Dexter: The British Invasion

 "Confusion requires fire trucks?"

Wow. So this is how it ends. Such magnificent, exciting chaos. Yet it all feels earned in terms of the characters. And, in hindsight, Lila's bit of self-arson a few episodes back was something of a harbinger for how this would end. For Doakes, and almost for Dexter...

I sort of knew that Doakes had to die- he knew too much. What else could the writers possibly have done with him? But so early in the episode, so dramatically, and Lila reacting to the truth about Dexter by doubling down on him being her soulmate... wow. She's an extraordinary character.

And her reaction, wanting Dexter even more and intensifying her pursuit, is extraordinary- as is Dexter's realisation of what she's like- just like him, emotionally empty. Her past, interestingly, is still a mystery, but was her "addiction" to a substance at all?

But then there's her unhinged revenge side, trying to kill not only Dexter but the kids. She misses a trick, I suppose, in not just exposing Dexter to Rita and to the world, but as a climax it really works. As does Dexter's killing her, finally able to do so in accordance with his "principles".

There's other character development with Deb, too... her heart, inevitably, is broken. But she's even closer to Dexter, the two of them being, bizarrely, paragons of a healthy sibling relationship. And all is seemingly back to the status quo...

Except LaGuerta, who knows something is off. As Doakes did exactly a season ago...

Wow. Just wow. 

Dexter: Left Turn Ahead

 "Harry gazed into the eyes of his creation and saw evil, pure and simple..." 

Wow. Yet again we have an extraordinary clever, gleefully chaotic and masterfully character-based episode... and next up is the finale. And I'm told by my very lovely partner that future seasons get even better. I'm still rather cross about those well done steaks, though. Well done steaks are an abomination. That character flaw of Dexter's is right up there with the serial killing.

So much of this is about the perverse but very real rapport between Dexter and Doakes who- as ever- is right about everything. Dexter's confidence is low after realising that his father killed himself because of what he'd made Dexter, and so he's lacking in confidence and, for him, very much losing control. And, incredibly, Doakes persuades him to get his affairs in order and turn himself in. it's extraordinary how liberated Dexter seems with the freedom he has to be honest with his honourable archenemy.

And then, at the end, Deb inadvertently persuades him otherwise, having slowly got her mojo back after last season's trauma, persuading him to just ride through it. It all feels earned and absolutely true to character for everyone. Ironically, a lot of this is due to Dexter actually being a bloody good brother.

In other news, Mike from Breaking Bad shows up, and things are going well between Deb and Lundy. Too well. I'm convinced that tragedy is round the corner.

And then there's Lila. Ah, Lila. Framing poor Angel in a despicable attempt to get Dexter back, and he can clearly see the parallels in what he himself is doing to Doakes. But she's dangerous, volatile, and Deb's confidence after realising her immigration status is misplaced. That final scene, with Lila poised to learn everything from Doakes, makes me want to see the finale. So job done.

Extraordinary episode. Aren't they all? 

Dexter: Resistance Is Futile

 "Nice, my subconscious isn't even bothering with symbolism..."

Wow. This is a truly impressive piece of television, a real masterclass of tension. The net seems to be closing in on Dexter, his downfall seemingly inevitable. And then... we have the perfectly earned yet surprising twist. And another shocking twist at the end.  

Lila is out of Dexter's life, or so he thinks- although, of course, without a "sponsor", he's back to his "addiction". Or, at least, to the extent he can do so, what with all this FBI surveillance. Yet she's volatile, dangerous, and the games she plays here- hanging out with Dexter's colleagues and flirting with Angel- seem to be a harbinger of something bigger. She's going to do something big, dramatic and awful, I know. And she sees right through him, in everything except the huge elephant in the room.

Oh, and that call between Dexter and Rita, as they make baby steps towards getting back together and plan to meet the following night? I'm full of foreboding. So much can happen before then. 

More than anything, though, this is all about Dexter's near-certainty that his comeuppance is at hand. The direction, the acting, the mood of paranoia, that flashback to his youth, it's all building up to the moment where he's taken to Lundy... 

And then the bombshell: Doakes is the suspect, not Dexter. And it makes perfect sense. The FBI found the slides in Doakes' car, his recent behaviour has indeed been odd... the last few episodes have been so masterfully building up to this. And, irony of ironies, Dexter has been put in charge of examining the slides. And yet... the code of Harry. Don't harm the innocent. But don't get caught.

Others, of course, have their own agendas. Maria LaGuerta remains loyal to Doakes, and we know the lengths she'll go to. But, in urging Deb to urge her influence, she unwittingly causes Deb to let slip her rather icky secret.

But then, the end, the altercation with Doakes, the dilemma, three episodes to go, which I'm sure will be high drama...

Wow. Just wow. This is masterful telly. 

Dexter: Morning Comes

 "Trust me, when you meet the monster, you'll know..."

I was going to blog this last night, but, well, the title... 

Anyway, it's all kicking off now. So much happened this episode and it doesn't look as though it's going to slow down soon. For a start, Lundy, Deb and co are getting closer to nabbing Dexter. His rather unwise "manifesto" has got Lundy to realise the killer works in law enforcement, and now Deb (it would be her) has, courtesy of an absolute busybody, proved that the killer works in the Miami police department. And, if that isn't enough, Lundy seems suspicious and is asking difficult questions.... and Doakes (blowing off a serious job offer arranged by Laguerta, who still very much seems to carry a flame for him, given the body language) not only searches Dexter's apartment but seems to find the jackpot.

But there's more. Rita lays down the law and insists on no contact with her or the kids... but Dexter's house isn't the only one being searched. Lila truly is obsessive. Dexter begins to suspect the truth about the fire, deliberately set by her as a way to keep him, and he's distancing himself a bit... causing some truly red flag behaviour from Lila, deliberately arranding for his mother's murderer to be able to attempt to kill him, all in an attempt to rekindle the flame. Which is... yeah.

And so it's the end for their relationship. And, therefore, for Dexter's "recovery", as his mother's killer is given a rather unfortunate appointment with a chainsaw. Without Lila, he's killing again. And, on top of this, the net is closing in, Lila is still around and blatantly dangerous... and the season has a full four episodes to go. It's promising to be quite the ride, rather like Lila and Dexter's rather vigorous former sex life... 

Oh, and I very much fear for Deb. This relationship with Lundy, literally her boss, is a big conflict of interest and is, on his part, unethical. Could it be that he suspects Dexter and is using her...? 

Dexter: That Night, a Forest Grew

 "Pardon my tits!"

Oh me. back to Dexter again (recovering well from my op) and what an episode.

Where to start? Well, there's the manifesto from the "Bay Harbour Butcher". Dexter thinks he's being clever by writing it, putting the FBI off the scent with distracting nonsense. But he's too clever be half, perhaps? Because Lundy sees clearly what the manifesto's purpose happens to be, and accurately concludes that the killer is linked to law enforcement. Meanwhile,his manipulation of Doakes gets his rival suspended. Again, though, too clever by half? Doakes won't be giving up, and he sort of has this habit of never actually being wrong about anything.

Worrying that he's going after that nice Camilla lady, mind. Her line about being scheduled to retire next year feels worryingly like a kind of dialogue Chekhov's Gun- if she was fated to retire, surely that line wouldn't be there?

Ultimately, this episode is all about relationships and change. Rita finally sees how controlling and abusive her mother is (perhaps explaining her choices of men?) and banishes her. Deb banishes her sexy but ordinary boyfriend and comes on to the urbane, cultured, wise and much older Agent Lundy... and it seems to go well. But is she thinking straight? She's very upset at Dexter leaving Rita and shacking up with the obviously dangerous Lila.

And... ah yes. Dexter and Lila's relationship blooms, on the surface. Really good sex. Excitement. Yet... as we see Dexter supporting Cody at his school assembly thing, Lila sets fire to her valuable artwork, the one she's actually sold, in order to manipulate Dexter into staying with her and away from Rita. Which is... deeply creepy and controlling. She's a paradox: genuinely the cause of keeping him away from his "addiction" to killing, but oh so very dangerous...

Dexter has just got even better. 

Dexter: Dex, Lies and Videotape

 "What step was that?"

"The naughty one!"

So... Dexter gets away with deleting the marina footage by the old fire alarm trick. Easy... and, perhaps, a bit of a cheat, given the weight put on this at the end of last episode. But not all problems are so easily solved. Doakes is getting very persistent in his suspicions now. Dexter can deal with this by partly confiding in LaGuerta, of course. And she has reasons to be concerned about Doakes' obsessiveness... and yes, it's confirmed: they're exes, with a past. Quite the conflict of interest in her being his boss, then.

I suspect Doakes will, in the long run, keep being persistent, and it won't end well for him. But, yet again, we ought to remember: he's right. And he may be the antagonist but he's not the bad guy. Dexter is.

And Dexter has another problem now: a vengeful ex-mother-in-law. Choosing the somewhat wild femme fatale Lila over decent, dependable Rita is certainly most unwise of him, to say nothing of the morality. He's been emotionally cheating on her for a while, confiding things to Lila and not to Rita. And now, after Rita gets the wrong end of the stick, he actually does literally cheat on her... and admit it. Wow.

Lila bonds with him much better. He can be a closer approximation of his true self with her. But... I'm full of foreboding.

We have more bonding between Deb and Lundy, who seems to be morphing into something of a father figure. And it's being made teasingly ambiguous that he may suspect Dexter. I suspect they'll string this out for quite a while.

Oh, and then there's the copycat killer, played by Monroe from Grimm. Dexter protests rather too much when he insists that his murders are "principled" and this man's are not. It's becoming increasingly emphasises that even Harry didn't actually have a "code", much less Dexter. But scenes like this are deliciously revealing.

Another excellent episode, with some cleverly nuanced scripting. And it's the perfect balance between having us accept Dexter as the protagonist while always reminding us that, if this show has a hero, it's certainly not him.

Dexter: The Dark Defender

 "Should we call the Super Friends for help?"

So... that was an actual armadillo. Wow! Very strange for this Brit to think of one of those as a creature that might find its way into one's home. A hedgehog it is not.

Anyway, basically another top episode, and as ever it's a fascinating one in terms of where this is all going.

Dexter likes a queue.... yeah, that fits. But we also have an interesting sibling chat: Deb really has it in for the "Bay Harbour Butcher". But others (naturally occurring overheard vox pops) approve of him, probably hangers and floggers and people who loved Chuck Dixon's run on The Punisher. But it's an interesting binary, the divided attitudes.

And then we get a murder in a comic shop, as Sophie Ellis-Bextor didn't quite sing. And this riffs on that very contrast- is Dexter the "Dark Defender", a kind of Shadow/Mr A figure straight from pulp fiction or the Objectivism-addled mind of Steve Ditko, or is he just the "Bay Harbour Butcher", a common or garden serial killer?

There are other sub-plots. LaGuerta and Doakes are having a bit of an arc, with her very much concerned about his developing habit of shooting people, and... is it implied that they used to be a couple? Then there's deb's trust issues with Gabriel, and her interesting dynamic with her eccentric widower of a boss.

But really, as was always going to happen, this is about Dexter, and his flashback to his mum's murder opens a couple of cans of squirming invertebrates. Firstly... Harry not only slept with his mum but used her as bait and got her killed! If even Harry is deeply flawed, can there be any stability in Dexter's world. And he confides not in Rita, but Lila, who understands him more... and is as abnormal as he is. And so she is involved in his need to confront the surviving killer and get "closure".

I'm sure there will be consequences in the aftermath of said confrontation... not least in him getting closer to Lila. Especially after her confession to, effectively, murder by arson, but of someone bad in the same way as Dexter's victims. So suddenly these two have even more in common... but Lila is dangerous. She's chaos. Calling it now: she's going to die. But not before she and Dexter break poor Rita's heart.

Poor Rita. All the loyalty she's showing, sticking up for Dexter with her mum... by the rules of television drama, she's going to end up sooo heartbroken.

And that ending... oh dear. Another utterly gripping episode.

Dexter: See-Through

 "Ok, this is the first time I regret not being a bigger nerd..."

Dexter, this season, just keeps getting better and better, and it was already pretty darn good. The characterisation is getting pretty deep, and there are so many cleverly done scenes with dialogue at cross purposes.

Dexter, surely, is on borrowed time. Not only is he surely certain to get caught by Lundy's team (because of algae along, I'm sure, with other things!) but his pretence at addiction can't last, surely. He has to keep up the pretence with too many non-stupid people. Not least of which is Rita's mother, (Diane from the Poltergeist films!) introduced here, who can see both that he's a good actor and he's hiding something.

Then there's Lila who, we discover here, is an artist, and bonkers. Not only that... but she reacts calmly to being shown corpses, so is she perhaps, well, a non-standard personality type on top of that? Certainly Rita is jealous of her, and rightly so. She and Dexter have such chemistry... how much does she know? And could she handle the truth? Dexter is... clearly intrigued.

Lundy is interesting, too. A sphinx, but perhaps opening up to Deb... encouraging her to ask out the bloke she fancies at the gym, Gabriel... rather successfully. He's even ok with the fact that she wants to handcuff him to the bed during sex... not in a kinky way, but because the last man she slept with, well... definitely issues there. But what's this between her and Lundy? A spark? Or is he using her, suspecting her brother...?

Doakes' subplot is interesting, too. It's emphasised yet again that yes, he's flawed, but he has morals and integrity and, while not the protagonist, he's the hero of this show. Unlike Maria, who... wow, what a bombshell. That's cold, LaGuerta, so damned cold. This is a dangerous woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants...

Taking a step back, it's amazing how far these characters have come, already, in the four episodes of this season. This could be a very special season if it keeps this up...

Dexter: An Inconvenient Lie

 "You're a terrible liar..."

So Dexter begins the episode with what seems to be a huge problem. Rita thinks he's a junkie and enrols him on one of those dodgy twelve step programmes (Just saying, Alcoholics/Narcoholics Anonymous DOES apparently work if you commit to it but, well, it's just one of many ways, and there are less intrusive organisations that don't exclude introverts or non-theists. Also, its world view is just wrong; an ex of mine was a former alcoholic, yes, a former alcoholic, who ended up drinking moderately. Anyway...) and this is going to be a massive time sink, all as Doakes is still watching him. However will he find time for, well, his actual addiction?

But, of course, the whole thing turns out to be a blessing in disguise. He can talk obliquely about his REAL addiction. Even better, he's got Doakes (who gets it wrong for once) off his back, satisfied at the "explanation" for Dexter's secretive behaviour. For now, anyway. I can't see Doakes being fooled for long.

But there's more. There's a very perceptive fellow addict, a girl, with whom he seems to connect... a potential rival for Rita, more on his level? And, from the programme and his current victim (whose lying skills he is in awe of!)... Dexter begins to realise that perhaps he does care about people, and perhaps even loves Rita...

In other threads, Maria continues to bond with the struggling new Lieutenant, even defending her to the Captain.. playing a long game, perhaps, but I think also genuinely just doing the right thing. And then there's the FBI bloke, picking Deb for the investigation into the Bay Harbour Butcher... and turning out to be quite a positive mentor figure, or so it seems. But he also picks Dexter, and the dialogue between them is pointedly ambiguous... does he know, or suspect...?

This is taking a fascinating turn, and I've no idea where it's going. Excellent.

Dexter: Waiting to Exhale

 "Just dropping somebody off..."

This is another good episode, although primarily it consists of wrapping up last episode's main plot about Dexter losing his mojo. But this time around he finally manages- eventually- to secure his victim, looking visibly relieved as he makes the kill. His dead brother appears to him, but Dexter seems to let go. He also finds a solution to where to drop the bodies- the good old Gulf Stream, launching those lovely little cadavers towards the vicinity of my own native island. How delightful.

Yet he still has problems. The bodies from his previous kills cannot be un-discovered, and an FBI prosecutor is on his case, played by the same actor who plays Wild Bill Hickock in Deadwood. This character seems competent, and decent... but, interestingly, he rebuffs Doakes' request for a secondment. Why, and where is this going?

And Doakes is still stalking Dexter. Surely Dexter is underplaying the risk of being discovered...?

Elsewhere, Deb is not coping well with her PTSD, understandably, and the police are being somewhat unreasonable, to put it mildly, in expecting anything else. She may earn a feather in her cap from some drug arrests, but that stems from some disturbing behaviour. At least Dexter, trying to be a good brother, is now willing to let her stay.

LaGuerta continues to slowly get the upper hand with the new Lieutenant, in a rather interesting little arc. But we conclude with a real bombshell... Rita has been a little off with Dexter all episode, processing her feelings about Paul. And, having found the shoe, she inevitably demands answers from Dexter. And.... things go in a very unexpected direction!!!

This season is starting off a little bit bonkers. And I'm here for it...

Dexter: It's Alive!

 "Don't forget, tell the universe what you need..."

So Angel, after recovering from his stabbing, is into all this cosmic ordering nonsense that Noel Edmonds (not an individual I'd expected to be mentioning in relation to Dexter!) was into at probably the same time. Oh dear. But he also feels totally comfortable around Dexter at all times, as does everyone... except, of course, Doakes who, let us recall, is right and will not be hornswoggled. Some kind of clash is coming.

And, indeed, being watched by Doakes is doing far more than cramping Dexter's style- it's limiting his opportunities to kill. So is the fact that Deb, unable to sleep in a house alone, is staying with him. And, in not killing, he's losing his mojo somewhat. In bed, at work, pertaining to... donuts. And, forebodingly (I'm not sure whether that was a word, but it is now!) his only "successful" killing is of a macabre, blind, voodoo serial killer (not a phrase I particularly expected to type) who.... curses him. And, whether by this or not, he's cursed.

Because his next attempted killing goes wrong in every way, just as in other areas of his life. And, worse, the sacks of body parts of his victims have been found. And, after Paul dies in prison, Rita now has cause to start to question the nature of the man she's with. Still have no sympathy for Paul though. The worst person in this show, and that's saying something.

There's more, though. Maria LaGuerta and the new lieutenant... connecting? Then there's Deb clearly not coping as well, deep down, with her experiences last season as might be apparent on the surface. as we see a few times, and will no doubt see more and more….

This is a VERY exciting start to a very interesting second season. They’ve adapted the novel, so where to go next…?

Dexter: Born Free

"You know, hypothermia can easily sneak up on you."

"So can hypochondria..."

Despite a couple of plot holes that, I confess, had to be pointed out to me, this is an excellent, clever and nuanced season finale, providing real closure and pointing towards next season.

Dexter has to try and save Deb from... well, I'll still call him Rudy... while avoiding the suspicions of Doakes, as Rita resists the attempts of Paul to turn her against Dexter, seemingly unsuccessfully. Yet at the end, she finds the shoe, which is a very blatant "to be continued".

Doakes, though... the more I watch Dexter, the clearer it becomes how clever the set-up of the show is, how it makes the viewer complicit, and how essential Doakes is to that. Because the show is pretty much in Dexter's POV, every episode starting with a monologue, and his monologue continuing throughout. Yet Dexter is a monster, not someone we should be rooting for. Doakes is the character that exists to occasionally remind us of that, and have us internally rebuke ourselves. Because, while Doakes may function as an antagonist... he's right, in all that he says and does. Indeed, the one exception, his shooting of a member of the Tonton Macoute, is motivated by a social conscience, quite the contrast with Dexter. It looks as though the animosity with Doakes will really be ramped up next season...

There's also a twist in the LaGuerta storyline. She's been demoted, but there are hints that the new Lieutenant may not be entirely on the Captain's side. Another thread for next season.

But... damn, it all wraps up so neatly, in terms of both Rudy and Dexter's past. Rudy being Dexter's brother was a twist I really didn't see coming, and adds depth to the parallels between them. There are clever twists- Deb saving Dexter from suspicion, and Dexter's bait-and-switch trap for Rudy. Above all, perhaps, the way the visuals of the flashbacks are done. The final monologue, and Dexter's daydreaming. This finale may not be perfect, but it delivers, and satisfies.

Dexter: Truth Be Told

 "That ain't no little thing..."

Wow. That was quite the penultimate episode, setting everything up for an explosive finale.

There are other plot threads- LaGuerta seemingly losing her power play with the Captain and vowing his revenge, the recovered Angel finally coming to terms with the fact that his marriage is over, and an interesting resolution to the Paul story- Rita's son is not taking his father's absence well, and Dexter is right that the kids need to know that he deserves to be in prison (and he does, despite Dexter's little subterfuge!), much as Rita may not like it. And her solution is perfect: visit Paul and make him tell the truth to the kids or never see them again. Nicely done.

But, well, the main event is all about the setting up of Dexter vs Rudy, as events play out with grim inevitability. The witness from last episode is killed, the first time we see, in person, how he operates. Brr. And the wheels turn inexorably until he has Deb in his clutches, cruelly breaking her heart after proposing to her, using her as bait... and Dexter works out the truth, but too late.

And then there's the mystery of what happened to Dexter's mother, with Harry ordering the records destroyed. Something tells me that Rudy knows something, and we'll find out next episode. Let's see.

One prediction, though- Deb won't die. Because this hint of a thing between her and Doakes, with Rudy out of the picture, is setting things up nicely for friction next season, with Doakes very much having Dexter's number- especially noticing his reaction to the revelation that Angel is going to live.

Dexter: Seeing Red

 "It's your wet dream in there..."

Yet another great episode this week as we get closer to the finale, as the story of Rita's despicable ex (using children as weapons to manipulate your former spouse is one of the most evil things you can do, and let's just say I have reasons for feeling that way) and the main plot of the Ice Truck Killer continues, with Rudy manipulating a clueless Dexter... and a crime that really conjures up past memories for Dexter; how come Rudy knows so much about him?

Rudy is in full control throughout, despite his ostensible faux pas with Deb (incidentally, Doakes definitely likes her), getting Dexter under his control while driving a wedge between him and Deb, although with the latter definitely being Dexter's fault too. And the crime- all the missing blood from earlier crimes deposited into one hotel room- has such repercussions, partly in its effect on the ongoing feud between LaGuerta and the Captain in proving the suspect in custody to be a mere fantasist, but also in its awakening a deeply buried memory for Dexter- of witnessing his birth mother's death. And I'm sure that much will be revealed over the coming season over what exactly happened.

Also, we have Angel starting to come to terms with his divorce at last... only to find a lead in the case that causes Rudy to try and kill him. The crime was interrupted, but will he survive...? This episode is just quite simply crammed with stuff.

And, most shockingly perhaps, as Paul goes too far in his persecution of Rita, Dexter feels able to bend the rules... after all, Harry did so with him in lying about his birth father. So yes, he doesn't kill Paul but rather ensures him life without parole by injecting with heroin... but, despite what Dexter thinks, the code of Harry has been bent for the first time. And, I'm sure, not the last.

Excellent stuff, yet again.

Dexter: Father Knows Best

 "Oh, good. Dancing..."

So much fascinating stuff in this episode, and it's all layered. To start with, Dexter suddenly and randomly inherits a house from his birth dad... a birth dad whom Harry had told him was dead. Cue flashbacks and intrigue; DNA proves that this man is his birth dad, so why did Harry lie? We get some fascinating friction between him and Deb here, with Dexter blatantly having no idea how to react to his sister being upset. Yet we also find out that this man had a hidden dark past... is this birth dad the origin of Dexter's dark side? I hope we eventually learn more about all this.

But Dexter's birth dad is only dead, of course, because Rudy murdered him... and it's fascinating seeing Rudy and Dexter interact, Dexter having no idea that Rudy is the Ice Truck Killer and is not only playing mind games with him but using his poor sister. A sociopath with much better social skills... or perhaps a dark empath?

Then we have Doakes who, being an American cop, shoots a man in cold blood. And yet there's moral complexity: Doakes was in Haiti, and he's seen this man commit atrocities as part of the Ton Ton Macoute... and so LaGuerta covers it up. Police corruption, certainly... but moral shades of grey. And it's fascinating how Angel, trying to do the right thing, drops Doakes in it... but Doakes respects that, and refuses to tolerate Angel being mocked as a snitch. This is the complex morality of not being a psychopath...

But then we have the end, and Paul who, against stiff competition, is easily the most morally disgusting character on the show. Surely Dexter has to kill him?

And yet... that's the clever thing. We find ourselves hoping for that, but then we remember that dexter is a monster, and vigilantism has no place in a civilised society. Ah, that moral complexity again!

Dexter: Shrink Wrap

 "Can we go inside? I'm kind of wet... DON'T!"

Wow. That was QUITE the bombshell at the end of a truly extraordinary episode, perhaps the best yet. The vibes were very much that the innocent and adorable Deb was going to get her heart broken by this man she's falling so hard for... but I was expecting that he'd turn out to be a bounder and a cad, not literally the Ice Truck Killer!

Speaking of bounders and cads, Rita's ex Paul continues to behave like the very worst kind of controlling ex. It says a lot that, in a show crammed to the rafters with serial killers, he's the character you hate the most. Still, let's look on the bright side: with Dexter around, he's not exactly behaving in ways conducive to his survival. But... well, can't Rita just report him for all this boundary pushing with the court order? I suppose I wouldn't know how it works in America.

This episode's "case of the week" is particularly disturbing- a sociopathic yet insightful shrink (a dark empath, perhaps?) who persuades successful yet vulnerable women to shoot themselves, which is well bloody dark. It's fun watching him and Dexter spar... and he genuinely helps Dexter to navigate the problem of having sex with Rita without revealing his true self to her, something he genuinely fears... yet, of course, a happy and post-coital Rita continues to think he's Mr Perfect.

There are layers to this, though. What Dexter struggled with, the actual Ice Truck Killer accomplished with ease, making Deb start to fall in love with him partly via some really good sex...

Then, as well as two actual serial killers, we have a self-confessed wannabe serial killer, whose lies LaGuerta quite sees through... yet again via unorthodox means. And proceeds to play her power games against her boss.

So much character stuff this episodes, and so many parallels between the various carefully balanced subplots. This is VERY good writing.

Dexter: Circle of Friends

 "I have a dark side too".

The quote above comes from a fascinating scene between Dexter and Rita. A major plot thread is Rita's abusive ex ignoring the court order and using the kids as a weapon against Rita... and, let's just say, I really hate that kind of behaviour. So it's good to see Rita- with Dexter's solid support- laying down the law.

And yet... she responds to Dexter's claim with a laugh and an easy insistence that he would never hurt anyone. And, yeah, obviously there's dramatic irony there. Dexter is a serial killer. Yet... in a sense, isn't she right? He'd certainly never hurt her, or anyone she cares about. People are complicated, and we present different faces to different parts of our lives.

The other main plot thread is, well, a tale of two serial killers. Jeremy, who Dexter let off recently, has killed again. And, just as Dexter is about to deal with him, Doakes suddenly arrests his target and, in a somewhat awkward plot contrivance, fails to see Dexter. It's interesting to see how Dexter acts, though- taking risks and offering advice. Fruitlessly, of course, in the end.

Then there's the arrest of the supposed Ice Truck Killer and... yeah, we know this is a red herring. Wants the notoriety, confesses, but we can trust Dexter's instincts- vindicated at the end- that this isn't him. Besides, it's just too early in the season for this revelation to be real, if I can be a bit meta for a moment.

Still... what is this bloke's agenda? The season is getting very interesting. Good stuff. Excellent character stuff, too, for Deb, and Doakes getting Dexter's measure yet again.

Dexter: Return to Sender

 "I realise now my days are numbered..."

Wow. This is a fascinating episode. The premise is simple- the Ice Cream Truck Killer ensures that one of Dexter's victims from last episode is found, meaning that he has to squirm through the episode at the seeming certainty that he'll be caught.

And this conceit shows us Dexter, and the show, from a fresh perspective. This time he's genuinely rattled, having real nightmares- shot in delightfully dreamlike fashion, reminiscent of the title sequence. Michael C. Hall really is excellent here, showing us a side of Dexter Morgan that we haven't seen before, but which makes total sense.

The resolution is nicely done, too- Dexter's rival isn't necessarily trying to ruin him, but is testing him, and not for the first time. It's going to be VERY interesting when, as I hope they do, the two serial killers meet. What does the Ice Cream Killer make of his rival?

Yet Dexter fails one test here: in order to save himself, he has to be a bad brother to Deb- again, not for the first time, as the flashbacks show. And he has a realisation: its not a case of if he's caught, but when. And... good! Dexter is a fascinating character study, but he's a monster, no better than any of his victims, and we must never forget that.

Excellent though all this is, there are other character points worth noting. LaGuerta's strong bond with the little boy; she and Deb perhaps starting to reconcile a little; Deb getting on well with Doakes' family- are the two of them eventually going to become an unlikely couple? And, yes, Rita's ex getting released from gaol- and Rita putting her foot down splendidly about custody. Ironically, is this Dexter's positive influence?

Regardless, he's a monster. As this excellent episode never lets us forget.

Dexter: Love American Style

 "She doesn't know yet, but I don't have the next level..."

The way the theme of this episode is handled is very well done here- love is not something Dexter can ever understand but, after Harry's training as shown in the flashbacks, Dexter, by "acting" seems to be pretty good at it as far as Rita is concerned. Throughout the episode she likes him more and more... and he's fortunate in not having to, er, return last episode's favour.

Others are less successful. Most notably Angel, whose strained relationship with his separated wife is revealed to Dexter... and things at Dexter's home are almost revealed to Angel. What will eventually come of this? Chekhov's Gun and all that...

Then there's Rita's poor maid, who's lost her beloved fiancé to... well, we're coming to them. Then there's the poor Mr. Tucci, forever deformed but happy to be alive. Deb using her feminine wiles on him is an important plot beat here: after distinctly failing to impress Doakes for most of the episode, she has a lozenge-related breakthrough that leads to a semi-breakthrough... and has her prostitute friend pleasure Mr Tucci. And, if the lady is willing, why not? Mr Tucci, while perhaps not a lucky man, is not unlucky with the opposite sex here.

And then we have the killing of the week, as Dexter goes after a people trafficker who extorts and murders... and we get the big twist: it's him and his wife, and they love each other. To Dexter's shock, people like him are capable of love...

And then the final twist: cutting corners slightly, Dexter is seen...

This is a compelling, fascinating and eventful episode. The season feels as though it's in full swing...

Dexter: Let's Give the Boy a Hand

 "People think it's fun to pretend you're a monster. Me, I spend my life pretending that I'm not."

Again, the flashbacks to Dexter's childhood, with Harry teaching him how to pretend and wear a mask so he looks normal, is contrasted with the scenes in the present, where masks abound, and not only because it's Halloween.

Hence Dexter solves a problem for Rita with a highly annoying neighbour, after which she, er, gets down on her knees to express her gratitude, shall we say- a big step for her, and showing how safe she feels with him. He wears his mask well, and is even good with the kids. And this is the result. Yet, although at first he seems to be trying to go through the motions... is he realising, to his surprise, that he's enjoying it?

Doakes, meanwhile, is in danger after last episode's hi-jinks, ending up kidnapped, roughed up... and rescued. He was bait all along. A mask he doesn't even realise he's wearing. 

And yet not everyone is wearing a mask. The killer thinks he sees Dexter for who he is, leaving freshly amputated bits of poor Tucci for Dexter to find. It's a game, and feels almost like a particularly twisted episode of Sherlock.

And this is awkward for LaGuerta, who has just been on the telly fingering Tucci as the killer. She's lucky to get away with it as far as Tucci's grateful mother is concerned, especially as Tucci is finally rescued with no thanks to her... although Deb, in claiming the credit allowed her by her brother, is wearing a metaphorical mask of sorts.

But the real climax sees the killer misjudge Dexter. The trap is supposed to lure Dexter in to kill Tucci... and he doesn't, because he's internalised the code of Harry. Dexter may be a monster, but he and the killer are not the same. Harry taught him not only to wear masks... but fundamentally changed who he was. Still a monster, but one with principles.

A fascinating, and deliciously structured, bit of telly.