Dexter Review: And The Greatest Of These Is Love

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The end of Dexter Season 8 - the final season of the series about everyone's favorite serial killer, is nigh. But an episode like tonight's, while a strong one, has me wondering just how it will all end for Dexter and company with so few hours remaining.

Among all of the shows' characters, "Are We There Yet?" ran the gamut of emotions before settling on one for Dexter Morgan: Love.

Four is a Crowd

After tonight, here's how I hope this series ends: With Dexter, Hannah and Harrison on the Slice of Life motoring away into the sunset. 

Sure, sure. Dexter and Debra have been the central relationship of the series, always anchoring each other. She's the main reason he hasn't gone completely off the serial killer deep-end. He holds it together for her. She needs her brother in her life. I get it.

But I really want Debra to return to homicide at Miami Metro (and be with Quinn) and for Dexter to walk away from his life of killing because, as Harry said, there might finally be a greater need in Dexter's life than his need to kill.

Thank you, Hannah McKay.

Is it realistic that a psychopath would change his stripes? No, probably not. But this is a fictional world, after all. 

Every interaction tonight between Dexter and Hannah was flawless. His suggestion that she finally go to Argentina, their frank discussions about what he needed to do in the Keys and their conversation over breakfast did nothing but engender the feeling that these two are supposed to be together. 

Without getting too graphic or lewd, can we talk for a second about that scene in Hannah's hotel room? Dexter has had several lovers over the seasons - Rita, Lila, Lumen - but none of their intimate moments have been quite as, well, intimate. I mean, did it get a little hot in here or what?!?

Asking her to stay with him was a natural, if dangerous, course of action. Vogel did say, after all, that they're both good and bad for one another. Dexter and Hannah need each other, but staying together, especially in Miami, is perilous for Hannah. And since Dexter will likely do whatever it takes to protect her, it's perilous for him, too.

After their meeting in the hotel room in the Keys, even Deb knows that Hannah and Dexter are it for each other, much to her own dismay. Walking away from the opportunity to turn Hannah in - or take her out - caused Deb to re-evaluate what it is she's done with her life since leaving Miami Metro.

Is it just me or has this probably been Jennifer Carpenter's best season yet in terms of everything Debra Morgan has experienced in such a relatively short amount of time?

From damaged and on the verge of a complete collapse to getting her life back together despite knowing Dexter's secret, thanks to Dr. Vogel, Deb has shown more growth and development since she became a Liutenant.

Speaking of Dr. Vogel, it was clear after she, Dexter and Debra dumped her former patient's body over the side of the boat that he wasn't the Brain Surgeon and that said killer would return.

While we're making wishlists and predictions, Dr. Vogel is somehow involved in the Brain Surgeon's murdering, and not just because she was the killer's doctor once upon a time. There's more to her than appears on the surface, something to which she hinted at when Hannah asked how she got into her field and she said it was an event a long time ago that she wouldn't bore them with at dinner.

Is it possible Dr. Vogel was born in blood as well? I think yes. And that's a pity for Zach Hamilton. After his quirky, over-eager, funny one-liners tonight I was starting to like the kid.

Now that Hamilton's body is in its watery grave, how will Quinn proceed with his murder investigation? There's certainly more speculation swimming in my brain and I'm eager to see if I'm right as the series draws to a close over the next few weeks.

What did you think of "Are We There Yet?" Is Dr. Vogel involved in the Brain Surgeon's murders? Should Deb have let Hannah walk? Did you find Zach Hamilton amusing tonight like I did? 

Are We There Yet? Review

Editor Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.4 / 5.0 (97 Votes)

Miranda Wicker was a Staff Writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in 2017. Follow her on Twitter.

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