Review: DEXTER 1.7 - Circle of Friends

DEXTER -  “The FBI estimates that there are less than 50 serial killers active in the United States today. We don’t get together a conventions, share trade secrets or exchange Christmas cards…. but sometimes I wonder what it’s like for the others. The only sound I hear, the only sound in the entire world… is my heart beating”.

I have to say that following the magnificent “Return to Sender” I was really disappointed with what “Circle of Friends” had to offer, I understand that they can’t all be as tense, satisfying and near to the edge as the last episode but I was hoping things had moved up a gear following all of the developments last week, lets remember this is 7 episodes now and we still haven’t met (officially) the Ice Truck Killer.

Given last weeks extremely close call Dexter has clearly decided that to kill anyone again so soon would probably not be in his best interests, maybe he has decided that to kill anyone other than the Ice Truck Killer would be a bad move, as he needs to ensure that his play mate is well and truly out the picture as he can’t afford anymore costly slip-ups.  This is where Dexter’s problem lay this week, he had considered killing again, Jeremy Downs is a kid Dexter let go previously believing that the person he killed deserved it, proved wrong Dexter is just considering his options when Jeremy is busted and sent to prison. Not long after that Deb and Batista believe they have identified the Ice Truck Killer in Neil Perry, a taxidermist with a history of mental illness, arrested and interviewed he admits to everything Dexter’s “Circle of Friends” or play mates as they are sometimes described are dwindling.

(Major spoiler ahead, if you haven't seen this episode then don't read any further)

Something doesn’t sit right though, Dexter has seen the work of the Ice Truck Killer, someone who is a true professional, a doctor perhaps?  Doctor Rudy, who’s looking after Tucci and Deb is just about to ask on a date…..Yeah, I spilt the beans, he’s the Ice Truck Killer, they were sort of spilt last time round but just in case you missed it there you go. Of course non of them know that about Rudy yet, he's just Deb's great new boyfriend that Dexter doesn't really want to know but is forced to hear about.

This wasn’t an episode that I was overly impressed with but it did have it’s moments. This is the episode where we are first introduced to Paul Bennett (Mark Pellegrino, Lost’s Jacob) the abusive, violent tempered and recently paroled ex husband of Rita. Dexter asks her when did you first notice he had a dark side? She replies by telling Dexter that she always sort of knew and didn’t think she was worth anything more until she met Dexter. Funny as Dexter says “I have a dark side to” Rita laughs and shrugs off such a suggestion saying “your not like Paul, you don’t hurt people”, Dexter comes back with “Innocent people, I don’t hurt innocent people” a great little line with Dexter
confessing in someway that he does have a dark passenger, maybe trying to make Rita aware of who he is

I’m really starting to enjoy Doakes too, In “Circle of Friends” Dexter is paying particular attention to a dead body going over it in his usual careful manner rudely interrupted by Doakes who says “did you get a hard on there Morgan?”. They should have kept does in the show for the quirky little one liners if anything. As well Doakes is the only person who has really ever suspected Dexter of anything other than Quinn in season 5, for me though Desmond Harrington does not have quite the same presence on the screen as Erik King. Suspicion of odd behaviour is usually pointed in the direction of Masuka, another funny character who was this week asked to provide his finger prints by Deb who suggested that he my be the The Ice Truck Killer.

I don’t really have a great deal to say on this episode, I felt it was very much about going through the motions, things will no doubt start to get more interesting from here in relation to the Ice Truck Killer, and the return of Paul Bennett. Dexter can never really fail for me though and I can’t wait to get on with the rest of the first season.