Season premiere review: 'Dexter' - 'Those Kinds of Things': Stop. Hammer time
Dexter attends his high school reunion
Dexter (Michael C. hall) back in action for season 6.
A quick review of the "Dexter" season premiere coming up just as soon as I'm the future or boring...
Most of you know by now that I have something of a love-hate relationship with "Dexter." Love Michael C. Hall, love the first couple of seasons (and, to an extent, the Lithgow-ized fourth season), and hate most of the supporting characters (other than Deb and Masuka) and the way that the show's longevity has completely defanged Dexter and turned the entire show into a formulaic pay cable procedural.
But I keep watching for Hall, and for those occasional moments that evoke the power and creepiness of those first couple of years. And in the case of the season premiere, I was rewarded with an entertaining, funny hour with a can't-miss premise: Dexter goes to his high school reunion. One of the byproducts of the show going into cruise control since late in season 2 is that the series arguably works much better as a black comedy than when we're supposed to take any of it seriously. So seeing Dexter try to navigate his way through his old high school circles, struggle to understand the references and little nuances, was very funny. Dexter as detached observer of the way the rest of humanity lives can be very effective, as it was here.
I'm not sure, though, how much I'll have to write about the rest of the season, at least not if the other two episodes I've seen are any indication. The religion theme is being pounded home with a sledgehammer, the later scenes featuring Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos are so serious and self-important as to be funnier than anything in this episode (including Dexter trying to dance to MC Hammer) and new showrunner Scott Buck doesn't have any better idea of what to do with Angel, Laguerta and Quinn than any of his predecessors.
Maybe I'll do talkback posts on the next two episodes, maybe later episodes will win me over more, but "Dexter" is what it is at this point. Tonight, at least, it was something that entertained me.
What did everybody else think?
You can watch the entire episode (edited to TV14) right here if you missed it.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupStormshadow4life
October 2, 2011 at 10:21PM EST Reply to CommentAll I really want to know is....is Princess from "That's My Bush" in any more eps? (and preferably, in the same state of undress?)
Nathan
October 2, 2011 at 10:23PM EST Reply to CommentYeah, Dexter + Hammer Time = Fun. I'm not sure how the religious serial killer aspect ties in but it seems to be something nice and creepy. And nothing can stop how amazing season 4 of Dexter was, that was brilliance on a platter.
Ryan
October 2, 2011 at 10:25PM EST Reply to CommentI liked the part where it didn't have Julia Stiles.
J
October 2, 2011 at 11:05PM EST Reply to CommentThat was Briana Barksdale (Michael Hyatt) as the admissions woman at the Catholic School right?
Brendon Yes.
October 2, 2011 at 11:19PM ESTViginti
October 3, 2011 at 12:52AM EST Reply to CommentLord did they ever hammer home those religious references this episode. I hope to god that they tone that down over the rest of the season, once they think we 'get' it.
An enjoyable enough episode besides that though.
More thoughts here: http://deerinthexenonarclights.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/dexter-those-kind-of-things/
John
October 3, 2011 at 2:19AM EST Reply to CommentEntertaining hour of TV apart from the shootout in the last scene. First 50 minutes = good dexter. last 20 seconds = dexter at its worst
Scott Rosenberg
October 3, 2011 at 2:31AM EST Reply to CommentLoved the whole black comedy aspects of it, like the idea of La Guerta being around less, didn't mind the religion so much, though I'm sure it will bother me as it becomes a theme, and saw this awful Quinn plotline from his first minute on screen. Wasn't excited about him dating Deb last season, don't seem to be higher on it this season
virginia
October 3, 2011 at 6:22AM EST Reply to CommentI'm going to give it another try. Could not get into last season at all and didn't much care for the fourth either. I too love Michael C. Hall and would gladly follow him into most any new venture. Kind of wish he would wrap up this phase of his career. But, again, will give it a go -- mainly because I adore Edward James Olmos. And agree fully with you on the dark comedy front -- the only way I find the show bearable. Dead Rita in the bathtub, and other cheap tricks, left me stone cold.
chip_christian
October 3, 2011 at 10:59AM EST Reply to CommentAngel trying to explain why he knows there is a God was just horrible.
CK To be fair to the show, I think it was MEANT to be horrible.
October 3, 2011 at 10:51PM ESTVince M
October 3, 2011 at 1:03PM EST Reply to Commentthe show is being strangled by its own formula. I found myself cringing throughout most of it, probably won't watch it anymore. I mean, they have such a great actor, a great premise, why does it have to be plot by numbers? I say, go crazy! shake things up!
JamesG
October 3, 2011 at 1:50PM EST Reply to CommentThis episode seemed like an improvement from last season. At first, I had my hopes up that the show was returning to darker, sociopathic Dexter from the first (and second, to lesser degree) seasons after his opening exposition, but the show faded back into the cartoonish vigilante portrayal by the end. I suppose you're right in that this show only works as a dark comedy now, which is shame given how much potential it had in the beginning.
The show's biggest problem to me remains its supporting cast. The drop off in acting talent is enormous after Michael C. Hall, and, after 4+ seasons, the show hasn't developed any other the others to the point where they are interesting? LaGuerta blackmailing her way to a promotion? Snore. Deb and Quinn getting engaged? Eye roll. Angel afraid his sister would be viewed as a girlfriend or hooker? Give me a break. None of it works and feels like dead weight the entire time.
George Well, let's face it. The only reason Angel, LaGuerta and Quinn are there is because Dexter can't be on screen 100% of the time. They need have something going on in between his bits, so we get the supporting cast sub-plots. That, plus they give Dex someone handy to talk to when they need a conversation to move the plot along. I just tend to ignore the sub-plots and focus on the main story.
October 3, 2011 at 3:56PM ESTGeorge
October 3, 2011 at 3:59PM EST Reply to CommentHere's an interesting thing to look forward to: Someone on Dexter is going to Nebraska this season, as part of a multi-episode arc. (One of the filming locations was a corn field.) Nebraska?? WTF.
Will it be Dexter? If so, why? Is Quinn trying to track down Trinity's family, perhaps?
Sounds like it might get interesting.
This also looks likely to be the bloodiest season on record...
GarySF
October 3, 2011 at 5:18PM EST Reply to CommentThought this was a horrible episode, especially for a season opener. A couple of moderately funny moments, and the MILF from the reunion looked fantastic. But The show is just mailing it in at this point. Come on, Dexter is super detective now? If he can find proof of the QB's murdering his wife, why couldn't the police? And that same absurd premise has been repeated time and again. I could let it slide once in awhile when the show was entertaining, but it bothers me as an overused plot device now. Also, there's zero chemistry between Quinn and Deb, whom I just find to be annoying. Season 5 (which I just watched for the 1st time, on DVD) was passable, and I love Julia Stiles as an actress. Lithgow season 4 was terrific. But the show's running on empty now. I'll still watch, partly out of a sense of completism and the fact I really like watching Michael Hall (and Edward James Olmos), but hopefully they'll bring this to a merciful end at the end of this year, or do something to inject some new life into it.
Fuzzbrain I couldn't agree with you more. Also, I second the previous opinion that maybe Michael C. Hall should wrap up this part of his career. Finish off the season, kill the series & make a Dark Passenger movie;)
October 4, 2011 at 12:36AM ESTbrentalistair Yeah. I mean really. The police note that there is blood under her fingernails but don't even try to test the husband's blood? Does that seem even remotely plausible?
October 5, 2011 at 1:28PM ESTNovel1
October 3, 2011 at 6:18PM EST Reply to CommentI found the "reunion" sequence to be flat and rather predictable, White Man Shuffle ain't that funny. I was impressed with the EMT killing opening teaser -- Dexter getting back to basics. The rest was blah, blah, blah -- exposition and talking heads time. Most of the reasons Dexter fascinated me was the clever writing arcs, the almost impossible escapes he seems to make and The Code, which I found rather "bendable" for his reunion killing. Didn't seem worthy. Being put in his own father's shoes (painfully slowly, I might add) is not an arc I am interested in watching, nor do I think it will satisfy The Dark Passengers in those fans who are disappointed. All these couples on the show are making it feel very soap opera-esque. Kind of makes me hope for a sad end to Harrison and a revenge-filled hunt for Dex.
CK
October 3, 2011 at 10:58PM EST Reply to CommentThis is pretty much completely unrelated to the episode, but it has to be awkward for Hall and Carpenter (who plays Deb) to act together, especially in those scenes where they're supposed to act like they love one another (though they still might, who knows) after they've gotten married and divorced while the show's been on-air.
PotatoSolution
October 4, 2011 at 12:03AM EST Reply to CommentIs the writing on the edited TV14 version any better than the one they played on Showtime? Maybe I've been spoiled by the amazing Breaking Bad all summer, but the script for this thing was atrocious.
I could easily see Alan's love/hate relationship turn exclusively to hate, especially because Dexter season premieres are always one of the better episodes of the season before it downshifts into killing time for 10 episodes until the big showdown at the end. I can't imagine it can get much worse than this.
Mulderism
October 4, 2011 at 12:42AM EST Reply to CommentOne things that's always puzzled me about Dexter.
You see him shaving in the opening credits and yet when he leaves for work he has stubble.
How fast does his beard grow? He would have a full beard by the end of the day.
Dezbot Apparently, it grows as fast as Homer Simpson's does!
October 4, 2011 at 10:53AM ESTClay
October 4, 2011 at 12:43PM EST Reply to CommentFairly banal and safe season premiere. Maybe, just maybe this season theme of "faith," will lead Dexter to an epiphany of sorts where he actually starts processing his emotions... and then Deb can pull back the proverbial plastic curtain (god that was horrible).
Here's hoping this season ends with Deb pressing a gun against Dexter's head and saying something to the effect of, "don't f&*king move, f#!%face."
True Believer
October 4, 2011 at 7:04PM EST Reply to CommentI laughed more than I have at any other moment in this entire series when Dexter said, "I have no idea what Hammer Time is. Or how it differs from regular time."
Dave I
October 12, 2011 at 12:09PM EST Reply to CommentIs it wrong to watch these shows for the main actor/character? While I think this is better than House, and I've actively enjoyed the entire series despite its flaws (totally loving the Trinity Killer arc), even when I acknowledge the flaws it is still fun to watch Michael C. Hall act. I like the character and to some extent can overlook the poorer writing points because I really enjoy what the actor is putting on the screen. In that regard, I do see Michael C. Hall and Dexter in the same light as I see Hugh Laurie and House (both the named characters AND the shows). When I look at them critically, they are flawed and not nearly as tight as they could be (and by all rights SHOULD be). However, I still find myself drawn to the characters. In Dexter, obviously Dexter Morgan, but also Deb, Masuka, and Julia Styles character last season. In House, maybe I just enjoy watching Hugh Laurie, Olivia Wilde, and at this point I suppose that's it.
I'll keep watching for the characters I care about. I also find the show better than Sepinwall. I thought the Trinity Killer arc was great, I personally liked how they didn't just plug Julia Styles in as New-Rita, and thought Michael C. Hall's acting of Dexter learning to deal with new family dynamics and actually feeling real emotion at what happened to Rita very good from a sheer performance standpoint. However, I would love to see them take chances and do something unexpected (yet still good, not something reminiscent of a Michael Bay American Psycho remake) and figure out how to either use the supporting cast, or put them firmly in the background. I'd also appreciate if they put some thought into obvious plot holes (e.g. everything with Quinn last season, the blood underneath the ex-football player's wife's fingernails that matched his blood, etc., etc.).
-Cheers
JedyKnight
October 13, 2011 at 4:35PM EST Reply to CommentAfter all what the hell happened to The Good Guys after they got cancelled ? one became a serial killer's assistant/stand-in in California and the other a serial killer's apprentice in Miami ? :O