Having nothing to do with the classic Springsteen album, this episode opens with Dexter and his dead brother, Brian, dispensing limbs into the gulf. Brian is urging Dexter to give into his bloodlust, “you don’t turn the other cheek, you slice it”, when Debra, “the one who got away” interrupts their debate. Dexter quiets his imaginary serial killer brother to rush to his adopted police lieutenant sisters’ side.
At the station Deb informs Dexter, that the man who killed his wife, Rita, has struck again. This time the Trinity Killer apparently killed his own wife and daughter. Only his son Jonah escaped alive, which is suspicious to Dexter because he personally killed Trinity. At his dead brothers urging, Dexter abruptly goes on a road trip to kill Jonah. The surviving Whore of Babylon relates what she experienced during captivity, revealing the identity of a second killer who called the other “professor.”
Travis, having broken up with Professor Gellar, is staying with his sister. It’s not long before his ex shows up to retrieve him. Standing his ground, and bravely protected by a screen door, Travis makes it clear he can’t continue his twisted relationship with his mentor. Gellar vows to continue his work with, or without Travis.
After being publicly brow beaten by her pal Captain LaGeurta, Deb and her share an elevator ride that ends with both acknowledging what I’ve been saying for weeks. If Deb can’t catch the Doomsday Killer (“DDK”) she’ll lose her job. Dexter could solve the case in a heartbeat but he’s too busy divorcing himself from reality. Stopping in a convenience store, Dex has sex with a hot clerk in a stockroom and steals a pistol from under the counter.
While blasting Iggy and the Stooges seminal “Search and Destroy” (I’ll be at their upcoming Warfield show in SF) Dex and his brother bond over shooting holes in road signs and billboards. They pull into the Bates Motel and meet the shady proprietor. Taking a detour to town, by way of Children in the Corn, Dexter discovers the owners’ hidden marijuana plots.
Finding Jonah at work, Dexter is surprised to be addressed by his real name and not Kyle Butler. Tying up a HUGE plot hole from season 4, Jonah informs Dexter that his family decided not to identify him after Rita was murder. But Dexter and Brian acknowledge he most likely killed his family. Dexter doesn’t want to accept that killing may be family trait passed down. So to satisfy his code, Dexter breaks into his house to recreate the crime scene and is discovered by Jonah. Dexter readily acknowledges that he killed Jonah’s father. Jonah escapes and Dexter goes looking for the knives and forensic kit that was stolen from his car.
Following through with his break up ritual, Travis goes through his apartment and removes Gellar’s belongings and puts them in a box. Showing up at their secret headquarters, Travis asks his mentor to let him be free. Gellar dismisses him and makes plans to attend the apocalypse solo.
Quinn is also looking for closure and apologizes to Deb for being such a ridiculous ass clown. In the process he gets a mercy smooch in his bosses office and finally accepts that Deb can’t date anyone more than a season. Masuka’s nerdy intern is able to narrow down the identity of Gellar’s assistant to 200 former students putting them only 4 episodes behind Dexter in police work.
Confronting the shady hotel manager in his shed, Dexter finds his knives and forensic kit held ransom. Letting his brothers influence guide him Dexter quickly impales his would be blackmailer with a pitchfork. The two giddy brothers them dump his body in a grain silo. Hoping to make the night a double header, Dexter walks into Jonah’s workplace expecting a trap. Dexter disarms him and is about to kill him, when he realizes that’s what Jonah wants. He learns that Jonah’s sister killed herself and Jonah blamed his mother for it, attacking her in a rage.
Unable to live with being like his father Jonah begs Dexter to kill him. Dex rejects Brian’s encouragement and lets Jonah live. Dexter leaves behind the waning influence of his brother and picks up a hitchhiking Harry on his way back to Miami and the main plot of “DDK.”
On the Table.
Travis clearly doesn’t watch a lot of horror movies or he’d know by not RSVPing to the apocalypse, he might anger whatever god Gellar is using all his roving minutes to talk to. He might also gleam he’s made his sister an appealing future victim.
I enjoyed the return of Dexter slain brother Brian, the character had some great remarks on Dexter’s development from season one. He also makes an interesting counterpoint to Deborah perspective, leaving Dexter to dangle somewhere between these two influences.
It’s always strange to see Dexter in sexual situations but it was established earlier this season he’s not above using sex to steal a much needed prop. The return of Trinity’s family, or a third of it, was a nice way to remedy some plot issues from season four / beginning of five and move Dexter’s story forward. Glad to see some continuity between the seasons (although that actor has clearly joined a gym since we saw him last). Might we get some updates on Astor and Cody?
Deb is going to have some issues with Dexter after his extended absence from the station during such a critical time. I wonder if the miracle at the coffee machine might come back into play. Should Dexter show some selflessness he might be able to help his sister and honor Brother Sam’s wishes.
A stellar episode with some obvious homage’s to horror past. The pitchfork through the chest has been done a few times in F13 and Dark Night of the Scarecrow. Did I miss any others?