Check This Out...

9.28.2010

Deeply Discussing Dexter

In a television world full of clusterfucks and spotfests lives a different animal. Its name is "Dexter". I've said it before and I'll say it again, "It's not WHAT "Dexter" does, it's HOW "Dexter" does it." This show is hands down the best show I've ever watched and I credit that fact to the show's ability to get the viewer emotionally invested.

I recently watched the season premiere of Criminal Minds and I wasn't impressed at all. It was basically all high spots; kidnappings, hostage negotiations, a trillion murders and a creepy villain. While all this is entertaining, once the show ends what am I left with? What do I feel? Nothing. I feel no connection to any character. Seriously, they could have killed off the entire cast and I would have shrugged my shoulders.

Watching the season 5 premiere of "Dexter" was the polar opposite. Every character means something. Nothing ever happens for no reason. Everything that happens is correlated to at least one of the storylines taking place. Like Donnie was saying during the interview with Gangrel a few weeks back about the Attitude Era; it makes the show so much more interesting to watch when there are so many layered, interesting storylines that all interact with each other.

Already this season we have a budding Deb/Quinn romance, an intensifying Quinn/Dexter feud and a Dex vs. the FBI main event. All storylines being interesting and all intertwining with each other. This is something that I find very few shows do well, if at all. And something "Dexter" does astoundingly.

And not only does that make everything you watch relevant and fresh, it gets the viewer emotionally invested in the show and in the characters. Again to draw a comparison wrestling, so many workers go out there and do a million flips, 55 head bumps and 12 dives to the outside and yes it may look pretty but ultimately once the match is over you feel nothing.

"Dexter" is like the William Regal of television. No flips, no explosions. No dives, no crazy murders. But somehow I was on the edge of my seat the entire show and everything that happened, I cared about. From the opening scene of Harrison crying to the eulogy ending I felt uncomfortable and even somber. I don't know if it was just me but I couldn't even pop normally for the comedy spots like Dex telling Astor and Cody about their mother while in Mickey Mouse ears to Masuka's untimely sexual jokes to Dexter telling Rita he was an axe murderer on their first date.

I thought they were funny. But I couldn't laugh. I felt like given the circumstances it was inappropriate. Now considering I've legit laughed at funerals before, having a TV show make me feel like it was no time for jokes is quite an impressive feat. I don't know what it is, whether it's the writing, the acting, the music or a combination of all these things that the show does so well but while I'm watching I definitely feel completely immersed in their world and always impatiently awaiting next week's happenings.

As far as the events of the show; I feel like a lot of important seeds were planted. After Quinn's conversation with Elliot not only does the kiss add more credence to the 'Dexter did it' theory but it plants a seed of doubt in Elliot's mind. That and the fact that we know Dexter has absolutely no alibi for the night of the murder, not to mention Dexter said, "It was me" sets up an intense uphill battle for "the Dark Defender" this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dexter with nobody in his corner at some point before the season is through and having the whole Bay Harbor Butcher case brought back to life.

The evidence can easily be stacked high enough to have Trinity's involvement in Rita's murder questioned. I'm still not even sure it was Arthur. There's debate as to whether or not he had even started a new cycle with a 10 year old boy and there's certainly an issue with Rita fitting a jumper profile while being a bathtub victim. Was he just looking to kill Rita quickly? Was he trying to frame Dexter? Did he even kill her at all? I've heard some interesting theories accusing everyone from Elliot to Jonah.

It's only week one though O-sters so we have a whole season ahead of us. I don't know if it can follow a season like last season without getting crazy but I see the show going in a different direction than last season. Only time will tell. Hit up the comments with anything you felt like I missed or if you have a crazy "Quinn did it" type theory, I'd love to hear 'em.

8 comments: on "Deeply Discussing Dexter"

Dan-e-o said...

Bro,

Not only is "Dexter" the best damn show on TV..acting, writing, music...all the things you mentioned...but I'm happy and proud that Tha O Show has such a great writer covering the season.

O-sters, if you're still not up on "Dexter", you're truly missing out on a lot of Os!

SICK opening to the season...I don't know how they keep managing to keep me so glued to the screen every single episode.

Victor Wildcat said...

Thanks bro. And I have to agree if you're not watching Dexter you're a shoot retard. The only reason to not watch is because it legit ruins other shows because they're not as good.

You should tie Frank to a chair and force him to watch the first 4 episodes of the first season.

Hipnosis said...

Rita committed Suicide...the real question is was it on purpose or accidental?

Mr. Cox said...

I started watching Dexter last year because of all the rave reviews I kept hearing on Tha O Show. I started from the beginning and legit watched the entire series in less than a month. After watching the season 5 premiere, all I can say is I want to see the next episode now! Can't wait for some D'O'xter discussion on Tha O Show this week!

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean about Criminal Minds. I was a huge fan of the show in the beginning, and now it seems a far streatch to reality anymore as they continuously try to outdo themselves and their previous plots.

The same thing happened on CSI a while back; they just kept streeatching too far from reality and it just lost its luster in the end.

I haven't seen Dexter yet, but after your review I'll definitely check it out. I do think though that with these 'reality based' programs they need to stay within the realm of what's real and ease up on the over saturated plot battles that come with longer running shows. Once veiwers loose that "shit this could really happen" feeling about shows like these, it becomes too fake to give a fuck!

my 2c

Anonymous said...

I think that a Rita suicide is not plausible. Rita would have to know Trinity's MO and there's no reason for her to know this.

Trinity's son would be a good candidate since his father could have been coaching him.

Quinn would have the knowledge to do it, and he shoot doesn't like Dexter, but killing his wife? There would have to be a large piece of the puzzle not seen yet to make that work.

Elliot has the opportunity and the motive to do it, but how would he know of Trinity's MO?

However, the next plot twist could change all of the above.

Dante said...

Call me crazy. But I'm gonna throw Deb's name in the ring as the killer. Look at her upbringing. Look at how hard she pushes herself in her life. Look at her relationships (including a serial killer). She fucked Quinn while the bathroom floor was still drying after cleaning Rita's blood! So yeah. Deb is the killer. Remember what she said about Dexter's baby? "He's already mine."

Anonymous said...

Sorry for my bad english. Thank you so much for your good post. Your post helped me in my college assignment, If you can provide me more details please email me.