently on the air, this is the way to distinguish a show from its peers.

     While Smith is perhaps not the best actress around, especially in the scene where she silently pushes out her dead baby, she is surrounded by a number of wonderful actors who will make viewers mostly forget her shortcomings, at least for this episode. Keeping her confined to a hospital bed likely helps. It remains to be seen whether being at the center of such a huge loss, speaking of the baby, will find Smith up to the task or not. Vartan, too, shows the limited range he demonstrates on Alias, but to his credit, it seems more a part of his character, rather than bad acting.

     The contrast between Christina and Candy is nicely played, milking emotional impact out of both births, which happen very differently, but at the same time. Candy choosing to name her baby after Christina also slightly dampens the pure grief that comes with losing a child so early. While much of this episode focuses on death, the new life helps brighten the mood, though not in a stereotypical, cheesy way.

     As for Steve and Bobbie, it's hard not to dwell on whether or not their relationship can weather such a disloyal move by Bobby. Morrissey's decision to choose a new CNO is understandable from a business perspective, though making it a permanent decision seems unduly harsh. Bobbie only accepts to keep the job from someone else. Perhaps she thinks she can give it back to Christina when the time is right, though others would not. Yet, it's easy to see why Steve interprets Bobbie's actions as blatant betrayal against a close friend. Will Steve come around to her way of thinking, or will they be soon splitting up?

     Hawthorne airs Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

     Click here to buy season one and two of Hawthorne on DVD.

Article first published as TV Review: Hawthorne - "For Better or Worse" on Blogcritics.