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!

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