If I Had a Hammer

Season 4, Episode 6, Aired
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Episode Summary

Dexter knows it's only a matter of time before the Trinity Killer's latest handiwork is discovered by Miami Metro. He has to work doubly hard to stay one step ahead of their investigation. Debra is shut out from her own case. She considers risking her career and bending the rules in the name of justice. LaGuerta and Batista realize that by playing by the rules they may have painted themselves into a corner. Dexter gleans relationship advice from a most unlikely source when the friction between Rita and Dexter comes to a head.moreless
8.9
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Fan Episode Reviews (8)

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  • The set-up for the second half

    8.9
    "Great"
    By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Nov 16, 2010 Report Abuse
    You can tell that Dexter is in the process of setting all of the pieces in place for the second half of the season. We've been introduced to more of the Trinity Killer and we know about most of his family life.. now we just need to see what Dexter is going to do to remedy the situation. There wasn't too much action and tension as in the previous two episodes, but the amount of new details revealed was almost overwhelming. And seeing Dexter at his usual sneaky, moniker-inventing self was nice to see again as well.

    This episode picks up a little while after the previous episode, with him stalking Arthur Mitchell.. oh wait, I mean the Trinity Killer. Yes, John Lithgow's character finally has a name, a family, and a seemingly perfect life. The montage of scenes showing what he does during his day was great, because we get to see how interesting he truly is as a character. Miguel Prado was good last year, but got irritating near the end.. so far, Arthur Mitchell is one of the most compelling new characters since The Ice Truck Killer in the first season.. no joke.

    The episode decides to replace the action found in "Dex Takes A Holiday" and the tension found in "Dirty Harry" and replace it with some major character development. It seemed like this episode featured a major amount of focus on emotions, whether it was John Lithgow's fight to keep his killer side from appearing in front of the public (watching Dexter purposely instigate Mitchell by holding his dead sisters ashes was a pretty awesome scene) or Deb's sudden outburst towards one of the Vacation Murderers. We even get to see a little more LaGuerta and Batista, although that storyline is quickly becoming staler than a bag of chips left forgotten in the back of a cupboard.

    In the background of all this, we see Dexter also struggling to work things out with Rita. And as always, Dexter seems to get the best marital advice from serial killers, as this time, Arthur Mitchell explains what made his family life work and how he hides his dark, angry side.

    All in all, we got a slower paced but more revealing episode. It was still classic Dexter and proof that Season 3 is being left in the dust. And the fact that Quinn and Dexter seem to be heading towards some sort of major confrontation in the near future only fuels my suspiscion that Quinn will be taking the route of Doakes and investigating into Dexter's life without him knowing. Man, Season 4 is heading full throttle into the second half, and I can't wait.moreless

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    11 0

  • 406.

    7.6
    "Good"
    By thefanof, Nov 16, 2010 Report Abuse
    Really, did anything exciting happen outside of Trinity attacking Dexter (I mean Kyle) for five seconds? Sure, Deb can be awesome at times and can make inappropriate language seem like nothing, but that is not enough to carry an episode. Nobody cares about the relationship between Maria and Batista so the show needs to deemphasize that, or remove it altogether. Stop trying to lure the Grey's Anatomy/Gossip Girl audience in with that nonsense.

    Things have slowed down a bit as it looks like Dexter will take some time before he murders Trinity, so what does the show plan to do for six weeks? Have Rita rant on? Believe me, she could do it and irritate me and everybody else in the process but somebody better die soon or I'm gonna get angry.moreless

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    1 14

  • Another beautiful episode of Dexter.

    8.5
    "Great"
    By erikj14, Nov 16, 2010 Report Abuse
    This episode wasn't the greatest of the season, not the usual amount of acion and thrilling suspense, but there were some really great character moments which is why I love Dexter. First there are the great scenes between Michael C. Hall and John Lithgow which absolutely carry this episode. "I didn't save my family, my family saved me." Such a wonderful piece of wisdom from Dexter's pseudo mentor (at least on matters of the family). There was also the entirely different kind of suspense when it seemed as though Dexter just might tell Rita about everything. What a relief that she misinterpreted "i need space" to mean emotional space.

    On the bad side and why I scored this episode lower than I would have otherwise, I could honestly do without any of the Batista-La Guerta drama or all of Deb's... 'feisty-ness.' That's a general feeling I have throughout this season though, and not specific to this particular episode.

    I watch for Dexter because of the interesting character he is on screen which was summed up perfectly in his therapy session, "I never learned." There's the sort of Batman quality to him, which is told in a way that is also very playful at time. The knowing look to us, the audience, was just perfect, and even though it wasn't a shocking cliffhanger like just about every other episode this season it had me wanting more Dexter and I can't wait to see the next episode.moreless

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    5 0

  • Dex and hammer, hammer and Dex ... ;)

    10
    "Perfect"
    By drago174, Nov 08, 2009 Report Abuse
    It was another great episode of Dexter. I am more sad now because we have six episode behind us so in this season stay only 6 episode more ;/

    Dex is following behind Arthur Mitchell "trinity", his family, behaviour and others. Dex join to Arthur organisation wchich one build houses for homeless people.
    Next step was find what in Arthur life determinate his behaviour and when Dex find that, concretly that was tragical death of sister, mother nad father "trinity" later Morgan move into Arthur house and check his behaviour when he take his sister in "urn" and Mitchell normal patient man come be very angry and try to strangle Dexter. SO Dex know another thing about trinity , he has his weakness point. What about Dexter more ?? In this episode he is lost man in his family , Rita did not trust him so he dont know what he should do and try learn it from Arthur. At the end he finally know right way and rescue his family :)

    Debra is totally break after Lundy`s death so like her , she searching way to find man who kill Lundy also she find women which one sleept her father in past. Other plot : LaGuerta and Batista, they decide to break his romance and now they both stay at homicide department. Is it fake or not ?? I dont know but something tell me they have some plan and try to fake everybody include boss. gooooooooooooooooood DEXTER 10moreless

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  • It's hammer time

    8.5
    "Great"
    By vman85, Nov 06, 2009 Report Abuse
    "Trinity" and Dexter finally meet for the first time. Oh yeah Dexter indentified him as Arthur Mitchell so he decides to get close to him and learns how he works.

    Dexter figures out the pattern in his killings and them all are revealed in the deaths of his own family.
    Having gained his confidence, Dexter gets inside the family home and locates the urn containing his sister's ashes, and decides to pick it up in front of him. Arthur gently takes the ashes from him, before violently assaulting him; this man is very dangerous Dexter has his work cut out.

    The hammer that Arthur used to kill his last victim he gives to Dexter, maybe that's what, finishes him off later in the series. Debbie goes to accuse the women she thinks attacked her and Lundy. Her realisation is that, despite all the other horrible things this woman did do, she probably didn't do this crime, spot on Deb.moreless

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    1 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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  • Notes

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    • Although credited, James Remar (Harry Morgan) does not appear in this episode. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Dexter: (voice over) Camouflage is nature's craftiest trick. Edit
    • (Dexter shows his gift to Rita) Rita: A bread maker? Dexter: We're always running out of bread. Rita: We're always running out of milk. Did you get me a cow too? Edit
    • Arthur: This is my home. I can be myself here. Dexter: You make it sound easy. Edit

  • Allusions

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    • Title: If I Had a Hammer The title refers to a song of the same name written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays, which later became a hit after being covered by Peter, Paul and Mary in 1962. Edit

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