Dexter: New Blood Season 1 Episode 6 Review: Too Many Tuna Sandwiches
Mary Littlejohn
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Well, that escalated quickly.
Dexter: New Blood Season 1 Episode 6 was an hour of nail-biting suspense, subverted expectations, and great character moments.
Secrets have been discovered, but who else will learn about them?
Angela wasted no time confronting Dexter about his identity. Julia Jones and Michael C. Hall played this perfectly. While she was angry and disgusted at his lies and his treatment of Harrison, he was just trying to navigate how much information to impart to appear vulnerable.
Technically, faking your death isn't a crime.
Dexter
Though Angela broke up with him, Dexter's bigger secret of being a serial killer was still safe -- for now.
It's curious that he doesn't even think to ask Angela how she found out. He assumes it's Molly, probably because the idea of Angela running into a former colleague of his is just too out there to even cross his mind, given how far away they are from everything.
Again, Dexter's narcissism works against him -- he thinks he knows best.
You're the one who needs therapy!
Angela
That therapy scene was so well-done. The quiet underlying tension, Jennifer Carpenter's wry asides, Alton Fitzgerald White's calm, reassuring presence as Dr. Morris, and Jack Alcott's powerful monologue about the horrors he has endured due to being abandoned by his father.
It was uncomfortable and lacked catharsis, but it really cemented the fact that Dexter cannot balance his work/home life. (Work being murder, and home being Harrison.) He can't confide the truth to a therapist, and by withholding and glossing over any semblance of emotion, he's pushing Harrison away when he wants to be closer.
It's a shame because there was a moment he seemed like he was about to show some vulnerability, and release some of the pent-up feelings he's been holding in. If only he could have figured out a way to fake it, to show some sign of grief over Rita.
Dexter doesn't come off well here, and by holding things, in it's possible that Harrison may grow even more suspicious.
Dexter is pushing Harrison away now, no matter what he does. Harrison is searching for understanding and for someone to accept him for who he is.
He finds this in Audrey. She's been warm and flirty towards him for some time now, and she doesn't pull away even when he confesses his violent thoughts to her. She accepts him, offering kind words, comfort, and affection.
Audrey gave Harrison everything his father couldn't -- the truth of her past, connection on a deep level, and reassurance that his anger is justified.
We're outsiders, you and me. But it doesn't have to destroy us.
Audrey
After Harrison's vicious display at the wrestling match, Audrey may pull away. It's one thing to hear about someone's homicidal urges, but witnessing that firsthand is something completely different.
Seeing what Harrison is capable of, Audrey could likely be thrown off, inciting Harrison's rage further and drive him more to Kurt. From there, Audrey could be in serious danger through no fault of her own.
This comes up every episode, but Michael C. Hall just inhabits Dexter so effortlessly, it's no wonder this series had to return. Because of his inner monologue, we as the audience are so invested in his struggle that we're almost complicit. We want him to do the right thing, but we know that he won't.
I do feel a little butchery.
Dexter [voiceover]
There will always be that underlying arc that ebbs and flows -- he's a monster, but it's never certain how far he will take it. We are never sure where he will draw the line between his own survival and protecting the innocent.
As Dexter grew more suspicious of Molly, it seemed like a very real possibility that he would silence her permanently. When he followed Molly and Kurt to the cabin, it seemed totally believable that Dexter would just leave her to be dispatched by Kurt instead.
That tension cumulated in an incredibly tense scene between Kurt and Molly, in which the podcaster was almost certainly doomed, had Dexter not decided to let his curiosity get the better of him and burst in to confirm his suspicions about Kurt.
This scene served many purposes. It confirmed to Dexter what we as the audience already knew -- that Kurt is a serial killer, most likely the one responsible for Angela's missing women.
Molly's spidey-sense about Kurt came too late, so she was extremely lucky Dexter chose to intrude. It was baffling that she chose to go down into the basement with him at all, but at that point all she had was her pepper spray.
Molly has likely been in tough situations with unsavory men before, given her line of work, but she went further than she should have, and she probably will be beating herself up for a while about it.
Though Molly had hoped to keep her investigation of Kurt/Matt quiet from Angela, that's probably going to be tricky to do now. Now that Angela is soliciting Dexter's help, he'll have to relay his suspicions about Kurt, and she'll want proof.
Molly still thinks Dexter is "Jim." It will be interesting to see how much Angela shares with her now that Dexter will be part of the investigation. If Molly finds out where Dexter used to work and who his wife was, she may probe him about Trinity and the Bay Harbor Butcher.
Molly has the best shot at discovering Dexter's actual secret identity. It doesn't feel like she's safe from him yet.
The trouble with small towns, as Dexter is realizing, is that everyone is connected. Everyone talks, everyone knows each other, and they all look out for one another. It's impossible to hide for long, whether you're a serial killer or ... a different serial killer.
It also gives us a chance to really get to know and fall in love with the characters that live in Iron Lake. It doesn't feel like Dexter is lying when he tells Angela how much he prefers his new life.
Logan's (Alano Miller) scenes once again proved how charismatic and multi-dimensional he is, from his smooth love advice over drinks with Dexter to his brainstorming with Angela. His ferocity at the wrestling match revealed a man with both compassion and control.
Even Teddy (David Magidoff) finally got his moment -- discovering his first body and being there for Angela. Even though we barely know him, Teddy has always been a presence, and to place him in this pivotal moment gave him something unexpectedly meaningful that he will no doubt be grappling with for the foreseeable future.
Encouraging teenagers to commit acts of violence on one another. Normal people are so strange.
Dexter [voiceover]
That final sequence, intercutting the wrestling match with the cave search, was masterfully suspenseful. We weren't certain what exactly Teddy and Angela would find -- did anyone else think it would be a bear?
The Iris discovery came on the heels of the scene with Molly, Dexter, and Kurt. By juxtaposing it with the wrestling match, we were just distracted enough that Angela's realization was a gut-punch. It is a testament to her strength that she decides to enlist Dexter's help -- her love for Iris and her need for justice transcends her wounded pride.
Dexter has all but confirmed his suspicions about Kurt, but now it's a question of whether Kurt will use Harrison to threaten or get back at Dexter. Kurt did not like having his space violated. Now, it's only a matter of time before his friendly veneer starts to crack.
It's never good to kill the family member of a serial killer.
Dexter
The beauty of this episode was that no time felt wasted, but there was plenty of room for every character to shine with some fun, heartfelt, and terrifying scenes. It's amazing what can fit in an hour.
What was your favorite moment of the episode? Where do you think Dexter will go from here?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
You can watch Dexter New Blood online right here at TV Fanatic!
Mary Littlejohn Mary Littlejohn was a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic.
