Dexter: Get Gellar

Dexter: "Travis is proving to be my penance."

Only Dexter would go alone into a dark hole after a serial killer.

Dexter was sublimating saving himself from darkness by trying to save Travis. So much for that, and for the teachings of Brother Sam. Dexter blew it by not seeing Travis clearly for what he was – a serial killer who keeps seeing and talking with a father figure, and doesn't that sound familiar? As if that particular parallel wasn't stated clearly enough, Travis was confronting "Gellar" at the exact same time Dexter was arguing with "Harry."

I have to give them credit, though, because even though I went into the episode thinking Travis was loonytunes and working alone, every Dexter/Travis scene was so incredibly tense that I kept changing my mind. (Although it was a bit of a giveaway when we got to the hand in the sink. Gellar would have been way too invisible and diabolical to pull that off, pun intended.) To make it even more tense, Dexter kept taking the lead, with Travis trailing behind him. I kept expecting Travis to Gellar out and attack Dexter.

Hey, at least we know now, and it isn't even the penultimate episode of the season. Travis is young, strong, totally demented, and he knows what Dexter is. This could be an actual challenge for Dexter.

Interesting how they balanced this episode about a complete lunatic with Deb in therapy. I was actually wondering last week if Deb was planning to tell Dr. Ross about her past, and voila. When Deb started talking about Lundy and the Ice Truck Killer, Dr. Ross was doing her best to not look shocked. I laughed out loud.

People in therapy usually work though issues with their primary relationships, and often end up seeing those closest to them in a new light. I'm really looking forward to Deb discussing Dexter with Dr. Ross and then confronting him with what she learns. After Deb revealed that Dexter was Brian's biological brother but not her own, I thought for a moment that the Doctor was going to suggest that Deb was hung up on Dexter. I've always assumed they'd never go there, but it would be fascinating if they did. If it was done believably.

Deb finally stood up to LaGuerta. I wonder if LaGuerta wasn't at all upset about it; in fact, I thought she looked proud. Maybe she sees this as her way to taking Matthews' job.

Bits and pieces and hands:

-- So we had the severed hand in the sink, and ITK's hand in Greene's apartment. Interestingly, we had another suggestion of severed hands when Dexter axed the chain holding Travis's hands together. I'm sure this is all valid symbolism of something.

-- Greene's apartment was actually sort of creepy. And he's obsessed with serial killers. Maybe Jamie shouldn't have succumbed to his charms.

-- Louis Greene did the fabulous geek computer thing again. Doesn't Miami Metro have an IT department to do that stuff?

-- 2LOT. Sounds like it should have led to a numbered parking lot. That's where I thought they were going with the parking token. Did Dexter really find the next victim so easily, or did Travis just take the hint?

-- Loved Dexter on the phone pretending to be a burned out college student.

-- Travis stayed in the Colony Motel. Appropriate for a dual personality. The maid is going to be deeply unthrilled by what he did to the walls.

-- Dexter is now on Travis's speed dial. Dexter had better get that phone back.

-- That entire cast drenched with blood was pretty gruesome, like Carrie times whatever.

-- I could swear Olmos moved. What's with the production values on Dexter lately? And was there a pillow under Gellar's dead body? Maybe Travis was trying to make certain Gellar was comfortable.

-- Creationists claim that evolution contradicts the second law of thermodynamics. I hadn't heard that, but here is more info from Cornell if you're interested.

-- Did they have to make the atheist such an ass? You don't have to ridicule the beliefs of others to make a point.

-- I also didn't know that "the writing is on the wall" is from the Bible. Live and learn. Was that Travis's message to himself that it was over? If Gellar had decided to go through with killing Travis, would Travis have killed himself? Or would he have defeated "Gellar" in a fight?

-- Gellar's blog was at http://www.beginning-of-the-end.com. It redirects to the Showtime Dexter kill room page.

Quotes:

Deb: "Would have helped if my dad had paid me any attention. That's probably why I fell in love with someone twice my age. He was shot in front of me, did I mention that? I was probably looking for someone safer after being engaged to this really great guy that also turned out to be a serial killer."
Dr. Ross: (after a pregnant pause) "Would you like it if we started seeing each other more than once a week?"

Deb: "So he and Gellar either got the fuck out of Dodge, or they're holed up somewhere planning the latest installment of 'what the fuck'."

Masuka: "I understand the whole 'cowardly geek' response."
Greene: "I'm not a geek."
Masuka: "One bridge at a time, Louis."

Masuka: "When it comes to matters of the heart, always follow your dick."
Wow. Words of wisdom, indeed. There should be one of those tiny little books that you pick up in the book store near the front counter. Masuka's Obscene Words of Wisdom.

Quinn: "Omigod, we took pictures."
Maybe this particular MILF encounter will be enough to shock Quinn out of his increasingly idiotic behavior. I bet Angel is finally ready to stop covering for him.

Deb: "Are you saying that I chose to be with a serial killer on purpose?"
Dr. Ross: "I think you have a history of choosing inappropriate or unavailable men."
Well, the doctor's got that right.

Dexter: "Are we okay?"
Deb: "I have no idea if you are. I'm sure not, but I'm working on it."

This one wasn't as exciting when I watched it the second time and knew what was coming, but I thought it was very good. Three out of four severed hands,

Billie
---
Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

• Next episode
  
• Dexter season 6
  
• Dexter home