Spoiler Alert: Plot details from the first six episodes of Dexter season 4 will be discussed below.
I hate to be one of those people--the naysayers, the moaners and groaners, the whiners--but guys... isn't Dexter kind of dull this season? Last night I found myself toggling back and forth between the TV and the computer, about as riveted to my game of Ken Ken as I was to one of my favorite TV shows. Showtime's gory crown jewel has always been such a watchable delight because of its dark craziness--and the surprisingly gentle humanity that managed to sneak its way in through the cracks. And while this season started focused and interesting--new serial killer on the loose at work, domestic suffocation at home---it's devolved into something scattered and static, not near dark or crazy enough, and too mushy around the edges. Halfway through the season as we are, I hope the show gets back on track.
There are two big, obvious problems that pretty much everyone on this internet of ours has been complaining about. The first is why God why must we deal with more stuff about how Dexter lies to Rita and Rita feels sad about it and will they stay together??? It's just an endlessly repetitive dance that, while a big and necessary part of the show in the beginning, has slowed to an eyeball-hardening waltz. The resolution that came last night--we'll build Dexter a little thinking-shed and all will be well--didn't feel earned and didn't make up for the tedium we were subjected to in past episodes. You know what would be fun? If Rita did something bad. If Rita royally f'd up, maybe over and over again, and had to worry and lie and sneak around, just like Dexter does, always. I think Julie Benz is a vastly appealing actress, but the writers don't seem to want to give her anything but beatific sadness to work with. It's one-note and vaguely misogynistic. Woman as confused and worried and nagging need-based entity. Man as daring wolf penned down by Woman's needs. Feh.
The other obvious gripe is: Why does anyone care about the office politics of LaGuerta and Angel's romance? While I typically love the fact that Dexter doesn't always have to be about hard and pointy things, this whole plotline just seems way too dull and toothless. Where's the spice, where's that creeping, sunny menace that the show typically traffics in so well? Maybe now that they've supposedly broken it off--have they?--a new dynamic will emerge, but the simple fact is this: Angel has been written over the past few seasons as too much of an oafish nice guy. He's sort of gutless and uninteresting. And seeing him fret over his job because he's in lurrrve with LaGuerta and wants to have ten thousand of her babies is just kinda squishy and gross. I also prefer my LaGuerta barking and ball-busting, not earth-mama beaming and frowning. I wish they'd just dump this is as a primary story entirely. Hint at the relationship, show us little bits, sure. But we are still watching a show about crime solving, right? Stop making goo-eyes at each other and apologizing to your boss and go fight crime!
Speaking of. Here's my biggest sad-face about the season thus far. How creepy was John Lithgow in the first episode? In that bathtub with that girl and that knife--shudder. And then up further still went the scary level when he did that horrible thing with the other lady on the roof of the warehouse. But last night we found out the root of his terrible urge to kill and it's... oh he's sad about his family who all--very coincidentally--died some years ago. I knew the Trinity killer was going to have some grand motive--because this show doesn't usually do the scariest of all killers, the completely senseless and reasonless ones--but I wish it wasn't this personal. I wish it was just some sort of societal anger, not just hurt feelings about things long gone. Maybe that's insensitive (to a fictional character), but the whole grieving brother/son thing makes Lithgow's arch villain a lot less scary than he was a few weeks ago.
Same goes for the whole family man, wolf-in-sheep's clothing thing. Yeah it's disturbing that the monster has kids and a wife, but haven't we seen this kind of thing before? Ohh he goes to church! Creeeepy. He is saying the opposite of what he is doing, what a contradiction! It just feels a little lazy and unnuanced. It was probably just such a good idea--lovable John Lithgow as repulsive, methodical, highly prolific serial killer--that the writers couldn't decide on where exactly to go with the character, so they just went... everywhere, basically.
So yeah, I've got some issues with this season. Thankfully the marvelous Jennifer Carpenter is still on hand to make Deb one of the more rounded and human characters on the show, and I've got my eye on the shifty-eyed Quinn and his reporter girlfriend. Something's lurking there and I can't quite figure out what. My guess? I think the reporter is the one who shot Deb and Lundy. Why do I think so? Oh, I have no idea. I just do.
What do you think? Is Dexter still a bloody good time, or has it started to decay a bit?
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wait a minute. so rita killed herself or got killed by arthur? man, next season is gonna be really weird!
dexter is not boring, i can't wait for new episodes
I totally agree on this seasons predictable plotlines, & yeah i agree the reporter is somehow related to the trinity killer or will do anything to get a story... even if it means shoot & ask questions later (duh). LaGuerta and Angel's romance has been pushed to much, ok their in LOVE... why keep building on this pointless storyline? Jennifer Carpenter is a good actress, but come one shes not exactly "Attractive". she's not exactly the shows sex symbol, i hope they ease up on her romance next season. Julie Benz character "Rita" has become more irritating this season, & i hope Dexter leaves her & returns to his roots as the anti hero we all loved in past seasons.
It's not boring; you're just an idiot.
Richard, it's just you, this season is very exciting, if you really find it boring, why don't you watch something a little bit more your speed, I think deseperate housewives is still on...
Dexter kicks ass nomatter what...and i conccur with some of the comments...if he had just been about killing ...then Dexter would be boring ...and i actually like that he has evolved...
I personally think each season is better than the last, and 4 is no different. This is one of the few shows I know of that truly gets better with every season. So I disagree, I think season 4 is just as good as seasos past.
I have to say I personally LOVE this season (it's my favorite since 2). That being said I do find myself annoyed with Rita in almost every episode. Hopefully her character will do something more interesting than nag Dexter (I have a hunch that she's going to sleep with their next door neighbor, that dude that something about "taking our women" at the neighborhood watch"). The reporter shooting Deb and Lundy is an interesting theory and could actually be written in. Anyways I guess what I'm saying is that while a couple of small things annoy me this season I still find AMAZING television.
I haven't seen the latest episode, so I can't talk about that, but based on what I have seen... ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! It's easily the best season so far, IMO.
I think it might just be you.......................no offense......
what's wrong with the writer? where were you last season when the show was boring viewers to death??? This season rocks regarding last season. period.
It's not as good as the the last seasons but it's still watchable and has some good storylines in it. Totally agree that the relationship between LaGuerta and Angel was kind of boring. Really didn't see the point in that. Plus really like the idea that Quinn's reporter girlfriend is the killer.
The character and both the series evolved,we cant expect every each season for dexter to just kill people.I think its great and i am looking forward to next episodes.
Nope!
I thought it was boring from the very beginning.
Yes! This season is dull as dirt. During the summer I re-watched every episode of Dexter and it was SO amazing, but when I saw the first episode of this season.... Argh. It's just boring. And all the following episodes just got more and more dull. It doesn't even *feel* like the same show. All these characters that I used to love have completely changed. My biggest problem: LaGuerta and Angel. Seriously. WTF?? This is the woman who had an affair with her boss's fiance in order to get a promotion, and now she's willing to step down from homicide to save Angel from a desk job?? Come on... Oh, and every time they kiss I want to vomit. Nasty, nasty couple. I miss Angel's vice girlfriend from last season. Another HUGE problem I have is Quinn. Now, I never liked him, but him as his reporter girlfriend are so greasy and nasty I hate watching their scenes. The only good parts of the show this season are the same parts that made the show to great to begin with: Dexter and Deb. I don't mind the whole Rita/Dexter dilemma. I think it needs to be played out, but I really love your idea of having Rita screw up. That would be awesome. ^_^ And Deb of course is still a great addition to the show. I can't believe they killed Lundy so quickly, though. I knew as soon as the scene started he was going to die. So sad. He was one of the few good additions to this season.
Must be u My heart pounds and I feel all the excitement I've felt in the past were just going thru a new stage the thrill factor is still there. when u really love a show as i do with dexter when they hit a ruff patch remember ur tv vow's in sickness and in health with great writers and writers havin a slump week you just never give up on a great show like DEXTER !!!!! Jenny
I have my own little theorie, which is this season is like a comparison from one killer to dexter, and how he sees his life could be if he told rita about his "dark passenger", so probably in the end dexter will kill trinity and save rita BUT the cliffhanger would be that either she or deb finally discover hes a killer, thus being next season the final one, where dexter goes all out of his secret to his family and hopefully it ends well, for the sake of harrison. That is why this season (for me) inst as gory or compelling as the seasons before, i see this one as the warmer for the last and most important season of 'em all, the conclusion of the biggest question to dexter: will he ever be discovered and be accepted by his loved ones, or will he die alone?
Dexter is still a winner. As far as Rita is concerned, I believe they're setting her up to become the Trinity killer's final victim.
The character of Rita is not only boring but a whiner. Give Julie Benz more to do. Marvelous Jennifer Carpenter? She is the weak link.
not boring at all. I love all the complex character.And John Lithgow is really creepy.
I enjoy the new season and the creepy John Lithgow character. I too am not a fan of Rita. She's too flat and clingy, though I understand the reason for her place in Dexter's life. A less damaged character would see through Dexter. However, I do NOT like Deb either. I don't know anyone who talks like that. Her character is not realistic as far as I'm concerned. If she could be "unsensored" without the foul language she'd be more realistic where I live.
my theory is Anton shot them
not even! i think the season so far is as intense as the previous ones if not better
I don't enjoy the character of Rita, but I find it satisfying in all its nuanced vapidity. Rita's stock vocabulary is ripped from the pages of Cosmo and female self-help literature ("Everything is falling into place." "We have a lot of work to do, if this marriage is going to work."). She is the anti-Deb, whose every syllable comes straight from the Id of a person who has no time extraneous considerations, like social mores and the gentle sensibilities of those around her. Deb is combustable, and completely unwilling to censor herself, while Rita is inert, and lives life in a banality that is equal to that of Dexter's constructed persona. Does this make for good TV? I don't really enjoy the Rita scenes, or many of the Dexter home-life scenes in general, but I think there is a subtle genius to how the writers and Benz construct the character. Any perceived misogyny results from the main narrative point-of-view. She is Dexter's foil, married per the expedience of Harry's code. Rita is the perfectly banal companion for the Dexter construct, but to the real Dexter - the "dark passenger" Dexter - Rita presents real problems, even as she facilitates the one true intimacy Dexter desires, the taking of life. Her desires are alien to him. She has emotions and human needs that confound and tax our sociopath narrator. To exist, Rita needs the kind of companionship and human connection that Dexter does not need, and as a heterosexual woman she seeks emotional and physical companionship with men. She patterns her behavior in ways likely to encourage rather than discourage continued companionship, even in relationships that are dysfunctional. That pattern is not a misogynistic construct, it's a way of life for many, many people, of every sex. All that said, I don't tune in to watch the nuanced banality of Rita. And the torch of "big bad," so ably carried by Jimmy Smits is indeed faltering in the hand of John Lithgow. Not that it's Lithgow's fault, we just sense that there are few surprises left in that arch. Lithgow's sociopath will find and exploit vulnerabilities Dexter didn't know existed. After a protracted engagement, where the lives of both killer's "loved ones" will come into play, and bodily harm is exacted on the person of two people better off dead, Dexter will strap Lithgow to a table with cellophane, and we will see the aging, lanky, actor's naked body in flashback only. I want very much to be wrong about all this.
Thats a bunch of garbage! The day Dexter is dull is the day some of you people start making sense... and from the looks of it thats a long way into the future.
I agree - the show has definitely become dull this season. I'm not paying intense attention to it like I did in the past. I thought maybe because I'm getting used to it and it's no longer a thrill. That's not it. Desperate Housewives has been on the air longer and I still really enjoy that show. It's the writing! There is only 10 minutes at the most of interesting content. The rest of it has become fluffy. I hate the relationship Dexter is in now, and the pouting and fighting. It's like it's turning into a soap opera. At least Desperate Housewives is making fun of soap operas. I really hope that the writing picks up and they stop taking shortcuts and come up with better plots and stories for the show. Get rid of the writers and hire new ones if they have to. The show will be canceled if this continues.
I meant to add to the Batista/LaGuerta affair comment as follows: My only concession regarding the Battista/Laguerta affair is that we're missing the scenes where Maria still grieves over Doakes' and Ellen Wolfe's death and feels guilty over the Prado's death list being unresolved (along with Miguel's dark side being swept under the rug for political reasons) and Angel's recovering from his breakup with the vice cop from Season 3 and being denied visitation of his daughter by his shrewish ex-wife. Of course they're not the real stars of this show so "who cares" right? We don't need to see them as anything but filler, right? I don't share that opinion.
It's just one and then another bad ass getting their due. While the really bad / sick( lets face it, Dexter is just bad and sick) of the all time sicko is boring. zzzzzzzz Now "True Blood" is a great story and top of the line acting. "Chuck" is funny. "Heroes" got a new story line. Even "The DollHouse" looks better than Dexter. Sorry Dex, but you just don't interest me anymore.
I thought the end of this episode though with her giving Dexter the padlock was good. I laughed. But, the story line with the lies and her being to sweet is enough. They need to stop that. Keep Angel I like his character and Laguerta's character to, when she is involved in her office politics and her job and friends. This season is good just moving a little slower than usual but I am enjoying this season just like the previous seasons. We are not the writers and it is not easy creating these story lines and I think it is wrong to just jump on them if they do not write it the way you want or expect it to. Also, if they do not get it right every single time you need to give them a break they are HUMAN.
It's you dude. toggling is not paying attention in class. A slower burn more more complex characters this year. Lithgow should win an emmy for his troubled soul performance alone.
THIS SHOW NEEDS A SERIAL KILLER TO KILL SOME OF THE STORY PLOTS. USE THE SCAPEL TO GET RID OF RITA, THE OFFICE ROMANCE AND DEBS STUPID LOVE LIFE. THE STORY LINE WAS BRILLIANT WITH JIMMY SMITS. THE ECONOMY DOES NOT EFFECT DEXTER OR HIS FRIENDS LIFES. ALSO, SPICE IT UP WITH SOME GAYS. I BELIEVE WITH A LITTLE CHANGE, DEXTER WILL GET BACK ON TRACK AS A GREAT SHOW.
It's just you. Every episode has been keeping me to the edge and waiting for more. Now as for Rita, if she be any smarter or more involved, Dexter would have to killer her very soon.
I strongly disagree with your "disappointment" viewpoint regarding this season. I don't know what your definition of character growth is, but mine can be more or less summed up as "Dexter isn't a lone wolf any more and he has to learn to adapt to it like Lundy should have adapted beyond the 'serial killers are lonely and consistently evil' profile that stumped him for 30 years!" I would agree that the writers are stuck between a rock and a hard place regarding how far they should go regarding Dexter's evolution without alienating the "killer Dexter" fans who are only in it for the bloodshed and "to hell with character development!" Interesting that you could acknowledge that Deb is well-rounded and critize Dexter's equally interesting story arc that only establishes that he's not nearly as adaptable as his foster-sister is! As for who shot her and killed Lundy, I'm leaning toward "shifty-eyed Quinn." He's a marksman and he had a bug up his butt regarding Lundy before he died! And let's not forget that Rita lied when her mother expressed a need for "three times" being the charm! Paul wasn't her first husband and Dexter knows it! My only concession regarding Battista/Laguerta affair is that we're missing the scenes where Maria still grieves over Doakes' death and feels guilty over the Prado's death list being unresolved (along with Miguel's dark side being swept under the rug for political reasons) and Angel's recovering from his breakup with the vice cop from Season 3. Of course they're not the real stars of this show so "who cares" right? So mark me down as "Dexter is still a good time, bloody or not!"
I agree with your views about Rita. Personally, since Deb is currently living with them, I'd love it if she actually took a stand and set Rita straight. As for as Rita is concerned, Dexter has one crappy job, filled with blood, terror and gore. If he needs private time, is it honestly too much to ask? Sadly Deb dove right into the angst oestergen pool with Rita on this one. Pity. La Guerta has always annoyed me, particularly in Season 1 when she had her eyes on Dexter. I think now her affair with Angel is going to be used to as an excuse to send him off the show. Which is sad, because I'm quite fond of the character. I think that Anton was the shooter personally, the betrayed boyfriend with the shady history just fits. As for Trinity, I don't think its too awful that he's absolutely normal. It's another line where they draw parallels between Dexter's Dark Passenger and someone elses, and if handled deftly, I think it'll be excellent. John Lithgow was mad creepy in the first episode, and I believe there's more to come before this is over.
If you remember the two epoisde 4 and 5 were amazing ! and two of the best epoisde of Dexter ! . but you have to give the season a chance ! there is 6 epoisde left ! .
Dexter is awesome this season! Interesting character development, great characters in general! The episode where he confronts the corrupt cop was great! Bring it ON!
I am enjoying this season as much as the first three. You cannot have them identical or they WOULD get boring. Dexter is evolving into a more human-type person and realizes he isn't just a monster but also a feeling man who never forgets his roots. Seeing his mother die and having his dad direct him in the "right" killing direction made him feel different. Now he believes he can be different and still be the same. I LOVE IT! Deb too.
Dexter needs to take his shirt off more, walk around barefoot, and gruesomely murder more of the depraved. Get rid of his Nagging-Henkie, replace John Lithgrow with a more psychotic killer, stop with the Office-Romance-Nonsense, and put that guy from The Orient into more one-on-one with ol' "Dex". You can even keep the Nag's children around for some moments of tenderness by Michael C. Hall. This guy is a spectacular actor, so stop hemming him in with these boring Plot-Lines and allow the Lovable-Evilness of the previous seasons come through. Come on Showtime, you can, and have, done better; you got the Raw-Clay, so let's mold it back into something exciting.
You have some valid points here, I don't like the LaGuerte-Angel plot either. It feels contrived. Now Rita, well the Rita is somewhat annyoing, there are probably improvements possible but essentially thats her character. There isn't that much difference here to previous seasons. The Trinity story line is great and the scene where he climbs into the bathtub with his wife was creepy as hell. The hammer was fun too. I can't wait for the next episode...
It's not boring, maybe it's not as interesting as the previous ones, but it's still great, and I hope and believe it will become more interesting in the next episodes.
I don't know if it's boring, per total it's a great damn and it always will be.. but god damn it .... rita it is really anoying... the storyline it's kinda safe i guess... but what i love the most about this season.. are the monologues of dexter ... And i like dexter as a family man.. but come on.... and one more thing... i like the ideea of quinn shooting lundy and debra(to bamboo-stick)..:D..
I only agree on the La Guerta - Angel plot... I'm loving this season almost as much as the other ones, and not as much just because of that boring bit. And, I'm still expecting some more story on Rita's background with her 1st (ex-)husband, thinking that the writers could do something really interesting with that, if you know what I mean!
I don't blame the writers of Dexter to try changing things up every season. The seasons all follow a similar theme, Dexter always gets close to someone about his Dark Passenger, and usually ends up killing them. However i do think they're doing a good job in making it not so obvious. I agree with the Rita storyline for this season is pretty unoriginal. I thought we had gotten past the "foolish naive Rita" and is now "supportive Rita". Her crying over Dexter not being "honest" and complaining about the silly little lies makes me think of Skyler from Breaking Bad. Hopefully this last episode of Dexter will be the last time we'll see Rita this way. I am still hoping for another big twist in the storyline line as well. A part of me wants to believe that somebody else did shoot Lundy and Debra and it wouldn't be the obvious one. A more likely suspect to have shot them would've been Quinn, but maybe I'm the crazy one.
unfortunately there is always a need for filler storylines...i doubt anyone could name a show that had no useless storylines whatsoever. Though I do agree that there could have been more for Angel and LaGuerta since I just skip through to get back on the Trinity bit of it all. True Rita is indeed a nagging wife and she doesn't understand that Dexter does need his own space but it's too hard for Dexter to explain that. On top of that the baby was an unfortunate mistake I say but it does make the story more interesting. Lets find out how Dexter does under pressure.
It's not just you - Dexter is definitely in danger of going off the boil. The best part is still the introduction, which I watch from behind my fingers. I also agree completely about the writers' inability to give his wife any lines other than whinging and the children are a real turn off, rather than exploring better the inter-relationships. The sister's language is gratuitously and unnecessarily foul for prime time wathcing. The lack of a decent murder spree by Dexter is also a turn off given the glorious start to the original series. Please, please ask the writers' to get back on track before it becomes an also ran show.
No it is not more boring - maybe a little slower right now. Maybe after a giant wave or even a couple of giant waves the ocean has to fall back to re-build its full mass and potential. A show must grow like a tree. Sometimes its time to make it more complex and twisted before it can gain more explosive height.
It's not just you. I'm still going to watch and enjoy more than most of the shows on tv. . . but I agree that not all is right. First off, those who say last season was worse. . . wrong! Jimmy Smits' character knowing was totally freaky. He could have turned Dexter in/gotten Dexter caught at any moment. Ok, this season. Deb is great, I couldn't care less about the LaGuerta and Angel thing. Also, as you said, Julie Benz is awesome (Darla, anyone?) and there are many more interesting things that could be done with her character. I wanted her to actually find something terribly creepy in Dexter's old apartment. Maybe she could ask Deb about it, and Deb could begin noticing that Dexter is a little off. Rita has been dating Dexter for years, and I have no idea why she wouldn't already know that he needs his space sometimes. Also, I like the idea of someone other than Trinity shooting Deb and Lundy. It's not his normal MO. (Though, the episode did make it seem like it was him.) Also, the one woman Dexter killed was a weird choice. I mean, she deserved it and all. . . but it is weird seeing our protagonist kill a young, attractive, female cop. Actually, I like that they picked someone who would make me squirm, but I wish he had gotten a few more scary looking career criminals too, so he wasn't just a woman-killer.
I have to admit i am sick of rite too!! its like she's ruining him! Thats what made him soo different was that he stuck to his beliefs whatever they were. I DO still like the show very much never miss it. But sometimes i wish he just woulda stayed true to what HE believes and does.
I definitely like this one better than S3. I think it had one episode (the last episode) without a major cliffhanger or death and suddenly it seems boring. Every other episode had some kind of murder or drama and it becomes cliche if they do it every time. I think one episode without killing and a huge cliffhanger doesn't make the whole season boring.