(S03E03) I found this episode of Dexter to be the funniest so far. I know they aren't exactly going for a dramedy here, but the comedic relief in tonight's episode was priceless. Then again, when Dexter brutally strangles someone, I suppose we needed the change in mood.
The best part? Dexter's voiceovers. Voiceovers can be a tricky thing, and of the shows I watch, only Dexter and Burn Notice get it right. The title of the episode is reflected throughout the voiceovers, with lion and hunting comparisons while Dexter is interacting with the pedophile. These are tightly written and woven seamlessly throughout the episode.
The laugh-out-loud moment of the episode for me, though, was the yoga class voiceover; it's why I love Dexter so much:
Dexter (voiceover, in yoga class): "This is absolutely without a doubt the worst moment of my life."
Yoga Instructor: "And now, let's move into some free-form Yoga. Just let yourself dance."
Dexter (voiceover): "I was wrong; this is."
Instructor: "See the dust dancing against the sunlight. Be as beautiful as the golden flakes of dust, Dexter."
Dexter (voiceover): "I could probably kill her before anyone realized what happened."
And what's with Dexter's stalker? Even Dexter wonders why Miguel is trying so hard to be his friend. Could this be foreshadowing the nature of Dexter's and Miguel's relationship somehow? Man, I don't trust that Prado dude, and I sit in my seat, twitching, terrified that Dexter is going to fall right into Miguel's trap. What's his angle though? He's even luring Dexter in with the father issues. I can't help but feel it is all orchestrated.
Of notable significance:
- Dexter veers from his "code" again, and not only kills someone who isn't a killer, but also adopts a new M.O.: Dex strangles the pedophile.
- We find out that Miguel doesn't even try to get to the truth of Chickie Hynes's guilt or innocence. Why? I still say the guy is hiding something ... a lot, in fact.
- Clearly Deb and Anton will get together at some point.
- Miguel gives his bloody, incriminating shirt to Dexter as an "I trust you" sign. Again with the hrmmmmm from me.
Weird stuff I noticed:
- Um... Smits is so much taller than Hall it looks bizarre on camera. But I also wonder if they don't shoot the scenes like that on purpose. It seems to bring out Dexter's vulnerability, being so small, and again makes me think he may just succumb to the suspicious friendship after all.
- We are reminded of just how anal retentive Dexter really is, when he and Rita's family go shopping with Dexter's alphabetized grocery list.
The pedophile storyline wraps up with Dexter realizing that he can be a good father and make sure that no one hurts his children. Dex decides to be a daddy. Do you all think this episode was as well-written as I do?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-12-2008 @ 11:51PM
NvM said...
Yeah I really enjoyed this episode myself. Probably one of the best since Season 1.
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10-13-2008 @ 12:57AM
bruce said...
Yep fantastic episode. I'm thinking Prado's brother is going to cause more trouble for Dexter than Prado himself, to the point where Dexter may have to break his code again and kill Prado's (other) brother. I dunno, I really don't know where they're going with all this.
I don't see how giving the bloody shirt to Dexter helps Dexter, if anything it incrimintes him until such time as he can properly dispose of it. The shirt wasn't evidence that Dexter did the killing, and i doubt it could be proven to belong to Prado in the first place.
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10-13-2008 @ 9:55AM
Jennifer said...
They could get Prado's DNA off the shirt (if they had a reason to look) therefore incriminating him, at the very least they could get him for being an accomplice to murder. You can get DNA from sweat and since most ppl shed their hair at the most inopportune times therefore perhaps leaving a hair follicle on the shirt this would give at the very least mitochondrial DNA (dna which you get from your mom) or if the hair had the root attached the entire strand of DNA.
Always knew those forensics classes would be useful. :)
10-13-2008 @ 11:59PM
Phish said...
obviously that shirt is going to come into play again.
dexter will probably have to kill prado, as prado is going to start using dexter to further his vigilante aspirations. same as dexters current mission, but dexter likes to work alone and wont get pushed into corners.
so he might end up killing prado and make it look like prado was the guy who killed freebo, OR make it look like they killed each other. we dont know what dexter did with freebo's body, could be in cold storage!
it could also turn out that prado's bro ramone is the "skinner", killing ppl linked to freebo and / or working with prado in his vigilante mission.
10-13-2008 @ 2:31AM
maestro610 said...
I really enjoyed tonight's episode and felt it was extremely well written. I loved that he feels like Aster and Cody are his own children. I feel like the shirt will come back into play as a way to get rid of Miguel Prado if necessary Dexter could combine that with the bayonet and have him put away.
The other thing is somehow "The Skinner" seems to be flying under the radar. I hope that with all the distractions this will be something that Debra can put together without Dexter. More likely though we'll find Debra working with IA to get her shield.
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10-13-2008 @ 9:34AM
doug said...
I think Dexter breaking the code was to further the title theme. A killer's first instinct, lion or human, is to protect their children. Clearly this was the "baby decision" moment for him. Clearly Deb is working the Anton angle. Im not sure yet if she digs him for real or bringing him in to get the goods on Quinn to IA and get her shield. Remember in episode one, Batista said to Morgan, "thats how you earn your shield". Writers on shows like this dont write dialogue just because so I think that sets up a nice arc for Deb for the season. As for Prado, Im not sure yet what to make of his angle. Im sure the skin slicer case will factor in somehow by season's end. The funniest lines for me were in the supermarket with the shopping list. Pre-Cheerios man," macaroni, mayo, milk". Post-Cheerios man, "zucchini".
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10-13-2008 @ 10:32AM
JoyceN said...
I only started watching this show because Jimmy Smits was added to the cast this season. Now I love the whole cast. Last night's show was fantastic! Guess I'll have to spring for the the first two seasons DVD's. I trust Miguel Prado.
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10-13-2008 @ 1:10PM
Dan said...
I think it was an incredible episode, another winner for the best show on television. But not only that, it was also a good reviewcap from Debra. This show is just so well written and feels like such reality that it's hard to believe that it's fiction. Smits is a great addition, but I am not too sure about Deb's new love interest, he's kinda creepy...like all her other men.
One part you forgot to mention was the scene where Deb is in the club dancing to the song written for her..."puta flaca"...that means skinny whore...that's funny.
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10-13-2008 @ 3:58PM
cdawg said...
my friend and I know VERY little spanish, and I knew he said puta, she knew what maca meant... we were LOAO... she's in friggin Miami and doesn't know puta!!
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10-13-2008 @ 8:33PM
Notwhoopi said...
Decent review, thanks. But how could no one mention Dexter getting the carton
of milk from the pedophile's refrigerator as he was dragging the body
out? That was priceless!!
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10-14-2008 @ 12:46AM
nattyff said...
that was my LOL momento for me!!!
10-14-2008 @ 9:28AM
Derek said...
Miguel Prado = Commissioner Gordon?
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10-13-2008 @ 10:42PM
Usama said...
We're all assuming that the shirt Miguel's giving Dexter is the actual shirt and not something w/ corn syrup on it, no? I mean it's a hell of a risk to take on Miguel's part, to hope that Dexter trusts him enough to not immediately take that shirt under the microscope (or whatever Dexter would use at this point) to check the shirt's blood against Prado's blood, but so far Dexter's been so trusting I think Miguel knew he could do that.
So Dexter may think he has Miguel's trust and this key piece of evidence is a sign of that when in fact Miguel's given Dexter a false sense of security in the matter.
Also I assumed Dexter did the pedophile like all his other victims, but they just didn't show all that chopping and stuff. I'm also not entirely convinced Prado's in the graveyard, I think that's just a story Dexter gave to Miguel. He obviously couldn't tell Miguel that he dumped the body in the bay (as that would be too much like the Bay Harbor Butcher). Then again maybe he did really put Prado's body in the graveyard, maybe Dexter was thinking ahead and wanted it so that the police could get to the body if it was necessary, for whatever reason.
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11-24-2008 @ 10:50AM
Oneiroi said...
(Just watched the episode, a bit late!)
I assume the shirt is real, my only question was if prado would have made the shirt so it would implicate Dexter and not him.
10-14-2008 @ 8:56AM
Danielle said...
Great voice over in yoga class! Loved it! Another part I loved is when Deb was in the club and she was getting all mushy w/ that musicican writing a song about her until one of the dancers mentioned she was the "skinny mean bitch". LOL
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10-14-2008 @ 10:52AM
Cody said...
The skinner is definitely someone we've seen so far. Top candidates are Miguel, Miguel's other brother, Deb's new CI, and this new detective guy that IA is looking into.
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10-14-2008 @ 10:59AM
Kingston said...
That was a great episode. Dexter is one of my favourite shows and hopefully they keep the excitement up.
Kingston Homes
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10-14-2008 @ 1:37PM
Jeff said...
Miguel Prado = The Skinner?
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10-14-2008 @ 2:11PM
Fandango said...
Cody, Jeff, you beat me to it, I think Miguel could be the skinner. Maybe he recognized Dexter like Dex recognized the pedophile, as another predator.
I think it's a good thing that Dexter is straying from The Code. After all, it's really Harry's code, and Dexter is starting to make his own decisions and choices. And eliminating a threat to your daughter, well, good choice. For a serial killer.
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10-14-2008 @ 3:18PM
Jason said...
Its killin me what is the reggea song that plays in the background at the club on the lion sleeps tonight episode?PLEASE ANSWER
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