dexter-related stories
Posted Nov 18th 2009 5:36PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Dexter, Reality-Free
One of our ever alert readers pointed out a theory in
last Sunday's episode of Dexter that sounds so crazy, it might just actually work. You've got to love TV logic. The craziest theories gain the most traction.
TV Squad reader
Frank Militello aka mello one proposed that Christina Hill, the plucky reporter and Quinn's nosy girlfriend, may have been the trigger man, er, woman who wounded Debra and killed Frank Lundy.
The theory came on the heels of Debra's realization that the Trinity Killer could not have shot her since her wounds were too far down her abdomen. Christina also revealed to Quinn that her editor is one bloodless story away from firing her and she need more ink that "bleeds" and "leads."
Could Christina be Lundy's killer and if so, how would you feel about that?
Posted Nov 16th 2009 2:52AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Dexter, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S0408) "Born in blood, both of us." - Dexter on his and the Trinity Killer's creation of their "dark passengers"
Dexter and the Trinity Killer aren't the only ones on the show who have been paying back their anger for the pain the world has dealt them. The audience is in on the same game.
We've been sitting through weeks of boring and dry subplots about secret affairs and office romances that we couldn't care less about if we were actually one of their co-workers. But now we've been rewarded for our patience with some seedy and very interesting details about Dexter's main prey, the Trinity Killer, a man held in a very weak cage of despair and anger.
Continue reading Review: Dexter - Road Kill
Posted Nov 15th 2009 12:07PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free
At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.- CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Three Rivers, and Cold Case.
- NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Patriots vs. the Colts.
- At 8, FOX has a new episode of The Simpsons, then new episodes The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, and American Dad.
- PBS has a new Nature at 8, followed by a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
- AMC has the premiere of The Prisoner at 8.
- Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, then a new Next Iron Chef.
- Also at 8: Lifetime Movie Network has Ann Rule's Everything She Ever Wanted.
- At 9, HBO has a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
- There's a new Dexter on Showtime at 9, followed by a new Californication.
- History Channel has a new WWII in HD at 9.
- At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Titan Maximum.
- At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new episode of The Venture Brothers, then a new Metalocalypse.
Check your
local TV listings for more.
Posted Nov 10th 2009 1:29AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Dexter, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S04E07) "We all have secrets, Debs. Some of them shouldn't be found out." - Dexter to Debra
While preparing this post, I had to double check the time stamp on this week's episode because "7" just seemed too early. It literally felt like we were more episodes into the season. I even looked out my window to make sure the Earth had not been sent into some kind of time paradox where time runs backwards, the sun comes out at night, and golf is America's most watched sport.
Then when I looked over my notes for the recent episode, I realized why. "Slack tide" indeed.
This week's episode did have some very great moments that showed glimmers of the show's glory days, but the rest got bogged down in the same sidetracks that have dragged the rest of the season down with it. The plots may be in different pieces, but they are all in the same garbage bag as they float through the Gulf Stream.
Continue reading Review: Dexter - Slack Tide
Posted Nov 8th 2009 12:15PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free
- At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Three Rivers, and Cold Case.
- NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Cowboys vs. the Eagles.
- FOX has a new Brothers at 7, then new episodes of American Dad, Family Guy, Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show, and The Cleveland Show.
- Cartoon Network has a new Ed, Edd, 'N Eddy at 7.
- At 7:30, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
- At 8, PBS has a new Nature, then a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
- At 9, HBO has a new Curb Your Enthusiasm, followed by the season finale of Bored To Death.
- Showtime has a new Dexter at 9, then a new Californication.
- Food Network has a new Next Iron Chef at 9, then a new Iron Chef America.
- Syfy has 2012: Startling New Secrets at 9.
- At 10, AMC has the season finale of Mad Men.
- Discovery has a new Storm Chasers at 10.
- At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Titan Maximum.
- At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new episode of The Venture Brothers, followed by a new Metalocalypse.
Check your
local TV listings for more.
Posted Nov 4th 2009 5:20AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Dexter, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S04E06) "We both have skeletons, which means we both get a closet to keep them in." - Dexter on him and Arthur Mitchell, the Trinity Killer
Now that Dexter and his faithful followers have discovered Trinity's true identity as a family raising, student teaching, hymn congregation leading all around nice guy, it's made him twice as creepy. The fact that he can turn such a blind eye towards causing so much painful mayhem and in the blink of that eye pretend that everything is all rainbows and jellybeans twists my spine into a monkey fist. John Lithgow has not only reached into the bloody depths of this depraved character, but he's done a marvelous job of walking around in his skin, both figuratively and (I sure hope not) literally.
Now that Dexter is on the hunt, he seems more reserved, held back and less willing to pounce on his weakened prey. I'm sure part of him feels the need to put this man out of our misery and avenge the attack on his sister, but now he sees him as a mentor, a role model, a zen-like Yoda who can teach him how to strengthen his mask while he's doing the bidding of his "Dark Passenger." But will this moment of philosophy for madmen drag things down to a screeching halt?
Continue reading Review: Dexter - If I Had a Hammer
Posted Nov 1st 2009 12:11PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free
Syfy is showing V: The Final Battle all night.- At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
- CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Three Rivers, and Cold Case.
- NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7.
- At 8, FOX has Game 4 of The World Series.
- Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, followed by new episodes of Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America.
- Nickelodeon has a new Dora The Explorer at 8.
- At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
- There's a new Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO at 9, then a new Bored To Death.
- Also at 9: Showtime has a new Dexter, followed by a new Californication.
- At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
- VH-1 has the series premiere of Sex Rehab at 10.
- At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Titan Maximum.
- At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new episode of The Venture Brothers.
Check your
local TV listings for more.
Posted Oct 28th 2009 10:56AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, House, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, 30 Rock, Dexter, Reality-Free, Mad Men, The Mentalist, TV Squad Ten, Glee
Rules are meant to be broken... especially for these ten television characters. For them, the rest of the world has one standard to live by and they have another. It makes them interesting and fun to watch... you just wouldn't necessarily want to be the person having to deal with them because they could drive you to distraction. Here's my ten pack of characters who live in a world of their own, according to no rules except their own. From the not-too-bad to the really bad.
10. Patrick Jane, The Mentalist
You would think that as a consultant to the CBI -- California Bureau of Investigation -- Patrick Jane would be compelled to uphold the rules and regulations of the department. However, Jane is a free spirit when it comes to office protocol. He does his own thing. For instance, bugging the office of a CBI higher-up is definitely not kosher. Jane doesn't care; he did it anyway and will probably get away with it.
Continue reading TV Squad Ten: TV's biggest rule breakers
Posted Oct 27th 2009 11:02AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Dexter, Reality-Free
This season of
Dexter has the most share of downs than seasons past, so much so that it's actually turned the audience against the strife and struggles of their longest running characters. But whoever thought that one of them would be sweet, lovable Rita?
Entertainment Weekly critic Ken Tucker said in his most recent review at his "Watching TV" blog that the three things he wouldn't miss are the Batista/Laguerta relationship, Quinn's touchy relationship with a scoop hungry reporter and Rita, played by Julie Benz.
His issue isn't with Benz's performance, but he said he feels "dubious" about the fixes that have to be made to Dexter and Rita's relationship. All this talk of working out issues could turn an edgy show about a body chopping serial killer into an episode of
The View with less screaming and violence.
The critic has spoken. What say you?
Posted Oct 26th 2009 9:00AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Dexter, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S04E05) -
"If anyone has ever deserved to be on your table, it's this son of a bitch." - Harry to Dexter
Shows like
Dexter are like Heinz Ketchup, good things come to those who wait.
The last few episodes, well, weren't the best of the season, maybe even of the series. They interspersed bits and pieces of the Trinity Killer's true identity with a bunch of dry and pointless plots surrounding the rest of the characters from Batista and Laguerta's closed door relationship to Quinn's "back door" policy with his nosy reporter girlfriend (not that kind sickos).
But it's finally starting to pay off with this week's episode. Some of those dull plotlines have brought together what appear to be some much needed closure and we finally learn another piece of the Trinity Killer's picture and it's starting to look like a Normal Rockwell as opposed to a blood-spattered Jackson Pollock.
Continue reading Review: Dexter - Dirty Harry
Posted Oct 25th 2009 12:10PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free
Nickelodeon has a marathon of The Nanny all night.- Travel Channel has a Man vs. Food marathon all night.
- At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
- CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Three Rivers, and Cold Case.
- NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Giants vs. the Cardinals.
- At 7:30, FOX has Baseball Playoffs, the Yankees vs. the Angels.
- At 8, PBS has a new Nature, then a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
- Food Network has a new Challenge at 9, followed by new episodes of Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America.
- Also at 8: TCM has The Blob, then Die, Monster, Die!
- At 9, HBO has a new Curb Your Enthusiasm, followed by a new Bored To Death.
- Showtime has a new Dexter at 9, then a new Californication.
- History Channel has a new, two-hour MonsterQuest at 9.
- Animal Planet has Werewolves: The Dark Survivors at 9.
- Hallmark has the movie Always and Forever at 9.
- Retro TV has two episodes of the original Mike Hammer at 9, followed by The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
- At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
- At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Titan Maximum.
- At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new episode of Venture Brothers.
Check your
local TV listings for more.
Posted Oct 23rd 2009 8:02PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Dexter, Reality-Free
A recent episode of Showtime's
Dexter titled
"Blinded By the Light" was probably one of the weakest episodes in recent memory, but one moment saved it from becoming a total yawn-fest: Masuka's bad ass truck.
For those who don't know the backstory, Dexter got in a very serious accident while driving home from a recent kill and fell asleep behind the wheel. He suffered a concussion and doctor's orders prevented him from driving. So one night, Masuka drives our boy home in the biggest, most bad ass 4-by-4 with lighting painted down the sides, suspension that reached the sky and a stereo system that could let him listen to loud, obnoxious country music from space.
Sounds like Dexter isn't the only one trying to wear a "mask" to hide a deep, dark secret.
Posted Oct 20th 2009 3:51AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: OpEd, Dexter, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S04E04) - "You're the one who wanted a challenge ... and now you've batted the beehive." - Harry to Dexter
That quote sums up this season in a blood spattered nutshell and really all of good television, for that matter. How do you reinvent a show that works without completely reinventing the wheel on which it got there?
In
Dexter's case, it's giving America's most squeezably soft serial killer an opponent truly worthy of his skills and talent without boring the audience or completely overpowering or outing him. In other words, keep the shark in the cage so you don't even have the inkling of an opportunity to jump over it.
Continue reading Review: Dexter - Dexter Takes a Holiday
Posted Oct 18th 2009 12:13PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free
At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.- CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Three Rivers, and Cold Case.
- NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Bears vs. the Falcons.
- FOX has a new Brothers at 7.
- At 8, FOX has a new episode of The Simpsons, then a new Cleveland Show.
- TBS has Baseball Playoffs at 8, the Dodgers vs. the Phillies.
- Nickelodeon has a new Nick News Special Edition at 8.
- At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Mystery!
- Food Network has a new Next Iron Chef at 9, then a new Iron Chef America.
- IFC has Monty Python: Almost The Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) at 9.
- HBO has a new Curb Your Enthusiasm at 9, followed by a new Bored To Death.
- Also at 9: Showtime has a new Dexter, then a new Californication.
- At 9:30, FOX has a new American Dad.
- At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
- At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Titan Maximum.
- At midnight , Cartoon Network has a new Venture Brothers.
Check your
local TV listings for more.
Posted Oct 13th 2009 9:06PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Dexter, Reality-Free
One of the joys in reviewing the new season of Showtime's
Dexter has been in the preparation. I did just re-watched the previous season. I watched all the other seasons, read every interview I could find and even dove into a couple of reviews, both good and bad. I even got an advanced copy of the
Dexter video game for the iPhone.
But while watching that iconic opening of Dexter's mourning routine, I noticed the credit to Jeff Lindsay, the author of the first
Dexter novel
Darkly Dreaming Dexter on which the whole show is based. I picked it up in the library and even though I knew most of what happened from the show's first season, it was still a very enjoyable read. It was dark, funny, foreboding and every other adjective you would expect to hear from a review of a great mystery novel.
The best part is that even if you watch the show, you can still enjoy the books since they take very different paths that still provide plenty of good twists and turns. Any
Dexter fan would enjoy them.
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