A few threads are starting to connect, with Dexter's inner circle under attack and his apartment complex under siege. There's still time for "Dexter" to pull off a great ending, even if parts of this season have felt like a long road trip.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.
Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen Season 8, Episode 8 of Showtime's "Dexter," titled "Are We There Yet?"
Farewell, Zach Hamilton. Hello again, Brain Surgeon. And watch out, Dexter and Hannah. It seemed obvious that Dexter's protege would not make it through this episode alive, but the fact that he ended up murdered in Dexter's apartment rather than dead on Dexter's table was a shocker.
But the title of the episode -- "Are We There Yet?" -- seemed to be a wink and a nod to the show's slow march to the end. We're three quarters of the way through this final "Dexter" season now, and it hasn't exactly been a roller coaster ride to the finish, yet. When contrasted with what "Breaking Bad" is doing with its final episodes on AMC, "Dexter" is taking its sweet time setting up its end-game.
Advertisement
Granted, there are a lot of balls in the air, and I have no doubt the writers of "Dexter" will pull everything together in a wild final flourish, because they've always been great at that. And a few of those threads are starting to connect, with Dexter's inner circle under attack and his apartment complex under siege. There's still time for "Dexter" to pull off a great ending, even if parts of this season have felt like a long road trip.
So let's talk about this episode, right after I sage my apartment.
Really, it was all about Dexter and Hannah. The perfect serial-killing couple is together again. The episode started with Dexter saying, "Ever since Hannah came into my orbit, she's all I can think about," and progressed to a steamy sex scene under a full moon. Yes, I'm talking about the several shots of Michael C. Hall's butt. Anyway, it ended with Dexter making a spontaneous, last-second plea for Hannah to stay in the country, just as Elway was calling in a tip about her possible presence in Miami for a shot at the $250,000 bounty. Love may just lead to Dexter's downfall.
On to The Brain Surgeon. He's not dead yet, it appears, which means that he wasn't A.J. Yates after all -- unless, of course, he had a protege of his own. Or he's Dr. Vogel. Or Cassie's boyfriend Saxon. Who knows at this point. To make matters worse, it was The Brain Surgeon who also probably killed Dexter's neighbor Cassie, making it look like Hamilton's handiwork.
So whoever he (or she!) is, he's good at this. And he's quite fond of "Make Your Own Kind Of Music." Do we need to put the "Vogel is The Brain Surgeon" theory back on the table? Granted, I'm not sure why Vogel would want Zach dead after she encouraged Dexter not to kill him. It seems like a long-shot, but when was the last time "Dexter" featured an unseen, secret-to-the-audience "big bad"? Leave your theories in the comments.
Advertisement
Then, there was the Deb and Hannah showdown, in which Deb finally saw the luminous light that is Dexter and Hannah's love and backed off. Hopefully, she'll give that GPS unit back to Hank Schrader in his garage. Calling off her crusade against Hannah seemed to be another turning point for Deb, who's now thinking about going back to being a cop again. Good luck with that.
There were a few great group scenes in this episode that provided some excellent comic relief. The first was when Dexter, Deb, Hannah and Zach all found themselves in that motel kill room together. After Deb and Hannah had it out, the guys came in to cut the tension ... with a proverbial knife.
"Well, you're both breathing. That's a good sign," Dexter quipped. Then, Zach and Deb traded "Who the fuck are you's?" and all was well. Those one-liners were only topped by Vogel's "The truth is you make a good couple. And probably a bad one too. Bon appetite!" at the family killer dinner. Good times.
So, where is "Dexter" going? The Brain Surgeon is out there, and whoever s/he is, s/he's hitting Dexter close to home. Miami Metro could soon be looking for Hannah. Quinn is still investigating Hamilton. And sooner or later, Batista has to discover that Deb killed La Guerta, right? "Dexter" has four more episodes to pull it all together. It should be a fun month.
Other random thoughts:
Of course Dexter knew a guy who could get Hannah a fake passport. The lesson, as always: Better call Saul!
It makes perfect sense that Masuka calls Dexter the King of Spatter, because it sounds like it could double as his porno nickname.
Is it possible that the potential "Dexter" spinoff could be a "Kindergarden Cop"-inspired comedy starring Harrison and Quinn? They flashed the banter to make it work. "My name is Harrison!" "And a fine name it is," got them off to a great start.
What did you think of this episode, and this final season of "Dexter" as a whole? Leave your thoughts and theories in the comments.
"Dexter" airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.
'Dexter' Season 8 Photos
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.