The Dope Box TV Blog

Dexter, I Had a Dream, Showtime TV Series Recap & Review Blog

Blurry, ominous Hallucination Harry made some notable appearances this week. When Dexter is in the trunk of a car with hands bound and a sack over his head, Harry appears, insisting he’s there for moral support, and tells Dex this is probably what his victims feel like. Gee, thanks, dad! He tells his son he doesn’t blame him for wanting a friend, though; he’s proud of him for trying. Harry also drops by Dexter’s imagination later to show him a very organized (subject tabs and all) Kill Plan for Miguel Prado.

Back in the trunk…after his hands are free, Dex waits, ready to pounce. He socks Masuka in the eye before he realizes he’s been kidnapped for the bachelor party (totally called it). Dex’s reaction to the promise of alcohol, adult entertainment, and a party boat? “Kill me now.” Of course, his preferred source of amusement isn’t really permissible in public.

Amidst a sea of perfectly symmetrical boobies, Miguel gives his best man speech, sprinkled with references to weapons and murder. He cites Dexter’s habit of bringing cholesterol-laden donuts to work and then wryly says, “Why not just stab a pal in the ventricle?” Oh, Miguel. Be careful what you ask for. He also says true friends know when to “bury the hatchet.”

Inappropriate Masuka comment of the week (so hard to choose): After catching heat from Debra for not inviting her to Dexter’s party, Masuka explains that one must have a dong to gain entry to a bachelor party. Unless, of course, she wanted to strip. She replies: “Gross, he’s my brother.” Winner: “Not by blood.” Masuka also met a girl stripper he’s sweet on and is relieved to hear she occasionally rams people with her car since that means she’s not out of his league. Masuka with a girlfriend? That’ll be something to see.

In Why are Quinn’s lips so pink? news: Someone finally mentions the fact that Quinn wears lip gloss. Hearing Deb and Anton are over, he asks her to “carpool” to Dexter’s wedding. I’ve been waiting for those two kids to get together. You know what it’ll mean if they get romantic, right? That he’s definitely involved in some unlawful activity. She’s got an innate attraction to criminals, after all. He also had a little slice taken off his forehead by the Skinner. Even with unnaturally pastel lips and a chunk missing from his face, he’s still pretty.

Showing that she really is a good detective, LaGuerta follows a hunch that Miguel is responsible for Ellen Wolf’s death. She invites him over for dinner and surreptitiously collects particles from his trunk. While her cop skills are on point, her trunk-closing skills are not. Miguel knows what she’s done when he notices the trunk’s ajar. Dexter is watching from his car the whole time. He’s her guardian…angel?

After the hair and follicle tests are a match for Ellen Wolf, Dexter tells LaGuerta to wait for a little while so they can build a stronger case. She’s flustered, of course. This is the second time she’s found out one of her close friends is a murderer. True, the other time (with Doakes) it was an elaborate setup by Dexter but she doesn’t know that.

Miguel’s death date is moved up since the department is close to nabbing the Skinner and Dexter plans to pin the murder on him. After some hotel snooping, it’s clear Miguel has plans to kill LaGuerta that night. Dex makes sure to be waiting, syringe in hand, for his former amigo.

During the kill scene, Miguel tries to convince Dexter that he just wants to be let in and that he accepts him as a brother. “I killed my brother,” Dex says. “I killed your’s too.” And with that, out comes the garrote wire o’ strangulation, and we say adios to Miguel. It’s in these sorts of scenes where we get to see the genuine, cocky, acerbically witty Dexter who we normally only hear through his narration.  

“Holy Jesus on a stick!” -Debra

Dexter About Last Night Showtime TV series, Episode Recap & Blog

The early morning is a happy one for Dexter. Someone has shared his truth. You know, the one where he stalks, kills, and dismembers people. The pleasant glow he feels becomes muddied when Miguel’s wife comes over and asks if he knows where her hubby was all night. She’s sure he was sleeping with another woman. Which is sorta true. But he was doing less sleeping and more beating, strangling, and stabbing.

Dexter finds Miguel, who’s whistling Camptown Races (the perfect I’ve-just-committed-double-homicide-and-I’m-feeling-fine tune), and asks him where he was last night. Unfortunately, his new pal is lying to him. This doesn’t bode well for Club Serial Killer.

Realizing he may not be able to fully trust his amigo, Dexter goes to Ellen Wolf’s apartment after hearing she’s missing. He continues having Harry hallucinations, warning him about Miguel. Traces of blood show up under a UV light so Dex goes to the cemetery where he claimed to have dumped Freebo’s body. A little dirt shoveling (in gravedigger garb, of course) leads him to confirm his suspicions.

Club SK meets for lunch and Dexter scolds Miguel for straying from the code to kill Ellen. But Miguel takes issue with her being called innocent. Lesson time! Dex unearths Ellen’s body enough to be seen (by 2 young boys frolicking among the tombstones). He made sure the dump site was clean but wanted to do enough to scare the newbie murderer. Miguel says he gets it, calls Dex wise, says he’s going to end up saving his life. Which would be sweet if he hadn’t said the exact same thing to Rita. Not a very careful sociopath, is he?

In Debra’s-a-high-strung-mess news: Anton is missing. She was right about the tree trimmer, though. It seems that the smiley, courteous, and slight George King is the Skinner after all. He’s brought in for questioning but remains only as calm as the most gifted psycho can. Dexter sees right through his unruffled facade. I suppose the old adage “It takes one to know one” holds true. After getting her bro’s “creepy insight,” Deb ignores the part where he says to be respectful and ferociously tackles the little Nicaraguan.

Miguel insinuates that he’s going to help find Anton by offering George King a deal, turns the camera off, and the Skinner walks free. What the other cops don’t know is that Mr. Prado wants to skin the Skinner himself. Deb comes up with a plan to scare King’s minion Mario by trimming the trees at his home (making him think the Skinner has been there) then offering him protection if he squeals. This leads them to the building where Anton, looking like a peeled rutabaga but alive, is being held. Quinn uses some cop techniques gleaned from Die Hard movies and drives the car through the front door.

In a scene of pure emotional revulsion, Miguel comforts LaGuerta, who’s upset about the death of her friend, who he murdered. He tells her he’s “right here” for her. So. Messed. Up.

Dexter, feeling like he just can’t trust his buddy anymore, tests the blood on the shirt Miguel gave him. It’s supposed to be Freebo’s, which might be true if Freebo were a cow. Inner Dex becomes enraged, having a massive temper tantrum, throwing shit everywhere and dramatically yelling, “MIGUEL!!!” Exterior Dexter keeps his cool and plots his first revenge based on a real live emotion.

“Anton’s a big guy, a lot of skin. That’s meant to be comforting.” -Dexter