(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.
(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.
(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?
(S0402) - "You've got a family to support and people to dismember. You're spinning too many plates, Dexter." - Harry Morgan
One of the most interesting reasons to watch shows like Dexter are the ways the characters manage to wiggle their way out of complete destruction after pushing more than their fair share of luck.
But unlike shows like The Shield or The Sopranos where most of the luck pushing is done by the main character, the people behind Dexter like to spread the carelessness around. Just about everyone in this twisted tale has some skeletons in their closets, both figurative and possibly literal.
(S0401) "Who knew life could get so ... unsimple?" - Dexter Morgan
Moving an unsuspecting serial killer to the burbs sounds like a pitch for a UPN sitcom. "What happens when a wacky serial killer moves into the wackiest suburban neighborhood in the wackiest town in America? You've got 'A Real Cutup.'"
Instead, this is where we find loveable ol' Dexter Morgan, played by Michael C. Hall, at the beginning of the fourth season of Showtime's most popular Sunday night drama that isn't all drama. It still plays heavy on the complex emotions and relationships that make Dexter's life so interesting, but it also features shimmers of laughter as Dexter tries to juggle the life of a father, wife, blood spatter expert, and avenging serial killer without relying too much on one device or character.
The promos for the new season probably made you think, as did I, that Dexter would go from kill room to kill room with a baby slung across his torso in a cute little mini rubber smock and welding mask.
The introduction of a baby into the plot is usually a sure fire sign that a television show has jumped the shark with a pair of Acme rocket powered water skis.
But things are different for a twisted little space of pay cable called Dexter. The mere thought of putting a cute, adorable and affable little tyke into the mix sounds like something that would inspire the furious typing of a thousand angry Parents Television Council members' Selectric typewriters.
The latest addition to the Morgan clan is just a small addition to the newest season of Showtime's seriously macabre drama. It doesn't overtake the show and turn its serious moral tone into something ridculously psychotic like Three Madmen and a Baby. It's just one of many obstacles the world's most huggable serial killer has to deal with to feed the John Pinette sized appetite of his mysterious "dark passenger," and it's not all dark and drenched in blood.
There's a lot of news coming out of Comic-Con already, and one piece of news for Dexterfans is the debut of the season four trailer.
But that's not the only Dexter news. Showtime also announced that they are making a prequel to the show. A cartoon prequel titled Early Cuts, It will be a 12-episode, web-only series, but Michael C. Hall will indeed do the voice.
This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com, or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479. Your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.
This week we have: 24, Dexter, Gossip Girl, Heroes, Lost, NCIS, and Psych. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)
You know, if your casting director says he's looking for a middle-aged guy to play "an unassuming, mild-mannered suburbanite" who also happens to have also been a prolific serial killer for almost three decades, damn if there isn't a better choice than John Lithgow. And it looks like our own Mr. Morgan will be going head-to-head with him as John Lithgow has been cast in Dexter for its fourth season. Lithgow is a master, able to play every type of role you can imagine.
He could dabble a bit of Pastor Footloose for his crazier side, adding in a smidge of Dick Solomon (3rd Rock From the Sun) for his everyday persona. But only a little, otherwise you've got crazy on both sides. Or maybe you want that. Dexter's fascination with Lithgow's character "Trinity" (dubbed thus for killing in threes) is how he's managed to be such a prolific killer and yet avoid capture for so long. I'm more interested in Lithgow's daily life. Is he married? Kids? And if so, how does he juggle so much "normalcy" with his extracurricular activities. Regardless of how it's presented, I think it should make for an awesome face-off.
(S03E13) "Donuts and then bed. What are you depressed about or celebrating?" - Pete, to Liz
Holy crap, Josh was in this episode! Sure, he only had one line and wasn't on screen for too long, but Josh was in this episode! It's good to see that he's still a writer on this show (and that Lonny Ross is still a member of the cast).
It's also good to see a TV show whose plot is based around the 1987 filmHarry and the Hendersons. There aren't enough TV shows based on the 1987 film Harry and the Hendersons.
November 8 is the last time you'll see Twenty Good Years on NBC for a while. Maybe even forever. As part of their major restructuring plan, where 30 Rock and Scrubs will join My Name Is Earl and The Office on Thursday night for a new "Must-See" comedy night, Twenty Good Years is being taken off the schedule. After the super-sized episodes on November 16, NBC will show a special two-hour Deal Or No Deal on Thanksgiving night. Then, when the shows come back on November 30, the new Thursday lineup will be in place. On November 22, NBC will start airing specials in the old Twenty Good Years/30 Rock hour.
Got that? Good.
As for Twenty Good Years coming back, there's no word on that yet. It could come back, but it won't be til mid-season at the earliest, and even then I predict that if it does come back it will be just to burn off any remaining episodes. The show is toast.
Well, it's not exactly as hotly-anticipated as tonight's other premiere, 30 Rock, but if you want to see John Lithgow and Jeffery Tambor's sitcom Twenty Good Years before it premieres at 8:30 tonight, here's your chance.
Hoof it on over to AOL TV, which is showing video of the entire pilot. In case you're not familiar with the show, Lithgow and Tambor are playing two sixty-year-old friends who have decided to break the shackles of their high-profile but comfortable lives (Lithgow's a surgeon, Tambor's a judge) and live life to the fullest in the twenty good years they have left. The pilot was pretty standard fare, a "let's set this thing up" episode that was barely saved by the comedic skills of its two stars. But it's worth watching, especially if you need to kill time before or after lunch. And if you go watch the 30 Rock premiere online, too, you'll be able to watch the Mets-Cards game tonight without guilt. So everybody wins!
Many people think that this move on the schedule is being made because 30 Rock is getting good reviews and Twenty Good Years is getting...not so much. I'll have to agree. Twenty Good Years? If they get twenty good episodes, they'll be lucky.
Anyway, the Tina Fey/Alec Baldwin comedy will now be seen at 8pm on Wednesday, while the John Lithgow/Jeffrey Tambor comedy will follow at 8:30.
The shows bow on October 11. (Note: We made the changes to our premiere list)
Well, at least one of my television-related prayers has come true. NBC announced that it has picked up 20 Good Years for the 2006-2007 season. It stars Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development) and John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun) as two aging men who have some sort of epiphany and decide to live it up as they age. I think those two actors will make a terrific on-screen pair.
Bob has mentioned a list of some of the shows NBC has picked up already.
My prayers were answered last week when NBC picked up Aaron Sorkin's new show, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Now, as we await next week's fall line-up announcements at the 'upfronts', I have my fingers crossed for two other shows. The first one doesn't even have a title yet. It's just called 'Carol Mendelsohn Project' and that works for me. Mendelsohn is a producer on CSI and, while that show really doesn't float my boat, I do like the casting in her new show. Not only is Joshua Jackson ('Pacey' on Dawson's Creek) cast as the lead, but Alan Tudyk ('Wash' on Firefly) is cast in a supporting role in this law drama. Sure, there are too many law dramas on television right now. But, you know what there's not too much of? Alan Tudyk and Joshua Jackson!
Also, I want to see NBC pick up 20 Good Years, starring Jeffrey Tambor and John Lithgow as two guys who have mid-life crises and set out to live better lives. I just think the Tambor-Lithgow combination would rock.
Of course, my wishing and hoping comes from a completely uneducated angle. I have no idea whether these shows are actually any good. I just want to see these fellas back on television.
(S0408) "Born in blood, both of us." - Dexter on his and the Trinity Killer's creation of their "dark passengers" 
(S04E07) "We all have secrets, Debs. Some of them shouldn't be found out." - Dexter to Debra
(S0401) "Who knew life could get so ... unsimple?" - Dexter Morgan 
The introduction of a baby into the plot is usually a sure fire sign that a television show has jumped the shark with a pair of Acme rocket powered water skis. 
You know, if your casting director says he's looking for a middle-aged guy to play "an unassuming, mild-mannered suburbanite" who also happens to have also been a prolific serial killer for almost three decades, damn if there isn't a better choice than John Lithgow. And it looks like our own Mr. Morgan will be going head-to-head with him as 
This may get confusing, so stick with me here.
Well, it's not exactly as hotly-anticipated as tonight's other premiere, 30 Rock, but if you want to see John Lithgow and Jeffery Tambor's sitcom Twenty Good Years before it premieres at 8:30 tonight, here's your chance.
Many people think that 
Well, at least 
My prayers 
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