'Dexter': Doakes is gone in a bang

The biggest surprise of “Dexter” on Sunday night wasn’t that Sgt. James Doakes was killed. Nor was it that his death was at the hands of Dexter’s psychotic ex-girlfriend Lila (Jaime Murray) rather than Dexter himself. What was most shocking was that it happened within the first 10 minutes of the Showtime series’ season finale.

Though fans of Doakes are undoubtedly sad to see the irascible character go out with a literal bang, true to form, he showed only irritation and anxiety, rather than pants-wetting fear, at the predicament of being locked in a cabin about to explode.

Erik King, who played the dearly departed Doakes, said on the telephone recently: “I don’t say that there isn’t fear, but I think that in some ways Doakes is that guy who will always push it to the limit. With his Special Ops background, you have to believe that this is probably not the first time he has been captured or held against his will.”

It seemed fitting that Dexter (Michael C. Hall) — with the question of whether to turn himself in or murder his captive answered for him — chose to “honor” Doakes’ memory by enjoying his freedom after the cabin explosion, in a clever callback to the show’s opening credits. This sort of dark humor was one of the hallmarks of the relationship between Dexter and Doakes, so Dexter’s rather flippant memorial was pleasurable to watch.

Deb Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) hasn't always been a fan favorite on "Dexter."  On many a message board since the show debuted last season, viewers have literally called for her head.  Maybe it was her impulsiveness, her immaturity, her obliviousness as a cop.  However, this season a female more odious than Deb appeared on the scene: Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) NA sponsor, erstwhile lover and "soul mate" Lila (Jaime Murray).  Last night, Deb finally redeemed herself.  Sure, she stood up for her boyfriend, Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine), and her ruminations on how she was able to survive after escaping the clutches of the Ice Truck Killer convinced her brother not to surrender to the police as the Bay Harbor Butcher. But more importantly, she managed to track down Lila's real identity and had a showdown with her. Deb's personality and language had sometimes been grating up until this point, but it all came together when she told the British artist to quit messing with the people she loved and to get out of Dodge.

Dexter had a lot to consider in the episode: whether he was in fact evil, what could be done about it, what could be done about his captor, Sgt. Doakes (Erik King).  However, the actual evil in the episode wasn't in him, it was in Lila, who had already shown that she wasn't afraid to cross boundaries by invading the personal space of Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz), by potentially ruining the life of Dexter's coworker Angel Batista (David Zayas), and by doing violence to get attention.  Maybe this is why Dexter seemed to get some pleasure out of telling Lila that there was nothing she could do to touch him anymore -- he fights evil after all, in his own way.  But we'll still have to see what will happen when Lila works her magic on Doakes.  The happier Dexter gets, the crazier Lila behaves, and Dexter seemed pretty content at the end of last night's episode, which does not bode well for Lila's next "friend."

-- Claire Zulkey

(Photo courtesy Peter Iovino / Showtime)

The gloves have come off and it's a fight worth watching.  Finally, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) has someone he can openly discuss murder with. Watching him chat with his captive, Sgt. James Doakes (Erik King), the audience saw the "real" Dexter, who more resembles one of those funny and clever evil villains we all love than the stiff blood-spatter expert he presents to the world. "Why did you have to go and ruin everything?" Dexter asked Doakes, but in reality, there must have been some relief on Dexter's part that he for once didn't have to pretend. In true epic form, Dexter pointed out to Doakes that they were not so dissimilar -- both were murderers, with a "professional courtesy." Doakes rejected that claim, saying he worked within the confines of the law, which Dexter wryly pointed out meant that Doakes just got a paycheck for killing people. 

So it’s come to this. It’s unlikely that Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) and James Doakes (Erik King) are both going to come out of this little pickle alive. But do we really have to do without one of them?

Last night’s episode of “Dexter” forced audience members to suspend even more disbelief than usual. Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) and his team informed Dexter that Doakes, his nemesis, was the prime suspect in the Bay Harbor Butcher case. Instead of taking him off the case due to a conflict of interest, the team hoped that Dexter’s antipathy towards Doakes would serve as “motivation” in analyzing the blood samples from his own trophy case.

Thank goodness "Dexter" was shot far ahead of time, because the way this season is trending, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to leave its viewers dangling at any point during the home stretch. Several situations are set to pop on the show and, deliciously, they seem to be outside Dexter's (Michael C. Hall's) realm of control unless he does something drastic. 

First, Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) has figured out that the Bay Harbor Butcher is indeed in the Miami Police Department and has also ascertained that Dexter hasn't done the best job possible on some of his cases. Perhaps more sinister, though, is his burgeoning relationship with Dexter's sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter). While Lundy is obviously giving Debra something she needs romantically, so did her last major love, the Ice Truck Killer. It seems odd that Lundy would do something as unwise as date someone within his department, and an underling at that. Is he going to prove Deb to be the unluckiest-in-love woman in the history of time? 

Women! Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em. Well, most of them. 

The women on "Dexter" got our hero all shook up last night. Dexter (Michael C. Hall), going through rehab and discovering that his foster father, Harry (James Remar), apparently had an affair with his later-murdered biological mother, pondered whether Harry could help his murderous tendencies, which begs the question of whether he would rather be normal. Sure, his life would be easier without the sneaking around and the lies, but what would he be without his secret identity? Moreover, do his fans want him to be normal? (Of course not.)

"The future might hold something different for me," Dexter (Michael C. Hall) muses at the end of last night's episode, and if this particular installment is any indication, he was referring to a lot of other people in his world.

If there's one main weakness with Showtime's murderous show, it's that it often feels like it's in second gear when it's focusing on anyone other than its hero.  Maybe it's simply too difficult to make other characters shine in comparison to your average sarcastic, witty serial killer on the police force.

The best secondary characters have been Rita (Julie Benz), Dexter's kind and strong girlfriend, who matches him well because, in her way, she has as many issues as he does, and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), Dexter's nemesis in the police department.  Some of the best laughs on the show are Dexter's benign greetings to Doakes, which are returned with malicious cursing and volleyed back with idiotic cheeriness by Dexter, who knows that Doakes is the only one on the force with any idea that he might be up to something.  Doakes' angry suspicion made him a great foil for Dexter, but the audience now has been fed a back story on the sergeant involving a divorce and a traumatic turn as a Special Ops ranger.  Do we really want to know why Doakes is the way he is?  It was more fun to see him as a crank.

At the start of last night's episode, all is not right in Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) world, which really annoys him.  Our favorite serial killer likes things neat and tidy, but unfortunately the death of his brother (who he happened to kill) is still bothering him, which prevents him from going about his deathly business.  Plus, the hiding place for his corpses has been discovered and, maybe worst of all, his annoying younger sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is staying with him and making a mess of his pristine apartment.  He's an orderly sort of fellow, and any alteration in the status quo throws him off his game. 

Meanwhile, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) decides to have a funeral for her convict ex-husband, Paul (Mark Pellegrino), who Dexter happened to put in jail.  Dexter advises Rita that the state could bury Paul at no expense.  He does so partially because he doesn't want her to spend money on a dead loser, but also because it irritates him that other people can't neatly sort away death the way he can.  This episode is all about the non-neatness of death.  First and foremost, Dexter mourns the loss of his brother, the Ice Truck Killer (Christian Camargo).  Of course, their origin as killers comes from the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.   Also unable to cope with death is Deb, still reeling from the discovery that her fiance was the Ice Truck Killer (why she is allowed back on the police force so soon and why she is not under psychiatric care is unclear).

Perhaps sympathy for a young girl whose mother was slain on the order of gang lord Little Chino (Matthew Willig), a would-be victim who Dexter let get away, finally spurs our hero to deal with death the way he knows best -- by causing it.  And despite his objections toward Paul's funeral, Dexter finds the value in finally grieving and releasing his brother.  Although with Deb's constant outbursts, tantrums and stubbornness, the question must be raised of whether Dexter killed the wrong sibling. 

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip. 

'Dexter': Deb does good

Deb Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) hasn't always been a fan favorite on "Dexter."  On many a message board since the show debuted last season, viewers have literally called for her head.  Maybe it was her impulsiveness, her immaturity, her obliviousness as a cop.  However, this season a female more odious than Deb appeared on the scene: Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) NA sponsor, erstwhile lover and "soul mate" Lila (Jaime Murray).  Last night, Deb finally redeemed herself.  Sure, she stood up for her boyfriend, Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine), and her ruminations on how she was able to survive after escaping the clutches of the Ice Truck Killer convinced her brother not to surrender to the police as the Bay Harbor Butcher. But more importantly, she managed to track down Lila's real identity and had a showdown with her. Deb's personality and language had sometimes been grating up until this point, but it all came together when she told the British artist to quit messing with the people she loved and to get out of Dodge.

Dexter had a lot to consider in the episode: whether he was in fact evil, what could be done about it, what could be done about his captor, Sgt. Doakes (Erik King).  However, the actual evil in the episode wasn't in him, it was in Lila, who had already shown that she wasn't afraid to cross boundaries by invading the personal space of Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz), by potentially ruining the life of Dexter's coworker Angel Batista (David Zayas), and by doing violence to get attention.  Maybe this is why Dexter seemed to get some pleasure out of telling Lila that there was nothing she could do to touch him anymore -- he fights evil after all, in his own way.  But we'll still have to see what will happen when Lila works her magic on Doakes.  The happier Dexter gets, the crazier Lila behaves, and Dexter seemed pretty content at the end of last night's episode, which does not bode well for Lila's next "friend."

-- Claire Zulkey

(Photo courtesy Peter Iovino / Showtime)

The gloves have come off and it's a fight worth watching.  Finally, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) has someone he can openly discuss murder with. Watching him chat with his captive, Sgt. James Doakes (Erik King), the audience saw the "real" Dexter, who more resembles one of those funny and clever evil villains we all love than the stiff blood-spatter expert he presents to the world. "Why did you have to go and ruin everything?" Dexter asked Doakes, but in reality, there must have been some relief on Dexter's part that he for once didn't have to pretend. In true epic form, Dexter pointed out to Doakes that they were not so dissimilar -- both were murderers, with a "professional courtesy." Doakes rejected that claim, saying he worked within the confines of the law, which Dexter wryly pointed out meant that Doakes just got a paycheck for killing people. 

So it’s come to this. It’s unlikely that Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) and James Doakes (Erik King) are both going to come out of this little pickle alive. But do we really have to do without one of them?

Last night’s episode of “Dexter” forced audience members to suspend even more disbelief than usual. Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) and his team informed Dexter that Doakes, his nemesis, was the prime suspect in the Bay Harbor Butcher case. Instead of taking him off the case due to a conflict of interest, the team hoped that Dexter’s antipathy towards Doakes would serve as “motivation” in analyzing the blood samples from his own trophy case.

Thank goodness "Dexter" was shot far ahead of time, because the way this season is trending, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to leave its viewers dangling at any point during the home stretch. Several situations are set to pop on the show and, deliciously, they seem to be outside Dexter's (Michael C. Hall's) realm of control unless he does something drastic. 

First, Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) has figured out that the Bay Harbor Butcher is indeed in the Miami Police Department and has also ascertained that Dexter hasn't done the best job possible on some of his cases. Perhaps more sinister, though, is his burgeoning relationship with Dexter's sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter). While Lundy is obviously giving Debra something she needs romantically, so did her last major love, the Ice Truck Killer. It seems odd that Lundy would do something as unwise as date someone within his department, and an underling at that. Is he going to prove Deb to be the unluckiest-in-love woman in the history of time? 

Women! Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em. Well, most of them. 

The women on "Dexter" got our hero all shook up last night. Dexter (Michael C. Hall), going through rehab and discovering that his foster father, Harry (James Remar), apparently had an affair with his later-murdered biological mother, pondered whether Harry could help his murderous tendencies, which begs the question of whether he would rather be normal. Sure, his life would be easier without the sneaking around and the lies, but what would he be without his secret identity? Moreover, do his fans want him to be normal? (Of course not.)

"The future might hold something different for me," Dexter (Michael C. Hall) muses at the end of last night's episode, and if this particular installment is any indication, he was referring to a lot of other people in his world.

If there's one main weakness with Showtime's murderous show, it's that it often feels like it's in second gear when it's focusing on anyone other than its hero.  Maybe it's simply too difficult to make other characters shine in comparison to your average sarcastic, witty serial killer on the police force.

The best secondary characters have been Rita (Julie Benz), Dexter's kind and strong girlfriend, who matches him well because, in her way, she has as many issues as he does, and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), Dexter's nemesis in the police department.  Some of the best laughs on the show are Dexter's benign greetings to Doakes, which are returned with malicious cursing and volleyed back with idiotic cheeriness by Dexter, who knows that Doakes is the only one on the force with any idea that he might be up to something.  Doakes' angry suspicion made him a great foil for Dexter, but the audience now has been fed a back story on the sergeant involving a divorce and a traumatic turn as a Special Ops ranger.  Do we really want to know why Doakes is the way he is?  It was more fun to see him as a crank.

At the start of last night's episode, all is not right in Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) world, which really annoys him.  Our favorite serial killer likes things neat and tidy, but unfortunately the death of his brother (who he happened to kill) is still bothering him, which prevents him from going about his deathly business.  Plus, the hiding place for his corpses has been discovered and, maybe worst of all, his annoying younger sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is staying with him and making a mess of his pristine apartment.  He's an orderly sort of fellow, and any alteration in the status quo throws him off his game. 

Meanwhile, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) decides to have a funeral for her convict ex-husband, Paul (Mark Pellegrino), who Dexter happened to put in jail.  Dexter advises Rita that the state could bury Paul at no expense.  He does so partially because he doesn't want her to spend money on a dead loser, but also because it irritates him that other people can't neatly sort away death the way he can.  This episode is all about the non-neatness of death.  First and foremost, Dexter mourns the loss of his brother, the Ice Truck Killer (Christian Camargo).  Of course, their origin as killers comes from the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.   Also unable to cope with death is Deb, still reeling from the discovery that her fiance was the Ice Truck Killer (why she is allowed back on the police force so soon and why she is not under psychiatric care is unclear).

Perhaps sympathy for a young girl whose mother was slain on the order of gang lord Little Chino (Matthew Willig), a would-be victim who Dexter let get away, finally spurs our hero to deal with death the way he knows best -- by causing it.  And despite his objections toward Paul's funeral, Dexter finds the value in finally grieving and releasing his brother.  Although with Deb's constant outbursts, tantrums and stubbornness, the question must be raised of whether Dexter killed the wrong sibling. 

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip. 

'Dexter': The Doakes and Dex show!

The gloves have come off and it's a fight worth watching.  Finally, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) has someone he can openly discuss murder with. Watching him chat with his captive, Sgt. James Doakes (Erik King), the audience saw the "real" Dexter, who more resembles one of those funny and clever evil villains we all love than the stiff blood-spatter expert he presents to the world. "Why did you have to go and ruin everything?" Dexter asked Doakes, but in reality, there must have been some relief on Dexter's part that he for once didn't have to pretend. In true epic form, Dexter pointed out to Doakes that they were not so dissimilar -- both were murderers, with a "professional courtesy." Doakes rejected that claim, saying he worked within the confines of the law, which Dexter wryly pointed out meant that Doakes just got a paycheck for killing people. 

So it’s come to this. It’s unlikely that Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) and James Doakes (Erik King) are both going to come out of this little pickle alive. But do we really have to do without one of them?

Last night’s episode of “Dexter” forced audience members to suspend even more disbelief than usual. Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) and his team informed Dexter that Doakes, his nemesis, was the prime suspect in the Bay Harbor Butcher case. Instead of taking him off the case due to a conflict of interest, the team hoped that Dexter’s antipathy towards Doakes would serve as “motivation” in analyzing the blood samples from his own trophy case.

Thank goodness "Dexter" was shot far ahead of time, because the way this season is trending, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to leave its viewers dangling at any point during the home stretch. Several situations are set to pop on the show and, deliciously, they seem to be outside Dexter's (Michael C. Hall's) realm of control unless he does something drastic. 

First, Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) has figured out that the Bay Harbor Butcher is indeed in the Miami Police Department and has also ascertained that Dexter hasn't done the best job possible on some of his cases. Perhaps more sinister, though, is his burgeoning relationship with Dexter's sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter). While Lundy is obviously giving Debra something she needs romantically, so did her last major love, the Ice Truck Killer. It seems odd that Lundy would do something as unwise as date someone within his department, and an underling at that. Is he going to prove Deb to be the unluckiest-in-love woman in the history of time? 

Women! Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em. Well, most of them. 

The women on "Dexter" got our hero all shook up last night. Dexter (Michael C. Hall), going through rehab and discovering that his foster father, Harry (James Remar), apparently had an affair with his later-murdered biological mother, pondered whether Harry could help his murderous tendencies, which begs the question of whether he would rather be normal. Sure, his life would be easier without the sneaking around and the lies, but what would he be without his secret identity? Moreover, do his fans want him to be normal? (Of course not.)

"The future might hold something different for me," Dexter (Michael C. Hall) muses at the end of last night's episode, and if this particular installment is any indication, he was referring to a lot of other people in his world.

If there's one main weakness with Showtime's murderous show, it's that it often feels like it's in second gear when it's focusing on anyone other than its hero.  Maybe it's simply too difficult to make other characters shine in comparison to your average sarcastic, witty serial killer on the police force.

The best secondary characters have been Rita (Julie Benz), Dexter's kind and strong girlfriend, who matches him well because, in her way, she has as many issues as he does, and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), Dexter's nemesis in the police department.  Some of the best laughs on the show are Dexter's benign greetings to Doakes, which are returned with malicious cursing and volleyed back with idiotic cheeriness by Dexter, who knows that Doakes is the only one on the force with any idea that he might be up to something.  Doakes' angry suspicion made him a great foil for Dexter, but the audience now has been fed a back story on the sergeant involving a divorce and a traumatic turn as a Special Ops ranger.  Do we really want to know why Doakes is the way he is?  It was more fun to see him as a crank.

At the start of last night's episode, all is not right in Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) world, which really annoys him.  Our favorite serial killer likes things neat and tidy, but unfortunately the death of his brother (who he happened to kill) is still bothering him, which prevents him from going about his deathly business.  Plus, the hiding place for his corpses has been discovered and, maybe worst of all, his annoying younger sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is staying with him and making a mess of his pristine apartment.  He's an orderly sort of fellow, and any alteration in the status quo throws him off his game. 

Meanwhile, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) decides to have a funeral for her convict ex-husband, Paul (Mark Pellegrino), who Dexter happened to put in jail.  Dexter advises Rita that the state could bury Paul at no expense.  He does so partially because he doesn't want her to spend money on a dead loser, but also because it irritates him that other people can't neatly sort away death the way he can.  This episode is all about the non-neatness of death.  First and foremost, Dexter mourns the loss of his brother, the Ice Truck Killer (Christian Camargo).  Of course, their origin as killers comes from the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.   Also unable to cope with death is Deb, still reeling from the discovery that her fiance was the Ice Truck Killer (why she is allowed back on the police force so soon and why she is not under psychiatric care is unclear).

Perhaps sympathy for a young girl whose mother was slain on the order of gang lord Little Chino (Matthew Willig), a would-be victim who Dexter let get away, finally spurs our hero to deal with death the way he knows best -- by causing it.  And despite his objections toward Paul's funeral, Dexter finds the value in finally grieving and releasing his brother.  Although with Deb's constant outbursts, tantrums and stubbornness, the question must be raised of whether Dexter killed the wrong sibling. 

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip. 

'Dexter': Showdown!

So it’s come to this. It’s unlikely that Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) and James Doakes (Erik King) are both going to come out of this little pickle alive. But do we really have to do without one of them?

Last night’s episode of “Dexter” forced audience members to suspend even more disbelief than usual. Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) and his team informed Dexter that Doakes, his nemesis, was the prime suspect in the Bay Harbor Butcher case. Instead of taking him off the case due to a conflict of interest, the team hoped that Dexter’s antipathy towards Doakes would serve as “motivation” in analyzing the blood samples from his own trophy case.

Thank goodness "Dexter" was shot far ahead of time, because the way this season is trending, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to leave its viewers dangling at any point during the home stretch. Several situations are set to pop on the show and, deliciously, they seem to be outside Dexter's (Michael C. Hall's) realm of control unless he does something drastic. 

First, Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) has figured out that the Bay Harbor Butcher is indeed in the Miami Police Department and has also ascertained that Dexter hasn't done the best job possible on some of his cases. Perhaps more sinister, though, is his burgeoning relationship with Dexter's sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter). While Lundy is obviously giving Debra something she needs romantically, so did her last major love, the Ice Truck Killer. It seems odd that Lundy would do something as unwise as date someone within his department, and an underling at that. Is he going to prove Deb to be the unluckiest-in-love woman in the history of time? 

Women! Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em. Well, most of them. 

The women on "Dexter" got our hero all shook up last night. Dexter (Michael C. Hall), going through rehab and discovering that his foster father, Harry (James Remar), apparently had an affair with his later-murdered biological mother, pondered whether Harry could help his murderous tendencies, which begs the question of whether he would rather be normal. Sure, his life would be easier without the sneaking around and the lies, but what would he be without his secret identity? Moreover, do his fans want him to be normal? (Of course not.)

"The future might hold something different for me," Dexter (Michael C. Hall) muses at the end of last night's episode, and if this particular installment is any indication, he was referring to a lot of other people in his world.

If there's one main weakness with Showtime's murderous show, it's that it often feels like it's in second gear when it's focusing on anyone other than its hero.  Maybe it's simply too difficult to make other characters shine in comparison to your average sarcastic, witty serial killer on the police force.

The best secondary characters have been Rita (Julie Benz), Dexter's kind and strong girlfriend, who matches him well because, in her way, she has as many issues as he does, and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), Dexter's nemesis in the police department.  Some of the best laughs on the show are Dexter's benign greetings to Doakes, which are returned with malicious cursing and volleyed back with idiotic cheeriness by Dexter, who knows that Doakes is the only one on the force with any idea that he might be up to something.  Doakes' angry suspicion made him a great foil for Dexter, but the audience now has been fed a back story on the sergeant involving a divorce and a traumatic turn as a Special Ops ranger.  Do we really want to know why Doakes is the way he is?  It was more fun to see him as a crank.

At the start of last night's episode, all is not right in Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) world, which really annoys him.  Our favorite serial killer likes things neat and tidy, but unfortunately the death of his brother (who he happened to kill) is still bothering him, which prevents him from going about his deathly business.  Plus, the hiding place for his corpses has been discovered and, maybe worst of all, his annoying younger sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is staying with him and making a mess of his pristine apartment.  He's an orderly sort of fellow, and any alteration in the status quo throws him off his game. 

Meanwhile, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) decides to have a funeral for her convict ex-husband, Paul (Mark Pellegrino), who Dexter happened to put in jail.  Dexter advises Rita that the state could bury Paul at no expense.  He does so partially because he doesn't want her to spend money on a dead loser, but also because it irritates him that other people can't neatly sort away death the way he can.  This episode is all about the non-neatness of death.  First and foremost, Dexter mourns the loss of his brother, the Ice Truck Killer (Christian Camargo).  Of course, their origin as killers comes from the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.   Also unable to cope with death is Deb, still reeling from the discovery that her fiance was the Ice Truck Killer (why she is allowed back on the police force so soon and why she is not under psychiatric care is unclear).

Perhaps sympathy for a young girl whose mother was slain on the order of gang lord Little Chino (Matthew Willig), a would-be victim who Dexter let get away, finally spurs our hero to deal with death the way he knows best -- by causing it.  And despite his objections toward Paul's funeral, Dexter finds the value in finally grieving and releasing his brother.  Although with Deb's constant outbursts, tantrums and stubbornness, the question must be raised of whether Dexter killed the wrong sibling. 

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip. 

'Dexter': Don't go anywhere!

Thank goodness "Dexter" was shot far ahead of time, because the way this season is trending, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to leave its viewers dangling at any point during the home stretch. Several situations are set to pop on the show and, deliciously, they seem to be outside Dexter's (Michael C. Hall's) realm of control unless he does something drastic. 

First, Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) has figured out that the Bay Harbor Butcher is indeed in the Miami Police Department and has also ascertained that Dexter hasn't done the best job possible on some of his cases. Perhaps more sinister, though, is his burgeoning relationship with Dexter's sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter). While Lundy is obviously giving Debra something she needs romantically, so did her last major love, the Ice Truck Killer. It seems odd that Lundy would do something as unwise as date someone within his department, and an underling at that. Is he going to prove Deb to be the unluckiest-in-love woman in the history of time? 

Women! Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em. Well, most of them. 

The women on "Dexter" got our hero all shook up last night. Dexter (Michael C. Hall), going through rehab and discovering that his foster father, Harry (James Remar), apparently had an affair with his later-murdered biological mother, pondered whether Harry could help his murderous tendencies, which begs the question of whether he would rather be normal. Sure, his life would be easier without the sneaking around and the lies, but what would he be without his secret identity? Moreover, do his fans want him to be normal? (Of course not.)

"The future might hold something different for me," Dexter (Michael C. Hall) muses at the end of last night's episode, and if this particular installment is any indication, he was referring to a lot of other people in his world.

If there's one main weakness with Showtime's murderous show, it's that it often feels like it's in second gear when it's focusing on anyone other than its hero.  Maybe it's simply too difficult to make other characters shine in comparison to your average sarcastic, witty serial killer on the police force.

The best secondary characters have been Rita (Julie Benz), Dexter's kind and strong girlfriend, who matches him well because, in her way, she has as many issues as he does, and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), Dexter's nemesis in the police department.  Some of the best laughs on the show are Dexter's benign greetings to Doakes, which are returned with malicious cursing and volleyed back with idiotic cheeriness by Dexter, who knows that Doakes is the only one on the force with any idea that he might be up to something.  Doakes' angry suspicion made him a great foil for Dexter, but the audience now has been fed a back story on the sergeant involving a divorce and a traumatic turn as a Special Ops ranger.  Do we really want to know why Doakes is the way he is?  It was more fun to see him as a crank.

At the start of last night's episode, all is not right in Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) world, which really annoys him.  Our favorite serial killer likes things neat and tidy, but unfortunately the death of his brother (who he happened to kill) is still bothering him, which prevents him from going about his deathly business.  Plus, the hiding place for his corpses has been discovered and, maybe worst of all, his annoying younger sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is staying with him and making a mess of his pristine apartment.  He's an orderly sort of fellow, and any alteration in the status quo throws him off his game. 

Meanwhile, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) decides to have a funeral for her convict ex-husband, Paul (Mark Pellegrino), who Dexter happened to put in jail.  Dexter advises Rita that the state could bury Paul at no expense.  He does so partially because he doesn't want her to spend money on a dead loser, but also because it irritates him that other people can't neatly sort away death the way he can.  This episode is all about the non-neatness of death.  First and foremost, Dexter mourns the loss of his brother, the Ice Truck Killer (Christian Camargo).  Of course, their origin as killers comes from the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.   Also unable to cope with death is Deb, still reeling from the discovery that her fiance was the Ice Truck Killer (why she is allowed back on the police force so soon and why she is not under psychiatric care is unclear).

Perhaps sympathy for a young girl whose mother was slain on the order of gang lord Little Chino (Matthew Willig), a would-be victim who Dexter let get away, finally spurs our hero to deal with death the way he knows best -- by causing it.  And despite his objections toward Paul's funeral, Dexter finds the value in finally grieving and releasing his brother.  Although with Deb's constant outbursts, tantrums and stubbornness, the question must be raised of whether Dexter killed the wrong sibling. 

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip. 

'Dexter': Women on top

Women! Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em. Well, most of them. 

The women on "Dexter" got our hero all shook up last night. Dexter (Michael C. Hall), going through rehab and discovering that his foster father, Harry (James Remar), apparently had an affair with his later-murdered biological mother, pondered whether Harry could help his murderous tendencies, which begs the question of whether he would rather be normal. Sure, his life would be easier without the sneaking around and the lies, but what would he be without his secret identity? Moreover, do his fans want him to be normal? (Of course not.)

"The future might hold something different for me," Dexter (Michael C. Hall) muses at the end of last night's episode, and if this particular installment is any indication, he was referring to a lot of other people in his world.

If there's one main weakness with Showtime's murderous show, it's that it often feels like it's in second gear when it's focusing on anyone other than its hero.  Maybe it's simply too difficult to make other characters shine in comparison to your average sarcastic, witty serial killer on the police force.

The best secondary characters have been Rita (Julie Benz), Dexter's kind and strong girlfriend, who matches him well because, in her way, she has as many issues as he does, and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), Dexter's nemesis in the police department.  Some of the best laughs on the show are Dexter's benign greetings to Doakes, which are returned with malicious cursing and volleyed back with idiotic cheeriness by Dexter, who knows that Doakes is the only one on the force with any idea that he might be up to something.  Doakes' angry suspicion made him a great foil for Dexter, but the audience now has been fed a back story on the sergeant involving a divorce and a traumatic turn as a Special Ops ranger.  Do we really want to know why Doakes is the way he is?  It was more fun to see him as a crank.

At the start of last night's episode, all is not right in Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) world, which really annoys him.  Our favorite serial killer likes things neat and tidy, but unfortunately the death of his brother (who he happened to kill) is still bothering him, which prevents him from going about his deathly business.  Plus, the hiding place for his corpses has been discovered and, maybe worst of all, his annoying younger sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is staying with him and making a mess of his pristine apartment.  He's an orderly sort of fellow, and any alteration in the status quo throws him off his game. 

Meanwhile, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) decides to have a funeral for her convict ex-husband, Paul (Mark Pellegrino), who Dexter happened to put in jail.  Dexter advises Rita that the state could bury Paul at no expense.  He does so partially because he doesn't want her to spend money on a dead loser, but also because it irritates him that other people can't neatly sort away death the way he can.  This episode is all about the non-neatness of death.  First and foremost, Dexter mourns the loss of his brother, the Ice Truck Killer (Christian Camargo).  Of course, their origin as killers comes from the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.   Also unable to cope with death is Deb, still reeling from the discovery that her fiance was the Ice Truck Killer (why she is allowed back on the police force so soon and why she is not under psychiatric care is unclear).

Perhaps sympathy for a young girl whose mother was slain on the order of gang lord Little Chino (Matthew Willig), a would-be victim who Dexter let get away, finally spurs our hero to deal with death the way he knows best -- by causing it.  And despite his objections toward Paul's funeral, Dexter finds the value in finally grieving and releasing his brother.  Although with Deb's constant outbursts, tantrums and stubbornness, the question must be raised of whether Dexter killed the wrong sibling. 

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip. 

'Dexter': Going deep -- but do we want to?

"The future might hold something different for me," Dexter (Michael C. Hall) muses at the end of last night's episode, and if this particular installment is any indication, he was referring to a lot of other people in his world.

If there's one main weakness with Showtime's murderous show, it's that it often feels like it's in second gear when it's focusing on anyone other than its hero.  Maybe it's simply too difficult to make other characters shine in comparison to your average sarcastic, witty serial killer on the police force.

The best secondary characters have been Rita (Julie Benz), Dexter's kind and strong girlfriend, who matches him well because, in her way, she has as many issues as he does, and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), Dexter's nemesis in the police department.  Some of the best laughs on the show are Dexter's benign greetings to Doakes, which are returned with malicious cursing and volleyed back with idiotic cheeriness by Dexter, who knows that Doakes is the only one on the force with any idea that he might be up to something.  Doakes' angry suspicion made him a great foil for Dexter, but the audience now has been fed a back story on the sergeant involving a divorce and a traumatic turn as a Special Ops ranger.  Do we really want to know why Doakes is the way he is?  It was more fun to see him as a crank.

At the start of last night's episode, all is not right in Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) world, which really annoys him.  Our favorite serial killer likes things neat and tidy, but unfortunately the death of his brother (who he happened to kill) is still bothering him, which prevents him from going about his deathly business.  Plus, the hiding place for his corpses has been discovered and, maybe worst of all, his annoying younger sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is staying with him and making a mess of his pristine apartment.  He's an orderly sort of fellow, and any alteration in the status quo throws him off his game. 

Meanwhile, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) decides to have a funeral for her convict ex-husband, Paul (Mark Pellegrino), who Dexter happened to put in jail.  Dexter advises Rita that the state could bury Paul at no expense.  He does so partially because he doesn't want her to spend money on a dead loser, but also because it irritates him that other people can't neatly sort away death the way he can.  This episode is all about the non-neatness of death.  First and foremost, Dexter mourns the loss of his brother, the Ice Truck Killer (Christian Camargo).  Of course, their origin as killers comes from the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.   Also unable to cope with death is Deb, still reeling from the discovery that her fiance was the Ice Truck Killer (why she is allowed back on the police force so soon and why she is not under psychiatric care is unclear).

Perhaps sympathy for a young girl whose mother was slain on the order of gang lord Little Chino (Matthew Willig), a would-be victim who Dexter let get away, finally spurs our hero to deal with death the way he knows best -- by causing it.  And despite his objections toward Paul's funeral, Dexter finds the value in finally grieving and releasing his brother.  Although with Deb's constant outbursts, tantrums and stubbornness, the question must be raised of whether Dexter killed the wrong sibling. 

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip. 

'Dexter': 'I will not kill my sister. I will not kill my sister'

At the start of last night's episode, all is not right in Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) world, which really annoys him.  Our favorite serial killer likes things neat and tidy, but unfortunately the death of his brother (who he happened to kill) is still bothering him, which prevents him from going about his deathly business.  Plus, the hiding place for his corpses has been discovered and, maybe worst of all, his annoying younger sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is staying with him and making a mess of his pristine apartment.  He's an orderly sort of fellow, and any alteration in the status quo throws him off his game. 

Meanwhile, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) decides to have a funeral for her convict ex-husband, Paul (Mark Pellegrino), who Dexter happened to put in jail.  Dexter advises Rita that the state could bury Paul at no expense.  He does so partially because he doesn't want her to spend money on a dead loser, but also because it irritates him that other people can't neatly sort away death the way he can.  This episode is all about the non-neatness of death.  First and foremost, Dexter mourns the loss of his brother, the Ice Truck Killer (Christian Camargo).  Of course, their origin as killers comes from the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.   Also unable to cope with death is Deb, still reeling from the discovery that her fiance was the Ice Truck Killer (why she is allowed back on the police force so soon and why she is not under psychiatric care is unclear).

Perhaps sympathy for a young girl whose mother was slain on the order of gang lord Little Chino (Matthew Willig), a would-be victim who Dexter let get away, finally spurs our hero to deal with death the way he knows best -- by causing it.  And despite his objections toward Paul's funeral, Dexter finds the value in finally grieving and releasing his brother.  Although with Deb's constant outbursts, tantrums and stubbornness, the question must be raised of whether Dexter killed the wrong sibling. 

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip. 

'Dexter': Still dark and delicious

In superhero movies, doesn't it seem like the villain has more fun than the good guy?   Unfortunately, it's always spoiled when the good guy wins.  But what if the good guy was the bad guy?  He'd have the inner conflict, alter ego and tortured past mixed with snappy one-liners, fearlessness and, most important, no problem drawing a little blood. 

Showtime's "Dexter" is based on Jeff Lindsay's novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter."  In its debut season last year, audiences got to know eponymous hero (or antihero) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensics specialist for the Miami-Dade Police Department who cannot quash an inherent need to kill, and thus channels it in a "constructive" way by murdering heinous criminals whom the police have been unable to catch.  As you'd expect from a serial killer, Dexter is devoid of emotion, but he keeps up appearances with a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), his colleagues and his adopted sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), for whom he seems to have genuine affection. 

In fact, this affection caused Dexter confusion at the end of last season.  After tracking and admiring the ruthless Ice Truck Killer, Dexter discovers that the murderer is none other than his own long-lost brother, who, oops, is about to kill Deb.   Also, Deb happens to be engaged to the Ice Truck Killer (not very good detective work on her part -- she too works for the police department).  It sounds soap-opery, but think of it more like a serial -- no pun intended -- comic strip.