DEXTER 8.01 'A Beautiful Day'

Dexter 801

Episode Title: "A Beautiful Solar day"

Writer: Scott Buck

Managing director: Keith Gordon

Previously on "Dexter":

Episode 7.12 "Surprise, Motherf***er"

There was a moment in final night'southward flavour premiere of "Dexter" that could have been a very effective cliffhanger if not for two things: Showtime spoiling the twist weeks ago and the before parts of the episode that completely telegraphed where the story was going.

That'due south how it goes with "Dexter" every bit a series. Occasionally it shows signs of the life it once had. But more often than not, the details drag it down.

Full spoilers lie ahead for "A Beautiful Day," then if you missed the flavor premiere of "Dexter" and so you should probably skip this review or else Harrison volition follow in his dad's bloody handprints.

Picking upwards near half-dozen months after the seventh flavor, the story finds Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) enjoying his life without whatsoever remorse for the death of Maria LaGuerta. Whereas his adopted sister, Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) has quit her job in Miami Metro and she's plain doing drugs and sleeping with Andrew Briggs (Rhys Coiro), a repeat violent criminal.

 When a new serial killer pops up, Dr. Evelyn Vogel (Charlotte Rampling) comes to Miami Metro and offers her services while intentionally unsettling Dexter. The unabridged mystery most Vogel'southward behavior was a heavy-handed and obvious, even if Showtime hadn't revealed her connection to Dexter. If the creative team and the network had shown whatever subtlety, that would accept been a powerful moment.

Instead the most effective parts about this episode bargain with Dexter and his unraveling emotional country. Harrison'southward old enough now to speak to Dexter and smart enough to discover that his dad has flashes of scary anger. Dexter likewise has a hard time agreement why Debra isn't able to merely shrug off LaGuerta's death the way that he has. And even Debra telling Dexter that she hates him and that she shot the wrong person doesn't actually get through to him. It just makes him angrier.

Dexter'south monstrous side asserts itself during a harrowing road rage scene in which he nearly chokes a man to death. Only the homo's kid inadvertently saves his father from Dexter. Even the hallucination of Dexter's expressionless dad, Harry Morgan (James Remar) calls Dexter out for that one.

The threat of mob hitman, Javier Guzman (Nick Gomez) actually gives Dexter a legitimate reason to fear for Debra'due south life. Merely Dexter tin't seem to stop himself from killing Briggs in front of her… while Harrison was waiting outside in the car! Worst… Bring-Your-Child-To-Work-Day… Ever! Having Harrison wander off was a niggling cliche, but I loved the image of Dexter holding his son while his hands were nevertheless slick with Briggs' blood.

 I'm not a fan of Debra's whining, but her down spiral had a few interesting beats. Debra'south working as a freelance private investigator now and she was attaching herself to Briggs to get a interruption in a major jewelry robbery that he committed. Debra not simply seems to exist sleeping with this dude and sharing his drugs, but she's cleaved up well-nigh it when Dexter kills him. She says that Briggs made her feel alright. Debra is conspicuously punishing herself for what she did to LaGuerta. And apparently, a lover like Briggs is all she thinks that she deserves. The surprising thing is that Briggs seemed genuinely concerned for Debra's well existence during his meeting with Guzman.

The biggest mistake that "Dexter" makes (and it'south the aforementioned fault that "Truthful Blood" is often guilty of) is that the creative team assumes that the audience cares nearly the supporting characters every bit much as they practise for the main characters. This year's edition of "Who'southward Sleeping With Quinn?!" features Jamie Batista (Aimee Garcia) every bit the unlucky girl.

Call back about this for a 2nd. Garcia was upped to series regular this season… just to go her in bed with Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington)?! That's incredibly skeevy and the show itself seems to realize this when it depicts Jamie naked on meridian of Quinn while yet covering her breasts.

The subplot of Angel Batista (David Zayas) was another misfire because Zayas' operation didn't convey the full extent of Batista'southward anger and grief over LaGuerta's expiry. Angel almost seems disinterested at times, merely that's partially the writer's mistake. Zayas doesn't accept a lot to work with here.

Jacob Elway (Sean Patrick Flanery) briefly appears as Debra'south new boss, but he left no impression 1 way or the other. He was only kind of bland.

Dexter'due south emotional breakdown at the end well-nigh pulls this episode together. Debra angrily tells Dexter that he was the one that needed her in his life… and he realizes that it'due south true. Dexter is also losing control of his darker impulses in front end of his son… and even Affections. If Angel was a better detective, he should have immediately picked upwardly on Dexter'due south incriminating statement. Instead, Affections just tries to get Dexter to accept an ugly ass vase from LaGuerta's collection because that's what passes for supporting character arcs on this show.

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