Dexter Resurrection: Cats & Mouse

Dexter: "Is a hoodie appropriate attire for a wake?"
Harrison: "No."
Dexter: "It's black."

A surprisingly enjoyable wake. A somewhat comical murder.

Blessing's mom Prudence passed away in her sleep, and Blessing invited Dexter to the loveliest of wakes to celebrate her life. Going to a wake as a family is such a normal thing to do, and it was a genuine pleasure to see Dexter showing Harrison how to tie his tie the way Harry taught him. The three of them, all three generations, standing there together actually got to me.

And I absolutely loved Prudence's ceramic cats. And that Dexter chose the Bond villain ceramic cat.

Dexter is now at a point in his life where he has what he's always wanted: someone he loves that sees him and accepts him for himself, while he cleverly outwits and kills murderers to satisfy his urge. Wouldn't it be lovely if Dexter and Harrison could make a life together, with Harrison attending NYU and Dexter supporting him with UrCar while occasionally taking out the trash?

If only it were the end of the season instead of the middle. And the cops weren't on Dexter's trail as well as Harrison's.

Angel told Claudette about Dexter being the Bay Harbor Butcher, and wanted to show Dexter's photo to Mia just to see her reaction. And I bet there would have been one if Charley hadn't had Mia "commit suicide," just in time. I hadn't put together the timing, that Dexter was in a coma in Iron Lake when Harrison killed Ryan, a relatively iron-clad alibi. Claudette still thinks it's Harrison, while Oliva thinks her theory is just too wild. Serial killer – victim's watch in serial killer's apartment – case solved.

The watch, of course, is still a ticking time bomb (pun intended) since Harrison's boss saw Ryan give it to Harrison. And if his killers keep vanishing, Prater is going to catch on to Dexter sooner or later. He nearly just did. Except that the Gemini Killer is twins. Didn't see that one coming, even though it was actually right there in the name.

Dexter stalking and taking out Gareth was way fun. Gareth didn't like Mia because he didn't want any girls in his clubhouse where of course, he was the most important and influential of all the serial killers. Dexter saw through Gareth's narcissism immediately and disarmed him with "I'm a fan." Loved the thing with the drugged gin and tonic. Laugh out loud funny.

Blessing came down to Dexter's apartment at the worst possible moment, to share that his mother had rescued him from the life of a child soldier. Wow. That's some mom. I honestly wasn't worried that Blessing was going to find Gareth's body in the bathtub. That would be too plot twisty, even for this show.

Anyway. For the second episode in a row, Dexter prioritized being a good father. When Harrison confessed that he nearly killed Elsa's nasty landlord, Dexter reassured him that he just had a hot temper and a strong sense of right and wrong, like his Aunt Deb. I mean, if only he hadn't killed that hotel guest with the lid of a toilet tank. Oh, well.

Bits:

— Dexter tracked Gareth to the true crime section of the bookstore, where Gareth enjoyed reading about himself. I would have liked to read that chapter on the Bay Harbor Butcher. Doesn't Dexter find it tempting?

— Gareth and his twin kill in twos, because of course they do. The latest was a father and his teenage son, like Dexter and Harrison.

— There was another mention of the New York Killer on a bulletin board in Claudette's office.

— When Prater called and asked why Red wasn't home, Dexter covered beautifully by saying he'd immediately left his job and his apartment with no forwarding address. But then Dexter went to the Pier 6 gathering. Wouldn't Charley just reacquire him, then?

— I liked the brief reminder of Hannah. I remember thinking back then that she would make a good mom for Harrison, and clearly, she did. A bit like Blessing's tough mom, I think.

— Along with the ticking time bomb watch, a sample of Dexter's blood is still in the ceiling of Red's apartment.

Quotes:

Dexter: "Death comes for us all."

Joy: "Being an adult is the worst."

Dexter: "Gareth came to a bookstore with a bookmark?"

Blessing: "You are a good and gentle person, Dexter."
Dexter: (to himself) "Tell that to the dead man in my bathtub."

Dexter: "Second chances are for taking."

Dexter: "The Gemini killers. Twins. Fuck me." As he looked right into the camera. A lot of that this season.

This was my kind of episode. Four out of four shower curtains,

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

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