Dexter Review: “Take It!”

I have to say, this is definitely shaping up to be my favorite season of Dexter since the first two. I wasn’t sure how the Lumen character would develop over the course of the season, but now that she’s being fully fleshed out, I really want her to stay. But can she?

This week’s episode thrust her deeper into Dexter’s world, and dealt with some of the lingering issues I’ve had about the pair’s relationship so far. Unfortunately, the rest of the subplots are veering into stupid-land, and they’re so far disjointed from the main plotline now, the two stories could be from separate shows.

I was pleased to see Deb finally shooting someone in the head last time, and there was an interesting moment this week where she talks to Dexter about “bad people who deserve to die” hinting that when Dex’s big secret is finally revealed to her, she could be a bit understanding.

Could she get it?

But after that brief moment of clarity, things devolved into office politics about whose fault the shooting at the club was. It turns out to be LaGuerta and Latina cop vs. Deb and Batista, who also is unfortunately married to LaGuerta at this point in the show, which will make for a tense working environment. It was kind of nice to see LaGuerta go back into turbo bitch mode, which many will forget was her shtick in season one, but for some reason the show decided to make her nice for the subsequent three and a half seasons. If I had to guess, I would bet the other not-dead Muerta brother shows up and kills Latina cop, thus making it everyone vs. LaGuerta, but the fact is, I don’t care about any of this shit, and it’s only serving to distract from the real meat of the season.

Dexter and Lumen’s tracking of the rape posse has been exhilarating, and this episode was no different. Jordan and Cole are in town for a motivational seminar, which Dexter decides to attend to stake out his prey, currently Cole as he’s been positively ID’d by Lumen. Problem is, Cole is as cautious as they come, an ex-marine and Dexter has to do all this inside a busy hotel.

Lumen meanwhile, has her life complicated further when her ex-fiancée Owen tracks her down and wants to meet to discuss his jilting. Lumen briefly flirts with the idea of leaving with him, but pretty quickly decides that serial killing with Dexter is a top priority, and the abduction and murder of Cole seems to give her some peace, even if she’s almost killed in the process.

Which was more of a struggle, this, or Dexter going up on stage to talk about Rita?

Finally, FINALLY she starts asking Dexter questions, as she just now seems to realize he’s done this before. You would have thought she’d have been tipped off previous to this, but once she saw his ritual, it really drove the point home. Dexter has bared his soul for yet another person, and remarks that if his father and Miguel couldn’t handle it, maybe Lumen is finally the one who can.

And can she? She seems OK with what’s happening so far, and now she’s even got her very own first trophy in the form of Cole’s blood slide. I like this season because it really reveals one of the major subtle themes behind the show, Dexter’s loneliness. There were his attempts to bond with his father and Miguel over killing like he mentioned, he found a polar opposite, but a friend in Lundy, and even Trinity to an extent for a brief period, and finally his brother is perhaps his greatest tragedy, just like him, but too evil to live.

But Lumen is different, she’s been molded by Dex himself, trained in his code and not so rash anymore that she would go vigilante on her own and make a mess of things like she did when she shot the dentist. And it’s good she seems to like it, because really, what choice does she have? She could try to live a normal life, but would be permanently scarred by what happened to her, and what she’s done since. She could go to the cops, but she would sink herself too. She seems to realize this and so far, is just embracing her new lifestyle.

Is she going to realize he’s the Bay Harbor Butcher, or does that even matter?

It’s almost too good to be true though, and I fear for her safety. But would the show really build Dexter up to have a lovely new partner and take it away, right after Rita died last season? I know that most extraneous characters on this show have a lifespan of no more than about ten episodes, but would they dare rip Lumen away from him at this juncture?

One last thing to note is that Quinn’s investigation into Dexter is taking a dangerous turn. Robocop followed my advice and just started tailing him, and witnesses him throwing Cole’s body (albeit inside luggage) into the bay. Anyone familiar with the Bay Harbor Butcher, as he should be, should probably be thinking something serious is up. The worst part about this though? Dexter doesn’t even know this investigation is happening. How is he going to catch on? What’s he going to do about Robocop? What are Robocop and Quinn going to do with this new highly suspicious info?

Just, you know, throwing away some old suitcases. Nothing strange here.

So we find out that Jordan Chase was another member of the posse, as we suspected, leaving the duo to pursue him next and find out who the final mystery man is. There is one left after him, right?

In any case, I’m thrilled to be loving Dexter again, and I can’t wait to see how this all turns out. Keep Lumen ALIVE damnit!

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11 Comments

  1. I am finding this season to be the weakest thus far and I don’t like Lumen. I find it unrealistic that Dexter would adopt her instead of just finishing her off to cover his butt. Too many conveniences and coincidences are moving the plot along and there is too much dead weight in most episodes. Dexter’s voiceovers are at an alltime worst. How many times has a car accident been the catalyst for a plot to proceed. It’s ridiculous. I want LaGuerta to die, I absolutely cannot stand her character and her role in the show.

  2. dexter does not seem himself and lumen feels forced

    it felt the same way with miguel

    it is almost as though we are being raped by lumen because she got raped

    the only good thing about this season so far is quinn catching on to dexter

  3. I got nothing to say except, “I told you so.” Everyone thought “Oh Quinn is just a poor man’s Doakes…now look at it !” Quinn was smart to outsource the job, granted Robocop is a greedy pig BUT he’s at least gettin’ the job done and staying the hell away from Dexter while doing it. UNLIKE Doakes who made it clear he was on to Dexter.

    I have VERY mixed feelings about Lumen…on the one hand I completely get what you’re saying Paul, but on the other…I can’t get over the fact that it’s Julia Stiles…Julia Stiles with Battered Woman Syndrome…I just wish they got a better, lesser known actress. Lumen serves as the NON-romantic companion he needed. Rita served as the perfect woman IF Dexter were normal, Lila served as the perfect woman for The Dark Passenger. BUT in case anyone didn’t notice…Harry hasn’t been around much this Season Has he ? OF COURSE HE HASN’T, because The Dark Passenger essentially died with Rita. Dexter HAS emotions now, Dexter feels sorry for Lumen and is doing what he’s doing to avenge her (Rita).

    In that respect, I like Lumen…in another respect…something about her just seems…Off…can’t quite place my figure on it…but it feels like the need to accept Lumen wasn’t gradual and we’re kinda forced to like or sympathize with Lumen. Granted, I understand the dynamic between her and Dexter and I get Dexter’s over all loneliness, ESPECIALLY now that Rita’s dead…but I don’t know…Withholding judgment until the Season ends and Lumen dies…because we ALL know she will.

    TAKE IT!!

  4. Season five feels underwhelming.

    The newest Dexter plothole: a destroyed hotel door. I think the hotel will notice the damage. Will it ever be mentioned? Probably not.

    At least Peter Weller as Quinn’s investigator is great. I like the problems he can/will cause for Dexter and his plight to rid the world of naughty people.

  5. I have to believe that it’s going to take a bit of…ahem, Chasing before they get to Jordan, if for no other reason than they touted Johnny Lee Miller as a guest star a good amount before the season started, so he’s going to have to be there for at least a few episodes.

  6. I’m truly sad to say that this season is probably the worst, not only I feel this way but as to does my fiance. Dexter has taken on the role of Batman and Lume as Robin….and they’re doing it in a pretty crappy way. Out of this whole season there were only maybe 3-4 moments that I felt excited for, everything else pretty much felt very cheesy, I would point out numerous examples here but I’m sure everyone is aware of them.

    It’s not that I don’t think the sex trade industry is a bad theme to cover it’s just the way they’re going about it sucks. Garth Ennis did a way better job in “Punisher” than the writers have been with Dexter, when covering this subject. Granted I know that Frank Castle isn’t Dexter, but the plot and tone of the show has been too “happy” imo. And they really haven’t been able to keep me captured in the story at all…..I mean I care, but at the same point I think I’m just watching and caring b/c it is Dexter…..kinda like the “Star Wars” effect. Boy I hope I’m wrong.

    I don’t hope they end this show with this season, b/c I would rather have the show end off as a high, and hope that next season they hire better writers and possibly end off then…..bugs me that this show has been reduced to this.

    How knows maybe it’s a Haunting of Rita curse….heh.

  7. I think Lumen is the perfect character for this season, and I think it makes perfect sense that Dexter has taken to her so quickly and completely. She represents all the women Dexter hasn’t been able to protect in the past, Rita, his mother, the previous victims of his targets (who are by and large women). Now he has a chance to do what he does best for someone who is able to “reap the benefit” of his killings. Also, I think for the first time, Dexter is feeling a sort of love for this girl. He never seemed to love Rita, rather, he loved the idea of Rita. And Lumen doesn’t see him as a monster (not yet, anyway), she sees him as the dark, avenging hero he sees himself as.

    Sadly, I think his emotional ties to her are making him very sloppy, and this will come back to bite him. I hate Quinn with a seething passion, and nothing would make me happier than he and LaGuerta being chucked into a pit of starving alligators in the season finale.

  8. Lumen is so freaking annoying. Dexter shouldn’t be so careless all the time. He’s supposed to be smart, calculating and ritual. He gets worse and worse each season. I’m not sure if he is supposed to be “becoming more human” but it’s annoying and is straying away from the heart of the show that got me into it at first.

  9. # Jeff on 16 Nov 2010 at 11:23 am

    I am finding this season to be the weakest thus far and I don’t like Lumen. I find it unrealistic that Dexter would adopt her instead of just finishing her off to cover his butt.

    It’s not in his code, she was innocent. He doesn’t take innocent life, kind of the whole point of his character…otherwise we’d be watching rooting for a non-redeeming serial killer.

  10. @freestyle55
    I completely agree with you. The idea that Dexter would “finish her off” just doesn’t sit well with me at all. I find the role that Lumen plays (a conduit for Dex to avenge Rita’s death and maybe a temporary cure for his loneliness), to be believable. It’s just her character that seems a bit off. Not sure if it’s the writing or the acting, but her presence, along with the relationship between her and Dex, just doesn’t FEEL right. I see what the writers’ goal is, I’m just having a hard time buying it.

    On another note…
    Often while watching this show I get a little annoyed with the building of tension that results from Dexter being hunted. The paranoia of him being caught has been going on since season 2, and I find it to be tiring, although it makes sense plot-wise. Whenever Dexter gets sloppy (which seems to be a recurring character trait), I find the show just a bit more difficult to watch because of the overload of dramatic irony. We SEE him being hunted, and we SEE him making mistakes, and then the rest of the season is just us waiting for shit to hit the fan. Thankfully, when that DOES inevitably happen, the show never disappoints.

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