Dexter: Original Sin Recap: Meet the Parents

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As a seasoned viewer of Dexter and a connoisseur of prequels, I must say that “Kid in a Candy Store” was a delightful treat for me. It’s like they took all the elements that made the original series great – the intricate plotlines, the period-appropriate music, and, of course, the dark humor – and served them up in a fresh, enticing package.

Rest assured if you thought the Dexter flashback series wouldn’t contain nested flashbacks, the episode “Kid in a Candy Store” assures you otherwise. Despite Original Sin being narrated from the perspective of present-day Dexter nearing death, we’re already seeing other characters reminiscing, complete with those familiar wigs we recall. Following the foundation laid by the series premiere, it’s understandable that the show would wish to broaden its scope a bit – let’s hope it manages this expansion without becoming too heavy and collapsing early on in the storyline. (It was several seasons before original Dexter encountered such an issue.)

In the Miami Metro station, Dexter rejoices to be back with his team, even though his recent first murder isn’t something he wants to discuss. Tanya hands him a pager (remember, it’s the ’90s!) and tells him she now controls him. Dexter narrates, “I don’t take kindly to being on a chain.” This leaves me worried about Buffy’s future in this series. Harry is overly hopeful that the reformed Dexter can keep his murderous instincts at bay, suggesting that catching killers might be a substitute for his addiction. While it’s not an obsession with justice that drives Dexter, but rather his compulsion to serial kill, his comparison of this situation to a heroin addict being given methadone is still fitting.

In the vibrant neighborhood of Little Havana, Dexter’s first crime scene unfolds – complete with “Conga” playing in the background, a nod to the music budget from Original Sin. Here, a man lies lifeless in a parking lot, bearing a gunshot wound to the head, festively adorned with a large red bow. Dexter, in his unique way, compares the scene to Christmas morning. As for the corpse, it’s quite literally decked out for the occasion! Following his instructions, Tanya has Dexter fetch coffee and pastries before showing him how to document a crime scene. Unable to resist diving into the investigation, Dexter shares his theory that the victim was shot at close range due to an absence of widespread blood spatter, revealing the shooter’s position. His colleagues chuckle at his analysis, but Dexter learns from Harry that their teasing is because he’s new and should try to blend in by dishing out some banter of his own – a strategy that may not yield immediate results!

When Batista, Masuka, Bobby, and Dexter go for lunch at a Cuban restaurant run by Alvaro, Angel’s cousin, Dexter faces light teasing. The police ensure his sandwich is meatless, like the absence of blood spatter – a subtle joke, I see. In retaliation, Dexter tells Bobby he looks on the verge of a heart attack. Oh, Dex. Home meals aren’t any less uncomfortable: Dexter notices Harry still smoking, and they exchange thoughts on cravings, which Harry doesn’t enjoy. Yet, he remains in denial about how persistent and dangerous his son’s addiction is. After Dexter describes the murder of Nurse Mary as “overwhelmingly pleasurable and hard to express,” Harry proposes that perhaps Dex can now leave all this killing behind. Use your common sense, buddy. Meanwhile, Debra feels neglected, particularly when Harry refuses to eat her tofu kebabs, leading to a lot of swearing and storming out. The series _Original Sin_ seems unsure how to handle this character, and I’m sorry that Molly Brown is burdened with lines like, “Morgan residence, the underappreciated daughter speaking.

At Miami Metro, Dexter attempts to build rapport with his coworkers by offering them vegetable platters, a gesture Harry didn’t teach him would win friends. While Camilla from Records dismissively discards Dexter’s veggie platter, she grants him access to the case files that Tanya requested – information more intriguing than salad. This allows Dexter to view numerous unsolved murders in Miami, causing him to ponder about the unpunished murderers roaming free. He is about to discover a particularly vile one. On a night out with Batista, who is encouraged by Harry because Dexter and Angel appear to be around the same age, Dexter learns about Rene, a former busboy at Alvaro’s restaurant. Rene owed a significant debt to a dangerous man named Tony Ferrer, which led Ferrer to confront him at home and fire a warning shot. Unfortunately, that bullet struck and killed Rene’s mother, and a week later, Rene took his own life on his mother’s grave. This is unsettling news, as Ferrer remains a free man – whether this is good or bad news for Dexter depends on one’s perspective.

Troubling developments for Dexter may unfold as Debra inadvertently approaches his hidden truth. This occurs when they shop together at Sunglass Hut, and Debra admires Sofia’s large amount of cash. Sofia explains she sold her grandmother’s coat at a pawnshop, suggesting the same idea to Debra. Despite Harry urging her to let go of her mother’s death, Debra struggles and decides to check Dexter’s room. There, she discovers Nurse Mary’s earrings, a keepsake from his first murder, hidden within one of his VHS tapes. The pawnbroker refuses to accept the earrings, so Debra reluctantly gives her mother’s pearl necklace away but keeps the earrings for Sofia. This could spell trouble for Dexter, although as a prequel, it’s unlikely he will be caught. However, this might pose a problem for Sofia instead, considering her growing affection for him, which doesn’t seem to bode well for her future.

In the parallel narrative of “Kid in a Candy Store”, we see Harry reminiscing about the Estrada drug case where he arrested low-level dealers Joe Driscoll and Laura Moser. Interestingly, Laura becomes an informant for Miami Metro, a role that later reveals her as Harry’s future daughter-in-law, Dexter’s mother. This encounter sets the stage for a series of events that eventually lead to Dexter and Brian’s baptism in their mother’s blood, a pivotal moment in their lives according to the show’s lore. This scenario is filled with dramatic irony as Harry assures Laura’s safety, unaware of the dire consequences his actions will have. The storyline effectively explores Harry’s guilt and past transgressions, particularly the chain of events initiated by his manipulation of Laura and perhaps also the death of Harry Jr., which the series refers to as ‘Harry’s original sin’.

During the show’s progression, we occasionally witness snippets of a kidnapped boy, identified as Judge Powell’s son, Jimmy. Captain Spencer suspects it’s the cartel, but the abductor remains shrouded, wearing a full face mask and committing heinous acts like mutilating a child. Intriguingly, at the end of the episode, Jimmy’s severed finger is delivered to Miami Metro. This incident deeply disturbs Dexter, yet he acknowledges that finding and eliminating the culprit will be tough due to numerous contenders. Instead, he decides to channel his efforts into a less challenging endeavor: tracking down Tony Ferrer. “The reality is, there was no nicotine replacement therapy for someone like me, no methadone,” Dexter reflects in voice-over. “The Dark Passenger was surfacing, and I had only one course of action.

Blood Spatter Analysis

Besides Gloria Estefan, we’ve also incorporated New Kids on the Block’s “Step by Step” and Alice in Chains’ “Man in the Box” into the soundtrack at Sunglass Hut. These tunes perfectly complement a dynamic overhead shot of the Morgan household, adding to the overall impact. The period-fitting music is truly resonating with me.

In terms of the specifics of the setting, the humor in the scene where Dexter offers veggies to his fellow workers is greatly enhanced because they are all clearly puffing away on cigarettes.

Sadly, smoking can lead to harmful effects, a fact that long-time viewers of the original series may recall, as it was Margo Martindale’s character, Camilla, who experienced such consequences in Records.

“Patrick Dempsey’s character said, ‘Miami is flooded with cocaine. If we don’t do something about it, we’ll find ourselves in a lot of trouble, drowning in piles of powder!’

As a passionate cinephile, I’m finding myself puzzled about the enigmatic character, Levi Reed – the suspected home-invasion serial killer who was introduced in the first episode and is now standing trial. It seems to me that his case might somehow connect with the kidnapping plotline. His girlfriend claims he was with her the entire night, but Harry’s dismissive remark, “Alas, it’s not ‘Crackhead Alibiing Her Murderer Boyfriend Day’,” hints at some level of skepticism or mistrust.

Tanya advises Dexter, “Though small in size, I’m powerful, and never underestimate me,” echoing a quote from Buffy. It’s disheartening to think that Sarah Michelle Gellar’s time on this series may be limited.

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2024-12-20 16:54