5.01 My Bad
You know... I haven't been very impressed by Dexter as a show for the last couple of seasons. I think it lost its grip on its central character and its grasp of suspense (instead we got boredom punctuated by occasional melodrama). But there are some characters that own my heart and Deborah Morgan is one of them. And holy fuck, that was an amazing performance. Jennifer Carpenter is one of the most compelling actresses I've ever seen on the small screen. If you aren't up for extreme character partisan-ship, this isn't the review for you: I get a leetle bit emotional.
I remember being left rather cold by Rita's death at the end of last season, largely because it was brought to us through Dexter's point of view. The 'previouslies' actually got to me a little more. Then Dexter's voiceover began and I instantly tuned out emotionally again. I know that's bad, but a combination of never having found the character that sympathetic and having found the writing of said character to be a real stretch in the last couple of seasons leads to viewer detachment on my part.
Then Deb came screaming up to the lawn and Dexter handed her that baby and, oh god, I was COMPLETELY lost again... Like Deb, I couldn't really process at first that Dexter confessed to the crime. Then my anger as a viewer took over. Yeah, Dexter, it IS your fault. You SHOULD be in that helicopter spotlight. The thing is i don't even feel much about Rita's death except through Deb, and Deb would be angry as hell that her friend died this way. Yes, all her energy is being spent on protecting Dexter, and I love her to pieces for that, but oh god, it's so WRONG WRONG WRONG.
I love her for asking him what he meant, despite all her love for him.
I love her times a trillion for organising the funeral for him, forcing him along, while she's shaking and barely holding it together herself, for picking up his 'thank yous' for him, for minding his child, for making all the decisions, for scrubbing the blood off the walls.
God, I am so angry at him.
I found myself kind of falling for Quinn just because he was at least somewhat suspicious of Dexter. But what I loved even more was Deb making him clean up Rita's blood. And oh god, when he asked how SHE was?! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, hopelessly smitten. No, I didn't know they were going to fuck but god I needed that.
Astor was the only other character I felt connected to. I know her rage was just what any teenager would spew out in grief, but I found it all entirely fair.
Quinn in a red and white checked tablecloth? LOL! Good work, Deb, darling!
Jennifer Carpenter is just such an amazing actress. Her reaction after Dexter asked her to be Harrison's mother? And after that weirdly inappropriate clingy hug? The one that came across as if Dexter was trying to suction some humanness out of Deb for himself? Incredible!
Ok, shipping Quinn/Deb so hard with him slipping up on her name and hovering around her at the funeral. And at least TRYING to be honest and tell her about his suspicions. I know they are setting it up so Deborah finds out he suspects Dexter and loses her shit at him to protect her brother, I know that. But I am sucked in any way.
WHO. THE FUCK. ARE YOU?! <---best moment of the episode
And DEXTER!!! THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN CAUSING YOUR WIFE TO BE KILLED IS BAILING ON HER FUCKING FUNERAL. Can you tell I don't give a fuck about Dexter's emo self-indulgent martyrdom/escapism? Especially since it was all about him connecting with his inner monster, again?!
God this is going to end so, so badly. 100% of my emotional investment in this show is in Deborah. I will probably be riveted through this season because this is the season where it's all at stake--will she find out about Dexter? Or is the more appropriate question: how will she find out about Dexter?
You are the strong one, Deb, sweetie. You always were.
I remember being left rather cold by Rita's death at the end of last season, largely because it was brought to us through Dexter's point of view. The 'previouslies' actually got to me a little more. Then Dexter's voiceover began and I instantly tuned out emotionally again. I know that's bad, but a combination of never having found the character that sympathetic and having found the writing of said character to be a real stretch in the last couple of seasons leads to viewer detachment on my part.
Then Deb came screaming up to the lawn and Dexter handed her that baby and, oh god, I was COMPLETELY lost again... Like Deb, I couldn't really process at first that Dexter confessed to the crime. Then my anger as a viewer took over. Yeah, Dexter, it IS your fault. You SHOULD be in that helicopter spotlight. The thing is i don't even feel much about Rita's death except through Deb, and Deb would be angry as hell that her friend died this way. Yes, all her energy is being spent on protecting Dexter, and I love her to pieces for that, but oh god, it's so WRONG WRONG WRONG.
I love her for asking him what he meant, despite all her love for him.
I love her times a trillion for organising the funeral for him, forcing him along, while she's shaking and barely holding it together herself, for picking up his 'thank yous' for him, for minding his child, for making all the decisions, for scrubbing the blood off the walls.
God, I am so angry at him.
I found myself kind of falling for Quinn just because he was at least somewhat suspicious of Dexter. But what I loved even more was Deb making him clean up Rita's blood. And oh god, when he asked how SHE was?! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, hopelessly smitten. No, I didn't know they were going to fuck but god I needed that.
Astor was the only other character I felt connected to. I know her rage was just what any teenager would spew out in grief, but I found it all entirely fair.
Quinn in a red and white checked tablecloth? LOL! Good work, Deb, darling!
Jennifer Carpenter is just such an amazing actress. Her reaction after Dexter asked her to be Harrison's mother? And after that weirdly inappropriate clingy hug? The one that came across as if Dexter was trying to suction some humanness out of Deb for himself? Incredible!
Ok, shipping Quinn/Deb so hard with him slipping up on her name and hovering around her at the funeral. And at least TRYING to be honest and tell her about his suspicions. I know they are setting it up so Deborah finds out he suspects Dexter and loses her shit at him to protect her brother, I know that. But I am sucked in any way.
WHO. THE FUCK. ARE YOU?! <---best moment of the episode
And DEXTER!!! THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN CAUSING YOUR WIFE TO BE KILLED IS BAILING ON HER FUCKING FUNERAL. Can you tell I don't give a fuck about Dexter's emo self-indulgent martyrdom/escapism? Especially since it was all about him connecting with his inner monster, again?!
God this is going to end so, so badly. 100% of my emotional investment in this show is in Deborah. I will probably be riveted through this season because this is the season where it's all at stake--will she find out about Dexter? Or is the more appropriate question: how will she find out about Dexter?
You are the strong one, Deb, sweetie. You always were.