***!! THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM “DEXTER” AND “DEXTER: NEW BLOOD” !!***
I spent the weekend in bed, sick with Cedar Fever, and decided to get caught up on “Dexter: New Blood.”
Before the weekend, I’d only watched the first two episodes of the season, and honestly, I was not impressed. But, let me back up.
I absolutely LOVED “Dexter” the original series. I also thought the ending to that series was… fantastic. I know, I know, “Dexter” fans everywhere are probably throwing tomatoes at their screens now.
Did I want it to end that way? No, of course not. But, it was necessary. Dexter killed everyone meaningful in his life, except Harrison, and this was the only way the two of them were going to end up alive.
I have NOT spent the years since the original series ended hoping for a reboot, because I was satisfied with how things ended.
But, of course, I was excited when they announced “Dexter: New Blood.” I was curious about where it was going to go, and when Showtime released pictures of Harrison on set, I knew we were in for an interesting ride.
The weekend “Dexter: New Blood” was premiering, I decided to rewatch all of “Dexter” season 8 (the final season), just to refresh my brain on where we were picking up from.
I’ll be honest with you, it started to piss me off. Dexter was getting sloppy, and people — Deb — were suffering because of it. He wasn’t following The Code, and if he’s not doing that, then he’s not the good guy anymore.
Frankly, it clicked that Dexter is a selfish asshole, and he really doesn’t care what happens, as long as he’s not the one that suffers the consequences. I was getting heated, and not even sure I wanted to watch the new show. Who cares what happened to this guy, he’s a dick!
But, I calmed down and watched episode one of “Dexter: New Blood” as soon as the “Dexter” finale ended, ha!
I honestly felt like the show writers and producers knew a lot of fans would come in feeling like I did, because there was a lot packed into that episode that warmed me up to this idea of watching a show about a “nice” serial killer.
Now, Dexter is in the total opposite place that he was. Not warm, happy, populated Miami, but freezing cold, desolate, dark Iron Lake, New York. He even goes by a new name: Jim Lindsay.
He’s not a part of a police force, he works at an outfitter’s shop where locals buy hunting rifles and outdoor gear. He’s spent the last 10 years blending in, and not killing anyone… or anything.
We are brought back into Dexter’s world of rituals and routine. And yes, we are brought back to the kill room.
I won’t go through the entire season — I’m assuming if you’re here, you’ve watched it. But, when I picked up on episode three this weekend, I was pleasantly surprised. By episode 4, I was excited: Now we’re cooking with gas!
I appreciate that the show focused on Harrison and how he’s inherited Dexter’s Dark Passenger… and it’s starting to show in some of the trouble he’s getting himself in. For the first time, Dexter has to decide if being honest is actually going to help him or hurt him.
The underlying fuel of the show — in the original series and the new one — is wondering how close Dexter can go without getting caught. In both series, there are some very, very close calls. But fans know Dexter will never get caught… or will he?
This is where “Dexter: New Blood” won me over. He got caught. Of course, he found a few loopholes, but it caught up with him.
I’m not kidding you, when Angel Batista was at that conference talking about the Bay Harbor Butcher, I levitated out of my bed. Ha! Later, when he pulled out the file on Maria LaGuerta… I lost my mind.
Of course, Dexter did his due diligence and killed the Iron Lake serial killer, but I also kind of wished Angela had the opportunity to catch him herself. She put in all that work.
And the ending? Well, I was a little shocked. But, Dexter got sloppy, and he killed someone close to Harrison. He was out of control, not following The Code.
The last three episodes really nailed this point home for me: everyone has a dark side. For some people, it’s really dark: like killing runaways and storing their bodies underground. For others, maybe it’s a nightly pour of whiskey. Who knows?
We all do things to fit in, and we all do things to regulate our vices.
I know a lot of Dexter fans are mad about the ending, but what did you guys want? 8 more seasons? Like, yes I loved the show, too, but it’s the same thing over and over again. The characters have to progress, as does the plot, and I think this was the only ending that did that.
His time was expired, and it was only right that the only person he cared about set him straight. Like yes, we get it, you have a dark side, but you went against The Code, and when that happens, people die.
Do I think they could make another season with Harrison as the main? Sure, but it’s unnecessary. I think we’re supposed to believe that Harrison goes on to live a fairly normal life. Sure, maybe he has to push aside his dark thoughts, but we all do.
So, I thought the ending was fitting… please don’t come for me! If you haven’t already, I’d recommend listening to the official show podcast. It offers another layer of insight and I’ve found it to be a nice companion to the show.
Even if you disagree, I’d love to know what you thought about “Dexter: New Blood!”
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