'Dexter' Finale Review: Season 8, Episode 12 - 'Remember the Monsters?' Provides Predictably Underwhelming Series End, With A Few Bright Spots
So I've finally watched the series finale of Dexter and let me say this. I knew what I was going to get, in terms of the way this season was handled. I wasn't expecting the show to pull of some phenomenal series ending that would live in our hearts forever. I was expecting crap with a few moments of early Dexter greatness, and that's basically what I got.
"Remember the Monsters?" didn't have Dexter truly facing the consequences of his actions, as I basically knew (despite my best hopes) it wouldn't. Dexter didn't die. In the end, Dexter decided to become a lumberjack and live out his days. Or something. Seriously. That was the end of Dexter. Eight seasons and Dexter went from serial killer to lumberjack (who may or may not still kill people). In other words, "Dexter" is not "Breaking Bad." This would compare to Walter White living out his days as a lumberjack, except that would be more believable since he was recently shacked up in a log cabin.
Let's get the rest of the bad out of the way. No one saw Saxon violently hit an unarmed man in public. No one saw Hannah stick Elway with a tranquilizer shot on the bus. No one questioned Dexter's obvious cold-blooded murder of Saxon. And no one questioned Dexter rolling dead Deb on a stretcher and carrying dead Deb to his boat. Are Miami residents on this show the dumbest people to ever walk the earth? If I was a resident of Miami, I'd be insulted. Another gripe of mine is the show still wanted us to care about what happened to Hannah and the Saxon/Dexter situation. I breathed a sigh of relief when Dexter finally killed Saxon, and Hannah finally moved to Argentina, although she still refused to change her appearance. You know, since she's a wanted fugitive. Honestly, there was just no way this show could've gone out with a bang and I accept that.
The good news is that the long-suffering Debra Morgan finally got some peace in the form of death. Saxon's bullet gave Deb a stroke and put her into a coma, and there was just no way she was going to come back from this. Dexter decided to pull the plug and get rid of Deb by throwing her into the ocean. This was sort of symbolic as it may well have been his last kill and the last time he would ever throw a body into the ocean. The body wasn't cut up, which means that maybe Dexter did change? His voiceover put that theory to rest though, as he said he ruins everyone's lives. Yeah, we kind of already knew that after Rita's death. The would-be final talk between Deb and Dex was the highlight of the episode, as well as the first time Deb held Harrison. That was some nostalgic "Dexter," which I can dig.
"Dexter" is a perfect example of how a great show can ultimately become one of the worst shows on TV. What fans should remember about the show is Michael C. Hall's legendary performance for the past eight years, along with some great story lines (Trinity, Lumen, Doakes), intriguing drama and memorable kills. Season 8 showed none of that, but what can you do? Here's to hoping that "Homeland," Showtime's next big thing, won't suffer the same fate.
Blood spatters
- I'm truly livid that only about five people ever found out about Dexter's hobby. The fact that he was a serial killer and never got what should have been coming to him (the electric chair) was pretty much bulls--t. But again, the chance of this outcome was no chance in hell.
- The point of Masuka's daughter and that random detective who got Quinn's job? Your guess is as good as mine. Also, the point of Quinn and Jamie for the past three seasons? Same.
- I mostly feel bad for the guy whose tongue Saxon cut out.
- Harrison is one lucky kid, eating ice cream with a pretty blonde lady in Argentina.
- The "Dexter" Miami Metro is the most idiotic police force on television. Period.