review: Dexter tries to keep up appearances

Dexter Season 7, Episode 2 “Sunshine and Frosty Swirl”

As always, there are SPOILERS all up in this piece.

Going into tonight’s Dexter episode, I felt nervous. I really want to like the show again, as it used to be one of my favorites. All the trailers for this season got me excited, as it seemed like they figured out how to make the character interesting again. The first episode of this season felt rushed and sloppy – in acting, in writing and in overall execution. Instead of feeling fluid, it felt like the writers had X number of points they needed to hit to make this season work and that, come hell or high water, they were going to.

We ended last week with Deb asking Dexter if he was a serial killer and him coming clean. That more or less where we started tonight, with her running away from Dexter and losing her lunch. Dexter tried to talk her off the ledge, but this news has broken her. Watching the scene, I wondered what Claire Danes and Damian Lewis would have done with instead of two actors that really do not do it for me. He spilled Harry’s Code to Deb and that was another gut punch. I did feel the scene did a great job of showing how horrible Dexter is at relating to people and understanding what makes normal people tick. He went pretty far down the rabbit hole with her here, as they sat in the remnants of his smashed apartment. I got the feeling during the scene that Deb is going to be okay with this.

Deb calling the murders that Dexter had in turned murdered “victims” led to an anger we do not normally see in Dexter. He pushed it down, but there was a moment where he really wanted her to understand. I think he believes, somewhere inside, that she will understand and be okay with this.  She also called herself the “worst fucking detective in the whole world,” and I think that she was a little hard on herself. She is better than the other geniuses at Miami Metro.

Dexter notices the Bay Harbor Butcher hand and learns that Ryan, the former intern, stole it and sold it. Louis was on the case to find out who won it – the same Louis had the hand. I am more interested in this storyline than anything else the show is doing. There is a quiet rage in Louis, and the eerie fascination he has with Dexter, that really is intriguing.  Does he know –truly know – that Dexter is a serial killer? If so, how?

Deb wants to be Dexter’s “rehab clinic” from killing…I have no words. Who in the real world would really react this way? This twist was idiotic and felt false. Her believing there is good in Dexter feels a little faker than Luke believing there was good in Darth Vader still. She seemed willing to let a serial killer sleep in her house with her as well. Because that is exactly what someone would do…

La Guerta is busy tracking down the truth behind the slide she found at Travis Marshall’s death scene. She always doubted that Doakes was the Bay Harbor Butcher and her actions are pretty easy to empathize with here. It does not feel like this storyline has legs though. How much longer can we drag this along before she has to make a move or let it go?

Dexter breaks into Louis’ apartment and of course, Louis has laid out his intentions. And apparently Louis might have framed a former employer. Dexter attacks Louis and Louis swears he is angry with Dexter because Dexter belittled his computer game. That is why Louis turned off his credit cards and mailed him the Bay Harbor Butcher mannequin hand.  Later, Dexter returns to Louis and drugs him, preparing to kill him – I guess. He calls Deb though and she talks him off the ledge, so to speak. He dumps Louis, alive, on a bench. I hope that is not the conclusion of the Louis storyline, because that would be a huge wasted opportunity.

Deb brought up Harrison. It is interesting how things happen on this show in terms of past characters. We barely here Rita mentioned anymore. What about Rita’s kids that Dexter was a father figure to? Harrison comes and goes. This whole world does not feel real; it feels like it exists just to propel the narrative.

Ray Stevenson shows up and is awesome, as always.  He was terrifying when talking to the club manager. I am stoked that he is an addition to the series this year. And as we saw, he does not play games.

I have no comments on the killer talking to Dexter storyline, because it felt like filler. His death was probably one of the cheesiest moments I can remember ever on this show.

Better than last week, but not a lot. I give this a C-.