Review: Dexter: Season 8, Episode 5 – This Little Piggy

(Spoilers!)

Thank goodness - just when I was losing faith in the final season of Dexter, due to its discontinuity and bonkers characterisation, This Little Piggy saves the day. In an episode exploring a wide variety of dysfunctional families, this week’s installment is a welcome return to the show that we all know and love. 

So families hey? If it’s not your newly discovered twenty year old daughter randomly arriving and raising suspicions over her financial motives, then it’s your previously abusive mother, responsible for your future feet fetish and torturing tendencies. Failing that, perhaps it’s your sister, who simultaneously loves and hates your guts at the same time. That my friends, basically sums up this week’s episode. 

To expand - Vince Masuka spends more time with his daughter this week and reveals the news of his recent paternal joy to fellow Miami Metro colleagues. Of course, her sudden appearance raises suspicions, leading Masuka to hire Deborah  to investigate. This has been a great piece of character development for Masuka, adding more depth to his characterisation than just a 'pervy forensics investigator'. Elsewhere, Miami Metro are continuing their investigation into the murder of Norma. The latest suspect is Mr. Hamilton; an overtly wealthy man who admits to having an affair with her, however he is adamant of his innocence regarding her murder. The same cannot be said for his son however, as after a statement from a local witness, is now Quinn's number one suspect and the key to his promotion within the force. Both of these sub-plots will undoubtedly feature throughout the rest of this season, this week however, they remain neat little doorways into the family thematic.  

The front runner for that however, is of course the incredibly deranged familial bond between Dr. Evelyn Vogel, Deb and Dexter. Following on from the car-crash-come-murder-suicide last week, a wonderful sequence begins the episode that quite rightly summarises their intertwining relationship. In a nutshell, Vogel is the strong, maternal figure overseeing the squabbles between a tumultuous brother-sister relationship. In an initial therapy session, it at first feels Deb and Dexter may never repair bridges after their ‘accident’, as the anger and distrust felt for one another (especially from Dexter) appears too strong. However after Vogel is kidnapped by the believed-to-be Brain Surgeon, A.J. Yates, both talk it out, put their differences aside and team up to save Vogel’s life. It’s an incredibly clichéd and formulaic narrative approach but hey, it works, and it’s fantastic to see the two bounce off each other in a positive way again.

Throughout their heroic mission, intermittent squeamish sequences are placed. One caused by awkwardness, in which Jamie sets up a double date - providing another step toward the inevitable romantic involvement between Dexter and Cassie. The other caused by an all-too-close torture sequence, most effective for those who are sensitive when it comes to feet, as Yates simultaneously caresses and tugs at Vogel's toes. Charlotte Rampling showcases an impressive performance here, transgressing between a scared and vulnerable victim to an over-powering psychiatrist, delving deep into the core of Yates' serious mother issues. 

Deb and Dexter eventually come to Vogel’s rescue. In an impressive kill, Dexter disposes of Yates, leading all to believe that The Brain Surgeon is dead. We of course know this is not the case and at the moment, my irrational guesses are Elway, because he’s too nice and suspect, or (long shot) Vogel herself. Nevertheless, The Brain Surgeon’s identity is a long running plot. In the mean time, an important step has been made - Deb witnesses Dexter kill again and she’s actually alright with it. So much so, that she and Vogel accompany Dexter during the body-dumping process, “I wanted to be with family...” he shares. So it seems all familial bridges are repaired and with that, we most definitely have a troublesome trio on our hands.

A much better episode of Dexter this week – narrative coherence was restored, in addition to a neat, thematic exploration into family woes. A bit of a stretch or not, it’s also brilliant to see Deb and Dexter on good terms again (“Well, a family that kills together....”). Hopefully their bond will be stronger than ever as I’m sensing, now that Vogel has regained their trust, some serious shocks and manipulation are afoot (!) which the two may need to overcome. 

What were your thoughts on this week's episode? Post a comment!

Next week...

Review: Dexter: Season 8, Episode 4 – Scar Tissue

(Spoilers!)

I’m a big fan of Dexter. Don’t get me wrong, it has its ups and downs, but overall it’s a great. This is why it’s unfortunate that currently, the eighth and final season is falling incredibly flat. Scar Tissue, for me, feels the weakest installment so far, as a somewhat disjointed and frustrating affair. 

Following on from Deborah’s complete breakdown last week, herself and Dr. Evelyn Vogel begin working together on her path of recovery. Therapy sessions take place at the site of LaGuerta’s death, re-enacting the fateful night and ultimately determining that Deb “must accept she is a good person who was forced to do a terrible thing... she made the best of an impossible situation”. In other words, she must move on. Vogel and Deb are also apparently living together as part of the recovery process too - so it's all no drugs, no drink and “arse off the table”. At first Deb is slightly resilient but after a while, the therapy appears to work as she becomes more open and dare I say, more forgiving of Dexter... for the first part of this episode anyway. 

Elsewhere Dexter is not allowed near Deborah during the recovery process. In fact, Vogel declares that both siblings may never see each other again. Dexter is not happy with this announcement of course, remaining adamant over his love and need for his dear sister. In the mean time however, more pressing matters are at hand. That is, the continual quest to catch The Brain Surgeon. Next up on Dexter’s vet and stalk list is A.J. Yates – a man whom as far as we know, could be The Brain Surgeon. What we do know for now, is that he kidnaps women and can be quite the mischievous little bugger. Aware that Vogel and Dexter are after him he flees, but not without making his basement lair is accessible. Within which he purposely leaves his laptop, containing Vogel's confidential files. Dexter of course comes across them whilst searching for other evidence and is less than enthused with what he discovers. Dexter, or should we say 'Subject 0' discovers Vogel's report on him, bluntly using him as a guinea pig and analyzing him as 'deluded' for believing he can genuinely feel emotions toward his sister. With that, anger and unhappiness ensues, causing an abrupt end to their relationship. 

Meanwhile as part of Deb’s therapy, she must watch old footage of Vogel and her father discussing Dexter. On first viewing, it seems they are all about acceptance, which in turn aids Deb on her path of recovery. However later footage contains Harry's refusal of Dexter's condition, as he declares if they are supporting it, "he cannot live with himself". Deb then realises her father's death was in fact a suicide over the monster he had created. Following the same trajectory, she then has an epiphany of suicidal tendencies... only with one alteration. She visits Miami Metro Police Department, and after a brief loving word with Quinn (no doubt intended as a goodbye) requests that she and Dexter go for a drive to talk things over. For a while, things are honest, open and almost positive between the two, lulling viewers into a false sense of familial rebuilding. However, Deb promptly takes control of the wheel, driving the car off road into a lake, in an attempt to kill herself and Dexter. Deb is saved by an onlooker but Dexter is left in the car to drown as it slowly sinks to the bottom.  Deb realises this and dives back into the lake to rescue him. 

The turn of events... the slow motion... the dramatic score – this should all be cause for an incredibly dramatic scene. Yet for me it didn't work and the reasons for this are twofold, both of which actually detail each issue attached to the entirety of this episode. First it felt that throughout, and this even applies to the series so far, each scene is incredibly disparate and disjointed, cut together in a hap-hazard way that negates from any narrative flow. By the time Deb and Dexter’s car hits the water, I am no way near enough invested, deprived of any sense of continual build up. You could argue that yes, the continual build up has been there since the first episode of this season, so a dramatic conclusion to their brother-sister breakdown has been imminent for some time. Regardless, its execution was a failure. 

Secondly, whereas in previous weeks Deb has been each episode’s savior, this time her characterisation was a complete misfire and frustratingly incoherent. I understand that amidst everything, screen time can be limited. Equally, it’s undeniably true that any path of emotional and mental recovery is a tumultuous one. However, in the space of an hour, Deb went from unresponsive and unwilling (and probably still inebriated) in therapy, to sober and hard working, to somewhat loving, calm and calculated, to wanting to kill her brother to then actually wanting to save him. Again, this unfocused approach led to a lack of character attachment. Whereas Deb’s previous stints shrouded in a disarray of emotional turmoil and toxic fumes have kept me gripped, this week just fell flat. 

Elsewhere in Scar Tissue, Vince meets a daughter he didn't know he had. It’s an odd sequence but a welcomed comedic break – both sharing the same laugh was a nice touch. Quinn also gets into a bar fight after hearing some cops bad-mouth Deb, jeopardising his chances as sergeant. Jamie continues to moan at Quinn and apparently remains the only one willing to act in gratuitous sex scenes. 

Ah Dexter, I wanted to like your eighth season so much! But for now, and especially after this week’s installment, it remains unfocused, disjointed and underwhelming. Hopefully the reason for this uncharacteristic format is to include clues and small tid-bits here and there, that will eventually all play a part in some delightful twist that will comprise the season’s climax. Either that, or perhaps eight seasons is proving to be just one too many...

What were your thoughts on this week's episode? Post a comment!

Next week...

Review: Dexter: Season 8, Episode 3 - What's Eating Dexter Morgan?

(Spoilers!)

An odd episode this week as What’s Eating Dexter Morgan? foregrounds some great high’s but also lows, when further narrative questions are posed and leading ladies Debra Morgan and Evelyn Vogel continue to steal the show. 

From an emotional car crash to a physical one, after a nice opening segue involving Harrison, this week's Dexter begins with Deb caught in the act of a DUI. Her path of excessive drinking and pill popping continues, much to the inconvenience of Quinn who has to abandon is gratuitously naked girlfriend, Jamie, at four in the morning to bail her out of a sentence. Dexter is also attempting his hand at heroism by reaching out to Debra and taking her to dinner. When bringing up her past successes with Miami Metro, he appeals to her conscience exclaiming she has saved many lives, she is a good person. Deb responds with an expletive (of course) but not directed at Dexter per se, so hey perhaps their relationship is on the mend. Right? Wrong. 

Still employed by the increasingly sleazy Elway, both are given a new investigative mission to find out whether some woman’s husband is having an affair. After some covert photography, Elway and Deb catch the husband with another woman and then proceed to show the photos to their client. Upon seeing them she believes they've followed the wrong man, exiting the office with an ‘ignorance is bliss’ mentality. The relevance of all this? Elway exclaims, some people prefer denial and not knowing the truth. Deb then takes the exact opposite approach, by getting blindingly inebriated and going to Miami Metro. Whilst there she makes the shocking confession to Quinn that she murdered Maria LaGuerta. It’s definitely a moment in which the words “Oh shit..!” will be thought from fans of the show.

Deb is taken to the interrogation room where Quinn attempts to calm her down. He posits this confession as a manifestation of guilt, resulting from her inability to prevent the murder. A murder the department have determined was committed by Estrada, written up and reported by who? You guessed it, Dexter. Quinn manages to briefly notify Dexter of a still-hysterical Deb and her confession, who then hotfoots it to the station, Vogel at hand. Deb is hardly enamored to see either of them and continues to aggressively threaten truthful revelations. To that, Dexter knocks her out with an injection and swiftly carries her off the premises, whilst Vogel performs well to convince Quinn that this breakdown is symptomatic of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She exclaims she will do whatever she can to help Deb get better. Hmmm... hands up who thinks Quinn will be Deb’s true savior eventually? After all, his care for her is abundantly clear and he’s running for sergeant... the factors are forming quite the equation. Nevertheless, it’s an intriguing sub-plot and a nice choice in Quinn’s characterisation. 

Furthermore, in light of Deb’s breakdown at the station, Dexter finally has an epiphany that perhaps he can’t be the one that saves her after all. Vogel was right, if he caused her pain, how can he be the solution? It’s here the show lets itself down a little, three episodes in and only now has Dexter realised that no – he can’t help his sister on the path of recovery. It’s this lacking temporal quality in addition to the accompanying internal monologues, once deemed the brilliance of the show, that are now becoming a little tiresome. It’s a good job then really, that amidst this overdrawn format, characters such as Deb blaze in with a strong performance and threatening unpredictability, ultimately stealing the show. With his epiphany, Dexter leaves Deb in the caring hands of Vogel, who promises to help her get better. This way, he can regain focus on The Brain Surgeon case, although the inevitable resurface of Vogel’s ‘unorthodox’ counselling methods will of course have repercussions with Dexter in the future. 

Speaking of The Brain Surgeon, Miami Metro believes they have found the culprit dead, in a crime scene resembling a gruesome suicide. Consequently they close the case and move on to the next one; however Dexter knows the killer is still out there and orchestrated the suicide. Thus the Brain Surgeon continues to threaten Vogel and Dexter carries on with his vetting and stalking. Using Vogel’s book written about past clients, he tracks down this week’s suspect, Ron Galuzzo. An unsettling character and rightly so as it turned out he was a cannibal – not The Brain Surgeon but nevertheless, a nice excuse for Dexter to get his 'kill room' on the go again. Although it feels finding out who The Brain Surgeon actually is doesn't matter right now, even if in my head some wild guesses have already been made. What takes precedence throughout this narrative trope is the role of Vogel. 

She is increasingly under threat and with a nice new brain-package arriving at her doorstep more frequently, the danger is prescient. But... I don’t buy it, nor do I believe the needy, ‘help me’ routine she has almost perfected. Vogel so easily transgresses from this to the manipulative and over-analytical neuropsychiatrist, quite clearly toying with Dexter's conscience, it's all undeniably suspect. She interrogates his emotions, detailing them as selfishly driven, much to his disapproval. She also poses the difficult question, when Deb found out about his dark passenger, why didn't he kill her? After all, the first rule of Harry’s code (which she came up with) was not to get caught. So there we have it, Vogel toying with Dexter’s mind and the now-granted privilege to toy with Deb’s – the chances that both will be pitted against one another after vast manipulation is almost certain. 

Overall this week’s installment of Dexter was not without its weaknesses – hopefully Dexter will regain the loveable anti-hero status that has granted him adoration for all previous seven seasons. Until then however, his slow, existential mumblings are becoming quite tiresome and so far, incredibly overshadowed by two leading ladies. Both of whom, are conversely providing season eight with its greatest strengths.

What were your thoughts on this week's episode of Dexter? Post a comment!

Next week...

Review: Dexter: Season 8, Episode 2 - Every Silver Lining...

(Spoilers!)

A vast improvement in this week's installment of Dexter, as Every Silver Lining... boasts an intriguing and captivating episode. Interesting choices in characterisation are made laying the ground work for what will inevitably be an emotional and tumultuous narrative, comprising this elongated farewell.  

So last week ended on a bit of a cliff-hanger. Dr. Evelyn Vogel, dubbed the ‘psychopath whisperer’, rubbed Dexter up the wrong way evoking a somewhat threatening attack from the titular character, only to be met with the response “You can’t kill me Dexter... I don’t fit Harry’s code”. Queue an international response of “...whaaat?!”. Well thankfully, in this week’s episode we continue right where we left off, by learning how on earth Miss Vogel is aware of Dexter’s commandments. 

It turns out that, via replay of an old home video, Vogel was indeed good friends with Dexter’s father, Harry. As a professional in psychopathic behaviour, Harry confided in Vogel regarding Dexter’s worsening ‘condition’ – an obsession with blood and murder that in turn screams “I’m going to be a psychopath when I grow up”. It’s quite a revelatory moment for Dexter really, as whilst watching the home video and hearing explanations from Vogel, we find out it was she who created this ‘code’ Dexter has abide by – she helped ‘create him’, likens herself to his ‘spiritual mother’. But of course, this revelation raises questions. Why is she revealing all of this now? Why is it only now that she has come into Dexter’s life? The answer is, she needs a favour. 

Last week’s murderer, dubbed ‘The Brain Surgeon’ - as he removes a piece of brain that evokes empathy from his victims - has been threatening Vogel, by leaving pieces of said cranium anathema on her doorstep. In her words, “it’s hardly a love letter” and of course sparks fear over her safety. Naturally Dexter inquires, why not call the police? But of course, life in Miami is not that simple and it turns out The Brain Surgeon is one of Vogel’s former patients, and placing him in police custody may bring to light her past ‘unorthodox’ methods of treatment. Instead, she’d rather Dexter do what he does best and ‘take care of it’. All of a sudden, the seemingly lovely Vogel is perhaps not so lovely after all, and an enigmatic narrative strand is thus brought to light - who is Vogel really? Perhaps she is more sinister than lead to believe, after all, she dictates that psychopaths are a 'gift of nature', an 'indispensable demographic'... who sometimes kill to make the world a better place – every silver lining... 

The characterisation of Vogel is an interesting one. On the one hand, we have the sudden introduction of a maternal figure in Dexter’s life. She knows his deepest secrets and even supports them. Vogel believes in Dexter and could well be a solid foundation for him. However, there is an overwhelming sense of secrecy that shrouds her sudden resurgence into Dexter's life. At times she appears manipulative and more often than not, utterly untrustworthy – a feeling also shared by Dexter himself. All in all it’s an evident set up – is Dexter merely a pawn in a far bigger plan of Vogel’s? What is she hiding? And with a particularly liberal view over the nature of psychopaths, does that make her a greater threat than any of them? Regardless, a denotative mission has been set up for the mean time, whilst such various questions will inevitably be answered – Dexter must find The Brain Surgeon for Vogel before the Miami Police Department do. Although, there is one distraction throwing him off his trail...

Dexter is of course distracted by the ever increasing, self-destructive tendencies of his sister, Deborah. She remains testy, edgy and forever in a post-potent haze of alcohol and pills. As a means to regain some form of credibility amongst the legal forces, following the colossal screw up of her skip-trace mission with Briggs, she promises her boss Elway she can obtain his stolen jewels – which was her mission in the first place before becoming romantically involved with him. Consequently, she travels to Briggs’ storage unit, only to be followed by El Sapo - a hit man also coveting said jewels.  Both characters tussle but El Sapo reigns supreme leaving Deb battered and bruised. 

The next day Dexter is called to a crime scene, involving a very dead El Sapo. The demise of whom was caused by a few erratic gun shots. He poaches evidence left at the scene and in an unsurprising twist, yet nevertheless full of impact, realises Deb murdered El Sapo. Upon confronting her about this she exclaims, “Anything can happen in this hell hole that is my life... your gift to me Dexter”. So here we have the second set up of this series – Deb as a loose cannon, the unpredictable liability in Dexter's previously controlled existence. The revelation of Deb’s murder (in addition to a mistake he made in tracing The Brain Surgeon) leads to an emotional epiphany for Dexter in the episode's climax – all of a sudden he fully understands the damage he has done to his beloved sister. About time too.

This may become a tired sentiment over the next few weeks but the shows strengths really do lie in the Deborah-Dexter dynamic – the dialogue, performances and overall characterisation between the two truly make for the most captivating viewing. Similarly, it is briefly worth noting that Detective Quinn’s relationship with Deb has also been re-introduced to the story line this week, beginning an interesting and heartfelt sub-plot. 

So there we have it, an overall intriguing set up this week as two ladies are situated within Dexter’s emotionally convoluted life. An already evident pull is at play, between Vogel – a manipulative and maternal figure that may in time evoke trust from Dexter – against Deborah – a self-destructive and unpredictable sister who poses increasing threats each week. Question is, who will he side with?

What were your thoughts on this week's episode of Dexter? Post a comment! 

Review: A Field in England

For those of you who are unfamiliar with director Ben Wheatley, he is a polemic inducing British director, responsible for productions Down Terrace, Kill List and Sightseers. All of which defy simple categorisation as they continuously transgress generic boundaries. I’d argue he is the marmite of British directors, people either love him or hate him. A Field in England is his latest production and in atypical Wheatley fashion, he has once again defied normalcy in the realms of film by choosing to release this latest picture of his via simultaneous distribution. 

That’s right, on its release date of the 5^th of July you could watch A Field in England via cinema screens, Video on Demand, DVD or Film4 (refreshingly without ad breaks). This method, I’d like to believe, may well be the future of film distribution – say what you will about the latest blockbusters, but the anticipation and virality upon this films’ release felt on another level thanks to this distribution model. But anyway, that is perhaps a debate best served in an article of its own right. For now there is a greater matter at hand here, and that is trying to describe what A Field in England is like. Wish me luck...

The year is 1648 and the eponymous field serves as a battle ground for the English Civil War. A scholar and alchemist, Whitehead (Reece Shearsmith) flees from his master (Julian Barratt) and encounters three soldiers, Jacob (Peter Ferdinando), Friend (Richard Glover) and Cutler (Ryan Pope). All four escape battle and hike through the fields of staple British countryside (which inhabit magic mushrooms) partly in search of an ale-house and for a man named O’Neil (Michael Smiley), an Irish alchemist. The men eventually find O’Neil, who proceedingly uses hallucinogens to force Whitehead, Jacob, Friend and Cutler to help him search for some treasure.  

Bear with me... as explanation of the plot does the film a great mis-service. In truth, if a coherent plot is what you’re after anyway then odds are, this film is not for you. Synoptically speaking, A Field in England is incredibly non-sensical and many narrative strands remain unanswered. The film is baffling and the true nature of the characters' quest remains shrouded under a huge question mark. The same can be said for the apparent ale-house and mystical treasure. But is that what the film is really about? No. In truth, the film is an incredibly existential affair questioning ideas of death, religion, fear, despair and humanity – all explored through an increased psychedelic sensibility. It requires spectators to let go of all narrative coherence and bathe in the films’ peculiar filmic process, one that is evocative, atmospheric and utterly compelling. 

Aesthetically speaking, the film is shot in black and white, with each frame possessing the utmost clarity. It is beautiful and Director of Photography Laurie Rose does a wonderful job in transforming the titular field into a macabre yet wondrous space. Elsewhere, certain editing techniques, specifically used in the films’ climactic psychedelic trip, may at times feel a little self-indulgent but are nonetheless a pure, dizzying assault on the spectator’s senses. 

Each member of the cast upholds an incredibly strong and intense performance; this is by and large, a performance piece after all. There is a distinct literary and theatrical feel to each scene, one that almost harks to playwrights such as Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter, whose work often explored the type of absurdist and existential elements that are at play here. Intertextuality is abound elsewhere also, as one could pinpoint definite influences from the likes of Ingmar Bergman and the film Witchfinder General, both in terms of characterisation and the execution of dialogue. Generally speaking however, Reece Shearsmith (Whitehead) is the stand out, transgressing from a wimp and weak character, through the paths of sadism and submission, to a strong soldier in a post-hallucinogenic state. 

Yet for me, I feel the films’ strongest feat is the imagery. Wheatley frequently implements tableau vivant - at times comical and at others, completely baffling - providing a refreshing technique that draws you in whilst framing the next piece of narrativisation. They’re so wonderfully done it will have you reaching for the pause button, just to view it a little longer. However it wouldn't be a Wheatley film without some element of horror and this in turn provides A Field in England with its most compelling and disturbing imagery. In a particular standout sequence, after Whitehead has inadvertently become the captive of O’Neil, he is subsequently sectioned in a tent and undergoes unknown brutalisation. The overwhelming screams allude to the depravity taking place -conversely, the actual act is not shown in a choice of pointed secrecy. Following this - through a magnificent combination of slow motion editing, a leveled medium shot and somewhat synthesised score - emerges a delirious Whitehead harnessed by a rope, acting as a leash. This moment is without a doubt one of the most compelling sequences to have featured in film for quite some time. If there is anything from A Field in England that will stay with you once it has finished, it will be this.

What can I say?! A Field in England is a unique experience and one that I personally loved. It is a strange, powerful... indescribable piece of cinema that will undoubtedly frustrate some but astonish others. Although I guess that is the beauty of Wheatley, his films’ spark debate and division. You either love it or lump it, and I, my English Civil War enthusiasts, loved it.   

Have you seen A Field in England? What where your thoughts? Post a comment!

Review: Dexter: Season 8, Episode 1 - A Beautiful Day

(Spoilers!)

And so it begins, the final season of Dexter. I won’t bore you with a season-by-season recap leading us up to this point (there is a nifty "previously on..." anyway), but what I will say is this – our beloved blood-analyst-come-serial-killer has been an absolute joy to watch. Over the past seven seasons we have witnessed Dexter and his dark passenger overcome countless obstacles, the most recent of which was Maria LaGuerta. A woman who came very close to revealing Dexter's true ways, before being ceremoniously shot at the end of season seven by Deborah, Dexter’s sister. Six months on from the shooting and this is where season eight chimes in, with a decent first episode entitled A Beautiful Day. 

So how is Dexter coping after the death of LaGuerta? Well, it appears he is doing fantastic. The episode opens with a slow motion montage, oozing exuberance, whilst he gallantly flies a kite with his son, Harrison, and details the recent success of his personal life, in the all too familiar monologue style. His son's soccer team won the school championship, the bowling team are back together, he's even engaging in casual relationships. Life would appear pretty sweet for our titular protagonist, however quite the opposite could be said for his sister, Deborah.

Completely contrasting the character we have all come to know and love, Deborah left the force following the death of LaGuerta and now 'works' as a private detective. By work, however, I mean use drugs and alcohol to excess whilst engaging in an affair with Andrew Briggs, a bail-skipping jewel thief who resides in a motel and partakes in dodgy dealings. She is undeniably on a path of self destruction following her decision to shoot LaGuerta, a path which she blames on Dexter - the two of whom, we learn, have not spoken since the shooting incident. 

Dexter, after his usual investigative tricks, manages to track Deborah down in a supermarket. Both then converse in a rather strong sequence, which details the complete and utter breakdown of their once all-too-tight familial dynamic. She accuses him of making her compromise everything she valued about herself and for that, she hates him. In a startling revelation, Deborah exclaims to Dexter, “I shot the wrong person in that trailer”. It’s a statement with a little too much sting for Dexter’s liking, and it is testament to the acting of both Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter, that we too also feel it. The collapse of their brother-sister bond causes Dexter to experience a sense of volatile unease and instigates the first narrative trope of season eight – the mission to repair and regenerate their relationship. This may prove rather difficult however, as he does ultimately end up killing Briggs this week in addition to hearing another startling truth from Deborah – she doesn't need him anymore, perhaps he is the one that needs her.

The second narrative trope introduced this week is the character of Dr. Evelyn Vogel. Brought in to the police department after a particularly bizarre murder (in which part of the victims brain was removed), she is without a doubt the next obstacle from which Dexter may have to overcome. Vogel is a neuro-psychiatrist, a profiler of serial killers and yet to be determined friend or foe. Whilst conversing with Dexter in several sequences, her professional musings are spot on to his characteristics, creating a sense of discomfort, heightened through the effective use of close ups. For me, the novelty of this dynamic soon wears off however, so it is a well received moment toward the end of the episode when she exclaims to Dexter, “You can’t kill me... ‘cause I don’t fit Harry’s code”. It's an effective and enigmatic twist, as already, their relationship is far more layered than anticipated. Her role in Dexter’s life in future episodes will prove to be a very interesting one indeed. 

Elsewhere in Miami, the same old cast return. Batista is still coming to terms with the death of LaGuerta, Masuka continues to wear his colourful shirts, whilst Quinn and Jamie are forming a romantic relationship with one another... well trying to anyway. Each of these sub-plots felt a little vacuous, forced and not particularly engaging, however I approach that statement with a sense of trepidation; after all, it is only the first episode. Furthermore, they are essentially fillers for what will hopefully be the true captivating stuff of this series – the Dexter-Deborah and Dexter-Vogel relationships.  

The episode ends on a far bleaker note in comparison to its beginning. Before the cliff hanger of Vogel’s revelation, Dexter sit’s on LaGuerta’s memorial bench, kite run aground and stunned in a sense of existentialism. Quite a fitting image really, and one that I feel may thematically encapsulate what the rest of this series will be about – questioning the choices in life, Harry’s code and where to go from here. A beautiful day indeed...

Overall a good return for Dexter this week. Stylistically speaking the show remains very much the same and it is a joy to have it back on our screens. Despite the un-engaging sub-plots from Batista et al., Hall and Carpenter are as wonderful together as always, showcasing their strongest performances yet and setting up what will be a particularly vociferous repairing of familial bridges. This episode alone also posits Vogel as a brilliant new threat-come-companion for Dexter. She will undoubtedly become a catalyst through which he will inevitably question himself and his actions, thus providing a nice juicy bit of character development and comprising what will hopefully be an intense, emotional and lengthy farewell this series.

What were your thoughts on the first episode of season eight? Post a comment!