That does not necessarily mean a lot, to say that “Scar Tissue” was the best episode of Dexter’s final season, but last night’s episode at least had a surprise, it introduced a great new character, and we have an idea who might be the Brain Surgeon killer. Or at least, we think we do. It wasn’t exactly an edge of your seat episode, but it wasn’t a snoozer, either, though the therapy prattle is beginning to get wearying.
Let’s jump right into the episode.
LaGuerta Returns: We knew LaGuerta would return in this episode. Sadly, it was a dream sequence slash flashback, the double whammy of meaninglessness.
Quinn Passed the Sergeant’s Exam: And just like that dumbass would, he nearly blew his chances at a promotion by getting in a bar fight over his ex-girlfriend, Debra, in front of his new girlfriend, Jamie. Come on, Quinn. HAVE YOU SEEN YOUR NEW GIRLFRIEND? DO YOU REALIZE HOW HOT SHE IS? Bonus: She’s not completely f**ked in the head.
Looks like Quinn has some competition, however, in Angie Miller, who I thought we’d seen the last of (IMDB LIED TO ME). The mysterious black detective even got a line last night. Batista will have to choose between Quinn and Miller.
Masuka Has a Daughter: That’s fun, at least. It’s also good to see Dora Madison Burge from Friday Night Lights again. She is apparently the product of Masuka’s sperm donation. Naturally, Masuka hit on her before realizing it was his daughter, but he — of course — recognized his own soulful eyes on her. I have no idea how she’ll play out in the rest of the season, unless she becomes a victim of the Brain Surgeon.
Debra and Dr. Vogel Get Along Famously — They seemed to have skipped the part where Debra wakes up in handcuffs and freaks the hell out at Dr. Vogel and skipped right to the therapy sessions that made up much of the meat of last night’s episode. I love Charlotte Rampling, and I think she’s delivering a strong performance, but the psychobabble is too much. Apparently, the key to Debra’s treatment is reliving the night she shot LaGuerta over and over until she figures it out. It didn’t take her long, either: By the end of the episode, Debra has realized that, given a do-over, she’d make the same decision. She had to accept, not that she’s evil, but that she’s a good person forced to make a bad decision.
Where Is the Procedural Component?: Week to week, the thing that irritates me the most is how Dexter never solves cases, and how SO many murders go unsolved because Dexter kills them. It’s a shame, too, because Dexter is perfectly designed to be a serial/procedural hybrid, like Justified, Veronica Mars, X-Files or Elementary. There’s generally four or five filler episodes in each season of Dexter, and if they’d use that time on a few self-contained cases, it would have improved the show immensely. It would’ve tightened the serialized portion of the series, and the cast, itself, is well situated to solve some actual murders. That way, Dexter could actually put a arrest on his ledger.
We Think We Know the Identity of the Brain Surgeon Killer: He’s a cable guy, naturally. He’s also clearly had brain surgery. Vogel suggested a hospital remove a lesion on the guy’s brain, which was supposed to solve psychopathy problem. Apparently it only made it worse, because the guy — Yates — has his own kill room and a massive body count. I am not, however, ruling out the possibility that Yates is just another former patient of Vogel’s turned serial killer, and not the Brain Surgeon killer. Yates seems to have a thing for women, and not all of the Brain Surgeon Killer’s victims have been women. Also, the Brain Surgeon already knows about Dexter, so why wouldn’t he have recognized him? I think it’s another red herring.
Dexter and Vogel Have a Falling Out: Meanwhile, Dexter discovers through his investigation of Yates that Vogel has been keeping notes on him, which, uh, that’s why psychologists do. But Dexter doesn’t want any part of it. He thinks he’s being used as a lab rat, and tells Vogel that once he’s finished with Yates, he’s finished with Vogel.
Debra Finds Out About Harry: Through Vogel, Debra also became privy to her sessions with Harry, in which she learned that Harry was not only complicit in the Code, but was likewise conflicted. In fact, he was more than conflicted. Harry was so tortured by Dexter’s killings that he took his own life, which seemed like a good idea to Debra. I think once she came to that realization was the first time this season — and maybe last — that we saw a look of peace and happiness on her face. SERENITY NOW.
Debra Tries to Kill Dexter: Now, THAT actually, I didn’t see coming. I got the sense when Debra was sweet to Quinn that she was going to take the easy way out. I did not, expect, however, that she’d try to take Dexter with her. Good for her! Unfortunately, her sanity — for lack of a better word — didn’t last long. After a bystander rescued her, Debra dove back in and rescued Dexter, although the LEAST the show could’ve don was to leave Dexter’s fate as a cliffhanger. Give us one week to believe that everything is not so cut and dry, rather than not only revealing that Dexter was saved, but giving away most of next week’s episode.
But we’ll always have this GIF.
