At times, the abundance of events in an episode can be indicated by the “Previously on” summary that precedes it. In this instance, glimpses are provided of “Handsome Tony” Ferrer resurfacing from the swamp where Dexter disposed of him; Captain Spencer having disagreements with his ex-wife Becca regarding their son; Deb’s volleyball team conflicts; a mismanaged trial for Levi Reed; and a press conference concerning murdered judge’s son Jimmy Powell. Despite my concerns last week about the numerous unresolved threads on Dexter: Original Sin, I felt that the previous episode presented some level of correction. However, now I find myself once again feeling overwhelmed by the numerous storylines.
Title “Dexter’s Struggle: A Killer Among Us” explores Dexter’s transformation into a serial killer, pushing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. An awkward double date with Sofia, Deb, and Gio is already strange enough (given their high school ages), but things get even more uncomfortable when Deb unexpectedly barges into the bathroom while Dexter is changing, causing her to comment on his choice of attire. Boundaries are clearly a blurred line in this world. (Apologies for potential spoilers from the original series, especially regarding the season where Deb develops feelings for her brother, which I find distressing.) Harry intervenes, calling Dexter away to a crime scene, causing Deb to express frustration: “Why is there always some dead body more important than me?” Deb, without question, lacks self-awareness. (Harry and Dexter then depart for police business.)
At the crime scene, Dexter employs his unique abilities to piece together the sequence of events, revealing a killer who almost choked the victim, revived him, and then repeated the act. Remarkably, Dexter fails to recognize this method as that of Rodney Alcala, a murderer from a TV show called “The Dating Game,” who was already imprisoned at the time. However, he does connect the murders to the apparent overdoses at his first and second crime scenes. The victims are all solitary individuals with no known connections. The killer’s approach varies because he’s experimenting with his preferences, but Dexter believes these killings bring pleasure to the perpetrator. As this is now the third victim, the murderer has officially become a serial killer. LaGuerta remains skeptical, and Harry advises his son to let the detectives construct the case. It appears that Dexter is on the right path, as both the plot development and the episode’s themes revolve around the thrill of killing and the nature of being a serial killer. If Dexter carries out the murder of Levi Reed, he will, by definition, become a serial killer himself (with no apparent reason why this didn’t cross his mind when he was about to kill Mad Dog).
Miami Metro appears unbothered by the lesser murder cases, which is why LaGuerta and now Harry have been assigned to handle them. On the other hand, Spencer has a highly personal stake in the department’s current case – the kidnapping of his son, Nicky. This situation unfolds at the beginning of the episode, with Becca getting knocked unconscious and Nicky being taken away by (presumably) the same masked abductor who had previously kidnapped and murdered Jimmy Powell. At the police station, Becca’s boyfriend, Nelson, challenges Spencer, accusing him of inciting cartel retaliation through his recent press conference. (Though I’m not convinced that the cartels are responsible for the kidnappings, I’ll allow the detectives to construct their case as per Harry’s instructions.) Later, Spencer confronts Nelson for a 14-year affair with Becca. This scene is quite intense, and while it’s good to see more dialogue for Patrick Dempsey, some of his lines seem awkward, such as, “I’m going to find this bastard and make him pay for what he’s done.
In another part of the story, the dreaded quadruple date from the start of the episode is unfolding. It’s amusing to see Dexter attempting to act normal with Gio, his awkward attempts at small talk mirroring my own with straight men. However, the comedic TV show atmosphere resurfaces as we witness Dexter overordering food and consuming it all by himself. His lack of finesse with women (and others) is quite noticeable. Thankfully for Dexter, he’s been observing Levi Reed, who seems to be a charmer among women, and has learned some useful strategies. After showing Sofia how to play darts, she becomes so smitten that she chases him into the bathroom, marking Dexter’s first sexual experience. Upon dropping her off, Dexter declines her invitation for another date the following evening as he has prior arrangements to eliminate Levi Reed. “Dating was enjoyable but tiring,” his voiceover remarks. While I did appreciate Original Sin‘s transition into sitcom-like scenes, the abrupt changes in tone during this episode left me feeling disconnected.
On the following evening, Dexter maintains his rendezvous with Levi, unexpectedly confronting the home invasion perpetrator in an alley behind a tavern. A compelling voiceover plays as Levi is securely fastened to the kill table: “Killing and romance – it appears they share certain similarities. They both involve anticipation, escalation, and ultimately… a satisfying conclusion.” This conversation sets the stage for the dialogue between the serial killer and the man destined to join his ranks. Levi admits that he committed all those murders, including innocent children, to witness the terror in their eyes. Dexter attempts to distinguish himself from Levi, even trying to justify his actions through the code; however, Levi retorts that Dexter derives pleasure from killing just as much as he does. The original series sometimes neglected this aspect, depicting Dexter more as a vigilante than a killer. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Dexter takes pleasure in stabbing Levi.
At Miami Metro Police Department, detectives are finding it challenging to locate substantial clues regarding Nicky Spencer’s abduction. If the culprit adheres to the sequence of events in the Jimmy Powell case, Nicky has a few days left before he loses a finger and approximately 10 days before his life is endangered. Understandably, Spencer is panicking and acting aggressively towards most people; however, Bobby suggests a possible suspect in Rafael Campos, the leader of Los Tigres cartel who’s currently imprisoned due to Captain Spencer and Judge Powell’s efforts. It’s unlikely that Campos is the kidnapper, but he might be orchestrating the events. Exhausted, Spencer retreats to his office where he shares a drink with Harry. “Being a father is tough,” Harry says, alluding to the son he lost and also to Dexter, two children he had difficulty safeguarding. This scene transitions between shots of Dexter disposing Levi’s body to emphasize this message.
In transit towards Alligator Alley, Dexter stumbles upon a significant amount of law enforcement activity. They’ve apparently discovered Handsome Tony’s arm. Unfortunately for Dexter, he gets stopped by the police at an inconvenient moment because there’s a corpse of a serial killer in the back of his truck. This could potentially mark the end for our protagonist, but considering there are still four episodes left this season and it being a prequel, things might not be as dire as they seem. However, it does make his predicament more complex – adding to an already overly complicated series. One issue with Original Sin is that Dexter’s origin story may not offer much narrative depth; despite his discussions about his transformation into a serial killer in this episode, he appeared fully developed in the premiere. Consequently, the writers have introduced numerous other plotlines to keep us engaged, resulting in an unsettling lack of focus for the show.
Blood Spatter Analysis
As a film enthusiast, let me share my thoughts on this week’s episode: A significant portion of it delves into flashbacks that I find isolated from the main narrative. This time around, Harry and Laura engage in more intimacy, but things escalate as Laura finds herself in a riskier predicament when she gets nearer to Estrada. She pleads with Harry to rescue her, yet he assures her of his ability to safeguard her (I’m not so sure…). In the meantime, Doris gives birth to Debra and demands that Harry ends his affair, which he’s been hiding from her.
Eventually, LaGuerta becomes convinced that Dexter’s theory about the serial killer is correct, once she verifies that the third victim was indeed another solitary individual with no known associates. We obtain a mugshot of 23-year-old Felix Woodard, and his wig in this series is one of the most poorly made I’ve ever seen on Dexter. Quite an achievement!
• The double date was quite dull, and I’m still pondering about Gio. Kudos to the commenter who clarified that Mad Dog doesn’t own a yacht, suggesting they might not be linked. My latest hypothesis is that Gio’s involved in drug dealing, and Deb could end up getting severely wronged by him in some significant way that, years later, leads her to join the vice squad.
• It also becomes clear that Gio seems to struggle with anger issues and might not be a positive role model, while it appears that Deb is spearheading the plan to steal Tiffany’s car for a wild ride. (What’s our objective here?)
• I’m still disappointed with the limited character development on this show, particularly for Tanya, who only has two dialogue lines in this episode. Yet, Masuka, who is a series regular, barely makes an appearance at all. It seems that Gio gets more screen time than some of Dexter’s Miami Metro coworkers do.
• We’re quite pleased with the scenes featuring Clark this week. Interestingly, Dexter encounters him at a gay bar, and he appears rather anxious – perhaps due to the year being 1991, but there could be more to the story. Additionally, it’s always enjoyable to see Dex, who seems to have queer undertones, being flirted with by other men.
Read More
- SUI PREDICTION. SUI cryptocurrency
- „People who loved Dishonored and Prey are going to feel very at home.” Arkane veteran sparks appetite for new, untitled RPG
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- Destiny 2: A Closer Look at the Proposed In-Game Mailbox System
- Clash Royale Deck Discussion: Strategies and Sentiments from the Community
- Jennifer Love Hewitt Made a Christmas Movie to Help Process Her Grief
- ICP PREDICTION. ICP cryptocurrency
- Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic Was Inspired By Akira And Cowboy Bebop
- Critics Share Concerns Over Suicide Squad’s DLC Choices: Joker, Lawless, and Mrs. Freeze
- EUR IDR PREDICTION
2025-01-12 23:54