Dexter Series Discussion *Spoilers*

That's the only thing we've really got to speculate on, the relationship between Dexter and Quinn. It would be a cool partnership, but I would also like it to be more complicated than that.
 
I hope S6 is about Liddy being rebuilt as Robocop and hunting Dexter.
 
ProjectX2 said:
The writers of this show are cowards.
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I was thinking about this, because I agree.

The problem with season 5 is that is just didn't go far enough. Each of the other seasons really had something happen. Dexter's brother, Doakes, Rita's pregnant, Rita's dead... but season 5 is lacking in weight.

Now, it's possible that season 6 is, in a way, season 5 part 2 and the Quinn/Debra/Dexter thing is going to resolve but season 5 is lacking and I dunno if it's fear or not, but I suppose it is, because this season was really building up to the idea that not only would Debra discover Dexter is a killer, but this season was perhaps the only way for Debra to be okay with it, and that would be such an interesting relationship.

But it didn't happen, which is frustrating, yet her not finding out was at least in character. Consider a show like HEROES which was so desperately hanging onto some semblance of a status quo and fearful of doing anything substantive; they ended up making a mockery of themselves. But the writers of DEXTER at least are consistent. Debra really wouldn't want to find out who the killers are. Quinn and Dexter really would watch each others' backs for Debra. It works out, despite it being unsatisfying.

Also, this show had a real tease in the St Muerta killings - that went absolutely nowhere. And, I've got to say, Dexter and Lumen kill Chase and boy oh boy do they spend the rest of the day alone and Cody and Astor aren't even brought up. They brought in that little turning point and then kinda forgot about it. So, it was a bit messy this season. I hope they'll pick it up together for season 6. But season 5, all in all, while probably the weakest season, was still very entertaining.

At least they're talented cowards.
 
I'm glad they realised that a writer familiar with Dexter should be the showrunner instead of a guy who wrote 24.
 
I mean, I'm not sure of this is good or bad news, but it is reassuring that they've got someone running the show that has been with it since it's second season. I kind of thought certain things were off this season, such as the use of Harry (his appearances were odd here and there, and should have appeared there or here), so hopefully we can get back to "the good old days".
 
I'm sick of Harry. I think the best episodes this season had little to no Harry at all.
 
I adore Harry.

But I think the reason this season felt 'off' is due to the St Muerta killings (which went nowhere) and the lack of a proper change in the show in the season finale.
 
I saw a video on showtime that said the writers felt justified with the end of the show because, from it, they could go anywhere in season 6. They did not want to feel pressured after season 4 finale. I feel like after the season 4 finale, they can no longer afford to have finales where nothing is progressed. For taking such a big leap, the writers must know that their days are numbered on Dexter. No more taking their time, the writers should know that they are running out of time to tell this story.
 
Agreed.

I actually completely understand their point of view, but I agree with you Goodwill; we need the big "OMG" at the end every season now that they've set precedent.
 
I completely agree.

The only thing I would suggest is that whether or not you agree with the writers' decision to not have Deb find out about Dexter's killings (I, like most people, wish she had found out), the reasons within the show for why she didn't find out are totally in character.

It's not like HEROES or BATTLESTAR GALACTICA where characters do retarded, out-of-character things in order to keep the show's status quo. Debra's choice to not look is in character. And that's fine by me.
 
Technically, I agree with you. If we were to look at Deb without knowing what the writers COULD have done, she probably would've wanted to have the vigilantes identities a secret... That being said, though, the ending where Deb is congratulated for "solving" the case is too neat and clean.
 
Here's my thing with Dexter. The first three seasons were increasingly arc-based versions of the same thing - Someone.... like me? Their darkness is unsettling, but intriguing? Could I have found a balance with them? Are my darkly dreaming days of solitude as Dexter the dark defender finally OH **** STABSTABSTABSTABSTAB.... heh heh heh....wow. Well, I guess at the end of the day.... *looks at camera*.... I'm Dexter.

It got especially sad by the end of Season 3, when he just killed Miguel too. I don't know where else they would've gone, but it just seemed like such a waste and I don't know how much longer the show could've kept it up after that. The fourth season then, thankfully, inverted the heck out of everything while simultaneously packing in the most and best twists and finishing with one of the most insanely risky moves of any TV show I've seen. Somewhere around the Thanksgiving episode, I basically noted that this could well be the definitive, best, period-you-remember-when-you-think-back-about-the-series days of Dexter, so I should enjoy every minute of it because they might not ever top it. I did, and it was great.

Was I right? So far, I think I was. Every other season has seemed like the best yet while going through it, but when three ended I could see how it was inferior. This season only felt decent most of the time, but the finale.... wow. Ten minutes before it was over, it could've passed for a decent series finale(when they're riding home on the Slice Of Life). The directions it went in after that were even more powerful and interesting. The character development is stunning sometimes.

In terms of the supposed cowardice of the writers, I think they might have us right where they want us. The dissatisfaction of Dexter in the final moment of the season reflects the audience perfectly. That angle, plus the unsolved plots with the St Muerta killings and Quinn's interest, make me suspect the next season could be earth-shattering. Season 5 part 2 in ways, as Bass said, and the writers can take this path in the meantime because they know we're no more able to stop living Dexter's life than he is. In otherwords, we'll both be back. They have a story that doesn't fit neatly into 12 episodes? Let them work with it.

I have so much more to say about what this season made me think of and the possible future of the series, but this is plenty for now. I enjoyed it, the finale was spine-tingling and deceptive, and there's no way we've seen the last of Lumen. The best may be yet to come. AUGH! Love them.

Bass said:
whether or not you agree with the writers' decision to not have Deb find out about Dexter's killings (I, like most people, wish she had found out), the reasons within the show for why she didn't find out are totally in character.

It's not like HEROES or BATTLESTAR GALACTICA where characters do retarded, out-of-character things in order to keep the show's status quo. Debra's choice to not look is in character. And that's fine by me.
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Another reason the current plot is working. I agree.
 
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That's great. I hadn't really noticed, but you're right, a convention of DEXTER's first three seasons, is that he meets someone whom he thinks he can share his Dark Passenger with, and in every case, he has to kill them. And what's brilliant, is that the reason for both the attraction and the murder, are different. He is attracted to the Ice Truck Killer because of the Killer's skill and technical proficiency. And he ends up having to kill him because if he doesn't, he'll lose Debra. He's attracted to Lila because she encourages his Dark Passenger but not from a point of skill, rather Dexter is slumming with Lila, which is the opposite of his relationship with the Ice Truck Killer. And eventually, he ends up her killing because he both hates her and no longer has any use for her. It's much more dispassionate than the first season. The third season is wonderful too, because Dexter has a partner-in-crime, someone he can share it with and has has the same ethics. But he has to kill Miguel because he's created a monster, he's unleashed something and so he has to fix a mistake. And these are all very different.

In the fourth season, he actually doesn't want to share his Dark Passenger at first, but then he changes his mind because he wants to learn from Trinity how to balance his Dark Passenger with a family. This is a teacher/student element similar to the Ice Truck Killer, but different in what Dexter in learning. He ends up killing Trinity because will Trinity will kill him if he can. Which is yet another reason.

The fifth season, changes it up again, with Lumen being someone Dexter can save; she's not like Miguel where they're partners in crime. He is saving her (and he does). Unfortunately, he does not kill her (nor should he) she just leaves, which is very anti-climactic. What's more, is that Jordan Chase, isn't really a particularly powerful villain, he's like the Skinner in season 3, he's a plot point and an antagonist, but not really the heart of the conflict. This is why Debra finding out would've been good for the finale because it would've been the major reversal we needed. Unfortunately we didn't get a major reversal enough, we didn't get the ending we expect (Dexter killing Lumen) and so it all feels rather unfinished.

Season 6 will definitely contextualize season 5. By giving us a pause in Dexter's life, it only emphasises the following season, which means season 6 has to do something big or it will feel like the show is treading water. We'll see if this was cowardice or if this is the calm before the storm next year.
 
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I was actually surprised at how powerful Chase got by the end, especially in the finale. Not the same level as Trinity, but far ahead of the Skinner. It's too bad they killed him off as quickly as they did(especially as it was mostly through his own stupidity and lack of control), because the concept of him as a Dexter enemy is terrifying. An untouchable public figure that can influence the minds of millions and has loads of resources. He potentially could've been a long-running series-archvillain that takes seasons to kill, if they didn't need him dead to wrap up Lumen's current arc.

The insistence on self-contained seasonal plots feels like it limits the show sometimes, although I think it also comments on the strange finality of murder that Dexter talks about in the pilot.
 
I think you've got a great point. There needs to be more continuity. In the future, there needs to be consequences that are felt throughout the series, not just within the season. I can only hope that Lumen returns because if Dexter is to begin another relationship it's going to be damned hard for the audience to buy it after the fact that Lumen was referred to as Dexter's "soul mate". Maybe Dexter makes the trip to Minnesota to track down Lumen. It would even be interesting to have him selfishly pick apart her life so she feels compelled to return to Miami with him. Or whatever. I just hope they don't let her character go to waste.
 
To be fair... Dexter's wife just died and he has a baby. That continuity isn't going anywhere, and it seems that Quinn and Debra's relationship will continue along with LaGuerta and Batista.

I think what you want is a villain to continue from one season to the next, but I don't think you want that. The suspense would become tiresome. Thirteen episodes of build-up is enough, when you consider how many shows delay and delay and delay to the point of total insanity (BATTLESTAR **** YOU).
 
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