Friday, January 1, 2010
Dexter: Now We're Talkin!
For a season that's been simmering during its first half, "Morning Comes" finally blew the lid off Dexter's sophomore year. Multiple plot lines reached a climax, characters showed their true colors and some just rocked the cradle. The first big development was the investigation into Miami's own officers as Lundy suspects the Butcher has law enforcement background. Just when Angel and Debra seemed on the verge of proving Lundy wrong, their fears were confirmed. Having Lundy know for certain that the Butcher is in law enforcement really amps up the pressure on Dexter. Judging from how Dexter nearly wilted under Lundy's interrogation concerning his cases, this can't bode well for our black-gloved vigilante. (Interesting side note: it might not have an "S" or a bat symbol, but Dexter has a crime-fighting costume. Notice, he wears the same shirt, pants and gloves when he makes his kills. Interesting, right?)
Speaking of Lundy, I was totally caught off guard by his burgeoning relationship with Deb. My girlfriend and I were arguing about this yesterday; I thought Lundy was acting as a father figure to Deb and she thought their connection was more romantic. Lesson I learned: don't doubt the opposite sex when it comes to their predictions on TV romances. Just don't. They live for this stuff. Getting back to the review, I found the dinner scene at Lundy's apartment even creepier. It wasn't so much watching a senior citizen hit on someone in their twenties that bothered me, either, as it was Lundy's behavior toward Deb. He was bossy, firm and in control of the situation- like they were still in the office. Now, as much as I like Deb as a character, I feel like the writers may be wasting her character here by constantly one-upping her odd relationships. First The Ice Truck Killer and now Lundy. Who's next? Doakes? Oh wait, maybe...
And with that mention of Doakes, let's talk about his big discovery in this episode- finding Dexter's blood slides. I've been saying all along that was a terrible place for Dexter to hide definitive proof linking him to his murders. After Brian routinely broke into his apartment last season, you'd think Dexter would think twice before stashing his collection behind an AC cover. But then, where would be the drama in that logical decision? And if anyone had to find it, I'm glad it was Doakes. His character has been dumbed down so much this season, I don't really fear for Dexter's secret with the blood in Doakes' hands. One thing that I would like to see come out of this discovery: a kick-ass fight between Doakes and Dexter. We got a glimpse at in "Born Free," but I'm itching for some full blown fisticuffs between these two. But even if that doesn't pan out, I'm anxious to see how Dexter decides to handle this situation. Will he kill Doakes? We shall see.
Finally, what review would be complete without a mention of Dexter's love life? This episode finally showed us the depth of Lila's craziness. To recap, she burns down her apartment, calls the killer of Dexter's mother and then breaks into Rita's house. This girl is definitely cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. In a way, though, she presents the same opportunity that Brian did last year for Dexter- a chance to be himself and not have to live a lie. But if Dexter proved anything with his brother, it's that he likes living a lie. Even after Harry's code unraveled around him, Dexter thrives best when he's killing and cleaning up his tracks. Whether or not he realizes it, leading a double life is how he prefers to do things. For that reason, I'm glad to have seen Lila serve her purpose.
These last four episodes of the season are going to be crazy. Here's to hoping they live up to the hype.
BUOY CLUB GRADE: 97 out of 100.
