TV REVIEW: FTN reviews Dexter SO8EO11 Monkey In A Box

The penultimate episode of the series turns out to be every bit as vapid and uninspired as the rest of this mess of a season. Barring a final episode return of Trinity, Dokes Optimus Prime and the Joker, this will be looked upon as the worst series in Dexter history. With only 1 hour to close off the entire series fans of the show should be breathless with anticipation instead, I just want to get it over with. There is literally not a single plot line or character arc I have any interest in and worst of all, it doesn’t seem the writers themselves do.

Series regulars like Angel, Masuka and Daniels do not seem to have had a single thing to do in this season. Angel, having buried his ex wife in suspicious circumstances, returned to Miami Metro and seemingly did nothing of consequence for the rest of the season save dedicating a bench to Maria. Masuka was given a daughter, and then the writers seemed not to know what exactly to do with that storyline and it just petered out. Matthews seemed to be operating on the fringes of something during the Zach Hamilton storyline but he also faded into obscurity as the season wore on. Having beaten Quinn to the Sergeant promotion, what’s her name then vanished and has not been seen in an episode since. Elway seemed to exist purely to keep Deb hydrated and make sure she had enough electrolytes to combat the insistent whining and crying she was required to do for much of the season.

The show has completely devolved from a smart clever thriller to a dumbed down soap opera, plot twists are telegraphed sometimes weeks in advance. This first occurred during season 6 when it turned out that the little weasel-faced killer was actually Tom Hank’s son all along…or something like that. This season we have been force fed the Quinn/Deb reunion whose only purpose seems to be to make Quinn kill Saxon when Deb inevitably succumbs to her wounds, the wedding ring Quinn kept in his desk was shown just to hammer home the point. Dexter’s failure to sell his boat I am sure, will no doubt play a part as the show has had characters stare at weather reports of an inbound storm for weeks now.

This leads me to the big issue of the season, the villain Saxon/Daniel has carried no threat whatsoever and Darri Ingolfsson seems to think that all you need to carry an air of menace is to open your eyes wide and talk…really…slowly. I have covered the charisma vacuum that is Hannah McKay in some detail in previous reviews but suffice to say she has brought nothing to this show.

Only one episode left and what was once an unmissable show now limps sadly towards the finish line. Any hope I had for this season has completely gone and I am bitterly disappointed and the almost insultingly bad plot lines and uninspired performances. Even Michael C Hall himself,who is supposed to be conveying an emotional awaking as his need to kill is now suppressed by finding his great love, looks to be at the point of falling asleep during most of his scenes. Only one more to go Michael, then we both breath a sigh of relief that this is finally over.

Worth a donut: Dexter’s final interaction with Harry was a nice touch; James Remur has been one of the few not to be completely sullied this season.

Strap it to the table: The Marshall helping Saxon off the table, next to a tray of knives no less, despite him being all over the news being named as a murderer was typical of the stupidity and laziness of this seasons writing.

2 Out of 5 nerds