Life is funny. One day you're tracking Miami's most notorious Christian extremist, and the next day you realize he's been dead in a freezer for the past three years. Poor Dexter! Dexter's really had a bad couple of weeks, you guys. This season promised to be an exploration into the nature of faith, and in particular the effects it may have on Dexter's Dark Passenger, but instead it's turned into a ten-episode (so far) testament that maybe Dexter needs a new hobby? Even HE seems to be sick of himself. There was a telling moment in "Ricochet Rabbit" where Harry literally pleaded with Dexter to just give up and call the police, and like a petulant teen, Dexter responded, "Why would I listen to you? I'm only here because of you and now I'm supposed to trust your judgment? I'll make my own decision!" Yikes, tantrum city. It's okay, Dexter, we know you're going through a lot, but you'll get through this.
By "this," of course, I mean Season 6, because WOW. Listen, I promise you, I'm not some angry Dexter hater. This year my favorite band Radiohead released a terrible album, as did Bjork. (I'd qualify these assessments with "in my opinion," but that should be obvious, right?) Does this recognition that King of Limbs and Biophilia were low points in their respective artists' discographies make me adore their other albums less? Absolutely not. It just means I know the difference between good and bad, and even the most capable, brilliant artists can sway between both extremes. Although, come to think of it, Season 6 of Dexter is probably more comparable to The Smashing Pumpkins' Zeitgeist in that it is both bad and was made by an almost completely different behind-the-scenes team than the original lineup. Anyway. Rock and roll metaphors, am I right?
"Ricochet Rabbit" picked up only moments after last week's "shocking" reveal that Professor Gellar is just a frozen corpse in a flattering cardigan. And because these days Dexter's M.O. is less about vigilante justice and more about stating the obvious over and over and over, we began with a truly embarrassing scene in which Dexter was locked in a basement while Travis had a long conversation with "Gellar" in full view of Dexter, which went something like this:
You're definitely still alive, huh?
No, I'm not. You killed me.
That's not true. You're alive.
No, I'm dead, look at this gaping chest wound. I mean, it is imaginary, but then again so am I.
No way.
Yes way.
But you're alive.
I'm dead, Travis.
You helped me kill those people.
No, you killed those people while I was chillin' in a freezer. Literally.
But you're not dead.
Yes I am.
OMG
Dexter, Travis is crazy.
I think Travis might be crazy?
Travis might be crazy.
Okay I guess you are dead. Whatevs, still gonna kill everybody.
Okay bye. It's been real. Except not at all.
Time to go kill everybody, which I realize I just said but I might as well re-state it.
See? Travis is crazy.
I can't believe Travis imagined Gellar.
I can't believe Travis IMAGINED Gellar.
I better stop Travis.
I better stop Travis.
You're doing it wrong.
So yeah, from here Travis decided to recruit some new minions for his cause, and like most criminal masterminds, he turned to the comments section of his blog? Where people apparently leave video comments in support of murderers? Amazing. It's like every week Dexter finds new and inventive ways to get the internet wrong. First the magical Google alternative, and now this. Quick question: Is getting the internet wrong even excusable in 2011? Or is this just another clue that this season was written by fifth-graders who perhaps lost their internet privileges?
Anyway, Travis recruited a husband-and-wife team and the three of them proceeded to recapture Holly, the intended "whore of Babylon" victim from a few episodes back. The newcomers assisted Travis in murdering the woman on her boyfriend's yacht, and then they set to creating their next tableau, code-named "Wormwood" which [SPOILER ALERT] involved gassing Miami Metro. First of all: Promises, promises, Dexter. Don't tease us with something that awesome when you KNOW it won't happen. But second of all: Whoops! Travis is officially a Christian terrorist now. He barely qualified as a serial killer before since serial killers are all about methodology and he was more about freaking people out. But now he's definitely firmly in the realm of terrorism. Suck it, Homeland! (Just kidding, Homeland, you are the only thing redeeming my Showtime subscription.)
In a similarly intriguing turn of events that will surely lead nowhere, Batista was captured by Travis and his female minion (the husband was killed by Dexter in a misunderstanding, obviously). Will Batista be killed off? Sure, if this was Breaking Bad. Unfortunately this is Season 6 of Dexter, so I'm guessing no, he'll be fine and back to marble-mouthed bantering with Quinn in time for Season 7. (Prove me wrong, please, show?)
Elsewhere, Deb's job got more difficult as she discovered that the dead call girl's final client was indeed her department boss, Matthews. LaGuerta continued being a total B about it, horning in on Deb's de-briefing and accusing Deb of not doing her real job. Can someone please gas that lady? Ugh, LaGuerta's the worst. At least that's one thing this episode got right.
Also, Louis finally worked up the courage to show Dexter his video game mockup, and here's where things took an interesting turn: It was a great scene! Seriously, credit where credit's due. Dexter was simply appalled that someone had created a video game in which one could choose to play as the Bay Harbor Butcher. The hilarious irony of Dexter pretending to be a "think about the children" type of parent was bested only by Louis's deeply hurt feelings in what was one of the cleverest scenes of the season. Dexter should totally become a public advocate against violence in video games! That would be awesome. I'm still very curious about where Louis's plotline is going, especially considering Josh Cooke is slightly too famous of an actor to be playing an intern. (He IS slightly too famous, right? I don't know, maybe I am biased because I went to college with him. He's handsome!) Some have speculated that Louis is maybe being set up as a future villain, but I predicted the same thing about Brea Grant's character at the beginning of the season and look where that got me. Either way, definitely curious about this plotline.
The episode concluded with Dexter finally realizing that he should stop interfering with police investigations as, uncharacteristically, Miami Metro was doing a surprisingly good job of uncovering Travis' lair and twisted psychology. Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Dexter mostly preyed upon killers who've eluded justice? Has he ever actively sabotaged an investigation as much as this one? At one point he literally cut off Gellar's hand and added his finger prints to the crime scene in order to hide the secret that he'd been killed. Nevermind the fact that a frozen three-year-old corpse probably wouldn't leave usable fingerprints, but is Dexter seriously considering killing Travis and causing the DDK killings to remain unsolved? That's kind of monstrous, even for Dexter. Fortunately he did the right thing and called in an "anonymous" tip to 911... using his own cell phone. Oh, Dexter!
For better or worse, there are only two more episodes left of this season. Fingers-crossed that Dexter will pull out a genuinely surprising story turn. Maybe the gassing could actually happen? Maybe a main character actually bites the dust? Maybe another, much better villain emerges from the shadows? Any of these things could salvage Season 6 from the elephant graveyard of television misfires it'll most likely rest in. We'll see!
RANDOM BLOOD SPLATTERS:
... Are you sufficiently recovered from the shock that Gellar wasn't real?
... Is Travis the fiercest villain Dexter's ever faced?
... Do you leave lots of supportive video comments on the blogs of known murderers?
... Do you ever fall asleep in cars while sticking your feet out the passenger-side window?
I'm hoping Ryan and Louis are cahoots :P
I have been a fan of 'Dexter' since the beginning. This is my least favourite year yet. It wanders all over the place. Provides no surprises (even that Geller is dead) and finds Dex awash in self pity and doubt. This season is also off base because Dex isn't killing a serial killer every other week. I always found his conversations with his about-to-be victims most revealing for both parties. Also, could it be that I find Colin Hanks too much of a goodie2shoes (like his dad) to be a serial killer? Perhaps.
C'mon producers...let's get back on track.
Let's kill off LaGuerta!!!
Disappointing Season so far...
The only thing that would make this Season better is, if at the end of the last episode Doakes would make an appearance. Yeah you heard right. He survived the explosion in Season 2 and was recovering in a hospital somewhere in Mexico.
But now he's awake and wants his revenge!! How awesome would that be, Doakes with a half burned face: "I'm back Mothaf**er!"
Somehow I don't think they will go this route...
I've always liked this show, and still do, I've enjoyed this season immensely, and I was one of the people who first hypothesized that Gellar was imaginary way back in the first two episodes. I think the psychology of this season holds up quite well. After all, Dexter pointedly mentioned in this episode that he wished that he should have been listening to his instincts a long time ago. Psychologically, though, after last season, and given Brother Sam, it's completely understandable that Dexter would like to try and change.
That said, I can understand why people don't like this season. Also, since it seems relevant to the discussion, I do also love and watch "Breaking Bad".
Questions:
-As previously mentioned, obviously not shocked, though I liked the discovery for Dexter. He kills people. He's not a psychologist. He wouldn't commonly come across someone as emotionally and psychologically as messed up as himself.
-No, that would be Trinity in my book, though Ice Truck runs a good 2nd for the psychological and emotional impact of it being his brother.
-Clearly I do. That's why the FBI is banging on my door right now to arrest me. What a stupid idea posting video comments on a murderer's blog. That said, the world's full of stupid people, and I have no problem believing that someone would do something just that stupid.
-Quinn's a drunk tool. I can see him doing that.
Oh, and I am fine with Quinn and LaGuerta actually getting gassed before they open up the vents and turn on the fans and allow everyone else to be safe. Also, I do think that Louis would make a great villain for the future.
Also, I enjoyed Deb this episode.
Oh, and that wasn't Dexter's personal cell phone, though I agree it looked like it from the way they portrayed it. I assume that it was some sort of burner/temp/"borrowed" phone.moreless
Dexter usually kills somebody every episode...in season 6 is almost only about DDK...so that's boring...I have to say..it's nice to see Colin Hanks is a bit of a psycho after all
Dexter is getting to be WAY too sloppy, as a character and as a show. Coincidences, unbelievable misses by police, and far far too much "no, I want him for myself" by the lead character. The producers lucked out with Lithgow last season, but this time they struck out with Hanks (who was much better suited for Good Guys) and, almost impossibly, with Olmos, while killing the best new character (Mos Def). So, this season has been all misses for me.
Lithgow was the 4th season.. so not last season. I do really think Hanks was better on Good Guys, and I wish they hadn't killed off Mos Def.
Been a fan of this show since the beginning and I've enjoyed every season, including this one. In fact I think this entire season has been fantastic, Olmos and Hanks have been excellent so far in their roles. This article tries waaaay too hard to be funny, and fails pretty badly.
Oh and most people really liked King of Limbs, so I'm not sure why the writer states that it was an "obviously bad" album like that was the general consensus when it holds an aggregate score of 80/100 at Metacritic right now, which indicates nearly universal acclaim. If you're going to throw out your own opinion on something like that, fine, but don't sell it like you're being objective when the majority of critics, writers, and fans alike share the exact opposite opinion as the one you're spouting as "the truth".moreless
well, I found this season very entertaining even though I suspected from the beginning that Gellar was a figment of Travis imagination.
Actually I disliked the scene with the game presentation : I feel Dexter overreacted ... even for the serial and serious killer that he is.
There is something I fear : Laguerta's death ; she is obviously a major pain in the ***, and I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't survive this season : it would be a (too) easy way to get rid of her. I'd rather see her disappear as a consequence of a Deb's action
I have to agree - the writing for this season has just been terrible by Dexter standards. I still watch the show - but I don't look forward to it like I used to.
Lazy writing what? The journalist here commenting the show doesn't have a clue, nitpicking it's ok when there is something to nitpick about but this article along with many comments here are just plain dumb.
One wonders if there are network competitors behind all this bashing against the show..really.
Otherwise God save us from people nowadays that can't grasp neither plot nor characters.
If you think this season is well written I beg you to watch Breaking Bad, will probably blow your mind
well said about the nitpicking....
So you have no problem with the writing at all? Do you normally watch the Bachelor and consider that shit gold or something?
Yeah, unbelievable...
Im puzzeled also by all this bashing involving shows that are obviously well written (they sometimes try to damage the walking dead, another very good show )....I guess these shows are for mature and hetero people.
ok for one there are plenty of mature shows out there that are awesomer than the gaybasher you are Dexter, Sons of Anarchy, Homeland, The Walking Dead, Justified...case and point
What??
I second that what good sir and raise you a what the fuck. Not sure what being mature and straight has to do with not wanting to sit through lack luster writing but uhhh yeah.
Yeah, let's hope it was a joke. 'Cos I really don't understand the idea of gay people not liking mature shows or Dexter.
Ok lets pretend I didn't feel like arguing the mature thing. But the hetero thing I'm not getting. Maybe you were joking (at least I hope so)
I meant that there as lots of teen and light oriented stuff outthere but very few shows for a more thrill seeking mature audience....thats the problem with tv nowadays and thats why a lot of shows get canceled prematurely. no consistance, just looks and smiles and the younger the better.
Well I'm not surprised that dexter used his own cell phone as he didn't have the brains to realise that Gellar could hardly have put the table over the trap door while down in the cellar.
it wasn't his phone... his phone is an iphone as he and rita both had one, the phone he used was a flip phone...
it probably isn't, just pointing out that dexter has been quite off this season
i agree with that.... but it hasn't affected my feelings on the show or the character, if anything it shows us that at the moment dexter is just as fallible as anyone else and not the man he used to be, he's gonna either have to pull it together or lose it completely.....
Re: magical Google alternative - I'm a web designer whom freelances for an SEO company, and the "magical Google alternative" isn't so magical, it was actually explained in a way that stays true by the internet. "Search without all the Google SEO bullshit." Giving you direct results instead of whichever has more links to it, more like a police database search than a search engine, and yes, the US and other governments really have private search engines like this for the purpose of finding people.
I had a sinking feeling that Deb is going to die while watching this episode. I honestly can't remember off the top of my head, but something made me think this was a very likely scenario by the finale this season. I think I would be done watching Dexter if this happened. She needs to find out about him and have to deal with it for a full season before being killed off.
i agree, i had exactly the same feeling, think it was la guerta and matthews plotting beause of the dead call girl case? especially after matthews called her to set up a dinner date? just a good job she knows matthews was involved with it by the end of the episode, and it'd be just debs luck to be killed off just as she's getting her s@@t together mentally? finally its all too possible since micheal c. hall and jennifer carpenter were divorced recently also....
I doubt Dexter to be stupid enough to use his own cell phone to make the 911 call. I would guess it's with an anonymous SIM.
i agree this season hasn't been as good as season 1, 2 or 4 but its been about the same as 3 and 5, and hey.. at least its not as bad as the final season of lost... i mean... damn....
This ep was a total disappointment..it was boring and didnt tell much, all they told on this ep could of been said in less than 20min...over all this season has been nothing but predictable, everyone knew the twist, so much for "shocker"...two eps left and nothing has happened this season, i hope at least this last two ep are not a snore fest..
The show is definitely evolving, and although I'm not exactly sure where it's headed, I think it's for the best. A show has to change if it aims to last more than 5 seasons. Even if some plotlines have been totally predictable so far, I really enjoy the introduction of Louis. I hope he's gonna play a big role in season 7. I don't think he's a serial killer, just that he's obsessed with them. His ambitious will make him a successful homicide employee, and he will be the one who will uncover Dexter's secret. (This sounds better to me than he's gonna be the next villain.)
Regarding Gellar, no surprise, and no need to have read all the precedent reviews to have noticed he wasn't real. Travis is 'crazy scary' but has the looks of a lost kid, he can't be perceived fiercer than Trinity - HE was the real villain, the type who gives you nightmares, not chills.moreless
Absolut,
I can see the show going that way only because it would be consistent with the (I hate to say it) lazy writing this show has become comfortable with. Your idea is basically a mildly tweaked version of the whole Lila story from a couple of seasons ago....Lila/Louis have never killed anyone, Lila/Louis look up to Dexter, to keep him safe/to gain his respect they kill, Dexter has a slightly harder time then normal killing them. Heck that might be all a variation of the story line with his brother, Brian thought the ultimate bonding would be killing Deb and that's what causes Dexter, again with more difficulty then at most times, to kill his brother.
The show is starting to bother me with sloppiness that the original Dexter would never do, like leaving a potential serial killer in your car, with your real registration information in the glove box, while you run around and buy him porn and pills. Or the ease he got out of the basement in the Church, what did it have a green glowing EXIT sign and a sticker on the door saying "Must remain unlocked during normal homicide hours."
What happened to the dark twisted humor (Oh I know, we're suppose to get it by reading the episode reviews here) and the edge of seat suspense and the three dimensional characters that we use to love? I'll stick with the show, just because I have Travis like faith....for now.....moreless
i also found it quite humourous when he opened the girls bedside drawer looking for clues and found it full of vibrators... and the scene a few episodes back with him flying down the road shooting at stuff with rudy was funny as hell as he's missing EVERYTHING he shoots at... until rudy tells him to aim at something familiar, the next shot he takes he aims at a cartoon head on the billboard... and hits it straight between the eyes...
the cellar door was locked from the inside? a lock is supposed to stop anyone from getting IN not OUT?? and as far as his ease of getting out.. how hard is it to look around a room you're unfamiliar with and see a door? surely thats the first thing ANYONE does in that situation? i mean you wouldn't exactly start digging your way out if there's a door in the room?
think the main major difference between travis and trinity is the acting? colin hanks is doing ok but you can tell he's acting a part... with john lithgow i really BELIEVED his role as he was that convincing an actor and his performance was simply amazing
Travis actually seems to me to be more 'scary crazy' than 'crazy scary'. ;)
I completely agree. I had the same idea with the 'anonymous 911 call'.
Also, I've been wondering for some time now why he desperately wants to beat the police. Wasn't Harry's code meant for really bad guys who slipped through the system and got away with their crimes? He's already not exactly 'brother of the year', but taking the DDK himself seems a stab in the back for Deb, who as a new lieutenant really needs to catch this guy...
Most people seem to think Louis is connected to the Ice Truck Killer because of buying the arm, that he is a killer, that he's soon going to be revealed as a big villain...
My thought runs a little different. What if Louis is who he says he is? A video game creator who is developing a game about serial killers. He wants to create a big new hit that will be different than most other games. Granted, I think he has a little too much idolization of Dexter to be normal, but maybe he just knows that Dexter knows a lot about serial killers. Or maybe he knows that Dexter is ITK's brother. It's possible he's figured out the truth about Dexter, but I don't expect that will be the case.
So, if he idolizes Dexter in some way, but he's not a killer, then why are they making such a big deal about this character? What's the point of putting him into the story? I agree, they're going to make him a villain. I still don't think he's a killer. YET! This recap talks about most of Dexter's conversation with Louis, but leaves out the most ominous part. At the end, Dexter says something about "Why would you choose to be a serial killer?" and "How would you know what it's like to take a life?" Louis wants to make a realistic game, and he has some kind of hero worship of Dexter. Will that comment push Louis to kill someone, just to know what it feels like?
I don't think he's been killing people yet, but I think he's going to turn into a killer all because of Dexter's one comment. And if you want a bigger story arc coming out of the end of this season, that would be pretty awesome. Not only the rise of a new villain, but someone who starts to be one because of Dexter. Someone who may either already know that Dexter's a killer or could easily figure it out in the future. Louis could easily turn into a MUCH bigger character, fighting for Dexter's approval as he kills more people. Meanwhile, Dexter can deal with this doubt he's already been facing. He'll want to stop Loius, but he'll be unsure because he blames himself for who Loius becomes.
THAT would salvage this season. End the season not with the discovery that Loius is a killer, but rather with his very first murder. Set up a brilliant story for season 7. And maybe go back to some of the true fear for Dexter's cover from previous seasons. There hasn't been enough worry about Dexter being caught this season. Give us two big twists to set up season 7. Louis' first kill, and something big happening that will threaten Dexter's identity again.moreless
seems a bit of a coinsidence he's having it off with dexters nanny? ITK got it on with deb as a way to get to dexter in season one? possible louis is doing the same thing with jamie? i mean he didn't seem to give a rats ass about jamie after dexter shot him down about his game? he just made up some excuse and left instead of taking her out on the date? he seemed so smug like he thought he knew what dexters reaction would be and he was stunned when dex said he was offended by the game, louis kind of does a double take and minutely shakes his head, like he already knew more about dexter than he was letting on and cant believe his ears that dexter would react that way?moreless
All very valid points. I've given up explaining Louis's creepiness to some ppl. After seeing that sooooo many people were shocked and outraged that they didn't consider that Gellar was dead this whole time and how dare tv.com viewers spoil it for them in the comment sections LOL! I'm not really surprised that many ppl are overlooking this as well.
Deb and Dexter are gonna hook up. Or Deb i gonna kiss Dexter at least. i have waiting for this to happen for the past few seasons, she is obviously in love with him, she wouldnt be able to live without him. I really want Dexter to be revealed, thats the only way that this show could truly be good again. if he were to be found out, Deb would definitly kill herself, I really want to see what else would happen.
6 seasons of Dexter - and you still don't know nothing about Deb obviously. She never was and never will be the type of person that kills herself.
I enjoyed the episode and thought it brought the season back to where every one would enjoy it once more. I liked the revealing scenes, and character development, and the possibilities for the future. I wasn't really shocked by the Gellar revelation but it wasn't disappointing either. Travis is definitely not the fiercest villain Dexter has faced. I do neither of the last two things, haha.
Aside from the "potential" plot development of Travis gassing the police station, everything else made me snooze.
The only thing that could possibly save this season, for me, is if LaGuerta and/or Quinn die. "Please have LaGuerta or Quinn die this season" was all I kept telling myself throughout the first half of the episode, but when Batista was complaining about Quinn being a bad partner, I realized that Batista was going to be in trouble. Then Voila!, he gets clocked in the head by Travis. It was at this time that I started thinking that the writers wouldn't kill off LaGuerta or Quinn, but may instead kill Batista, which may cause LaGuerta and Quinn to try and be "better" people next season. Hopefully it doesn't play out this way and that the police station is actually gassed, killing LaGuerta, Quinn, and Matthews -- if not all of them, I'll take 2 out of the 3.
Also, I've been getting really annoyed with Dexter's voiceover/inner monologue thing lately, and this episode made me hate it even more. I love the fact that you teased about it in this article. I almost hate the voiceover as much as LaGuerta and Quinn.moreless