Contributor: Gregg Wright
Written by Scott Reynolds
Directed by Ernest Dickerson
Five episodes in, and it’s still not really clear what the main direction of the season is. The season so far has been spent on setting up chess pieces. Sirko has already been introduced, but this is the episode where we really begin to see what kind of a threat he poses to Dexter, as the two face off for the first time. While Dexter may have the edge in cunning, Sirko may be the most physically dangerous opponent that Dexter has ever faced.
But now that Sirko has had a chance to show how dangerous he can be, the writers have found a way of setting him aside temporarily. There’s no doubt that he’ll be back before long to finish his fight with Dexter. But he’s such a relentless force of nature, the writers found it necessary to use delaying tactics, presumably to unleash him once again at the worst possible time. This leaves us with the question: what will the season focus on now?
We do have the continuing problem of LaGuerta’s investigation, as well as Deb’s complicated feelings about being pulled deeper and deeper into Dexter’s world. And it isn’t likely that Angel is going to give up on his theory. And, of course, there’s Hannah McKay. Previously thought to be a sweet, innocent victim–whose growing romantic chemistry with Dexter was hard to miss–her true nature is now revealed. Now it’s quite possible that she’ll end up on Dexter’s table, unless Dexter starts to like her too much.
In the wake of Louis’s death, I’m still trying to figure out just what I think of this season. I’m finding a lot to like about it, but the real test will be how everything comes together and the wild twists and turns that tend to make up the best seasons of “Dexter”. So far, I’m finding this season to be effective, but aside from the Deb situation, it still doesn’t really stand out from any other season of “Dexter”. And I’m significantly more skeptical of any season after the poor way that the previous two were wrapped up.
The point is, most seasons of “Dexter” start out with good elements, and then the disappointment comes in the cheap and underwhelming way in which everything is resolved. Twists and turns are great, but if they’re just in service to another predictable outcome, they start to lose their flavor. This season has an edge, though, with the impending end date of the series. But I’m starting to wonder if the writers/producers are planning on delaying most of that until the final season, and offering up more of a standard season this year.
I wish I could say more, but this season is still stuck firmly in the “enigmatic” category. It’s hard to know what anything means at this point, as the season seems to be still focused on setting up elements that will factor into the chaos that will (hopefully) be unleashed in later episodes. I will say that I seem to be liking Sirko a bit more each week, and I’m enjoying the moral debates going on between Dexter and Deb. But I hope this season starts to develop more of a focus soon.
Score: 8/10
