TV Review: DEXTER Season 2 Finale - The British Invasion 2.12

Picking up exactly where "Left Turn Ahead" left off, "The British Invasion" saw Psycho chick Lila steal Dexter’s GPS and rush out to the Everglades to be met by the captive Sgt Doakes who wilfully informed her that boyfriend Dexter is in fact The Bay Harbour Butcher. “The British Invasion” was a good episode and it was handled very well the way they closed it out. I think the season 2 protagonist is supposed to be Lila, yeah she is completely nuts but for me it was the battle between Sgt Doakes and Dexter which I enjoyed more, that was part of the story which had to come to an end here.

You have to say Doakes is going to be a massive miss in this brilliant TV show, when I first started watching the first season I didn’t really care all that much for him, but he is a big character and a larger than life kind of guy who not only provides stellar acting skills but also some great laughs with his one liners, most of which are thrown in Dexter’s direction, I loved the battle between the two of them this season and you really have to take your hat off to the writers here as killing off a favourite character is something that most shows just don’t do, luckily to provide us with laughs we will still have Vince Masuka, but yeah sorry Doakes, his funeral was in this episode and no one attended thanks to everyone thinking that he was The Bay Harbour Butcher, a situation that you think Dexter may feel guilty about.

Not likely, Dexter is now home free, he has no worries and can go about his life with Rita, Astor and Cody comfortably without the worry of someone revealing his true identity. Or at least that’s what he thinks until contacted by Lila who wants to meet with him at the local aquarium, he agrees and the pair conjure up a plan to run off together, at least that’s what Lila thinks. Dexter has another plan one which we learn about in the monologue “your going away with me alright – in a garbage bag”. Finally we are going to see Lila get her comeuppance, in a shrewd move Dexter arranges to meet Lila in her loft with his “luggage”, problem is Debra walks in first with the papers to be served on her for being an illegal immigrant, fortunately for Debra, Dexter realises it her just before he sticks in the M99, however she is soon followed by Lila who sees Dexter 's tools of the trade on the floor and realises she is about to become the Bay Harbour Butchers next victim.

This is where this episode got a little tenser for me as Lila knocks out Rita’s babysitter kidnapping Astor and Cody, Dexter knows nothing as he tries frantically to ring her, returning to the station he is met by Agent Lundy who informs him that someone has called the office with information regarding the Bay Harbour Butcher case and told him Dexter knows all about it, he realises this is another game and she’s stalling for time, he returns home to find the babysitter unconscious and the kids are gone. Dexter now has to rush to Lila's apartment where he finds the kids safe and well, however artist and serial arsonist Lila is in the mood for starting fires and locks Dexter and the kids in there.

Kids are fine, Rita is fine and Deb is fine, now its time for a Dexter road trip and for the first time ever that I can recall Dexter hits Europe, Paris to be more specific. This is where Lila has fled too, and arriving at her new apartment she is greeted by a postcard reading “Greetings from Miami”, turning it over there is no writing, just a picture of Doakes, right then Dexter jumps out and injects Lila with an epidural before carrying out his usual ritual, a satisfying end to that crazy lady.

This was a good episode but like I said above I do feel that the previous was better, but hey that’s just my opinion, maybe yours is different. I kind of feel a little like the ending scene was rushed through, seeing Lila get what she deserved was good but generally Dexter would prolong it, maybe it was because he had his plane to catch as he explained to her earlier, or maybe it was something done purposely by writers, who knows?

TV Review: DEXTER - Left Turn Ahead 2.11, Hurricane DEXTER'S Path of Destruction

Dexter - "I've really enjoyed our conversations James. I lie to everyone I know, except my victims, right before I kill them"

EDIT - There are no major spoilers here, I made a complete balls up when I first typed this review and have just had to re-hash it at 3.30am when I came home from work realising I was an episode early on most of the events I had mentioned. Still, enjoy.

I think I'll go out on a limb here and say that "Left Turn Ahead" is one of Dexter's best episodes in the second season. I thought “That Night, A Forst Grew" was impressive but this just completely blew it out the water.  I mean the season 1 finale was brilliant and that was accompanied by some pretty great episodes throughout but “Left Turn Ahead” would probably have to go down as one of the best Dexter episodes of all time, there was just so much going on here and what happened at the end, well, let’s just say say keep reading and you will find out.

Dexter has effectively thrown the towel in during this episode and decides that if Harry couldn’t even live with the code he created then neither can he, and decides that turning himself in would surely be the best option for all involved, but first he gives himself a day to set things straight with Rita and Deb, the two most important people in his life. Dexter set’s everything right with Rita telling her that he loves her no matter what happens, and decides to get Debra round to his flat and confess all. It's quite an amusing scene as Dexter runs through every possible scenario of how Debra may react to the news that her brother is Miami's most notorious serial killer in history, he is the Bay Harbour Butcher and Doakes has been completely innocent all along.

Dexter - "Deb, I'm the Bay Harbour Butcher"

Ha, Yeah it's true I'm the butcher Deb!

I didn't realise at first that was a flash forward, pleased it was of course and really I should have known having seen the later season's of Dexter, I know she doesn't know, well actually she does, you can see how she reacts here. Luckily for Dexter, Debra is not really in the mood for listening, she gives a little pep talk about how good the steak is which all but convinces Dexter that handing himself in is a bad idea and that he can go on comfortably living the life he leads. However as Dexter is contemplating handing himself in LaGuerta is off in Haiti investigating Doakes' claims that he is innocent and seeking out Dexter's blood slides which were given to Leones.

Like the previous episode "Left Turn Ahead" is really helped along by those great scenes between Dexter and Doakes. The FBI now have Deputy Director Max Adams (Jonathan Banks) on the case and he has managed to find some evidence which suggests that Sgt Doakes is hiding out in the Everglades. Dexter now has a race on his hands, knowing the FBI will be flooding the Everglades, can he reach the cabin before they do? Or maybe someone else will get there first.

Major Spoiler ahead, if you haven't seen this episode yet then I wouldn't read any further.

Now we have talked about Lila (Jamie Murray) in just about every episode, and I think we have established by now that she is a crazy bitch, well, said crazy bitch set up a little meet with Batista in the previous episode and now she wants him back at her apartment. Being a guy Batista agrees hoping that he will be getting some of the action Dexter has had of late, however Lila has a cunning plan and its all a bid to win Dexter back from Rita, she purposely overdoses on medication and collapses in the bathroom, waking up in hospital she tries to frame Batista forcing Dexter's hand to tell his own little white lie. Lila just won't go away though and when released from hospital she finds yet another way to get to Dexter, she finds his GPS, locks onto the last coordinates and takes herself off on a little drive to the Everglades national park. Dexter now has a race on his hands to beat both Lila and the FBI to the Everglades or his secret will be out and In what is one of the best Dexter scenes ever Lila finally realises just who Dexter is and what he is capable of.  

As always with Dexter "Left Turn Ahead" does not come without it laughs and as usual its lab geek Masuka who's on hand to provide the jokes, the FBI and Miami Metro are watching some CCTV footage of Doakes from a local service station. Masuka says "I don't believe it", Dexter "What" thinking Masuka is going to say something about Doakes he comes out with "it's $1.49 for regular", but hey I suppose that's cheap these days. Whilst we are on the lighter side of this episode I can't help but mention Rita's car, where did they get that? The set of a rap video? And Lundy's trousers, come on, must be a golfer.

"Left Turn Ahead" is quite possibly one of my favourite episodes of Dexter ever (bear in mind I haven't seen seasons 3 and 4), it is by far and away the best of season 2 and for me it's hard to pick a winner between this and season one's "Return To Sender" where Dexter also faced a battle with Doakes, top marks I say.

TV Review: DEXTER - There's Something About Harry 2.10

Ah, well following on from what was one of my favourite episodes in “Resistance is Futile” Dexter can now breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now anyway. Doakes is safely tucked away in a cage deep within the Everglades, Lundy is upping the manhunt to find him and
Rita has decided to take Dexter back, I mean what more could Miami’s most famous serial killer hope for? Problem is, it’s not long before LaGuerta starts to disbelieve everything the FBI are saying and decides to start here own little investigation hoping to prove Doakes innocence, will she do it before Dexter decides what he will be doing with his prisoner? And will Lila settle for second best in Batista?

Of course she won’t, this Lila chick is crazy inviting Batista round for what he thinks is going to be a pretty fun filled night, she proceeds to OD on some drugs and has to be put in an ambulance, a desperate move to get Dexter’s attention and one which could land
Batista in a whole lot of trouble. Dexter now has a situation, does he leave Rita to help out Lila just after she’s taken him back? Or should he just leave it to Batista? Of course he can’t do that, as Lila is to dangerous and one wrong word to Dexter’s colleague could land him right back in the spot he found himself in the episode before.

Doakes has had enough of being stuck in a cage by this point and decides to play hardball with Dexter, he tells him he has two options, kill him or let him go, but Dexter has a third option, he wants some info about Harry’s death from Doakes and before he decides what to do with him he does a little digging. Just how did Harry die? Thanks to Captain Matthews Dexter finds out, Harry killed himself, he could no longer live with the guilt of what he had created in Dexter, even with the code instilled walking in on it happening was all a little to much to take.

Once Dexter has the information he required, that’s it he’s back and focused on what to do with Doakes, following the revelation breaking the code is something he does not want to do, but remember the first rule “don’t get caught”, that’s his priority and luckily for Dexter he has Doakes fingerprints and plants them nicely for the FBI to find and link Doakes even further as to being The Bay Harbour Butcher.

This was a good episode but I feel that there isn’t to much to talk about, most of it was based in the cabin and on dialogue between Dexter and Doakes, don’t get me wrong there were some pretty intense moments between the two, moments I thought Dexter would let him go but ultimately this served as an episode which builds nicely to what I’m sure will be two brilliant episodes.

TV Review: DEXTER - Resistance is Fuitile 2.9

Dexter’s world is unravelling, has he been caught? He certainly thinks so when his blood slide “trophies” are found to be missing from his apartment and now he even has the FBI tailing him. Does Lundy know? Or is this nothing for Dexter to worry about? He seems worried, and with very good cause. During the last episode we were treated to one of Dexter’s most satisfying kills when he off’d Santos Jimenez with a chainsaw, now with his new FBI buddies tailing him getting rid of the body in the usual manor is proving difficult somewhat. It’s yet another situation in Dexter’s second season, just like “Dex, Lies, and Video Tape” where he finds himself with his back to the wall and seemingly no way out.

“Resistance is Futile” really is up there with the best of season 2 episodes, right at the beginning just after Dexter realises that his blood slides are gone he walks into Miami Metro with his hands in a handcuffed position, as if he knows that it’s a fore gone conclusion. When no one turns around he’s at first a little surprised but I guess somewhat relieved that the whole of the homicide division didn’t jump him right there and then.

Dexter’s first problem with the FBI has a lot simpler of a solution than he first thinks, Dexter is not his suspect at all, Doakes is the man who Lundy now believes is the Bay Harbour Butcher and the reason for Dexter’s tail is simple, Lundy is worried that Doakes will try to get to one of his Miami Metro colleagues and that’s a chance that he’s not willing to take, but that provides Dexter with his biggest problem. How does he dispose of the body? Simple, just sneak out in the middle of the night and pop over to the Everglades, perks of living in Miami eh. Of course the Everglades are the perfect place as
not many body parts would be left over once the Alligators had there go.

Of course we know for sure that Doakes is definitely onto Dexter, he now knows that he is The Bay Harbour Butcher, but he’s not willing to go public with what he knows just yet. After all what does he actually know? Not a lot, all he has found is what he thinks are blood slides, they don’t have name badges on so a little further digging is required on his part, he takes them to a friend who can help ascertain exactly what use they will be and decides that he wants to be the one who brings Dexter in. Two mistakes from Doakes already then, why not go public with what you do know about Dexter, and the slides you found? At least tell LaGuerta who may believe you and broker some sort of deal with the FBI, although she does have a rather large soft spot for Dexter too, so maybe she wouldn’t believe Doakes, then the decision to take Dexter in himself, why? Ok, so the FBI are after you but if you have proof… Just saying, not that I want Dexter to get caught of course but this did lead to one mighty showdown which has pretty much been promised all season long.

Doakes heads to the Everglades to catch Dexter in the act and draws his gun on him just as he’s dumping Jimenez’s body into the swamp. In what is probably one of the best scenes Dexter charges at Doakes who doesn’t fire his gun and manages to get the better of him and choking him out, but can he break his code and kill an innocent man? It’s a moral dilemma for Dexter but maybe he has no choice. Instead for now Dexter decides that it’s best to just hold Doakes captive in Jimenez's cabin, it really was a brilliant end to what was a brilliant episode of season 2. And Dexter has the upper hand once again. Another brilliant episode and one which is providing another massive turn towards what will surely be a brilliant season finale, I just can’t wait for more.

TV Review: DEXTER - Dex, Lies, and Videotape 2.6

Dexter’s alter ego The Dark Defender certainly has a lot on his mind lately, Doakes knows he’s hiding something, Rita’s mother has helped end his relationship, he has a new one to deal with in Lila and to top it all The Bay Harbour Butcher has acquired a copycat killer who has willingly gone out and killed a former criminal. Now Lundy, sick of Masuka’s titty jokes has called Dexter in as lead forensic examiner on the Bay Harbour case, a move which Dexter thinks is to keep a closer eye on him. The biggest problem of all for Dexter during this episode comes when he learns of the cameras which have been set up where he moors his boat, has he been caught? Does Lundy know?

There was plenty going on during this episode, a lot of which didn’t focus on The Bay Harbour case. For me the meat of this episode was all about Dexter discovering that the camera was rolling the night he chooses to clean his boat. Now, Dexter needs to find out if he’s been caught and strikes lucky when he finds that yes, the cameras are recording but good for him Miami Metro’s computer systems are not quite up to date enough to receive the footage, all Dexter needs to do now is gain access to the office which Agent Lundy has had double locked and delete the relevant portion of footage which would finish him.

I suppose it was always going to happen during this season of Dexter but finally Dexter and Lila have made it official, with her helping to quench Dexter's urges in other ways. It was going to happen during this season like I said above but I’ve no doubt that Rita’s pain in the ass mother is the major protagonist in it all, inviting Dexter and his sponsor Lilia over for dinner. What did Rita find out? Only that during a road trip in the previous episode Dexter had been joined by Lila and they spent the night together, oops, looks like Rita’s mother got her way then. The situation really isn’t helped by the fact that Rita has informed her mother that Dexter is a junkie, or so she thinks and tells her that Dexter is going through a program to try to kick his habit. Not a lie, of course, it only happens to be a very different habit to what she thinks it is.

The fact that there is now a copy cat killer on the loose Dexter at first thinks that he can breathe a sigh of relief as the FBI and Miami Metro now have another angle to work on, only problem is Lundy threatens that if they don't catch the copycat killer quickly then the FBI will take full control of the Bay Harbour Butcher case.

Masuka totally cracks me up, about ten minutes in he's in an elevator with Agent Lundy and asks him if it's true that the FBI are monitoring all of the units Internet activity, if so then he can explain all the she male stuff. Lundy walks away without saying a word and heads straight for Dexter who he wants to come and do forensics on the copycat killers lair, again Masuka pipes up "He's totally seen the she male stuff". Now out in the field Dexter and Lundy have a conversation regarding the Bay Harbour Butcher, this is when Lundy informs him of the camera's in Coral Cove harbour.

I really feel that this is one of those episodes where I don't really have a lot to say, I enjoyed it especially Dexter trying to delete the video footage and the fact that Doakes is growing evermore suspicious of our favourite blood spatter expert. Other than that it was all involving Rita, her mother and Lila, not all that much fun in my opinion but the episode served well in moving the story forward to what I'm sure will be a very impressive finale involving Dexter, Lila and Doakes.