Having just finished watching season three of Dexter, I am comfortable in saying that it is currently my favorite TV show. It's got something for everyone - drama, intrigue, dark humor, and some coarse language.
Warning: What follows may contain spoilers.
Season three opens with out anti-hero Dexter in a good place. His life is in order and he seems to have moved on from the events of season two. While on the hunt, for a drug dealer named "Freebo", is interrupted by another man. In the ensuing melee Dexter kills the mystery man in self defence. Dexter flees, not sure of the identity of his latest victim, and unsure of the whereabouts of Freebo. Unluckily for Dexter, the dead man is the brother of prominent Miami assistant district attorney Miguel Prado. Luckily for Dexter, the Miami PD believe that Freebo is the killer. If Dexter is to remain undiscovered, he needs to dispatch of Freebo before the police can find him. Dexter and Miguel are drawn together by a common goal, finding Freebo, even though their motives differ, self preservation and revenge respectively.
When Dexter tracks down Freebo, and does what Dexter does, he is discovered by Miguel, murder weapon in hand, guilty as sin. Rather than call the police, Miguel hugs Dexter, thanking him for avenging his brothers death. The two men now share a secret, and for the first time in his life, it looks like Dexter has made a true friend. A friend that Dexter is prepared to reveal his true self to.
On the home front, Rita, Dexter's girlfriend, reveals she's pregnant. Dexter is a little shocked, he's used to taking life after all, not giving life. Ultimately Dexter proposes to Rita, and the happy couple become engaged. Dexter is thrown into wedding preparations. He's way out of his comfort zone.
With Dexter and Miguel becoming close friends, Rita also befriends Miguel's wife, Sylvia. Dexter discovers that as assistant district attorney, Miguel is in a unique position to help him with his projects (ie. dispatching bad guys that slip through the legal system). Miguel approaches Dexter about taking a more active role in the projects, and in an effort to discourage him, Dexter proposes a high risk assignment. Rather than discouraging Miguel, as he'd planned, the operation, that involves freeing a convicted man continuing to commit crimes whilst in prison, convinces Dexter that he has found a true friend, one capable of sharing his dark secret.
As the series plays out, you wonder whether Dexter's trust in Miguel is misplaced. So... is it?
A sub-plot running throughout season three is Debra's, Dexter's sister, mission to earn her detective shield. She ends up working on a case to track down a serial killer, that becomes known as the Skinner. As she finds herself romantically entangled with her Confidential Informant (CI), her dream of becoming a detective gets caught up in the potential unravelling of Dexter and Miguel's friendship. After learning that her father, Harry, was having an affair with his own CI, Debra begins to do some digging, hoping to find out who it was he was having an affair with. As the audience, we know that Harry had an affair with Dexter's biological mother, but will Debra put it altogether? If she does Dexter's true nature would be revealed.
So, will Dexter live long enough to see his wedding day? Will Miguel out Dexter as the real Bay Harbour Butcher? Will Debra learn that Harry was having an affair with Dexter's biological mom? and therefore will Debra learn the truth about Dexter? Oooohhh the intrigue.
Overall, season three was must see TV. For a show to run three seasons and still maintain my attention is a very rare thing. I guess it is because there is always so much going on that it has an addictive quality.
If you've read the books, but haven't seen season three yet, you may be wondering what season three has in common with the novels. The answer is, not a lot. You could suggest that some of the themes from the second novel, Dearly Devoted Dexter, get picked up in the show. The idea of Dexter identifying an 'apprentice', applies in both narratives, however whereas the show features Miguel in the role of apprentice, the novel uses Rita's children, Astor and Cody in that role. I guess grooming kids to take control of their Dark Passenger's is a little too dark for TV?
There are also some similarities between the character of the Skinner featured in the TV version and Dr. Danko that pops up in Dearly Devoted Dexter. Both characters are ex-military "interrogator's" used to using torture to get what they need. Both character also end up capturing Dexter at some point, without realising he is more than he seems.
The finale of season three also hints that Debra may eventually learn of Dexter's true nature. She found out about Dexter's extra curricular activities in the first novel.
Should you watch Dexter? Heck yes. Run, don't walk to your local video store and hire out the first couple of seasons, then get on board season three.
If you want to read some more stuff on Dexter check out my write up of the books Dearly Devoted Dexter and Darkly Dreaming Dexter.
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