Dexter Review: The Beginning of the End Comments (Page 2)
44 Comments
James
December 18th, 2012 5:44 PM
Great final! I will miss this show (and Homeland) on Sunday nights now, at least for another 9 months. For a moment, I thought Hannah killed herself and that would be it for that character. Kind of glad they didn't end her, but I have a hard time thinking how she will be used next season. I still have yet to watch the first 4 seasons of Dexter. Recently got the first novel on my Kindle and plan to do some reading this weekend. Great show. Keep up the good work, writers and producers.
Gaby
December 18th, 2012 2:28 PM
I heard the scene were Deb runs to Laguerta after shooting her was NOT scripted. Someone should give ALL THE AWARDS to Jennifer Carpenter!
null
December 18th, 2012 12:15 PM
I believe this is the only show on TV that proves crime pays and police is as bad as the villian.
Douglas Wolfe Rank: Staff Member
December 18th, 2012 10:56 AM
Here it is the 18th and I'm still reeling from this episode. What an amazing amazing show. I totally expected Deb to shoot her at the end. You could see the wheels turning as Deb kept the gun pointed at Dexter, as she heard La Guerta repeatedly tell her to shoot him, and processed the fact that not only would he - the man she has conflicted feelings for - be dead, but that she'd be in jail. She knew full well that shooting him would end her own life, her whole world - so she did the only obvious thing she could.
And this is where we see Dexter's world unravel. Top to bottom. Awesome writing.
Steve
December 18th, 2012 9:16 AM
Just watched season 7 - oh my goodness!! But yes I suppose it is plausible that LaGuerta went by herself. Being in law enforcement, I can tell you that on rare occasions, you just want to do something right now without waiting for backup. Also, LaGuerta was off duty and basically 'on her own' due to her accusations.
Quibble: after LaGuerta's murder, wouldn't the police station's gps tracker on Deb's company car show that she also went to that spot? After all, the show introdueced the idea that many departments track their vehicles via gps. There's also the matter of the cell phone GPS records....
But all in all, it was a great emotional ending to a fabulous season!
Todd
December 18th, 2012 3:18 AM
To Suzanne who said,
"Another major quibble: It wouldn't occur to LaGuerta, given her suspicions, to bring back-up? I thought she'd have the brains and survival skills to have at least one other person with her."
Everyone was at the party plus she was already walking on very thin ice given her new-found reputation as a framer in the department. Dexter assumed correctly and was able to make the risk of calling her because she knew Laguerta couldn't call for backup even if she wanted to.
Aaron Golden
December 18th, 2012 2:13 AM
I read a few comments before posting my own, but I'll start by agreeing with just about everyone in the fact that this season was not slow at all. There was maybe one slow episode in the entire season. Isaak was great. I would be first in line to see a movie feature him as a villain in a similar role. The storyline with Hannah was/is intriguing as well. It will be interesting to see how the writers factor her into the final season; I imagine there are ideas, but nothing definitive yet on how that will play out.
I think a defining moment of this series was when Dexter told Harry his fake life had become real, and he had no intentions on running. The flashbacks with Doaks made a good filler, and I think the main point in that was to show the character development of Dexter as the series has progressed. In the beginning Dexter tried so hard to fit in and often talked about his lack of humanity. Present day Dexter has finally connected with himself and refuses to give up the l
Gene
December 17th, 2012 1:16 PM
I must agree with everyone who disagrees with the reviewer about this season being "slow." The Dex-Deb dynamic took the story in a new direction that was really fresh. I felt like the story arcs from the last couple of seasons had gotten repetitive. I was glad that there was no single "Big Bad" this season.
The single thread throughout the season was tied around Dexter and Debra's relationship, in light of her discovery of his true identity. I really enjoyed how that developed. And in some ways, I think it hearkened back to the end of the first season, when Dexter had to choose between Deb and his brother. Deb has always been Dexter's truest connection to his humanity. However, that has not prevented the poisoning of Deb's humanity. It would be fitting, but heart-breaking, to have the ultimate outcome of Dexter's "Dark Passenger" be the destruction of Deb's soul. That might well be his worst punishment.
Charanto
December 17th, 2012 12:50 PM
I disagree. This was not a slow moving season at all. In my opinion it was the third best season of the show, just behind the ice truck killer and trinity. Can't wait for the final season!
Tyler
December 17th, 2012 12:01 PM
Way too obvious, as soon as she found out where LaGuerta was and started heading there i knew she would be the one to kill her.
Vampbarbie Rank: Regular Character
December 17th, 2012 11:47 AM
I didnt think this season was slow at all. Did we forget Isaak and his mafia crew going after Dexter. I liked that dexter met his match in Isaak and between the two then they gave us plenty of blood. Especially the episode when they worked together and they killed isaaks bounty hunters. I was a bit disappointed to see isaak die his character grew on me. But this finale was very intense and shocking. See dexter take a killing to a different level and doing it for survival. But for Deb to make the choice over him or laqueda was gut wrenching. It was almost like dex was willing to go for his Deb. because Dex had a look of shock over what Deb did for him and he looked so sad for Deb as he watched he'd cry hold laqueda. Great finale!
Carlos Maldonado
December 17th, 2012 11:34 AM
I completely disagree, this season was exciting, unpredictable, and there wasn't one villain but three of them: Isaac Circo, La Guerta and Hannah...My favorite of all seasons, specially for the scripting and acting. The ending was just the cherry on top!
Miranda Wicker Rank: Staff Member
December 17th, 2012 10:46 AM
Did anyone besides me watch the director/producer/writer (can't remember which he was) interview/commentary following last night's ep? He said that Deb running to La Guerta was completely unscripted. After she fired the shot, they left the camera rolling and Deb embracing the dead La Guerta was spontaneous.
That, I think, is probably why the dress was the same and un-bloody in the closing scene. If I had to guess, they were shot out of sequence and then edited. But I still thought it was a poignant moment and I like it when actors/actresses submerge themselves in their characters like that so that they respond how they think the character would respond.
Miranda Wicker Rank: Staff Member
December 17th, 2012 10:42 AM
@Pratik--in my defense, my 8 month old woke me half way through writing the review? My apologies for the lack of clarity. But yes, I should've stated that this season was slow or sleepy in comparison to TWD. However, I do think that this season was a much, much different season of Dexter from previous seasons.
@Suzanne--I had in my notes that with La Guerta playing supercop this season, there's no way she would've gone to the ship yard without calling backup. That was just stupid. Dexter told Harry that he would shoot Estrada right into the stab wound which would eliminate evidence that he'd been stabbed first. And then Dexter probably banked on being able to write the spatter analysis himself to further cover his tracks.
Suzanne
December 17th, 2012 10:17 AM
It occurred to me that Debra getting gasoline was a bad idea when they first showed it at the start of the season. Didn't it occur to her that there are security cameras at gas stations? And why lie to the extent of saying she was never at the church that night? Just made her equivocations ring more false.
Another major quibble: It wouldn't occur to LaGuerta, given her suspicions, to bring back-up? I thought she'd have the brains and survival skills to have at least one other person with her.
Dexter's plan to frame LaGuerta for killing Hector: Wouldn't an autopsy show the knife wound, even with the bullet hole?
It looked like Deb was wearing the same dress at the end, but shouldn't there have been blood on that dress from her holding LaGuerta?
Also, can Dex really be naive enough to think that, even though he turned Hannah in despite loving her, Hannah wouldn't do anythign to retaliate, because she loves him?
And that was a very matter-of-fact reveal that Hannah poisone
Susan
December 17th, 2012 10:08 AM
OOps! I guess the phone company records would show their movements, although the church-burning was awhile ago.... I think that Deb couldn't bear to think of Dex locked up for life. She was so committed to protecting her brother that she lost her moral bearings, then immediately found them again in the brilliant scene in which she embraces the dead LaGuerta.
Susan
December 17th, 2012 10:02 AM
Great episode, great acting..... However, afterwards I did wonder why Dex and Deb didn't think of getting rid of their phones so their movements on the day of the church-burning couldn't have been traced. Also, sneaky Dexter might have been able to destroy the DVD of Deb buying gas. Perhaps the stress got to him!
There will be no rest for the wicked next season. I'm thinking that Hannah isn't just gonna leave a flower and go to Argentina. Like Deb said, you gotta watch out for poisoners, they're 'sneaky'. When Deb lost it in the shipping container, I actually felt for her. She was backed up against a wall, she had to make a choice. This season relied heavily on choices we choose or not choose to make. Hannah told Dex he was supposed to choose her, LaGuerta telling Batista, Deb and Matthews they all needed to be on her side. Deb more or less because Maria had footage of her buying gas. Did that evidence get destroyed? We saw Dex in LaGuerta's apartment but it didn't show him finding anything. Will that dvd resurface next season?
Wow! I knew Hannah poisoned Deb, her explanation echoed Dex's thought in the previous episode: Deb was in the way. God forbid Dex would have to actually spend more time with Harrison. Now that she's on the loose, Dex knows he can't trust her and she can't trust him. This ep kept showing us over and over people showing their 'true colors', Dex to Doakes, Estrada's wife to Dex, Hannah to Dex and so on. Dex wants to believe so badly that Hannah is in love with him, that the life he has now is 'real' and he doesn't want to run from it. Her actions clearly show otherwise. How about that bloody bite she gave to him? Psycho! If Deb hasn't unraveled just enough this season, next season I feel she will be just crushed. Devastated.
Pratik Rank: Guest Star
December 17th, 2012 9:04 AM
Fair enough, Mrs. Wicker. :-)
But you should have stated what you were comparing to in the review itself. We all thought, you were comparing it to previous seasons of Dexter itself, not the The Walking Dead.
Miranda Wicker Rank: Staff Member
December 17th, 2012 6:59 AM
And when I say it's been "ridiculously slow" I realize I'm making a slightly unfair comparison. Dexter is up against The Walking Dead which has brought its A-game in terms of keeping viewers hooked. When I had to choose between which to watch on Sunday night, I often found myself choosing Dexter so that TWD would record and I could skip commercials. But then by the time Dexter was over, I was too tired from the pace of Dexter to fire up TWD.
The last several episodes of the season, however, increased in their excitement because La Guerta was closing in on Dexter, and that was really the point of this season. Deb knew and grappled with his secret. Hannah knew and accepted it. What would happen when someone else, someone who didn't love him, found out?
Miranda Wicker Rank: Staff Member
December 17th, 2012 6:55 AM
Hey everybody, new reviewer here. I thought I'd chime in about a couple of the differences you're noticing between my opinion and Matt's.
First, I haven't disliked/hated/been disappointed in this season at all. In fact, I've been quite impressed with the emotional/mental development Dexter has undergone. Hannah, and whether or not there's any sort of future for him that doesn't involve his own demise, has been interesting and different. This season has been more cerebral than previous seasons as Dexter's "Big Bad" this year was himself. I did feel like there were many competing story lines that distracted from Dexter, namely Quinn and Nadia and Angel's retirement. (Though whether the latter comes to fruition now that La Guerta's dead remains to be seen.)
Continuing so I don't get cut off by the character allotment--
Nicole
December 17th, 2012 4:54 AM
Ah I see why I was so confused with your take on this season! Different reviewer. I have to say I am with Matt on this season, great overall.
Nicole
December 17th, 2012 4:53 AM
Strange that the reviewer seems to be hard on this season. I've read every review and was under the impression it had been much enjoyed. I think this and the trinity season are by far the best ones! It may have been a slow burn but very, very good tv. So glad they didnt spend alot of time in Quinn tonight too by the way!
Jose T Rank: Guest Star
December 17th, 2012 3:41 AM
I also strongly disagree with the reviewer calling this season slow....and just lost credibility by saying season 6 was more exiciting.... 6 was a MESS.... It seriously made me consider stop watching the show but season 7 has been top 3 minimun (it has been my favorite season to date because all episodes were good!).
As for tonights episode I like the twist they had with deb shooting laguerta because she couldn't take the shot against her brother and the man she loves.
My only complain was having hannah admit she poisoned deb, I so wanted to believe deb did it to provide some additional conflict for season 8, apart from that excellent episode!
Dexter : Don't be sorry your darkness is gone. I'll carry if for you - always. I'll keep it with mine,
December 18th, 2012 5:44 PM
Great final! I will miss this show (and Homeland) on Sunday nights now, at least for another 9 months. For a moment, I thought Hannah killed herself and that would be it for that character. Kind of glad they didn't end her, but I have a hard time thinking how she will be used next season. I still have yet to watch the first 4 seasons of Dexter. Recently got the first novel on my Kindle and plan to do some reading this weekend. Great show. Keep up the good work, writers and producers.
December 18th, 2012 2:28 PM
I heard the scene were Deb runs to Laguerta after shooting her was NOT scripted. Someone should give ALL THE AWARDS to Jennifer Carpenter!
December 18th, 2012 12:15 PM
I believe this is the only show on TV that proves crime pays and police is as bad as the villian.
Rank: Staff Member
December 18th, 2012 10:56 AM
Here it is the 18th and I'm still reeling from this episode. What an amazing amazing show. I totally expected Deb to shoot her at the end. You could see the wheels turning as Deb kept the gun pointed at Dexter, as she heard La Guerta repeatedly tell her to shoot him, and processed the fact that not only would he - the man she has conflicted feelings for - be dead, but that she'd be in jail. She knew full well that shooting him would end her own life, her whole world - so she did the only obvious thing she could.
And this is where we see Dexter's world unravel. Top to bottom. Awesome writing.
December 18th, 2012 9:16 AM
Just watched season 7 - oh my goodness!! But yes I suppose it is plausible that LaGuerta went by herself. Being in law enforcement, I can tell you that on rare occasions, you just want to do something right now without waiting for backup. Also, LaGuerta was off duty and basically 'on her own' due to her accusations.
Quibble: after LaGuerta's murder, wouldn't the police station's gps tracker on Deb's company car show that she also went to that spot? After all, the show introdueced the idea that many departments track their vehicles via gps. There's also the matter of the cell phone GPS records....
But all in all, it was a great emotional ending to a fabulous season!
December 18th, 2012 3:18 AM
To Suzanne who said,
"Another major quibble: It wouldn't occur to LaGuerta, given her suspicions, to bring back-up? I thought she'd have the brains and survival skills to have at least one other person with her."
Everyone was at the party plus she was already walking on very thin ice given her new-found reputation as a framer in the department. Dexter assumed correctly and was able to make the risk of calling her because she knew Laguerta couldn't call for backup even if she wanted to.
December 18th, 2012 2:13 AM
I read a few comments before posting my own, but I'll start by agreeing with just about everyone in the fact that this season was not slow at all. There was maybe one slow episode in the entire season. Isaak was great. I would be first in line to see a movie feature him as a villain in a similar role. The storyline with Hannah was/is intriguing as well. It will be interesting to see how the writers factor her into the final season; I imagine there are ideas, but nothing definitive yet on how that will play out.
I think a defining moment of this series was when Dexter told Harry his fake life had become real, and he had no intentions on running. The flashbacks with Doaks made a good filler, and I think the main point in that was to show the character development of Dexter as the series has progressed. In the beginning Dexter tried so hard to fit in and often talked about his lack of humanity. Present day Dexter has finally connected with himself and refuses to give up the l
December 17th, 2012 1:16 PM
I must agree with everyone who disagrees with the reviewer about this season being "slow." The Dex-Deb dynamic took the story in a new direction that was really fresh. I felt like the story arcs from the last couple of seasons had gotten repetitive. I was glad that there was no single "Big Bad" this season.
The single thread throughout the season was tied around Dexter and Debra's relationship, in light of her discovery of his true identity. I really enjoyed how that developed. And in some ways, I think it hearkened back to the end of the first season, when Dexter had to choose between Deb and his brother. Deb has always been Dexter's truest connection to his humanity. However, that has not prevented the poisoning of Deb's humanity. It would be fitting, but heart-breaking, to have the ultimate outcome of Dexter's "Dark Passenger" be the destruction of Deb's soul. That might well be his worst punishment.
December 17th, 2012 12:50 PM
I disagree. This was not a slow moving season at all. In my opinion it was the third best season of the show, just behind the ice truck killer and trinity. Can't wait for the final season!
December 17th, 2012 12:01 PM
Way too obvious, as soon as she found out where LaGuerta was and started heading there i knew she would be the one to kill her.
Rank: Regular Character
December 17th, 2012 11:47 AM
I didnt think this season was slow at all. Did we forget Isaak and his mafia crew going after Dexter. I liked that dexter met his match in Isaak and between the two then they gave us plenty of blood. Especially the episode when they worked together and they killed isaaks bounty hunters. I was a bit disappointed to see isaak die his character grew on me. But this finale was very intense and shocking. See dexter take a killing to a different level and doing it for survival. But for Deb to make the choice over him or laqueda was gut wrenching. It was almost like dex was willing to go for his Deb. because Dex had a look of shock over what Deb did for him and he looked so sad for Deb as he watched he'd cry hold laqueda. Great finale!
December 17th, 2012 11:34 AM
I completely disagree, this season was exciting, unpredictable, and there wasn't one villain but three of them: Isaac Circo, La Guerta and Hannah...My favorite of all seasons, specially for the scripting and acting. The ending was just the cherry on top!
Rank: Staff Member
December 17th, 2012 10:46 AM
Did anyone besides me watch the director/producer/writer (can't remember which he was) interview/commentary following last night's ep? He said that Deb running to La Guerta was completely unscripted. After she fired the shot, they left the camera rolling and Deb embracing the dead La Guerta was spontaneous.
That, I think, is probably why the dress was the same and un-bloody in the closing scene. If I had to guess, they were shot out of sequence and then edited. But I still thought it was a poignant moment and I like it when actors/actresses submerge themselves in their characters like that so that they respond how they think the character would respond.
Rank: Staff Member
December 17th, 2012 10:42 AM
@Pratik--in my defense, my 8 month old woke me half way through writing the review? My apologies for the lack of clarity. But yes, I should've stated that this season was slow or sleepy in comparison to TWD. However, I do think that this season was a much, much different season of Dexter from previous seasons.
@Suzanne--I had in my notes that with La Guerta playing supercop this season, there's no way she would've gone to the ship yard without calling backup. That was just stupid. Dexter told Harry that he would shoot Estrada right into the stab wound which would eliminate evidence that he'd been stabbed first. And then Dexter probably banked on being able to write the spatter analysis himself to further cover his tracks.
December 17th, 2012 10:17 AM
It occurred to me that Debra getting gasoline was a bad idea when they first showed it at the start of the season. Didn't it occur to her that there are security cameras at gas stations? And why lie to the extent of saying she was never at the church that night? Just made her equivocations ring more false.
Another major quibble: It wouldn't occur to LaGuerta, given her suspicions, to bring back-up? I thought she'd have the brains and survival skills to have at least one other person with her.
Dexter's plan to frame LaGuerta for killing Hector: Wouldn't an autopsy show the knife wound, even with the bullet hole?
It looked like Deb was wearing the same dress at the end, but shouldn't there have been blood on that dress from her holding LaGuerta?
Also, can Dex really be naive enough to think that, even though he turned Hannah in despite loving her, Hannah wouldn't do anythign to retaliate, because she loves him?
And that was a very matter-of-fact reveal that Hannah poisone
December 17th, 2012 10:08 AM
OOps! I guess the phone company records would show their movements, although the church-burning was awhile ago.... I think that Deb couldn't bear to think of Dex locked up for life. She was so committed to protecting her brother that she lost her moral bearings, then immediately found them again in the brilliant scene in which she embraces the dead LaGuerta.
December 17th, 2012 10:02 AM
Great episode, great acting..... However, afterwards I did wonder why Dex and Deb didn't think of getting rid of their phones so their movements on the day of the church-burning couldn't have been traced. Also, sneaky Dexter might have been able to destroy the DVD of Deb buying gas. Perhaps the stress got to him!
Rank: Extra
December 17th, 2012 9:26 AM
There will be no rest for the wicked next season. I'm thinking that Hannah isn't just gonna leave a flower and go to Argentina. Like Deb said, you gotta watch out for poisoners, they're 'sneaky'. When Deb lost it in the shipping container, I actually felt for her. She was backed up against a wall, she had to make a choice. This season relied heavily on choices we choose or not choose to make. Hannah told Dex he was supposed to choose her, LaGuerta telling Batista, Deb and Matthews they all needed to be on her side. Deb more or less because Maria had footage of her buying gas. Did that evidence get destroyed? We saw Dex in LaGuerta's apartment but it didn't show him finding anything. Will that dvd resurface next season?
Rank: Extra
December 17th, 2012 9:19 AM
Wow! I knew Hannah poisoned Deb, her explanation echoed Dex's thought in the previous episode: Deb was in the way. God forbid Dex would have to actually spend more time with Harrison. Now that she's on the loose, Dex knows he can't trust her and she can't trust him. This ep kept showing us over and over people showing their 'true colors', Dex to Doakes, Estrada's wife to Dex, Hannah to Dex and so on. Dex wants to believe so badly that Hannah is in love with him, that the life he has now is 'real' and he doesn't want to run from it. Her actions clearly show otherwise. How about that bloody bite she gave to him? Psycho! If Deb hasn't unraveled just enough this season, next season I feel she will be just crushed. Devastated.
Rank: Guest Star
December 17th, 2012 9:04 AM
Fair enough, Mrs. Wicker. :-)
But you should have stated what you were comparing to in the review itself. We all thought, you were comparing it to previous seasons of Dexter itself, not the The Walking Dead.
Rank: Staff Member
December 17th, 2012 6:59 AM
And when I say it's been "ridiculously slow" I realize I'm making a slightly unfair comparison. Dexter is up against The Walking Dead which has brought its A-game in terms of keeping viewers hooked. When I had to choose between which to watch on Sunday night, I often found myself choosing Dexter so that TWD would record and I could skip commercials. But then by the time Dexter was over, I was too tired from the pace of Dexter to fire up TWD.
The last several episodes of the season, however, increased in their excitement because La Guerta was closing in on Dexter, and that was really the point of this season. Deb knew and grappled with his secret. Hannah knew and accepted it. What would happen when someone else, someone who didn't love him, found out?
Rank: Staff Member
December 17th, 2012 6:55 AM
Hey everybody, new reviewer here. I thought I'd chime in about a couple of the differences you're noticing between my opinion and Matt's.
First, I haven't disliked/hated/been disappointed in this season at all. In fact, I've been quite impressed with the emotional/mental development Dexter has undergone. Hannah, and whether or not there's any sort of future for him that doesn't involve his own demise, has been interesting and different. This season has been more cerebral than previous seasons as Dexter's "Big Bad" this year was himself. I did feel like there were many competing story lines that distracted from Dexter, namely Quinn and Nadia and Angel's retirement. (Though whether the latter comes to fruition now that La Guerta's dead remains to be seen.)
Continuing so I don't get cut off by the character allotment--
December 17th, 2012 4:54 AM
Ah I see why I was so confused with your take on this season! Different reviewer. I have to say I am with Matt on this season, great overall.
December 17th, 2012 4:53 AM
Strange that the reviewer seems to be hard on this season. I've read every review and was under the impression it had been much enjoyed. I think this and the trinity season are by far the best ones! It may have been a slow burn but very, very good tv. So glad they didnt spend alot of time in Quinn tonight too by the way!
Rank: Guest Star
December 17th, 2012 3:41 AM
I also strongly disagree with the reviewer calling this season slow....and just lost credibility by saying season 6 was more exiciting.... 6 was a MESS.... It seriously made me consider stop watching the show but season 7 has been top 3 minimun (it has been my favorite season to date because all episodes were good!).
As for tonights episode I like the twist they had with deb shooting laguerta because she couldn't take the shot against her brother and the man she loves.
My only complain was having hannah admit she poisoned deb, I so wanted to believe deb did it to provide some additional conflict for season 8, apart from that excellent episode!