TV Review: DEXTER - Shrink Wrap 1.8

DEXTER – “I can’t kill Dr. Meridian yet. I still need another therapy session”

Another brilliant episode from Dexter’s first season, I have the last three to watch now so as you know I’ve been waiting until I got the chance to write up these reviews before I watched the rest otherwise I would just forget. In “Shrink Wrap” the writing and the
acting were both brilliant but, it wasn’t just what was happening between Dexter and his next victim that got me. I’m really enjoying seeing Dexter with Rita, I have only seen Dexter like this in season 5 with Lumen, a character I hoped would be sticking around, I guess Julia Stiles has a pretty busy film career.

In “Shrink Wrap” the suicide of a powerful and wealthy business woman leads Dexter to believe that foul play could be at hand thanks to her psychiatrist Dr Emmett Meridian (Tony Goldwyn). In order to carry out his investigation thoroughly Dexter decides to book in for some therapy of his own in what would eventually become his kill room however, Dexter is surprised to find that his visits to the shrink start to open up deeper memories from his past which get him talking about both those and his relationship with Rita.

I’ll talk about that relationship with Rita first because that’s something that for me is getting better all the time, I’m not so into the relationship side of things although I do find it interesting as to why Rita stuck with Dexter all that time due to his awkwardness. It would seem though that all the visit’s to the shrink did eventually bring out the “Animal” in Dexter who finally got round to consummating the relationship. Anyway enough about that what I really like about the Rita story line is the re-appearance of her ex husband Paul Bennett (Mark Pellegrino), I’m really looking forward to see how his character is developed, mind you I just clicked his character name on IMDB and think I may have just spoilt it for myself with a brief summary of the first episode of season 2, oops. I do really like his character though especially in scenes where there is only him and Rita or him and Dexter for me he adds a real edge, I did touch on the fact a few weeks back that I thought Dexter would have to deal with him eventually and from the spoiler I just mentioned above it looks like I may be right.

Although I have known from the first episode who The Ice Truck Killer is, this is the first episode where fans find out that it’s Debra’s boyfriend Dr Rudy (Christian Camargo), Dexter’s brother, oops, you don’t know that yet, sorry. This reveal comes right at the end of the episode leaving us with a real nail biter going into the next but, it also tells us that Neil Perry is not The Ice Truck Killer as Lt La Guerta suspects when she goes over and over the evidence. Neil is undoubtedly creepy but not a killer.

Dexter’s kill is executed brilliantly as always following more flashbacks to his childhood, I love those. In “Shrink Wrap” Harry is teaching young Dexter about entry points, how to get in and out without being caught a tactic he uses to his advantage in finishing off Dr Meridian.

I have read a lot saying that “Shrink Wrap” was the best episode in the first season so far, I agree that it was very good more so in acting and dialogue, it was better than the previous offering “Circle of Friends” but I don’t think it topped “Return To Sender”. Now I’m getting caught up I can get on with the rest of the first season, just the last three episodes to go and I can’t wait.