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...