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« Dexter
Episode Recap: "The Dark Defender"
The only bad thing about TV shows being released on DVD is that you get used to watching an entire season all at once and it makes having to wait a full week to see a show like Dexter an enormously aggravating event!
I’m not sure what the juiciest thing we found out was. Was it that Harry lied to Dexter in order to "bury his own guilt"? Or that Harry was on the case of his mother’s murder? Laura Moser was an informant? Harry was actually Dexter’s father? Or that Doakes and Laguerta used to do the nasty in the backseat of the squad car?
First we found out that Dexter’s mother was the informant on the cocaine case that lead to her imminent demise. When Harry touched little Dexter on the head during the interview with her and said, "I won’t let anything happen to you or your boys," I wondered if there was more. I was honestly floored to find out Harry was Dexter’s real father.
It’s no real surprise that Laguerta and Doakes used to be more than just partners. It was, however, juicy that he outed her about using Esmee’s finances to get her job back. Looks like he knows her better than we thought.
Dexter likes the idea of being the Dark Defender of justice, which is how he sees himself. He opened up to Lila even more during this ep. He told her about his mother's murder. It was definitely where his addiction started (and his brother’s for that matter. Rest his soul.). Lila told Dex he should go face his demons with his mother’s killers. Not sure that’s such a good idea.
Hello! Lila undressed pretty much in front of Dexter (and us!) while Dex was on the phone with Rita. Is it just that Lila is uninhibited, or does she wants Dexter badly? Is she on the up and up? Is she really just there to "sponsor" him and help him through his "12 steps" to addiction-free living?
Dexter had another dynamite monologue about his hollowness and hiding in plain site. Very moving. He just really lets it all hang out with Lila. I wonder if he will end up telling her everything.
Dexter got thisclose to "using," and, in a gruesome scene (Dexter rarely gets that physical with his victims), almost killed one of his mother’s killers. That scene may have been one of the best shot in the whole series. It looked so good! And Michael C. Hall was outstanding. Lila ended up talking him down. I love their tender moments together. It shows us a side of Dexter we were never privy to before. When he came back to the motel and Lila took him in her arms (or lap in this case), it was terribly moving. Frankly, if this is the new Dexter, I’m against it. We don’t want a reformed vigilante serial killer. We want Dexter "hollow, angry and alone"! Am I right?
Fabulous lines:
"Sweet Mary Mother of f--k, that’s good."
"The Dark Defender? Nah, Miami’s too hot for that much leather."
"The meth lab’s in my sock drawer."
"Thought I’d take the minivan out on the open road."
"This isn’t art. This is cottage porn."
"Yeah, but I think we had different homework assignments."
Who else loved watching Dex smash in the head of the mannequin filled with "blood"? It was like an art project. He and Lila are definitely cut from the same cloth.
Did anyone else notice the slight smile on Debra’s face when she got schooled by Lundy at the marina. What’s with the relationship between Lundy and Debra? He’s been very supportive of her, kind of like a latter-day father. He put her on the task force. He did that background check on the relatively harmless Gabriel. What next?
Rita’s mother made it perfectly clear that she doesn’t like Dexter. I was happy to see Rita defend him, if only because it meant standing up to her mother. When she said, "Dexter’s not going anywhere," however, flashes of Lila came to mind. I thought Rita was going to have a coronary when her mother said that not only was she staying in Miami, but she's planning on living with Rita. She just got rid of one letch, Paul, and now her mother is there. Poor, Rita. Will she ever get what she deserves?
When Deb told Dex to move his boat due to bad security, she neglected to tell him that they were now monitoring the marina with security cameras. This won’t bode well for Dexter. How will he explain cleaning his boat with the blue light? But what he doesn’t know can’t hurt him: "Imagine that, a life with no more secrets." Or can it? Fade out on the camera monitoring Dexter’s every move.
Seven days? Not sure I can wait, can you? If not, then check out these Dexter vids in our Online Video Guide.
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Oct 29, 2007 12:29 AM
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Harry can't be Dexter's real father. Remember the story line about the rare blood type. But it's still important to know that there was a very close relationship between Dex's mother and Harry.
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Oct 29, 2007 1:25 AM
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yes i agree w/.prev poster not only does Dexter have a rare blood type he had a DNA test done on his real father after Rudy the ITK killed him, it was the weekend that Dex, Rita, Deb and Rudy spent together when Dexter first meets Rudy/Brian
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Oct 29, 2007 2:27 AM
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Yup, remember that Debra was so upset over Dexter doing the DNA test to confirm that guy was his "bio dad" as she put it. But finding out that, ultimately, it was Harry's fault Laura was killed, and that he created two sociopaths, was quite the shocking revelation.
The camera didn't seem to be pointing at Dexter's boat, so I think all it will record is him arriving and leaving the marina with a bag. I'm sure it will lead to some uncomfortable questions, though.
I think for Dexter's own good, he should wrap up the serial killing. He can't be beholden to his Dark Passenger forever. Eventually he needs to move away from that lest he die or end up put away for life. To that end, as much as I love this show, I think there shouldn't be more than three seasons. Some stories should not last longer than necessary.
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Oct 29, 2007 3:06 AM
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Intriguing posts. I agree that's it's hard to see how long the series can go on if Dexter truly is on the path of redemption. It's a surprising development that I didn't see coming this second season. I thought Dexter would think of new ways to do what he's been doing after they found his bodies, but it seems he's on his way toward reformation.
Brutal scene with the bar owner, Dexter rarely gets that physical with his victims.
Oh and Lila definitely wants him, if not earlier than at least after this "road trip."
It seems Dexter's on his way to no longer being a serial killer. I'm unsure how the writers will be able to back away from his path towards recovery. There's so much happening, so many revelations, that I don't think the writers are thinking of extending this series past its natural life. Three seasons may be the limit here.
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Oct 29, 2007 7:35 AM
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I was surprised that you incorrectly assumed Harry was Dexter's father just because we discovered they had been sleeping together! (especially since you'd watched Season One all together!)
Oh well. Still a shocker that Harry would put his "lover", a woman with two young children, in such an obviously dangerous situation just to take down drug dealers. And if he was watching so carefully to protect her, how did it take him THREE days to find those poor boys soaking in their mothers' blood??
Such a tragedy for Dexter to discover the man he looked up to and called "Dad" was the one who put the wheels in motion to make Dexter the "empty vessel" serial killer he is today. Poor Dexter.
Harry broke ALL the rules and this is the man he's been emulating all these years.
whew, heavy stuff!
Lila is really getting Dexter to open up, I was really impressed with Michael
C. Hall's performance during the whole road trip scenes. He'd better get an Emmy!
Too bad he didn't hear my screaming at the tv when he was cleaning his boat. "there's surveillance at the marina now, what are you doing????"
hahahaha, yikes, can't be good.
All in all, a great episode, so much going on and keeps you riveted the whole time. Can't wait for next week.
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Oct 29, 2007 8:53 AM
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"Did he deserve it? Then you didn't do anything wrong." Michael C. Hall's performance has been phenomenal.
This season has been hitting all the right notes and exploring so much more. I really liked that Dexter went back to the childhood staple of the fantasy to save his mother and Miami as the Dark Defender. It was a nice call back to season 1 where Dex's fantasy was the crowd with signs cheering him on.
In season 1 Dex's killing was planned and disciplined. This season his emotions are all over, ever since he attacked Paul and later Rudy - ever since the killing got personal. Tonight he nearly kills in a rage for revenge for his mother. The man is dancing on the cliff edge now.
I don't see recovery happening any time soon or easily for Dex. Lila and NA have been a catalyst for his self-discovery, but I have a feeling that he will hit a few roadblocks. Lila could turn into his partner in murder. And if I had to guess, Rita's mom would be a good next candidate. :D
I did not see the twist of Harry having a relationship with Dex's mother. Interesting that Harry had an affair with an addict, which may be where Dex is headed.
Nice to see the history between LaGuerta and Doakes revealed - really nice moments between those two.
Really nice character moments again for Deb. I dislike her, but I feel great empathy for her. I do not condone the snooping and paranoid things she did to Gabriel, but her actions make sense based on her ITK trauma. I can't tell if the FBI guy is her next boyfriend or surrogate father. "Any broken bones involved? Facial contusion? No, then you'll be fine." LOL.
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Oct 29, 2007 10:15 AM
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Whew, I was upset when I read that Harry was Dexter's real father...I watched the episode and couldn't understand how I missed something that big...thankfully it's not true. I also forgot about last seasons bio-dad episode.
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Oct 29, 2007 10:32 AM
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This episode didn't get going for me until about half way through, but after that, wow--riveting.
I can't believe all the mistakes Dexter's making. It sure seems to me like he's going to get caught soon, which is perplexing. Is Showtime not planning a Season 3? Does anyone have any insight about how likely a Season 3 is?
Having this be the last season would be terrible, but I'm not sure how plausible it will be to keep having Lundy's team make breakthroughs that Dex somehow avoids--assuming the rocks and surveillance cameras don't get him nabbed and there are other mistakes, like leaving the guy who killed his mother alive, even though he's seen his face? What was he thinking?
Sure the guy won't want to turn him in b/c that would raise questions he doesn't want raised, but getting Dexter in trouble for such a vicious attack isn't beyond the realm of possibility, and where would that leave Dex? Much closer to getting caught as the BHB/DD.
And Paula...details, details. I think you meant "fiance" where you have "finances" in paragraph 4? It was "juicy that Doakes outed Laguerta about using Esme's finances to get her job back"?
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Oct 29, 2007 11:44 AM
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Terrific Original Post!
This season has really taken a new direction. It's slower, it's more in depth, and it's more captivating (if that's possible). Dex's struggle between the real world and his world seem destined to collide. I agree that his violent outburst at the bar owner was a side we've never seen - he's usually so organized, neat, and compulsive - here he was with raw emotion and pure rage. Scary.
Lila is not who we think she is: her role has yet to be revealed. She's not his sponsor - I suspect she's a shrink or forensic specialist - she was too comfortable seeing all the dead bodies. Can't wait to find out who she is.
Debra and Lundy was interesting. I love how characters are revealed over a number of weeks - how their layers are peeled off. Our initial impressions are often changed when we learn who they really are. Lundy isn't a bad guy.
They need to be careful with Doakes or else he'll become a cartoon character; I already find myself almost laughing when he barks his aggressive words. They need to tone him down.
It seems like this season we're more into Dex's thoughts than observing him carry them out. We're seeing his struggle, his walking the thin line. He's got people all around him, who collectively are smarter than he is, and if he's not careful, it will be over. I enjoy watching Dex try to stay one step ahead.
I'd never thought about this series only going for i.e. 3 seasons. That thought does make sense though. For how many years can the cat and mouse game continue? At some point it might become boring? I hope it never happens. This is the best show, IMO, ever aired. I actually like it better than Sopranos (a show I've never given a thought to since it went black.)
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Oct 29, 2007 11:53 AM
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How will he explain cleaning his boat with the blue light?.
Hate to jump on the "beat up the blogger" bandwagon, but the UV light is to detect the presence of blood after spraying the solution (whatever that is), so he was just making sure that he'd a good job cleaning up after himself.
I'm really digging the Lila character, whether she's sincere, or as I'mThatGirl proposes that there's is much more going on. Not hard when J. Murray's eyes are so mesmerizing.
Dexter is really all over the map this season with his emotions, and while I miss the cold, calculating "butcher" from last season, M. Hall is doing such a fantastic job of progressing his character that I'm happy to go along for the ride. It's too much fun to worry about how many seasons are left or what direction they might take. I'm trying not to be so paranoid after some of my faves have been yanked (IMO) so prematurely. Thankfully, cable seems to have more patience than the Nets, and smaller seasons really leave me wanting more, with less filler eps to sell adspace. It's like FX and Showtime are my new go-to channels. (Sorry, HBO)
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Oct 29, 2007 12:26 PM
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Each episode keeps getting better this season. Lila's really a wild-card - wonder if she's a serial arsenist. Dexter really doesn't have to worry about beating the guy who killed his mother even if he turned Dex in what jury would convict?
The info on Harry was definitely disturbing and explains even more clearly Harry's feeling of responsibility for Dex.
The Task Force is nowhere near finding anything on Dex, so if he doesn't let Lila (or himself) screw with his mind, he's OK. The cat-and-mouse game could actually go on for quite a while if the writers wanted to play it that way.
I can definitely see Lundy becoming suspicious but can't see the 'proof' needed to arrest and convict coming to light - Dex has been too careful up to this point.
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Oct 29, 2007 12:34 PM
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Just an FYI. Harry is not Dexter's biological father. Yes, Laura may have been sleeping with Harry. However, in season one, Dexter made the trip with Rita to his bio-dad's house when he passed. In this episode he took blood samples from himself and the dead father, and had them tested at the Miami lab. Lab results came back positive that this dead man was Dexter's biological father. Although Harry may have been sleeping with Dexter's mother, and may have been Dexter's father in every meaningful way, he was not the biological father. Just thought I would straighten out the facts on this one! Enjoy.
-Obsessed in Madison WI-
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Oct 29, 2007 1:15 PM
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As we've got about seven or so more episodes to go before the end of the second season. In regards to continuing the show past a few more seasons, I can see a variety of ways the writers can do it. This whole season is about Dexter questioning his purpose and his addiction to killing.
I think by the end of the season we'll have Dexter almost caught by Lundy, but someone will sacrifice herself for Dexter once she finds out the truth about him. I think it'll be Lila who'll sacrifice herself for Dexter once he confesses to her his real serial-killing ways. After that, Dexter will be inspired to continue his vigilante serial-killings for a greater purpose than just to feed his addiction, or for Harry's sake. He'll do it because he thinks its right and what the people of Miami need from him.
The next season will probably start afresh with Dexter back on the ropes but with a more clarified sense of who he is and why he does what he does.
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Oct 29, 2007 1:53 PM
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Good thoughts AD.
Dex has to keep alert and looking over his shoulder all the time, or the show will fall flat. So far, he's not been caught, and if we see him always getting away scott free, the excitement will disappear. In real life, the vast majority of criminals get caught; it's just a matter of time.
I like when someone is on Dex's tail, just a few steps behind, and he feels the anxiety of capture. I think he'll have to be more careful, more selective in his victims, and deal with continuously walking the thin line between coming clean and protecting himself; there are just too many people looking at him.
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Oct 29, 2007 3:36 PM
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Our good friend, Michael C Hal, best known for his current work as the dark, serial killer, Dexter, has earned himself a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by and Actor in a TV Drama.
Congrats, Michael! We love you!
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