TV Review: DEXTER - Father Knows Best 1.9

DEXTER – “I built my life on Harry’s code. I lived by it. But Harry Lied. Why would he do that? What else don’t I know? My concrete foundation is turning to shifting sand. Maybe Rudy was right. You never can truly know anyone”.

Another great instalment to Dexter, and one which saw the Ice Truck Killer Rudy coming closer to his biological brother Dexter, I really enjoyed this one and again what I found really great were those flashbacks to Dexter’s childhood, a nice move given the subject of “Father Knows Best” and a real inside look into just who Dexter Morgan is and how he was brought up by Harry.

In “Father Knows Best” Dexter is informed that his biological father Joe Driscoll has died and left him everything he owned including his house, this is a strange one for Dexter as he was told that his father had died 30 years earlier. So, that means it’s time for a road trip for Dexter and Rita who go to clear out the house where they are soon joined by Debra and Rudy. The two serial killers strike a real chord with each other and funnily enough get on like “brothers”. This is enhanced further when Dexter does some snooping around in relation to the circumstances of his father’s death, he breaks into a building and
is helped out in his escape by Rudy.

That is the root of most of this episodes great flashback’s with the young Dexter constantly questioning Harry about the identity of his biological parents. We also found out about the mystery donor who gave blood to help Dexter out after an accident as Harry had forced Joe Driscoll to give the blood and help out his son. Harry told Dexter that he was protecting him by not revealing the identity of his father. The flashbacks were probably the best part of this episode for me, I think the intensity in scenes with the Ice Truck Killer will be getting better and better. The flashbacks are always great but in “Father Knows Best” they were so revealing, Dexter’s first season is a must for anyone looking to get into the show as the background story is so brilliant.

Away from all the excitement of the flashbacks and The Ice Truck Killer, my new found likability for Sgt Doakes was enhanced further. We know he was in the military now and whilst out on patrol with Batista he jumped out the car, chased and shot a guy who he says was part of a Haitian death Squad that he fought against in the forces. It was all about revenge for fallen comrades for Doakes and now he has to rely on kind hearted Batista lying for him as both Batista and Dexter give a very different account as to what actually happened to the guy. The reason I liked this was to see weather or not Batista would tell all to internal affairs as he was getting a hard time in the office, following his hard time Doakes still stands behind Batista and challenges people who question the decision that he made. As well as the Doakes side note Rita’s ex husband Paul also started to show his true colours this week which will no doubt come to a better story in the last few episodes.

For me “Father Knows Best” wasn’t the best episode of the first season but, I think it was very good in that it’s an important episode into who Dexter is, and maybe who Rudy really is. I mean that poor old lady across the street after Rudy the “Cable Guy” had been around, I guess she’s the next victim so, does that mean that Rudy killed Joe Driscoll
too? Knowing that would bring him and Dexter closer together. A must see episode for any Dexter fan.