★★★★★ 0/5

Time is running out for Dexter

The final season of Dexter isn't yet shaping up as the knockout series I was hoping it would be.

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2013-07-31_0102I have to admit that the final season of Dexter isn’t yet shaping up as the knockout series I was hoping it would be.

Once it was clear that this was the last hurrah for Dex, I was looking forward to an all-or-nothing season. But 5 episodes in and I’m pretty underwhelmed.

Dexter has been distracted by Dr. Evelyn Vogel (Charlotte Rampling) who at first seemed promising when it was evident she knew about his secret.

But since then we’ve had lots of psycho-babble and the chase for her stalker and former patient. Now we start a sub-plot involving Masuka and his estranged daughter. As far as I can tell, much of these have taken us away from the main game of Dex either getting caught or getting away with his crimes.

When I think of where we could be going for this final season I wonder if it’s all being saved up for the last 2 episodes.

What if Joey had worked out Dexter‘s secret by now? What if Dexter had been arrested? What if he had killed off one of his colleagues? What if his son had been taken away as a result? What if Deb had turned him in? What if he began to plot his own exit? What if he decided to shun Harry’s code once and for all?

It’s the final season. The stakes are high and they should really have us on the edge of our seats with plotting moves that pass the point of no return.

Just 7 episodes remain. Fingers crossed.

16 Responses

  1. in the books dexter step kids astor and cody know about dexters dark passenger & dexter trains the kids as cody does the killings & astor is like a mentor & just watches they should use that part of the story into the final season that would be awesome

  2. they should take another part from the books, in the books dexter step kids astor and cody know about dexters dark passenger & dexter trains the kids as cody does the killings & astor is like a mentor & just watches they should use that part of the story into the final season

  3. Oh damn! Just did some googling, they changed the episode order count back to the standard 12.
    Only four episodes from the special 100th episodes too.
    I wish they’d make another season or finish on a tenth season.
    =(

  4. I think the question they are posing is is Dexter truly a sociopath, or does he genuinely care about Deb and Harrison. And yes would he sacrifice himself to save them. With Vogel and her group of real sociopaths it looks like that is what they are doing.

    They have finished the first act with the death of The Brain Surgeon. If you stage the denouement in episode 5 then what do you do? Seven episodes of Dexter waiting on Death Row or fishing in Belize?

    (There are only 12 eps listed for the series that I can see).

  6. Showtime boss says the series ends with “great satisfaction” and the finale is “brilliantly built.” Fingers xd. Showrunner Scott Buck signed to a two-year development deal which may or may not lead to a spin-off.

  8. Don’t forget, throughout the 7 seasons, I see it as this:

    Establish the main season story in eps 1 – 3.
    Throw in some 2nd & 3rd story arcs from eps 2 – 4.
    Go soft in the middle from eps 4 – 8.
    You begin losing interest in ep 9, but right at the end of ep 9, it pulls you back in.
    Close the smaller story arcs eps 10 – 11 while the main story is getting climatic.
    Ep 12 is the closer.

    Season 7 and 8 have been different, yes, but I believe it started when the Dexter-obsessed computer programmer in Season 6 appeared. His story arc overlapped to Season 7, and made the main story arc in Season 7 finish early because of the whole Dark Passenger story arc, which is the main one from Day 1.

    Hard to describe and better in a diagram 🙂

    Then – there’s the books – which are different altogether where some characters are dead and some alive from the show…

  9. They have gone with the twist that Vogel is behind the code and Dexter as we know him. Vogel’s unquestioning belief in her theories, and where that leads morally, is interesting.

    They have questioned Dexter’s character as it has developed over the series and contrasted it with classic psychopaths and Deb’s breakdown due to guilt and remorse raised the question of whether she is right or wrong about Dexter.

    They have done what if Dexter gets caught and his near escapes every single season. In particular with The Ice Truck Killer, Doakes, ADA Prado, Arthur Mitchell, Lundy, Quin, Hannah, LaGuerta and now Debs. When Dexter is found out he dies or flees to country without extradition, simple and boring.

    The action has been the least interesting and believable part of the show. This series is OK and they still have plenty of time to give the show a good ending.

    1. If I was running the writer’s room I’d be doing this: Dexter is put in a perilous situation where he has to decide: “Do I save my son and expose myself?” Make the choice Dex. Yourself or your son?

  10. What if Dexter decides it’s time to pass on The Code.

    Oh wait, that’s next week.

    But yeah – pretty lame and dribbling story so far. Trying to care, but probably just going to hatewatch the next 7 eps and be done with it.

  11. I’ve been enjoying it until the last episode where things seemed to wrap up too easily like an episode of CSI. All the tension built up has all gone! Even the interesting breakdown of Debra seemed to be resolved unconvincingly. Disappointed, but still hopefull!

  12. I thought it was just me. Totally agree, underwhelmed is the word. Season 5 was the zenith. This season is all over the place. Needs more sheets of clear plastic and more of Deb’s profanities.

  13. Spot on, David. Still great TV but needs to lift. I was thinking it is Deb’s season, she has been great grappling with her demons but yes, needs to pull out all stops.

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