(S03E11) All I have to say about that is ... whoo boy. It is rare to find a show that delivers quality episodes as consistently as Dexter does. I never come away disappointed, and I sure didn't tonight.
But how are they going to wrap this season up in one episode? My guess is that some loose ends will be left to continue next season, but the major ones will have some conclusion.
I can't even say anything until after the break, this episode was so darned spoilery, but I will say that Dexter did have a dream, as in the title of the episode, and now that dream is dead.
Ha! You like that one? I'm interpreting the talk Dexter has with Harry in the trunk of the car as Dexter's dream: trying to have a normal life and a friend. It clearly didn't work out for Dexter, as he had to kill that friend, and I can just see the foreshadowing that the rest of his normal life is going to hell in a handbasket in the season finale.
I had a surprise when Harry told Dexter he was brave for trying to lead a normal life and let someone in. I honestly didn't think that is how Harry would react; I would have thought he would look down on Dexter for breaking the code and sharing his "dark passenger" with Miguel. Dexter seemed surprised, too. Harry isn't all bad, and I like the way they are making him many shades of gray, not just black and white.
Back to Dexter killing Miguel. Dexter's setup was one of his more masterful ones; he wasn't letting anything go to chance for this kill. Seeing Miguel walk right into the syringe was unexpectedly satisfying ... should I be worrying about myself?
Dexter says that he will always be alone, obviously learning his lesson from opening up with Miguel. Again, though, I have to think this is some kind of foreshadowing that his marriage is just not going to happen. If we go back to one of the season premiere trailers, we seem to be promised that someone would die, and they insinuated it would be Deb or Rita. Will the Skinner, or maybe Ramon, kill Rita? Or was it just someone close to Dexter who had to die, and that person is Miguel? They way I interpret this trailer, it can be referencing Miguel. We didn't know that Dexter and Miguel would become close and share a secret when the promos were running, so I am holding out hope that they won't kill off Rita, since I can't imagine they'd get rid of Deb.
I'm so glad that Dexter stopped falling for Miguel's talk of trust and friendship. Miguel's desperation on his deathbed was pathetic, throwing all that "friends forgive" crap at Dexter. Dexter just threw it right back at him, with his "friends are honest" crap:
"I accept you Dexter. I accept you like a brother." -- MiguelThe ending of the episode was particularly well done. Even the cinematography was perfection. We get Dexter strangling Miguel, saying "Adios Amigo," in a very sinister voice, and the closeup on Dexter fading to black and white. So nicely done, poignant, perfect.
"I killed my brother. I killed yours, too." -- Dexter
In other news:
- You all suspected that Dexter was kidnapped by Masuka for his bachelor party; nice call!
- They are really setting up Angel for a fall with Barbara; she's more suspicious now that she's thinking "men have needs" and she expected Angel to meet those needs at the bachelor party. She's a bit of a deviant, methinks.
- I'm betting Masuka will get a regular girlfriend in Tammy next season. If not, at least we got this great quote after Masuka found out about her background check: "That means she's got issues. So she's not out of my league."
- I thought it was a bit unrealistic that Miguel's computer warned him that Maria was checking the evidence on Ellen Wolf, but my computer geek husband assures me that it can be done. Whadaya know?
- Quinn explains to Deb that an uncle died and left him a building in Boston, which is why he can afford the car and the watch. I'm not buying it. You think Quinn is working for Miguel? Someone's giving him inside information, and the computer server being down was suspicious.
- Poor Anton is so damaged; Deb really needed to reach out to him more than just a hand-holding. Do you think Anton will be back for Deb next season? Will she at least bring him to the wedding?
- When Dexter told Deb that Harry cheated on their mother with a CI, Dex spit out a classic Dexterism: "You always wanted to be like dad."
- Maria is no dummy. Now that Miguel is dead, will she use the information and out Miguel as Ellen Wolf's killer?
- Loved the scene when Dexter asks Deb to be his best man. He's right; it was perfectly fitting and I am so glad it dawned on him. The writers have done such a good job in growing the relationship between Deb and Dexter. Contrary to what Dexter thinks of himself, he is able to make human connections.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-08-2008 @ 12:42AM
Tim Dorr said...
I was also thinking from the preview that this next episode is going to be jam-packed! It's almost like they're fitting a full season into one episode. How they'll do it, I don't even know. But if anyone can do it, it's the producers of this show. This show is the gold standard others have to live up to.
I'm also curious to see how they wrap things up because they've had pretty air-tight finales the last two seasons. I don't think they knew about S4 and 5 being ordered during production of this season, so it would be off for them to leave anything serious hanging. And that also makes me excited for what they're going to do at the end of S4. Perhaps they'll leave it a little more open for that one, which would be awesome.
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12-08-2008 @ 1:24AM
Nina said...
THE most Exciting, Funny, Surprising, GUT Wrenching hour of television I've EVER seen! Absolutely BRILLIANT!
Kudos to the writers and producers of this show. From the outstanding acting to the intricately devious story line...pure maniacal GENIUS! BEST DEXTER EPISODE EVER...and for a show this consistently incredible, that's saying a lot!
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12-08-2008 @ 2:41AM
bruce said...
Yea I second that - maybe the best espisode of Dexter ever. Truly loved every second of it.
But it's beginning to look like the wedding will not happen, and I will be incredibly saddened if they kill off Rita. Rita is good for Dexter, those two kids ground him in a very important way, and I just love Julie Benz and don't want to see her go. I really do hope the wedding goes forward. Dexter doesn't have to be completely alone, he just has to keep the dark side of his life to himself.
I'm surprised that when Miguel was blabbing about trust and friendship, Dexter didn't tell Miguel that he tested the blood on the shirt he'd given to Dexter as a symbol of "trust" and it was animal blood, not Freebo's - that Dexter knew Miguel had been lying to him, trying to trick him, and certainly not trusting him from the very inception of their "friendship." At least he told him that he killed Oscar Prado, but I think he gave Miguel the wrong impression. I was hoping one way or another Dexter would tell Miguel about that - preferably right before killing Miguel. Very satisfying episode. I am still very surprised Miguel was not killed in the season finale though. That it happened tonight was a total shock.
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12-08-2008 @ 1:11PM
0megapart!cle said...
Didn't Dexter tell Miguel about the non-human blood on the roof of the building last episode?
12-08-2008 @ 5:51AM
Claire said...
I must disagree with everyone. The episode made me cringe so much from that stupid stunt in the first scene that I couldn't take it seriously after that.
Way too much filler, nowhere near the intensity of last week - even Miguel's death was a let-down (not to mention all the questions it left unanswered).
The Deb-Dexter scenes were the only ones worth watching, but then they are always good.
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12-08-2008 @ 4:10PM
collin said...
I agree 100%. I'm not sure why other posters are saying that last night's episode was the "best ever" when this season has in itself been very slow (when compared to previous seasons).
Not that I'm complaining about this season, but it has had a much slower pace to it. And the suspense hasn't been building as much as before. However, I still like the way it's been going so far.
But the best episode ever? Hardly.
And perhaps I'm alone in my opinion of this, but I don't see how killing Debra will make the show better. She's practically the comedic relief (other than Dexter's fantasic narrative), and killing her would be a big mistake.
Rita, however, has been a pain this season. When she casually revealed that she spilled the beans on Miguel to Sylvia, I thought that was really unnecessary. If she's killed off, I would think that forcing Dexter to be a single Dad would be an interesting plotline for next season.
I am, however, sad to see this season end. Dexter is still the best show on tv.
12-08-2008 @ 6:34AM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
I don't think they would kill off Rita and orphan her kids. If that happened Dexter would step up and adopt them but then he wouldn't have time to take care of business. And they better not kill Deb. I love her creative use of curse words. I hope if they have to kill someone else its Quinn and/or LaGuerta.
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12-08-2008 @ 9:30AM
bruce said...
I'm still trying to figure out the purpose of Quinn. It would be strange to have some big secret revealed about his past in the season finale, when we've heard nothing about the internal affairs investigation (assuming it really was an investigation and not a pissed off ex-girlfriend) for the past 5 episodes or so. My thought is that Quinn will end up being Deb's +1 to the wedding, and they'll begin a relationship. No way they'd kill off Deb, if they were gonna do that they would have done so at the end of season 1 (at dexter's hand).
I'm hoping the only people who die are the Skinner and Ramon Prado. Ramon has to go, but is Dexter going to kill all 3 brothers?
12-08-2008 @ 1:13PM
0megapart!cle said...
I still hope that Deb and the CI get together. They are so good together! Come on Deb, don't push another guy away!
12-08-2008 @ 8:56AM
Nino said...
I'm lost for words. Fabulous episode. Only thing I disliked, was Laguerta circling what make, model and color Miguel's car was, just to make sure for those who hadn't figured out yet. They should expect more from their viewers. This is Dexter, not Two and a Half Men.
Was nice to see Dexter with his wedding night plan to kill Miguel, and ditch it completely when he found out Miguel was about to off Laguerta.
Quinn has got to be dirty. Me, and probably most viewers like him very much now, so the writers are probably preparing something big for him.
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12-08-2008 @ 1:15PM
0megapart!cle said...
You like Quinn? I don't know. I hate the way he pushes Deb's buttons. I still think he's dirty (not sure how dirty yet)
12-08-2008 @ 10:13AM
it-s said...
Isn't anyone else wondering where Deb's inquiry into her father's attractive female CIs is goint to lead?
Will she figure out that Ice Truck Killer's mom is the woman in question? Will she further figure out the connection between the ice truck killer and Dexter?
I think these questions will play out next season and I can't wait.
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12-08-2008 @ 1:18PM
0megapart!cle said...
I absolutely was wondering the same thing. I can't imagine they will wait till next season for this to play out a little more, though.
12-08-2008 @ 10:38AM
MacGuffin said...
Jimmy Smits was absolutely terrific in this role. He almost didn't look like the same guy we've seen him play in the West Wing, or NYPD Blue, etc. He morphed that much.
This was a tour-de-force performance. Too bad it had to end. But hey, it had to.
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12-08-2008 @ 12:07PM
Danny said...
This episode was a major disappointment in contrast to the lead up from the last episode. The beginning was aweful, the middle points held it together somewhat, but the ending was a brutal stretch. First of all, how did he find Miguel's hotel room so fast?? Did he make a mad dash to every floor in the hotel before finally hearing Miguel's phone ring on the right floor? And how would he know that Laguerta would not come back to her house while he was disposing of Miguel's body? This season is turning into too much of a mainstream soap opera.
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12-08-2008 @ 12:49PM
edgore said...
The phone/hotel hallway thing bugged me a little bit too - it did seem a little too easy.
I am pretty sure though that the kill scene was Ellen's house, not Laguerta's. It woul make estra sense, since Prado's blood on the scene is not going to raise any suspicions once Laguerta reveals he killed Ellen.
12-08-2008 @ 1:20PM
0megapart!cle said...
Yea, the hallway thing was a little bit of a stretch. Maybe Dexter followed Miguel onto that floor of the hotel while he was serveiling him, but couldn't get close enough to tell what room he specifically went into.
There is no way you can say this was an overall bad episode though, with the fantastic performances by Deb, Dexter and Miguel.
12-11-2008 @ 12:53AM
deathxrebirth said...
It was definitely Ellen's house and not Laguerta's. You can see her ceiling fan in one of the shots.
12-08-2008 @ 11:14AM
JoyceN said...
I knew Prado's death was coming but have to admit that I wished somehow he would be back for another season.
I agree that Jimmy Smits did a wonderful job with this role. I hope he gets an Emmy nod for this. I just read that the Satellite Awards have nominated the show, Michael C. Hall (best TV drama actor) and Jimmy Smits (best supporting actor in a drama). They are all deserving.
Absolutely loved last nights episode! Can't wait to see the finale. I tuned in this season for Smits, but I'll be back for the next one, too. I'm hooked!
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12-08-2008 @ 11:51AM
bruce said...
I agree about Smits, this was by far the best role he's ever played, and by that I mean his best performance. I've never thought of him as much of an actor until this role. I didn't like him in West Wing all that much, but once Sorkin left after season four, I hated everything about the show. Didn't like him in Star Wars, but George Lucas somehow manages to get the worst out of whatever actors he's using.
Or maybe I'm just happy, as a criminal defense lawyer myself, to finally see a prosecutor portrayed on TV as an evil, lying, two-bit criminal, murderous asshole, since usually on TV shows (and movies) the DA's are the great and wonderful crimefighters standing up for the victims and the helpless and the criminal defense lawyers are the scumbags. Here, Ellen Wolf was the "hero" and always did the right thing, and was even willing to defend Miguel Prado were he to be facing criminal charges, as any good defense lawyer would do (it's not about who your client is or what they did, it's about making sure everyone gets the fair trial and competent defense to which they're entitled). Smits played the evil "I can do whatever I want whenever I want" prosecutor to a T. Perfect. I've met many a prosecutor just like him, except for, perhaps, the serial killing.
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