'Dexter': Thanks (for giving me your murder weapon)

I've said this before, but sometimes "Dexter" suffers from the spectacular nature of its own premise. While I was watching tonight's episode I was sort of hoping for a little more "action," but it wasn't until I thought a bit more about it later I realized how neatly this season has explored another side of Dexter's (Michael C. Hall's) personality and how it builds even on the fact-finding episodes. 

While Dexter was hanging out with Trinity Killer Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow), the Neil Young song "Old Man" (with its lyric "Take a look at my life") might as well have been playing.  Of course in Dexter's mind, as he investigated Mitchell's charity housebuilding and "tacky but normal" home, he scoped out Mitchell the killer, seeing how he hung out in everyday life.  Dexter was also simultaneously taking a few notes for his own use as his own wife, Rita (Julie Benz), insisted on marriage counseling thanks to his recently revealed secret apartment.  But at the same time, Dexter could have been looking at a future version of himself.  Family man, a little strangely earnest, happily married with kids, protective brother, murderer.  Even Dexter recounting Arthur's morning routine was a bit of a callback to the show's opening montage, which the series likes to recall every now and then.

The episode in general was strikingly directed by Romeo Tirone -- I couldn't help but take notice of a beautiful close-up of Maria LaGuerta (Lauren Vélez), frankly the most captivated I've been by her since the early episodes of the show before she got swept away by a series of poorly informed romantic and professional choices.  Same with the shot of Dexter wielding a circular saw, thinking "Ready or not, here I come" as he gazed at Mitchell.  We didn't get to see him wield a weapon tonight, just weigh it in his hands.

-- Claire Zulkey

Photo: John Lithgow, left, as Arthur Mitchell and Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan. Credit: Randy Tepper / Showtime

Comments

[Sean]

Unfortunately this episode was about as exciting as watching paint dry. It was basically a filler episode. They had a bunch of story elements they needed to get in to advance the story on a bunch of different story arcs (Dexter/Trinity arc, Dexter/Rita fighting arc, Batista/Laguarda relationship arc, Quinn/Report Chick arc, Deb/Who Killed Lundy arc). It was all necessary, but none too exciting. The only interesting bit I thought was the Reporter Chick Quinn is dating kept eye balling him talking to Deb out the window of his apartment. They made enough of a point of showing it with several angles that they seemed to be hinting at something else. Most of the other stuff the viewer has already figured out on their own, e.g. vacation Murder's didn't kill Lundy, Trinity is acting out some kind of personal trauma.

[themothchase]

I have to disagree with other comments - this episode was anything but filler. One of the most amazing things about the show is that it is not only thrilling and sometimes a bit over the top melodramatic, but Dexter's own strange habits and outsider persona allow the show to meditate on what makes the normal world tick. Though I really haven't loved Rita at all this season, I loved the marriage counseling scenes; Dexter's baffled face as he tries to figure out what is expected of him, and even more so, what he might actually want or need was a wonderfully perceptive look into ordinary intimacy - how simple and how complicated it actually is. Plus, did you notice that Harry didn't show up once last night? Trinity/Arthur as a kind of surrogate father, or at least the author of a different code, is totally fascinating. I'll be glad to see Dexter wield his blade again, but I loved watching him face the family man dilemma.
~http://themothchase.wordpress.com

[Claudia]

I agree with themothchase. Every now and then (at least in the last two seasons) there are times when an episode is not particularly exciting or disturbing. However, behind all of those less stimulating episodes are layers of personal issues among the entire cast which keeps you on the line for more. Not to mention, the writers have done a terrific job on this season not constantly focusing on the Trinity killer, weaving other menacing and unfortunate bad guys in the mix along with the dilemmas Dexter faces making his transition to a "normal" family man. Every week, I am captivated by all the characters' stories intertwined in each episode and yet never losing the main emphasis of Dexters' character... keeps me wanting more.

[rheanna]

i love every episode of dexter. He may not kill someone is each episode, but so what? It's the story line behind it all that i'm most interested in. It's just like reading a book.... you cant have action on every single page. It's a brilliant series. People can love it or hate it, i dont care because i LOVE it!!