- Air Date: 11/25/2012
- Directed By: Seith Mann
- 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, Andrew Kirsanov, Brett Rickaby, Geoff Pierson
- Author: Karen Campbell
After this week’s “Helter Skelter,” only three episodes remain of DEXTER’s resurgent seventh season, yet this episode had the tension and plot developments of a finale, with many subplots coming to an end, oddly prematurely.
But then again, you can’t argue with the results, or how it all happens in this episode. We open (and close) on the water, with Dex on the boat, taking in the ocean air. He’s brought Hannah along for the ride, but unfortunately, she’s terrified of water and of drowning, due to a traumatic childhood event having to do with her father (yes, he’s a bastard, what a surprise).
Isaak Sirko and his far too loyal chap Yurg (Andrew Kirsanov) find out that the Koshka Brotherhood have sent two men to kill Sirko, after the first one failed (thanks to Dexter). Sirko is outmanned, and frankly, scared, and turns to Dexter for help. It’s a fairly miraculous turn of events, but it makes so much sense after the last few episodes, where they have been eyeing each other like cat and mouse, all the while learning to respect and maybe (?) like each other, even if they know they must kill one another. Isaak offers to leave Miami and Dexter alone if he will help him take care of the two hitmen, Oleg and Caffrey. Dexter flat out refuses, so Isaak blackmails him: he kidnaps Hannah and forces Dexter to help. It’s clear that Dexter is having some serious feelings for this girl, based on how willing he becomes. It’s fascinating to watch, even if a bit unbelievable how quickly this is all happening after 6.5 seasons of love or lack thereof for the man.
This also comes on the heels of Debra professing her love FOR Dexter, one of the weirdest and most uncomfortable scenes in the show’s history, yet oddly and disgustingly interesting nonetheless. Dex works hard to talk her down, to say he understands and that it makes perfect sense, in an effort to soften her feelings rather than have her fall victim to them, and he also asks way too much of her when Hannah goes missing, needing her help to save her. Deb does too much.
Thrust in the midst of all these thriving subplots is a new one about burn victims. The first scene shows a man burnt to a crisp in his car, and the squirrelly arson investigator Phil Bosso (Brett Rickaby) pronounces it a suicide, despite Dexter’s assertions to the contrary. While it may prove to be an interesting turn of events, and I rather liked the two scenes having to do with this story, they seemed out of place in an otherwise tight episode.
Perhaps not as out of place as the Quinn/Nadia/George plot, as George continues to play Quinn like a puppet, and predictably, Quinn responds violently. I wish this would just stop. I’ll be surprised if any of these three are alive by season’s end. Speaking of people who may be on the brink of death, Deputy Chief LaGuerta continues her investigation into the Bay Harbor Butcher, and tries to enlist the help of former Deputy Chief Tom Matthews (Geoff Pierson). Good luck on that score.
Things have moved fast this season, and it’ll be interesting, in light of how this episode ends, what Dexter will do in the coming weeks. I first thought that perhaps the writers have reached their crescendo too early, that perhaps we’re in for a letdown, but even in lean seasons, DEXTER has always known how to end, and I don’t expect that to all of a sudden change. Here’s looking forward to see that gift for a 7th time.
