- Air Date: 11/11/2012
- Directed By: Holly Dale
- Starring: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, C.S. Lee, Lauren Velez, Desmond Harrington, David Zayas, James Remar
- Guest Stars: Ray Stevenson, Aimee Garcia, Jason Gedrick, Yvonne Strahovski, Katia Winter, Santiago Cabrera
- Author: Tim Schlattmann
Last week, when Dexter was about to kill Hannah McKay, they had sex instead, primal, steamy sex on the table that he had brought so many people to their ends (alas, no nudity). This time, he brought himself to completion rather than his victims. It was probably the most controversial moment of the year thus far, and while it could’ve gone either way, judging by “Chemistry,” it was definitely the right route. We pick up the morning after, with Hannah and Dexter having an awkwardly calm conversation about how Dexter almost killed her, then made love, and now promise not to stay in touch. But we all know that that ain’t happening.
Especially when Dexter is caught dropping Hannah off at her place by Sal Price, the crime writer who is working on a book that speculates Hannah is a killer, and has kept murdering even after she was separated from Wayne Randall, all the while receiving immunity from Miami PD. Now that Dexter has inserted himself into the narrative, our favorite serial killer has a serious problem. Sal’s also macking on his sister, as Sal and Deb hit it off while discussing Hannah McKay (Deb really can’t escape her work). They plan to exhume her husband’s body, which they can do with the permission of her deceased husband’s sister. Off Deb goes!
Quinn stupidly stole the blood and DNA evidence in the Isaak Sirko case, enabling the fearsome brotherhood leader from prison, with one goal in mind: to subtract one person from the Miami phone book (do they still have those?): Dexter Morgan. When Ray Stevenson is on the screen, he just owns it, and the scene between Dexter and him at lunch is classic stuff. Batista suspects Quinn and confronts him, while Quinn just digs himself deeper and deeper for Nadia. He’s an idiot.
To keep his name out of Sal’s book, Dexter offers Randall’s final words and thoughts on Hannah. Sal deliberates, while also planning an interview with Hannah to get her on the record for his book, rather than speculating about her evil deeds in the novel. Dexter has a plan to get Sal off his back, while Hannah wants to take him out of the equation her way as well. It’s a fantastic juxtaposition, and definitely makes Hannah feel fresh and not another Lila or Lumen, two women that knew and loved/needed Dexter’s dark passenger.
The situation between Sal, Dex, Hannah and Deb reaches titanic heights and continues the brisk tension packed pace that DEXTER has thrived on all season save last episode “Swim Deep.” The result is a very interesting one for Deb, and as La Guerta’s investigation into the Bay Harbor Butcher takes an interesting turn, it’s very easy to conceive that DEXTER, in the second half of this seventh season, could reach a sustained quality not seen since John Lithgow reigned supreme. In fact, I’d argue that it is almost has already.
