TVSquad

Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM are launching a new premium cable channel next year that will likely strip Showtime of much of its theatrical movie content. Showtime was originally a sister company to Paramount until 2006 when Viacom president and CEO Les Moonves split the two companies into separate entities.

One of the reasons cited for this move was by the Showtime's vice president of corporate public relations Stu Zakim. He stated that the network no longer wanted to pay "outrageous license fees" for theatrical content.

This is actually a natural progression for the bigger name cable channels. As they develop more original content, they no longer need to rely on the movie studios to provide content for them. This is a far cry from the early days of cable television when HBO and Showtime were known as the channels from which you could watch R-rated movies in the comfort of your own home.

Too many anguished nights have I spent watching Showtime's Dexter, wondering aloud, "Why can't I control Dexter's actions through my Xbox like so much Lara Croft?", and I know you have too. Believe it or not, we freaks are in luck, because it looks like there's going to be a Dexter video game. Finally! Another few months without it and I would have killed someone.

Okay, I think I have reached my sarcasm quota of the day, so let's get serious here. Dexter is a fantastic show and I have watched it faithfully through its run so far. However much I enjoy it, I cannot imagine it becoming a video game, let alone playing it. The show is built around blood, self-tortured deception, and internal monologue.

(S02E12) So, was it good for you too? I've read all of your gripes about the season, in particular the past few episodes, and I see where you were coming from. However, there's something about this show that makes me more quick to suspend disbelief and allow a few things to slide so I can enjoy other aspects of the show.

(S02E10) I could tell early on in this season that Harry just had to play a bigger part in the show ... eventually. Wouldn't you know it, it took only about a five-minute scene to spell everything out to Dexter as one big epiphany. It's interesting that it takes current-day observances for Dexter to understand things that happened in the past.

(S02E09) It wasn't a big surprise to me that Doakes would be brought in as the prime suspect in the BHB case. All the elements were there last week, from Doakes taking the slides to the overly-obvious mention of Doakes' father being a butcher. I was, however, taken by surprise in a huge way when Doakes showed up on the dock at the end of the episode. Holy. Crap.

First let's get to some of the rest of the episode ...

(S02E08) I have mixed emotions about this episode. At first, when the episode ended, I was flipping-out excited. Holy crap, what a turn the season has taken! Then I remembered last season and how, when Dexter's brother (who we didn't know was his brother yet) was introduced as the prosthetics expert, I made an easy prediction that came true. I see that happening here again, and in some ways I'm hoping it's a huge red herring.

(S02E07) Well now, it seems the majority of viewers thought there was no way in hell that Deb was going to be getting together with Lundy. In fact, 198 of 288 of you thought there was no way. Looks like the writers threw you for a loop this time around.

Anyway, that's a pretty insignificant storyline given what happened in this episode. We've got Dexter's manifesto and its fallout, and of course Dexter framing Doakes in a big way.

(S02E05) If for some godforsaken reason you thought this season was progressing too slowly, I'd say this episode made up for it. The revelations this week were jaw-dropping, and there's just no way you don't have incredible anticipation for how next week turns out.

First, the Dark Defender. The whole scene in the comic book store and then Dexter's dream sequence were classic. And then let's bring into the mix the scene from the coffee bar, where Dexter overheard a couple of guys commending Dexter's doings. These people may be on Dexter's side now, but should he be caught, they'd be right on the other side of the fence. Hopefully Dexter doesn't start to get too comfortable with that sort of talk going around.

(S02E04) A lot of commenters mentioned the change in Rita this season. I think it's understandable given what she went through with Paul, and then him dying in prison and her kids being affected so much. I think she maybe be finding she needs to keep her guard up more than ever now, to make sure she's doesn't make the same mistake again.

(S02E03) As if the last two episodes weren't enough to make you realize how great this season's going to play out, Dexter's new foray into "addicts" anonymous is a brilliant storyline. And that it got Doakes off his tail is even better. Could a 12-step program really put a dent into the kind of addiction Dexter suffers from? Perhaps indirectly, it seems.

One thing that's so completely frustrating and, honestly, uninteresting to me is the Lt. Pascal storyline with LaGuerta. Obviously everything can't be about Dexter, and we need to make the other characters human, which is the only purpose I can find for this so far.

(S02E02) Last time we left Dexter, things were looking both good and bad for our favorite serial killer -- the Bay Harbor Butcher. Please... as though he's nothing more than a mere butcher.

Keith Carradine makes his first appearance for the season as the head of the task force investigating the new stack of body bags found at the bottom of the bay, and he's a fantastic presence.

(S02E01) The new season has started and already I dread the season finale, when we'll have to wait through another summer without our favorite serial killer. God, did I just say that?

The opening scene proves that the writers haven't forgotten how to kep with the clever euphemisms for killing, with the "Bowl 'Till You Bleed" bowling team. With Doakes now tailing Dexter (a partial shout-out to how suspicious Doakes was of Dexter in the first book the show's based on), I have to wonder why Dexter has gone so long without raising suspicions in the past. Why now?

(S01E12) What an absolutely spectacular show. It's going to be a shame if Michael C. Hall doesn't get the Golden Globe because he certainly deserves it. It's funny because at the beginning of the season I said I was going to have a hard time picturing him as anything other than part of the Six Feet Under ensemble. Now that season one of Dexter has come and gone, I can't imagine how Hall ever played the role of David Fisher for five seasons because this is the show I associate him with. He owns this role.

(S02E08) Well that certainly didn't disappoint. Definitely a fitting end to what I think was the best mini-series that aired this year. I think it's pretty lousy that Sleeper Cell wasn't nominated for best mini-series in this year's Golden Globes (it was last year), but at least Michael Ealy got a nod for best actor. Although I am a little torn because Andre Braugher was spectacular in Thief and I loved that show too. But I think Ealy may have the edge because this finale was just phenomenal in every sense of the word.

(S02E07) Wow... I'm not even sure how to react. Absolutely shocking. If it's even possible, I don't know how tomorrow night's finale could even top that. I'm sure it will, but that's a tall order. This was by far the best hour of this entire series up to this point.

All that being said, I'm still going to nit-pick a wee bit. The more I've been thinking about the whole Mina/Gayle thing, it's doesn't make complete sense to me. Why wasn't there a greater sense of urgency when Mina first made contact with Gayle? Russell and Co. decided to take advantage of this budding relationship, but why was it never considered a breach in Darwyn's cover? Technically it was, right? Even though Farik and Karrar had no idea who Darwyn really was, Mina's approaching Gayle should have signaled something to the FBI. Like I said, in retrospect, it just seems a little off to me. Regardless, the way it ended between those two (in the middle of nowhere) was gut-wrenching to watch. Darwyn's job got Gayle killed. How could you ever forgive yourself for that? I don't think I'd be able to.