tvdinner&amovie

“There are times in our loves when everything seems to go wrong, when despite our best efforts and for no apparent rhyme or reason, tragedy strikes. And there are other times when everything goes just perfectly….that’s how the last year has been for me.” – Dexter

We find ourselves back into Dexter’s world, seeing everything and everyone through his eyes. Dexter fools his latest prey (and us, momentarily) into thinking he’s hurt, wounded and in need of an ambulance. Instead we see a new Dexter: smarter, better and with new and improved themed killings!

Batista and LaGuerta are no longer together. Huge non-shocker there. She’s always been a bitch and he’s always been completely loveable, which could have been either a perfect match, or the much more realistic crash-and-burn scenario. With new career moves for each of them, largely in part due to LaGuerta’s blackmail of Deputy Chief Matthews, it seems the dynamic of the department will shift. It will be interesting to see what that all means.

Hopefully Batista will be too busy with his sister and his new position to become any resemblance of the sad divorcee he was in the first three seasons. Although Dexter can’t get caught until the show is ending, I’d like for Batista to at least catch Dexter’s scent and pursue it. He’s already aware of Dexter’s nighttime patterns thanks to his sister babysitting Harrison, so there’s some potential there.

Deb and Quinn are still relatively in the same holding partner also known as their relationship. Not sure what will come out of Quinn’s marriage proposal attempts, but as a viewer, I need more time with these two as a couple before I decide if they’re suitable for “til death do us part”.

Michael C. Hall did a phenomenal job of playing Dexter in this episode. We saw the perpetually anti-social/socially awkward do the Hammertime (never realized that was a group dance…but I’ll allow it for the sake of humor), play flag football and enjoy a quick blowjob….all done while still remaining true to the character. Harry attributed Dexter’s rise to popularity to his murdered wife and cool job. But Dexter’s new-and-improved attitude is also a factor. He has confidence that slacked a lot when he became a family man and tried to force a normalcy that he’ll never possess.

This season’s religious theme follows Dexter at work (the introduction of Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos) and home (sending Harrison to a Catholic school). The former gave us Alpha and Omega stitching, water snakes, the number seven and a teacher/student relationship. The Trinity Killer set the bar pretty high and last season I felt the plot was more about Dexter and Lumen than Jordan Chase’s band of creepy rapist/murderers.

We know Hanks and Olmos are this season’s “big bad” (Buffster enthusiasts will get that) and Dexter expressed interest in the murderer behind the meticulous method, so I can’t wait for their paths to cross. I’m also looking forward to seeing religion through the Dexter’s hyper-logical lens.

“Yes…it’s begun.” We just don’t know what yet.