DEXTER: Turning Biminese

Wow. I can’t even come up with a funny line to start this review of what was, I believe, the best episode of Dexter in recent memory. Let’s get started before my head explodes all over the keyboard amidst the amazingness.

This episode seemed to be an awesome hybrid of what the show used to be, format-wise, and what it’s been the past few episodes. We picked up on all of the storylines we had from last week, but also focused on a new kill for Dexter, courtesy of our favorite Miami ADA.

Prado gives Dexter the name of a black widower, a man who has killed both of his wives for the insurance money. I’ve loved where this season has gone, but it was awesome to see Dexter in killing mode again: the research, the preparation, the talking with the target before he kills them, the buildup to the kill. I hope that, now with the developments that have occurred, we’ll get to some more of that.

Deb just keeps riding this line, doesn’t she? Yeah, it ended up burning her with the little incident at the CI’s apartment, but I wouldn’t count out this relationship yet. Plus, it seems to me that she really, really clicks with this guy. I’m really intrigued to see where that goes. The CI also helped Deb find Wendell, the kid who was Freebo’s doorman, for lack of a better term.

I’ve been really impressed with how much, it seems, that Deb has grown up this year. I think Old Deb would have still held a grudge at Dex for not showing up at the bar on the anniversary of Harry’s death. A lot of external forces (wanting to get her badge, Quinn’s pressure, Dexter and the baby, the CI, the Internal Affairs officer) have pushed her into being a better cop and sister. Even though Dex still helps her out and conveniently places hints for her, she’s done a lot of work on her own. More importantly, she has had some awesome insights for Dex. It reminds me of the first season where Deb really acted as Dex’s umbilical cord to the outside world; his sort of reality check when his controlling and non-social behavior would get the best of him and he would do something stupid. In the eyes of normal society, Dex has to be a responsible father and husband. Deb’s there to show him that.

Anyway, Deb showed her skills getting through to Wendell, only to have Quinn undercut her (or at least it seems that way). So, she goes back to Wendell, which we see through binoculars. I thought this was an interesting way to show us that someone was watching. Most times on “Dexter” they give us the bulk of the information and then let the entertainment come in watching how the inevitable ending occurs. But, we have a bit of mystery on who was watching. Was it Internal Affairs? Quinn? A drug dealer that just got a reason to kill Wendell?

In the “I Predicted It” file, I would like to point out that I called Masuka being all serious and being more involved in a case. I loved the ending where Masuka found the happy median between serious Masuka and “Porn-Loving Masuka” as Deb so succinctly put it.

In the “I Screwed Up” file, I realized after I sent out last week’s review that I didn’t really mention Angel’s dive into the world of prostitution. It seemed too abrupt really. I think, ideally, we would have seen a bit of a build up to that point from Angel. But, alas. I don’t know what he thinks will happen with this whole thing, but I hope he realizes it can’t end well. There’s no way.

And, on to the main event…

Dexter is not alone anymore! As my Dad said, “Prado’s not stupid.” He’s also very resourceful. It was extremely easy for Prado to check up on Dex’s alibi, put two and two together and figure out that Dex is…well…Dex! And, unlike everyone one else in his life, Prado loves Dexter even more for the fact that he is this way. It was truly a stunning ending to the episode, an episode that was a real standout amongst an amazing season so far.

Do you really need me to ask you a question this time around? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE ENDING?! Where do we go from here? And, did Prado’s acceptance of Dexter seal his fate, as a lot of us think he’s going to die by the end of the season?

Philboy is GMMR’s resident Dexter analyst. He spends his days studying Communications at Purdue University and his nights trying to keep up with his TV schedule without a Tivo. He awaits the day when Jack Bauer will save us all, but can live with Dexter, Chuck Bartowski and Ned the Pie Maker until then. He idolizes Barney Stinson and hopes to, one day, be the cop who declares someone dead in a procedural crime show.