Desmond Harrington

TV Review: ‘Dexter’ Displays Signs of Creative Blood Loss

BrianTT — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 11:18:35 -0400

CHICAGO – Did “Dexter” die when The Trinity Killer murdered Rita? It was such a daring, brilliant move for what was one of TV’s greatest shows at the time. But that was three seasons ago now, and while I personally liked the 5th season quite a bit, audiences seemed to turn off a bit. The sound of frustration turned deafening with the 6th season, easily the worst in the show’s history, and now the award-winning drama is starting its 7th chapter amidst questions of whether or not its jumped the shark. The first few episodes of the new season do little to alleviate this longtime fan’s feelings that the show should have ended its run before now.

Television Rating: 2.5/5.0

It’s really a shame that “Dexter” feels creatively languid because there are some interesting ideas that the writers are exploring here but the cast and overall tone of the show seems to have lost that zip that made this must-see TV for undeniably four and arguably five seasons. Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) has reached a point in his life that he never wanted to get to and I couldn’t help thinking that the show isn’t sure what to do now. In case you missed the season finale of last year, turn away now…Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) walked in on Dexter in the middle of murder. Now what does Dexter do with his Dark Passenger revealed to the only person in the world who may not turn him in or betray his safety? Could Debra even save Dexter in ways that his father (James Remar) never could? Or will Dexter have to hide his true self yet again?

Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

The writers smartly waste no time and refuse to allow anything urgent happen in the off-season as the show does something unusual for it by picking up immediately in that final cliffhanger. Perhaps that’s one of the plotting problems that I had with the season premiere in that season six was undeniably the show’s most creatively lackluster and season seven starts in exactly the same place. In most seasons past, the writers of “Dexter” were allowed something of a fresh slate each year. Repercussions existed and references have always been made to past seasons, but the crew got to start somewhat fresh every year with new guest stars and usually a new villain.

Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

While much of the drama in the first few episodes centers on Debra’s morbid discovery and the MANY questions it raises, there are other arcs. Remember that Chicago cop who came in to help out at the end of last season? Poor Mike Anderson stops to help someone changing a tire and discovers a battered body in his trunk. He’s shot and the ensuing investigation leads the Miami P.D. into the shady world of the Ukrainian mob and a strip club that is clearly a front for much more. Ray Stevenson and Jason Gedrick guest star in clearly villainous roles as Angel (David Zayas) and Quinn (Desmond Harrington) are stuck doing most of the investigative work. Meanwhile, Dexter still has issues with Louis (Josh Cooke), the intern who tried to sell him on a serial killer video game and now wants to make his life Hell and LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) stumbles upon something crucial at the first crime scene that could change Dexter’s life forever. Masuka (C.S. Lee) is primarily still comic relief.

Masuka’s cracking jokes, Angel & Quinn are solving a case that is simply uninteresting for now, and LaGuerta is scheming. It all feels so stunningly familiar, like a mystery writer who is recycling plots late into his career. I’ll admit that the writers do delve into some interesting elements of the new Dexter & Debra dynamic but even those scenes are lacking in intensity. I’ve long championed both Hall and Carpenter but this should be where they’re truly shining and one gets the feeling that it’s just too late; that even the actors know that something’s wrong. And remember when “Dexter” used to be darkly funny? That’s sadly missing this year as well at least at the start.

Is it over? Has the bloody shark been jumped? I wouldn’t got that far yet. There’s potential still for this season to turn around as the program basically reboots itself. Think about it. For six years, “Dexter” has been about how a serial killer hides the truth from the world while enacting vengeance on those who deserve it. If the person closest to Dexter even suspects his secret, the show has to redefine itself. With that kind of creative change proving daunting to the writing staff, maybe these are just growing pains into the next phase of this once-great show.

“Dexter” stars Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Desmond Harrington, C.S. Lee, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, and James Remar. It returns on Sunday, September 30, 2012 on Showtime at 8pm CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-ray Review: Sixth Season of Showtime Hit ‘Dexter’

BrianTT — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:16:03 -0400

CHICAGO – Showtime’s “Dexter” is starting to show its age a bit after six years of slicing, dicing, and near-captures of Dexter Morgan. It’s still a strong show, largely because of the incredible central performance from Michael C. Hall, but the writing doesn’t seem as potent as it once was as the show often fails to follow through with its ideas. I loved the foundation of faith through the sixth season but felt it was under-developed, especially after the departure of the one character who seemed most likely to challenge Dexter’s worldview. Still a good show, but not quite a great one any more. Let’s hope it comes back in season seven,

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

As for the Blu-ray, what is going on with Paramount and Showtime? The HD releases for their shows have been virtually bereft of any special features. At least we get some interviews here but not a single commentary track? And I’m tired of these releases being used primarily as commercials for their other series by including an episode or two of other shows. HBO is going in the other direction, offering increasingly lavish sets for their hit programs. Showtime should work harder to keep up.

Dexter: The Sixth Season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 14th, 2012
Photo credit: Paramount/Showtime

Synopsis:
It’s begun! The sixth season finds America’s favorite serial killer with a new lease on life… and death. Dexter’s Dark Passenger is alive and well as he manages to stay in the shadows, do his job and be a single father. With Trinity in his rearview mirror, life becomes a bit more complicated for Dexter as he discovers religion in more ways than one.

An outbreak of gruesome killings based on the Book of Revelations and the emergence of the Doomsday Killer puts Dexter and Miami Homicide on the hunt for a new beast of biblical proportions. Can Dexter catch him before the Apocalypse? Or is this holy beast too much even for him? The critically acclaimed original series from Showtime is back with all 12 jaw-dropping episodes.

Click here to buy “Dexter: The Complete Sixth Season”

Special Features:
o House Of Lies: Episodes 1 & 2
o Interviews With David Zayas, Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez, C.S. Lee, Colin Hanks, and Desmond Harrington
o Californication Season 5, Episodes 1 & 2
o The Borgias Season 2, Episodes 1 & 2

‘Dexter,’ which airs on Showtime, stars Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, C.S. Lee, James Remar, and Desmond Harrington. The complete sixth season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 14, 2012.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Showtime’s Brilliant ‘Dexter’ Returns With Rebooted Vision

BrianTT — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:59:17 -0400

CHICAGO – Everyone’s favorite monster returns tonight with the sixth season premiere of “Dexter,” Showtime’s greatest hit and a program that has often ranked as one of the best on television. The show is at a crucial turning point in that the creators have admitted that this is kind of a reboot for the series, picking up a year after the activity of last season. When we look back on “Dexter” will this be seen as a new chapter — “Dexter 2.0” — or the afterthought/epilogue to the seasons that really worked? There’s reason for hope, but a shaky first episode could concern even loyal fans.

Television Rating: 4.5/5.0

“Monsters don’t get to live happily ever after.” Or do they? It’s been over a year since Dexter Morgan’s (Michael C. Hall) wife was killed and he had some wacky adventures with Lumen (Julia Stiles), in which one vengeance killer essentially birthed another. Dexter has reached a moderate level of normalcy yet again, not unlike where he was at the beginning of the very first season. He has returned to his job with less suspicion than usual, he doesn’t have to deal with people talking about his dead wife, and he can get to the business of his life — cleaning up the mistakes of the Miami Police Department. Dexter Morgan needs to kill to satisfy his “Dark Passenger” but he only kills those “who deserve it.”

Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

The question that will clearly be a focus yet again of this season of “Dexter” is how to determine who exactly does deserve it. Dexter’s world view and set of rules basically allows for little wiggle room. And it certainly doesn’t allow for finding God and getting your life in order. What if a young man does wrong but atones and finds religion? Does he still “deserve” to die? The idea of how faith plays into Dexter’s life is the focus of at least the first arc of the new season of “Dexter” (and given the press kit that features an image of Hall in a crucifixion pose, I’m guessing it will be a season-long theme). How does God play a role in the life of a real force of righteous vengeance?

Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

Dexter starts asking himself these questions while trying to get Harrison into a good school. It raises questions about how to present him with religion or whether to do so at all. Meanwhile, a pair of maniacs are beginning a bizarre murder spree that is clearly meant to both fit snugly in the religious theme of this week and remind us of the dynamic between Dexter and his father Harry (James Remar), in which he was taught his rules of murder. The teacher-student dynamic this year is between Professor James Gellar (Edward James Olmos) and Travis Marshall (Colin Hanks), a pair getting started on what feels like a biblical cleansing of Miami.

The murderous duo that will dominate most of the season is still in the background at the beginning of this chapter of “Dexter.” To start, Morgan is involved in an old-fashioned vengeance killing, but this one has a personal spin. One of the few girls who was nice to him in high school was found battered by her abusive husband a few years later and Dexter is ready to use the reunion to get justice (and, hysterically, become the object of affection for a lot of classmates who didn’t notice him in school).

Meanwhile, Quinn (Desmond Harrington) wants to take his relationship with Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) to the next level but is derailed by not only her typical hesitation when it comes to anything serious but a major career change for Dexter’s sister. The station has a typical amount of drama with LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) with her recent promotion, Angel (David Zayas) still getting over the busted relationship, and Masuka (C.S. Lee) managing a new group of interns in his own unique way. Mos (formerly Mos Def but dropping the second half in the credits) and Aimee Garcia also guest-star as recurring characters.

Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

I’m a huge fan of “Dexter” but I’ll admit to being a bit thrown off by the season premiere. It feels a bit repetitive and if viewers feel like this show is starting to tread the same ground, they’re going to be understandably wary. The reunion stuff with Dexter is fun but overly familiar. And I’m not yet convinced that Olmos & Hanks will make the kind of fascinating guest stars that the show has produced in the past. On the other hand, Mos, as a man who appears to have turned his life around and challenges Dexter’s rules and religion, could be the highlight of the season. But he doesn’t appear until next week.

Overall, the second episode of the new season is much stronger and it’s not like the premiere is a disaster. It’s kind of just a warm-up. It’s a reintroduction to the characters after a lot of time off in their fictional world. We need to catch up with them. We need to set the foundation for where the season will go from here. Don’t jump ship if you’re disappointed. This is still one of the most creative, well-written, well-performed shows on TV. Let ‘em have a weak premiere. They turn it around in episode two and I can’t wait to see where they go in three and beyond. The jury may still be out on the success of “Dexter 2.0” but there’s every reason to think that this constantly-inventive show can pull it off.

“Dexter” stars Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Desmond Harrington, C.S. Lee, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, James Remar, Colin Hanks, Mos, Edward James Olmos, and Aimee Garcia. It returns for its sixth season on Showtime on October 2nd, 2011 at 8pm CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Spectacular Fifth Season of Showtime’s ‘Dexter’

BrianTT — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:56:13 -0400

CHICAGO – Showtime’s “Dexter” was in a precarious position in season five after essentially blowing up their own program at the end of season four. Would they jump the shark or keep taking incredible risks? The result is definitely the latter as this turned out to be one of the best seasons of Michael C. Hall’s incredible program and it will be available on Blu-ray and DVD this week.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

At the end of season four, Dexter (Hall) came home to find his wife Rita (Julie Benz) brutally murdered by the Trinity Killer. Dexter’s “Dark Passenger” had put the most important loved one in his life in jeopardy. How does a sociopath deal with grief? How does he pick up the pieces? The writers of “Dexter” were given an opportunity to radically shift gears from the “domestication of a serial killer” plotline with which they had worked for four stellar seasons.

Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

Could they have gone somewhere more radically different in season five? Possibly, but I think history will be very kind to this installment of Showtime’s best series. Season five of “Dexter” is, in many ways, supposed to be a parallel to season one. In that installment, we learned that Dexter Morgan came about as a product of the act of a brutal murder. In this season, Dexter himself becomes the one to spawn a killer (a great guest turn from Julia Stiles).

Dexter: The Fifth Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 16th, 2011
Photo credit: Paramount/Showtime

Handling this season took amazing feats of writing dexterity along with yet-another stellar performance from Michael C. Hall, Emmy-nominated yet again but likely to lose this time to Steve Buscemi of “Boardwalk Empire.” If Hall could pull out a win, it would be the most wonderful surprise on Emmy night. He’s never won and he’s more than deserving. He made amazing decisions this season. Like so many great actors, he not only makes the “right” decisions for the character, but ones that it feels like other actors wouldn’t have even considered. He begins the seaspn in something like a catatonic state, as if the sheer awfulness of what has happened hasn’t fully registered. The season was about Dexter slowly coming back to the land of the living…by killing.

The Blu-ray release of the fifth season of “Dexter” is a bit disappointing. The transfers are nice but there are no notable special features — no commentaries and little behind-the-scenes information. Showtime/Paramount have taken to thinking that episodes of their other programs suffice in the arena of special features. One of the best shows on TV deserved something a bit better.

Synopsis:
“The fifth season finds Dexter struggling with the guilt over Rita’s death. He seeks solace in his old killer ways and embarks on an expected and surprising relationship with the mysterious Lumen (Julia Stiles). But Dexter’s need to kill overpowers his desire for human connection. Now with a few people closer to discovering the truth about him, how much longer will America’s favorite serial killer be able to keep his dark secret? The critically acclaimed original series from Showtime, starring Golden Globe winner Michael C. Hall, is back on Blu-ray with all 12 startling and stirring episodes.”

Special Features (all via BD Live on the final disc):
o Episodes 1 & 2 of “The Borgias” and “Episodes”
o Interviews with Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, C.S. Lee, Lauren Velez, Julia Stiles, James Remar, Desmond Harrington, Chip Johanneseen and David Zayas
o Reflecting On Season Five: Julia Stiles

‘Dexter,’ which airs on Showtime, stars Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, C.S. Lee, James Remar, and Desmond Harrington. The complete fifth season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 16th, 2011.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Gut-Wrenching Start to Fifth Season of Showtime’s ‘Dexter’

BrianTT — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:21:30 -0400

CHICAGO – “Dexter” returns tonight, September 26th, 2010, for what promises to be a turning point for the series after the breathtaking season four finale. In the final moments of the show’s best season, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) came home to find his wife Rita (Julie Benz) murdered by The Trinity Killer. Where does a serial killer go from here? How does a creature like Dexter deal with grief?

Television Rating: 5.0/5.0

It takes at least three episodes for the pieces to fall into place. In that time, the writers of “Dexter” prove why they’re some of the best on television. Simultaneously, they play with issues of suspicion, grief, regret, and vengeance as Dexter becomes a prime suspect in his own wife’s murder. The irony, of course, being that Dexter has played a part in a number of murders, including ones investigated by his friends at the station, but suspicion falls on him for one of the few that he didn’t commit.

Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

The season premiere of “Dexter” is brutal. Watching Dexter inform Rita’s parents and children what’s happened to their loved one is incredibly painful. I actually had to turn away as the writers of “Dexter” pull no punches at all. What do you possibly say to your stepchild when she says “Where were you when someone was killing her?” Despite the daring decision to inject a moment of black humor here and there, including a borderline insane one involving Mickey Mouse ears, the majority of the start of the fifth season of “Dexter” is pain, pain, and more pain. Yes, TV’s most notorious serial killer can feel pain.

Dexter
Photo credit: Showtime

Hall makes some amazing choices to start the new season of “Dexter” to illustrate that pain. Like so many great actors, he not only makes the “right” decisions for the character, but ones that it feels like other actors wouldn’t have even considered. He begins the episode in something like a catatonic state, as if the sheer awfulness of what has happened hasn’t fully registered. And the writers brilliantly counterbalance the pain with a lovely flashback of Dexter and Rita’s first date, in which he jokingly says “I’m an axe murderer” and it’s revealed that he met the love of his life while on a vengeance killing. Is it any wonder that their relationship would end in tragedy?

The key to Hall’s performance is in the progression throughout the episode. Watch how Dexter slowly comes back to the surface, first at a funeral home where he seems to be watching other mourners not only to deal with his own grief but to learn how people do it. Dexter has never been the best at natural human emotions and he’s not significantly better at grief, so Hall’s decision to play his response more as a dumbstruck state of shock than melodrama is a brilliant one. And, of course, Dexter eventually gets to the fact that he could have killed Trinity long before he crossed paths with Rita. He may not have slit her throat, but decisions that Dexter made put Trinity in the path of his innocent wife. Of course, Dexter inevtiably has to work through everything and get back to both being a father and, well, a serial killer. Hall should have won an Emmy last month. I truly believe he will in less than a year from now.

Hall’s not alone in the world of “Dexter” performances. The long-underrated Carpenter has long-served as the emotional counterpoint to Dexter — she’s the “hot” to his “cold.” Naturally, her response to losing her sister-in-law carries a different energy than Dexter’s but it’s just as well-written, surprising, and expertly-performed. A scene in the first episode between them in which Deb essentially tries to talk Dexter off a ledge without really even knowing it should finally get her the Emmy nomination she’s too long been denied. The ensemble on “Dexter” has long taken a back seat to Hall and guest stars like Jimmy Smits or Lithgow. Hopefully, this is the year that they get the credit they deserve.

Everything about “Dexter” has been brilliant lately and that shows no sign of changing. After a comparatively mediocre third season, the show was reinvigorated by Hall’s best performance to date and an amazing turn by John Lithgow in the fourth season. And then the writers blew up their own world, not only choosing to kill off one of their most central and beloved characters, but jettisoning the pattern of the show. “Dexter” could have gone on for years with a new guest star/nemesis every season but good shows coast while great shows reinvent. “Dexter” is a great show and the most shocking thing is that, this late in is existence, on every level, it’s actually getting better.

‘Dexter,’ which airs on Showtime, stars Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, C.S. Lee, James Remar, and Desmond Harrington. The season five premiere airs on Sunday, September 26th, 2010 at 9PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Stunning Fourth Season of Showtime’s ‘Dexter’

BrianTT — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:29:15 -0400

CHICAGO – Very, very few programs hit their creative peak in their fourth season but that was the surprising turn of events that took place on Showtime last fall with the amazing “senior year” of “Dexter,” a dark horse to win the upcoming Emmy for Outstanding Dramatic Series. The fourth season is now available on Blu-ray and it’s a must-see for everyone, even if you haven’t kept up with this award-winning program over the years. It’s spectacular, riveting drama.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0

The fourth season of “Dexter” features all of the regular actors and guest-star John Lithgow at their absolute peak and the writing was never stronger. The second half of this season, as Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) draws closer to a disturbingly similar serial murderer in the form of The Trinity Killer (Lithgow), is one of the most remarkable string of television episodes in the history of the form. Try and not watch them consecutively. I dare you.

Dexter: The Fourth Season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 17th, 2010
Photo credit: Paramount/Showtime

The season opens with Dexter trying to manage suburban life with Rita (Julie Benz) and her children when The Trinity Killer enters his unique airspace. For decades, The Trinity Killer has been committing unique, hard-to-track murders with the most unusual motivation and techniques. When Dexter learns that the killer is also a religious, family man not unlike Dexter himself, he draws closer, knowing that Trinity is his ultimate target. For years, Dexter has been taking the law into his own hands by killing those who kill the innocent. But he sees something more than an enemy in Trinity. He sees a vision of his future.

Strengthened by one of the best performances of Lithgow’s career (a sure Emmy winner for Guest Actor, although one wonders why it wasn’t just a traditional Supporting Actor nomination), Trinity is a perfect representation of the duality of Dexter’s existence. He too is haunted by a tragic past. He too lives with a wife and children and pretends to be normal. He too needs to kill. But Dexter makes the tragic mistake of thinking that he’s significantly better than Trinity and that he could never be like him, but he pays in the end. The final episode of this season is not only stunningly risky from a writing perspective but a game-changer for the show. It will never be the same again.

Dexter: The Fourth Season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 17th, 2010
Photo credit: Paramount/Showtime

Dexter & Trinity may have been the driving plotline for the season but it wasn’t the only one. After facing serious tragedy after a near-deadly shooting, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) spent most of the season around the periphery of the action but her investigation into her father’s past threatens to have long-term effects. Meanwhile, Angel (David Zayas) and Laguerta (Lauren Velez) begin a professionally dangerous affair, Rita tries to draw her new man into a traditional family, Quinn (Desmond Harrington) starts to date a prying-but-crazy-hot reporter (Courtney Ford), and Masuka (C.S. Lee) has his funniest season.

The twists and turns of season four of “Dexter” are so great that I wouldn’t dare ruin any of them but the season is about the impact of loss of focus on our poor anti-hero. It takes concentration to maintain multiple lives as a family man, investigator, and vengeance killer and the inability to keep all of those plates spinning leads to some deadly crashes. “Dexter” has always been something of a ticking timebomb in that we always knew that Mr. Morgan couldn’t keep it up forever. Season four of “Dexter” isn’t the complete collapse but it’s the beginning. And it’s brilliant.

The Paramount/Showtime Blu-ray release of “Dexter” doesn’t quite live up to the quality of the show. There should be multiple commentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes, but Showtime seems more interested in using these releases to promote their other programming instead of offering insight into how great shows like “Dexter” get made. To that end, they include BD-Live accessibility to episodes of “Californication” and “The Tudors” along with a few interviews related to Showtime’s best show.

Television doesn’t get much better than “Dexter.” The rollercoaster of black comedy, intense thrills, character-driven drama, and honest tragedy in just this season alone would make “Dexter” one of the best shows of the last ten years. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that it’s entirely possible that the show could top even this installment in seasons to come.

‘Dexter: The Fourth Season’ stars Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, C.S. Lee, James Remar, Desmond Harrington, Keith Carradine, and John Lithgow. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 17th, 2010. It is not rated and runs 632 minutes.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Showtime’s ‘Dexter’ Opens Fourth Season With Amazing Episode

BrianTT — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:25:52 -0400

CHICAGO – Everyone’s favorite serial killer and family man, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) is back in tonight’s excellent fourth season premiere of the award-winning “Dexter”. Last season was good-not-great when compared to the first two installments but the opening arc of the fourth season hints at a creatively reinvigorated program that’s clicking on all levels. “Dexter” looks like one of the best shows of the fall.

Television Rating: 4.5/5.0

“I kill people - not exactly the perfect husband.” “Dexter” has always been about how a man with a monstrously dark and deadly habit conforms to normal society and deals with domesticity. In the opening episode of season four, Dexter is constantly being pulled in opposite directions by his life as a new father. Blood pools have been replaced by car pools and swimming pools.

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan (Season 4, episode 2)
Photo credit: Randy Tepper/Showtime

And exhaustion. As any new father will tell you, sleep becomes an uncommon commodity and Dexter was a busy man before he became a daddy. It takes effort to be that good a serial killer. And an exhausted serial killer is not a good thing. Dexter has always been the one-man army that stops evil people from falling through the cracks due to poor police work. The premiere plays with the clever idea of making the crack-falling due to Dexter’s error. And it’s far from the worst exhaustion-based mistake that Mr. Morgan makes in episode one.

Julie Benz as Rita Morgan and Michael C. Hall as Dexter (Season 4)
Photo credit: Jim Fiscus/Showtime

Of course, no season of “Dexter” is complete without a guest star and this one has two. The great Keith Carradine returns as Detective Lundy and might rekindle what he had with Deborah Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter). Lundy is tracking The Trinity Killer (guest star #2 John Lithgow), a sick individual who may be the most successful serial killer of all time, having evaded capture or identification for thirty years. Lithgow has limited screen time in the first two episodes but will almost certainly make a riveting guest star this season.

No, the first two episodes of “Dexter” belong to Michael C. Hall, one of the best actors on television who continues to add depth and believability to one of the best characters of the ’00s. Hall is very good, as usual, but he’s reinvigorated by some of the best writing in the history of the show.

What’s so great about the premiere is the return to a hilarious blend of jarring tones that was a bit lost in season three. “Dexter” can be a very funny, very dark show. When Dexter sings “America the Beautiful” to his newborn son to get him to sleep while he looks at crime scene photos of the guy he’s going to kill that night, you’re supposed to laugh. This is jet black comedy that has always been part of the foundation of “Dexter” but seems to return to the forefront more at the start of season four.

It’s not all laughs. The premiere of “Dexter” features two brutal murders and the show continues to push the boundaries of how comfortable you’re supposed to feel watching a mass murderer with a happy family. Are we supposed to root for Dexter to get his sh*t together or does he deserve to have it all fall apart?

The premiere of this season of “Dexter” also features roughly a dozen plot threads starting to spin. Lundy returns, the Trinity Killer debuts, Dexter tries to be a father and a killer, and even Laguerta, Angel, and Quinn have subplots. This is dense, confident writing that stands with the best on television. Deb’s relationship with Anton and her search for her dad’s mysterious C.I. lover return from season three and even those recurring threads feel more confidently written. Everything from the writing to the acting to the pacing to the mystery feels more confident.

Once again, I’m not saying that the third season of “Dexter” was “bad,” it just didn’t live up to the stellar first two and I was naturally concerned that the show probably never would again. After watching the first two episodes of season four, I’m very happy to report that the concern is gone, replaced by that same adoration for the show from the first two years. There’s a chance this could be the best season of “Dexter” to date.

‘Dexter,’ which airs on Showtime, stars Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, C.S. Lee, James Remar, Desmond Harrington, Keith Carradine, and John Lithgow. The season four premiere airs on Sunday, September 27th, 2009 at 9PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com