Dexter: New Blood Season 1 Episode 9 Review: The Family Business
Mary Littlejohn
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Dexter has passed the point of no return.
Dexter: New Blood Season 1 Episode 9 has managed to push the envelope of the sick, twisted, macabre world of serial killers, and -- surprise! -- nobody comes off well.
Whatever happens next, Dexter has no one to blame but himself.
You can do the right thing for the wrong reasons.
Dexter loves his son. That's fine -- it's great, in fact -- but unfortunately, that does not translate to him doing what is best for Harrison.
We saw the "Deb" side of Dexter finally lose the battle. Jennifer Carpenter was absolutely gut-wrenching here. Her agony is so acute, and her intimacy with Hall's Dexter only hammered home how devastating Dexter's decision was.
There were fucking alternatives, Dexter! Therapy! Institutionalization! Prison might have been better.
Deb
Because this Deb is part of Dexter, we understand that Dexter knows on some level that this path will destroy Harrison, but he has convinced himself it's the best thing for both of them.
What Dexter is doing with Harrison is horrific, just as it was when Harry did it with Dexter. Dexter is offering this lonely, disturbed, traumatized child connection by way of murdering and butchering criminals.
You can see Harrison attempt to come to terms with it all. He makes excuses for his dad and tries to understand and justify Dexter's actions. He struggles repeatedly but keeps putting on a brave face, until at last, he falters -- but by then, it's too late.
The idea of murdering criminals is appealing, but watching your father saw up a serial killer in a bunker full of corpses is something that you can never prepare for and will probably never get over.
If there's been any lesson to glean as we close out (or not?) Dexter: New Blood, it seems to be that Dexter is most definitely a monster, but he's deluded enough to believe that he is not.
Go big or go home.
Dexter [voiceover]
In Dexter Season 4 Episode 10, we learned that the Trinity Killer killed in fours, burying little boys alive to preserve their innocence. Even though I know it's fiction, that revelation is something that disturbs me more than any other episode of this show.
Kurt's underground bunker of preserved women had that same effect. It was profoundly upsetting in a way that is difficult to describe. It was -- and still is -- haunting. It cannot be unseen or undone. An eye for an eye will not bring them back.
This particular scenario is fictional, but there are humans out there who do similarly horrific things. Many will continue to prey on those society deems less valuable. The scope of Kurt's deeds just made it all seem so hopeless.
Kurt's death didn't feel cathartic -- it felt empty and selfish on Dexter's part. It was satisfying at least that Dexter called Kurt out on his bullshit -- that it was about power, not any kind of goodness.
You loved the power you had over them. It fed the darkness inside you. You loved the hunt, the capture, their terror feeding you.
Dexter
Also, Dexter really could have been talking about himself (which was almost certainly the point.)
If you weren't terrified of clowns before this episode, you probably are now!
The Mr. Wiggles sequence felt out of place at first, but it made sense as a throwback to Dexter's old Miami days, which just goes to show how far this Dexter has come and what a different beast he is now.
The cinematography and music were so nostalgic, giving Dexter's former killing days a dreamy quality -- which made sense since Dexter remembered it fondly, seeing his murders then through a heroic, rose-colored lens.
It contrasted sharply with the stark, jarring angels of Dexter matter-of-factly sawing into Kurt's flesh and asking for Harrison's help with the garbage bags. The reality of what Dexter does is much harsher.
Also, I've said this before, but Michael C. Hall has barely aged at all!
Molly Park deserved better.
She was a great character -- brave, clever, and funny. It's hard to understand what purpose her death serves. Hopefully, it's for something, otherwise narratively, it seems like a weak choice.
Maybe her disappearance will lead Angela to Kurt's bunker, but it feels like this could have been achieved without her death.
It just seems like overkill (pun intended) to give her an off-screen death in the interest of adding another layer of devastation to an already horrific scene.
It's not as though Harrison and Dexter would have seen all the bodies and decided Kurt wasn't worth it. They were going to go ahead with it whether Molly was among them or not.
I still have one more gift to wrap -- in plastic!
Dexter
Again, Chief Angela Bishop is doing solid work as a police detective. She was definitely on Kurt's trail, though she wouldn't have necessarily caught him in time. What will she do when she finds out Dexter beat her to the punch?
Angela's not a great liar, acting cold around her "boyfriend," but luckily, Dexter is too wrapped up in his little father-son world to notice. Angela is rightfully suspicious of everything Dexter says and does now.
Dexter kept showing off his obliviousness (was he doing a bit?) when he got Angela a manual for arresting criminals and when he suggested that it might be an issue if Audrey and Harrison "become an item."
Pretty sure they became an item while you were off murdering drug dealers, Dex.
Audrey and Harrison seem to have found a sweet spot, first on Christmas morning, and now that the "Lindsay" guys have temporarily moved in with the Bishop ladies.
It'll be short-lived, of course. Young lovers are never allowed to stay happy in these sorts of narratives. At best, Angela will find out the truth and shield Audrey from it. At worst, there will be more death.
Will Angela find out that Dexter killed Kurt? Will she keep his secret, or will Dexter have to kill her? Is that more important than getting caught?
Could it be possible that Harrison kills Dexter to protect Angela and Audrey?
One thing we can count on -- there has to be a confrontation between Angela and Dexter about his murderous ways. Whether it's about Matt, Kurt, or the Bay Harbor Butcher's many victims, something will come to light here.
Dexter thought Kurt's parting shot was burning the house down, but there was more -- the note Kurt left Angela along with the titanium screws.
Kurt: Peace be with you.
Dexter: And also with you.
Angela has a lot of heavy lifting to do, but she's never shied away from the hard work, despite having a skeleton crew and lack of resources. She deserves to be the one to solve the missing women case.
Julia Jones has been such a force this season. Angela's relationship with Dexter is so unique and complex, and it has evolved so much since the first episode.
Let's just hope she gets a better ending than Molly -- if there is an ending in sight.
It's hard to know how this will all wrap with just one episode left. I strongly suspect that multiple endings have been filmed to protect the secrets -- but that's just speculation on my part.
Secrets are secret for a reason.
Dexter
We will soon know if this truly is the end of the line or if there will be a Dexter: New Blood Season 2.
It's all feeling pretty grim right now, but I'm honestly ready for Dexter to get his comeuppance. Hell, an entire season of Dexter on trial for the Bay Harbor Butcher murders would have been riveting.
Hall's Dexter is a gold mine of a character. He has an enduring fandom (of which I am obviously a part) that would love nothing more than to see him continue his adventures. But there is a point where we need a payoff.
What do you think, Dexter Fanatics? How do you think it will end, if it ends at all? Share your wildest theories 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.
