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TV REVIEW: FTN reviews Dexter SO8EO5 This Little Piggy

August 1st, 2013 by Andrew McCarroll Comments

This scatter-gun peaks and troughs of a season drags itself out of mediocrity for another week for a sterling episode and gives us a strong indication that the introverted belly aching of the previous few episodes may finally be behind us. The episode opens with Dexter and Deb dealing with the fall out at the conclusion of last week’s episode; she tried to kill them both by launching them into a lake but then having a change of heart, decided to rescue him. With Miami Metro seemingly not concerned that one of their vehicles is lying at the bottom of a riverbed, the siblings are given the chance to talk out their respective issues with each other with the help of their surrogate mother Dr Vogel. Michael C Hall has been so consistent throughout the show that it is easy to forget just how good he is in this role. Here, he is at his snarky snappy best as he reacts to Vogel’s assessment on Deb; that this was Deb hitting bottom and she can now start recovering. He offers his own opinion of being “So f***ing happy for you.”

Meanwhile, Miami Metro is investigating a new murder case – Quinn who runs the briefing in Angels absence, despite Angel actually being in the room – announces that they suspect that a wealthy, business man named Ed Hamilton is involved in the killing of his maid/mistress. Quinn is pulled aside by Matthews to let him know that Hamilton is a friend of Miami Metro and he needs to exercise restraint and respect in this case. Quinn and Dexter arrive at Hamilton’s house to take a DNA sample but before they do he confesses to the affair but can provide an alibi for the murder. As they leave, Dexter runs into an extra from ‘Twilight’ that turns out to be Hamilton’s son who tells Dexter that his father is not a killer. However, by using a series of squints through what appears to be heavy eyeliner he manages to make himself a suspect.

Vogel, alone in her house, decides to stick on some foreboding music (“Make Your Own Kind Of Music” by Mama Cass) and is promptly attacked and abducted by Yates. Deb discovers the scene and rushes to inform Dexter, who is conveniently at Yates’ house with the rest of the department digging up bodies in his back yard. Deb proposes they team up and try to rescue Vogel. She confesses to Dexter that she saved him because she could not imagine life without him. Dexter agrees to unite their powers and the serial killer siblings set off to track down Yates.

Quinn and Detective what’s her name, go to the home of the murdered maid and question a vendor who tells them that he saw Hamilton’s son in the area the day of the murder. Quinn takes this to Matthews but tells him that the vendor has changed his story and Quinn suspects he has been paid off. He wants to bring Hamilton’s son in for questioning anyway as he is convinced that he can get him to confess. However, Matthews rebuffs this idea and tells Quinn to leave Zach alone. It appears Detective what’s her name has far more political savvy then poor Joey.

At the hideout, Yates is about to start sending Vogel’s piggy’s to the market when she decides to use her therapist powers and goes full Will Graham mode on Yates by acting like his mother and going upside the guys head with a few slaps. While he is tending to his cuts Vogel calls Dexter and Deb who then gets Elway- who has apparently decided he would play this week’s episode like Mickey Rourke -to trace the call. When they arrive at the house they find it empty but discover a blood trail leading to the bedroom upstairs and Vogel bound and gagged in the closet. Yates is then seen eyeing up Debs ankle from under the bed but before he can do anything Dexter channels Friday the 13th part 2 and impales him with a spike through the bed. Bizarrely this is the second week running that Dexter has invoked Friday the 13th! Last week Deb’s rescue of Dexter was almost identical to Jason coming out of the water in Part 1. Maybe if this trend continues, by the end of the season Dexter will have been in 3D, taken Manhattan and wrapped Freddy in plastic.

After the rescue, the trio take a nice relaxing CGI boat trip to dispose of Yates’ body. Despite the fact that every other victim of Yates’ they found in no way resembles The Brain surgeons killing methods, they all appear content that the whole episode is behind them.

The episode was a vast improvement of the previous few weeks. The Debra PTS storyline seems to have thankfully run its course and the show appears on steadier ground. There are now a number of potentially interesting storylines in play; the real Brain Surgeon is still out there, Hamilton’s son is clearly not about to stop doing whatever it is he is doing and the curtain has still yet to come down and reveal Elway’s true intentions. After this episode I have far more optimism for the rest of the season compared to this time last week. Hopefully the show continues to build on the good work of this episode.

Worth a donut: Vogel’s manipulation of Yates was a joy to watch, the scene was loaded with tension as you felt that she might actually be in danger.

Strap it to the table: The god awful CGI on the boat at the end of the episode completely took me out of the scene.

4 out of 5 nerds

 

Andrew McCarroll never quite built on the dizzying career heights that he hit at 6 years old, when as a member of the “Ghostbusters” he would charge his neighbours to remove any unwanted spectres. Now retired from slaying spooks, he spends his time obsessing over superheroes (especially Batman) and devouring shows like Dexter, Game of Thrones and Archer in a manner that would make Galactus proud. You can follow his rants on twitter @andymc1983