OT: Dexter Season Finale

Submitted by jaggs on

Quite an ending I must say. I watched it again because at first I assumed it was a dream sequence, not so sure now.

SPOILER DON'T READ IF YOU CARE

Really makes it much more difficult to like Dexter as much. He now has the blood of at least 2 innocent people on his hands (Rita and the photographer). His redeeming quality was killing bad people ie. doing what we all wish we could. This is in serious jeopardy.

Also, where does this go in the future? Dexter vs. Deb? How does he get rid of the body etc...

gujd

December 14th, 2009 at 12:11 AM ^

Well I assume he has to call the police to come get Rita's body. He didn't kill her. It was a crazy twist and I thought it was a dream sequence as well. Good news is they laid the path for 30 more years of this show (his son in the blood).

WMUgoblue

December 14th, 2009 at 12:30 AM ^

watch this at my friends house every sunday because he has showtime, needless to say the 10 of us watching could not believe it. took a hard left in the last minute of the show.

Tater

December 14th, 2009 at 12:32 AM ^

It was one of the best swerves I have seen on TV in a long time. The Hall and Lithgow interview afterwards was cool, too. It sorta took the edge off the ending.

scrb31

December 14th, 2009 at 12:46 AM ^

I don't know if I liked the ending or not. Sure, it allows for him to be the killer, but now he will have the responsibility to take of the kids alone and such. I hope it was a dream and next season Harry is standing there saying this is what could happen. If she is dead, it takes away the "loving" aspects of him and just turns him into a cold person, and I am not sure if that will be as "funny".

TokenMChick

December 14th, 2009 at 12:53 AM ^

Yeah, the ending was completely unexpected and such a good twist. I'm excited to see what they have planned for next season. I re-watched that last scene with Trinity, and a lot of the stuff he says takes on a brand new meaning.

Bighousemike84

December 14th, 2009 at 2:55 AM ^

but I have not been a big fan of season 4 so while the ending really hit me out of no where and I am really curious to know where this goes from here I am still really disappointed with the season as a whole.

It started out so well with Dexter crashing his car and the creepy naked John Lithgow but the whole Laguerta and Batista thing was really distracting, I mean how many times do I have to see the two of them making out before I throw up?

I really loved the way this ended and it makes me excited for season 5 but I really wanted more from Trinity

thee1jersey

December 14th, 2009 at 6:04 PM ^

I sat in shock at the ending. Killing a main character like Rita was such a twist. I agree w/ Tater, the interview after the show was very great too. Lithgow is such a good actor, he helped this season become the best so far.

Edit: they had the extended interview on sho.com, here it is.

Steve in PA

December 14th, 2009 at 11:00 AM ^

They killed off a main character and brought in a baby. Lots of shows begin the death spiral after they bring in babies.

I really thought it was going in the crapper with the "Ice Truck Killer" season, but it came back strong. Looking forward to next year now that Sis is starting to have questions.

megalomanick

December 14th, 2009 at 11:12 AM ^

There was also the real Kyle Butler that Arthur killed while trying to find Dexter.

I'm really kind of torn about the ending. I don't like seeing Rita written off the show because I enjoyed the dynamic between her and Dexter. However, this also leaves the plot for next season wide open...

Does Debra start making the connections? For example, Dexter finding her before Brian could kill her in season 1. The holes in the case against Doakes as the Bay Harbor Butcher. Does Laguerta spill the beans about Miguel being a murderer and Deb puts 2 and 2 together? Does Arthur's family find out who "Kyle" really is? It would almost defy logic for Debra not to be able to figure out who Dexter really is. I think it would be an interesting plot line if she did find out. Would she sympathize with him?

As for Dexter continuing Trinity's cycle to cover his ass, I'm not sure that would make sense. In a round about way, Rita was the last part of Trinity's last cycle. It didn't fit the pattern completely, but it was pretty close. Instead of being 10 year old buried alive, young woman in a bathtub, a mother's "suicide" and an older man's bludgeoning. It was 10 year old buried alive (but saved), the young woman was the suicide instead of the bath tub (Christine Hill), the mother wasn't the suicide, but the bath tub (Rita), and Dexter bludgeoned Arthur with the hammer.

It will also be interesting to see what the FBI's role will be next season.

Edit: One last thought. Dexter has no alibi for the time period where Rita was murdered. Quinn already thinks something is up with Dexter and Rita, does Dexter become the prime suspect in her murder?

miller

December 14th, 2009 at 12:17 PM ^

First of all, it was definitely not a dream sequence. The interview with Michael C. Hall and John Lithgow after the episode talked about the difficult job ahead for the show writers in Season 5. Remember that the show was picked up for seasons 4-6, so there are two seasons left for sure. IMO, this rivals the Season 2 finale with Doakes and Lila in the cabin, it may be even better and was much more unexpected.

That being said, I don't think Deb can possibly see Dexter for who he truly is next season and then have another entire season in which she either overlooks, helps, or tries to stop her brother. I don't think Dexter will try to hide Rita's body, there's just too many questions surrounding a disappearance. At the same time, there will be a lot in the opening episodes regarding his connection to Trinity and why Rita was chosen. As the last poster mentioned, the Quinn suspicion dynamic will play out and carry a storyline on its own. However, the writers must tread carefully to prevent a repeat of Doakes.

As for Trinity and his cycle, IIRC the last boy was kidnapped about ten days (or five?) prior to Rita's death. The boy in cement always is the first in the cycle, with the hammer bludgeoning being the last. As the previous poster mentions, the Christine Hill suicide could be like the mother off the roof suicide, reversed with Rita's bath tub death.

Either way, it was interesting in hindsight to see the cycle come full circle in the end. It really makes me want to watch Dexter's ritual kill of Arthur again to see the nuances of what was said to Dexter to foreshadow his discovery of Rita's body. I remember him saying something to Dexter along the lines of, "I've accepted God's plan, and you will have to as well." Great ending and can't wait for next season.

megalomanick

December 14th, 2009 at 8:01 PM ^

Doakes is one of my all time favorite TV characters.

I do like Deb though. She can be a bit whiny but her personality and random bursts of profanity crack me up. LaGuerta can just go away. That whole storyline with her and Batista was just a waste of plot time. Unfortunate because Batista is another likable character.

miller

December 15th, 2009 at 11:40 AM ^

That whole plot line with LaGuerta and Batista going back and forth with the Captain about whether they have a relationship was so pointless. The only thing it did for the overarching storyline with Dexter was to make him a little nervous about being called into LaGuerta's office. I'm figuring it will provide more face time for those two characters next season as they deal with the marriage/work dynamic.