Dexter - Season Six

Sometimes when a successful movie franchise begins to go downhill in its sequels, it's because the crew tends to get too comfortable in knowing they have a loyal audience, resulting in less effort and a lot of failed attempts to make hammy inside jokes for the viewer's sake. This is what the sixth season premiere of Dexter was like. It had almost a fan-fiction feel to it, like I was constantly being winked at and force-fed a series of moments the producers thought I wanted to see. Luckily the rest of the season was not as cringe-worthy, but that one lapse in an otherwise solid show was definitely concerning; it was the first time I'd ever watched Dexter and thought "Wow, that episode was just bad."

The one thing that did remain awful for the rest of the season, though, was guest star Colin Hanks' acting. Or maybe it wasn't specifically his acting that was to blame, but more that he was completely and totally wrong for the role. He's just not believable as a creepy, disturbed serial killer (I recall that he pretty much only had one facial expression through most of the season). The innocent man-child aspect of his character is more fitting for him. In a situation like that, you can try to overlook it and pretend the character is more than the actor, but it's still going to be distracting. Furthermore, I wasn't really into the concept of a religious serial killer creating Biblical tableaux and hiding out in an abandoned church, because most of the time anything too religion-heavy automatically bores me. I wasn't literally bored, but one of the best things about Dexter is how each season has that one main villain, the really dangerous but fascinating one who takes a whole season for Dexter to catch, and this time around I never felt that sense of danger or fascination. In other words, a huge part of the season was ruined by a poor choice of villain and an even poorer choice of actor to play him.

Aside from those things, I did find the rest of the season to be adequate. As one of my least favourite characters on television, I appreciated that LaGuerta's role in the show seemed to be downsized somewhat, although it didn't stop her from being more annoying than ever. This season also includes an interesting plot twist that I didn't see coming, and a cliffhanger that I did - even before starting the season, I had guessed how it was going to end because it felt like the only logical next step after season five had pushed the show in that direction. Apparently there are only two more seasons left, and I do intend to watch both of those, but this one was the weakest so far and I'm really hoping it doesn't get worse from here.

Best episode: I'm going with "Get Gellar", because with a slightly lowered bar after the first two thirds of the season, that episode threw out an unexpected plot twist that raised it back up.

Dexter - Season Five

Season five starts out kind of slow (I don't even think he kills anyone in the first two episodes), but picks up steam once Lumen (Julia Stiles) enters Dexter's life. Every season has one big villain that he doesn't catch until the end, and it's not Lumen but she is the catalyst and his partner in crime. What bothered me about that was that Dexter's voiceovers kept talking like it was his first time working with a partner. What about Miguel in season three? I know he turned out to be the villain, but still, they did tackle some team kills together before turning on each other. I would've thought it would make him more wary of trying it again. But Stiles was really good in the role, and is probably a lock for the Emmy. Peter Weller, the second of the season's three big guest stars, was also fun to watch as a kooky agent spying on Dexter.

The later half of the season really cranks up the tension, as Dexter feels pressure from about four or five different sources all trying to nail him in some way. I might even say it was more exciting than season four, and I didn't think that would be possible. Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller, big guest star #3) is no Trinity Killer, but whereas Trinity was the main attraction last season, Jordan is only one cog in a large, fascinating machine.

Well, one not-so-fascinating aspect: all of the B stories featuring Batista and LaGuerta's relationship. I used to like Batista until he married her, which was probably the worst decision anyone's made since Deb dated Rudy in season one. I don't know if the writers thought "Hey, Batista's a nice guy, let's pair him up with LaGuerta for some nice tender moments," but if it was another attempt to make her more likable, it sorely backfired. I only end up hating her more every season, and it makes me dislike Batista for loving her. Why do they play the sappy music every time BaGuerta (that's my new couple name for them) embraces? Does anyone actually care about this relationship? I know I don't. But yeah, ignoring that aspect it was an enjoyable season, built like a roller coaster with a slow climb at the beginning that becomes a screaming descent in the second half.

Best Episode: The last two were especially exciting, but I'd have to give the edge to the finale, "The Big One." Not only was it a solid, entertaining resolution, but I also thought it was brilliant and touching how Deb and Dexter did each other HUGE favours without Deb being fully aware of either one. Though with Dexter being closer than ever to getting caught, it was almost disappointing when everything went back to normal at the end. Dexter could go on forever if they keep resetting every season, but it's not the kind of show that needs to. Not that I wouldn't stick with it until the end either way.

Dexter - Season Four

Everyone says that season four is the best season of Dexter, and I can see why. While Dexter kills dozens of people every season, there is always one main villain, one high profile and exceptionally dangerous killer each year that takes him all season to catch. I don't know if I would say the Trinity Killer (season-long guest star John Lithgow) is the most dangerous so far - Lila and Miguel would duke it out for that title, I think - but he is certainly the most fascinating. Lithgow brought a multi-faceted performance that showcased the different sides of his character: sometimes he's creepy, sometimes he's outright scary, sometimes he's sad and pathetic, and sometimes he's surprisingly warm and pleasant, even if that last one is just an act. I know he got some awards for this performance, and now I know they were well deserved.

As for Dexter, I am enjoying the slow transformation of his character. When the series began, he apparently felt no emotions, ever, and was always faking everything, including his relationship with Rita. Now, after marrying her and having a son, he's realizing that he actually does love his family and even wants to become a better person. Perhaps even get rid of his "dark passenger", although after the finale I don't know if I see that happening now. Speaking of the finale, I had the ending spoiled for me, so it kind of ruined the impact, but I did shed some tears when Deb admitted how much Dexter means to her. Some people hate Deb because she's so emotional, but I like that she wears her heart on her sleeve. It contrasts well with Dexter's introversion.

Lastly: not a fan of Batista and LaGuerta together. Sorry, still hate her. The only good part of that whole story arc was when she confronted Captain Matthews about why he doesn't like her. "What is it about me?" she asks. "Is it my gender, my race, what?" He looks her in the eye and says "Your arrogance." Cue me on the couch, smiling and nodding in satisfaction.

Best episode: Pretty much every episode was top notch and had a cool reveal or twist, but I think I'd have to go with the second last episode in the season, "Hello, Dexter Morgan", in which Dexter and the Trinity Killer are at war with each other, Matthews calls LaGuerta arrogant, and Trinity finds out Dexter's real name. I might have picked the finale if it hadn't been spoiled for me, but again, the effect was lost on me because of it.

Dexter - Season Three

It's appropriate that the title of the show is Dexter, not simply because he is the main character, but because the primary purpose of every season's arc is to explore who this character is beyond a serial killer. In season one, we learned about his dark past and how he learned to kill without getting caught; in season two, we saw him with his back against the wall and watched him shape his own opinions about himself. This season, we see what happens when Dexter tries to take on a partner, played by Jimmy Smits.

To me, the murders themselves are the least interesting part of Dexter. What I like about the show is watching him try to juggle his double life, and seeing how he handles it when he comes close to being caught. I usually don't like Jimmy Smits much but he did well here, beginning the season as an honourable man and ending it as an angry scumbag, only he was secretly the latter the entire time. As messed up as Dexter's emotions might be, it makes sense that he would give partnership a try, because it's a relief and kind of a joy to be able to share secrets with someone, even the darkest ones. And add to that Harry's post-mortem fall from grace so that Dexter is less inclined to do what Harry would do, and you got yourself a third season arc. I also appreciate that the supporting characters went in new directions too, with Angel becoming Sargent, Deb becoming detective, and Masuka trying hard to be taken seriously (for a little while anyway). LaGuerta, however, saw another man she deeply trusted and loved exposed as a murderer, probably scarring her for life at this point. Ah, well, I still don't like her.

Best Episode: I think I would go with "Go Your Own Way", in which Dexter and Miguel (Smits) are locked in a power struggle of threats and blackmail while publicly maintaining the appearance of a friendship. Also Masuka plans Dexter's bachelor party, which was more fun to watch than the party itself.

Retroactive Post - Best Episodes of TV Shows on DVD

I promised it in an earlier post, so here it is: my picks for the best episodes of all of the TV show seasons I've watched on DVD so far. It's something I'm adding to future posts on TV DVDs and I didn't want previous posts to miss out.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force - Volume One
I don't know if I have a favourite on this one... Maybe "Revenge of the Mooninites", because I enjoyed Carl's expression of his love for 80's rock band Foreigner, which of course culminated in his head becoming a Connect Four board. Bonus: I didn't review the Volume Two DVD because I didn't really know what I could say about it that I didn't say about the first one, but my pick for best episode on that one is "Super Trivia", because watching the characters sit around a bar playing trivia turned out to be a lot of fun and really funny.

The IT Crowd - Season One
I almost chose "Calamity Jen" because of the hilarious fire brigade commercial, but I'll go with "Fifty-Fifty" because I loved the storyline about Roy wanting to prove that women love bastards. That is an age old debate that may never be settled.

The IT Crowd - Season Two
"Moss and the German", which may be one of my favourite IT Crowd episodes ever, because everything about it is classic - the anti-piracy ad, the weird cannibalism story (which, even weirder, was based on a true story), Roy desperately trying to avoid movie spoilers, and Jen's smoking habit evoking depressing Russian visuals. Definitely one of the most memorable episodes.

The IT Crowd - Season Three
I said in the post for this one that it was the strongest season, and really I could choose any of the six and be fine with that decision, but on a personal level I'd have to go with "Are We Not Men?". As someone who has no interest in sports, I found the conversation bluffing idea to be funny and probably true, though I've never tried it because even in that context I still wouldn't want to discuss sports with anyone.

Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes
I don't think the episodes have titles, but my favourite on this set was the second of the three lost episodes, in which Dave plays "Black Howard Dean" and security guard Gary Coleman, and puts George Castanza's "sex trifecta" to use. It's also the one with the controversial "stereotype pixies", but I don't care so much about that one. If only the Tupac sketch were in this episode instead. And as a bonus, Wikipedia says this episode originally aired on my birthday!

Dexter - Season One
I already mentioned in the post (although not as officially as I'll be doing in the future) that the best episode here was "Return to Sender", because it brought the tension and excitement from about a 4 to an 11, and solidified my enjoyment of the series. I would later be pleasantly surprised to find out that the entire second season is like that one first season episode.

The 4400 - Season One
The 1.5 hour pilot is what sold me on buying the complete series, but I think I'll have to go with "White Light", the season finale, because it had some cool stuff and really showed us where the show was going. Plus, you know, the trees were bending.

Breaking Bad - Season One
I said the first three episodes were the best, so that narrows it down, but I think my favourite is episode three, "...And the Bag's in the River", because the whole Krazy 8 situation was handled amazingly, and the moment where Walt puts the yellow plate back together is one of my favourite parts of the entire series so far.

Dexter - Season Two

The cool thing about the second season of Dexter is that it makes the first season better because of all the things it set up for us. As we open, basically everything Dex did last season comes back to haunt him: being unable to kill because of his showdown with the ice truck killer, all of his victims being discovered at the bottom of the ocean, Doakes becoming so suspicious that he begins tailing Dexter, Rita's ex husband biting the dust in prison (and that entire Paul storyline last season being a nice setup for the "Dexter pretending to be a druggie" arc this season), and so on. While the arc of season one felt like an open and shut chapter, it's nice to see that it's still completely relevant to the following chapter.

While last season was mainly to establish Dexter's rules and his process for killing, his decision in the finale led us to this season's purpose, which was to establish who Dexter actually is beneath Harry's code. As his secrets come frighteningly close to being exposed, we learn more about him because you can tell a lot about a person from how they react when cornered.

I found it funny in one episode when Angel introduced himself as "Dexter's best friend" because season one had spent so much time telling us that Dex is a loner and only puts up with people for appearances, but by the end of the season I realized Angel was probably right. The only people who can come close to being considered Dexter's friends are his co-workers, and out of them he is closest with Angel. In the last few episodes he was even showing signs of caring about him, and really I think that's what this arc was getting at. In the past Dexter was pretending to care so as not to seem like a psychopath, but we've slowly been watching him develop some feelings as he learns about himself thanks to Lila (it's amazing how they turned that around on me, because when she was first introduced I thought she was cool and then by the end of the season I couldn't stand her).

It looks like Doakes is dead. If so, I will miss his hilarious bursts of anger and swearing. In his honour, I have prepared a special tribute video. Special Agent Lundy was also a cool addition and I hope to see him back sometime. I know I'm behind on this show but I'm looking forward to the next seasons.

Best Episode: From now on (and retroactively, watch for that post) when I review TV shows on DVD, I'm going to name what my favourite episode was from that season. For the second season of Dexter, it's "Left Turn Ahead", which contains a humourous sequence where Dexter imagines different outcomes in telling Deb he's the Bay Harbor Butcher, and possibly my favourite Doakes quote ever ("Suck ma dick, muthafucka, you understand that shit?").

Dexter - Season One

I actually finished the first season a few weeks ago, but now that the TV season is winding down I'll be discussing some TV shows on DVD. I have to admit that while I enjoyed the first two episodes, they hadn't really hooked me (probably why it took nearly a year for me to come back and finish the season). As for now I can say that I am hooked. I think it happened during the episode "Return to Sender", my favourite of the first twelve, where the ice truck killer fetches one of Dexter's victims from the ocean floor and places it back at the crime scene for the cops to find, and Dexter very nearly is caught because of it. The tension just made for an awesome hour of television, and then the episodes following it just suddenly became more gripping. I even enjoyed Rita's story arc, as she became likable and I applauded her moments of strength because of her inversely disappointing moments of weakness when she falls prey to her ex-husband Paul's aggressive persuasion. However I still dislike Laguerta (don't think I mentioned that in the earlier post), and I don't feel that she became more sympathetic at all, though I can at least admit that the captain was cold to her toward the last episodes. But I do have much appreciation for the comic stylings of Doakes and Masuka (the former for his artful pronunciation of swear words, and the latter for his inappropriate and perverted comments). And finally, I mentioned before that I got spoiled regarding the ice truck killer's identity, but really it had no effect on my enjoyment of the season. What I heard was the reason for the ice truck killer's targeting of Dexter, not his exact identity, and I correctly guessed who it was before the reveal anyway, so it didn't matter. But I like the implication in the final episode that Dexter is slightly more than just Harry's code. It makes him easier to root for, even though I was already doing it.