Dexter Review: “Chemistry”

Part of me wishes I was switching over to Walking Dead reviews as that show is finally getting good, but I’ve committed to Dexter, and this is a rather good season, even if it’s slowing down a bit now.

Dexter is now in love, or something like it, with Hannah, a remorseless killer who should be on Dexter’s table…but she’s really hot soooo…

Dexter forgives her of her crimes in exchange for sex, but thinks he might actually be falling for her, a new emotion for the man despite a string of love interests over the years. I’m not sure I buy it however, as he’s not really selling it on the show. They’re telling me they have chemistry and they’re a perfect match, but I’m not really seeing it onscreen, as much as we might see them naked and grinding together.

Hannah has swooped in to become the major plot of the season while Dexter’s feud with Isaac has taken a backseat, for now. When Dexter drops her off after a late night of serial killer sex, he’s spotted by crime book writer Sal Price who is going to now include Dex in his book lest he gets some new information from Hannah or him.

And that’s why you don’t have oral fixation.

Both of them have different ideas for getting Price out of the picture. Dexter wants to frame him for murder while Hannah just wants to murder him, and does. Unfortunately, Dexter gets implicated anyway as he drops dead at his apartment.

Now things get twisted as Deborah has finally come around to Dexter’s way of justice, and orders a hit on Hannah knowing she’ll get away with her crimes otherwise. Unfortunately, the message is delivered as she lies naked in his arms. That deserves an “It’s complicated” Facebook status if I’ve ever seen one.

What does Dexter do now? I can’t imagine that this thing with Hannah is going to last. It seems weird that Dexter has broken his code “for love,” and it’s not a terribly convincing rendition of love in my opinion either. I think she’ll end up dead, but possibly offed by Deb herself in some way or another.

“Sooo I started a Kickstarter page for my new restaurant.”

What’s going on elsewhere? Well, Isaac is cooking up a revenge plan, but his plotline seems to be growing smaller and smaller as the season splits time between him and Hannah. Dexter killed one guy. Isaac wants revenge. It’s a little straightforward for the twisty-turny world of Dexter. Quinn is caught up in that plotline, but his story has been written in a thousand crime shows at this point. Morally ambiguous cop wants to help poor trapped girl escape from crime syndicate. Does bad things. Thinks he’s out, is forced to do more bad things .This never ends well.

La Guerta continues her side investigation into the Bay Harbor Butcher, despite Deb telling her that she was at a dead end. We saw her looking at which police officers owned a boat, and Dexter was on the list. Is that really enough to incriminate him in her mind? Did Doakes own a boat?  I don’t remember that from all the way back in season two.

I like this season, but it’s starting to stretch itself a bit thin. Balancing time between first Deb’s discovery of Dexter’s secret, Hannah and Isaac have made each plotline feel a little thin as time goes on. I feel like either Hannah or Isaac could have been strong villain-types, but they’re weakened by having to share to time with each other.