Dexter Season 4

Yes, back again after a bit of a hiatus. Nothing really worth blogging about lately, save for the occasional LOTR film festival or various LOST reruns when I can get them. I gave True Blood a whirl, and while I kind of hated it at first, I let it grow on me and despite the fact that I didn't really find it blog-worthy (yet), I suppose I'd still consider myself a fan.

Onto Dexter.
Just some preliminaries, so I can just clearly state where I stand with this show. I love the show, I think the writing is awesome, and Michael C. Hall is **WONDERFUL**.
Deb=Hilarious.
Batista=My Dexter-ish Frank Lapidus.
Masuda=Hilarious. Need more of him in every episode, please.
LaGuarda=acceptable. It took a few seasons to warm to her, but she's fine, I suppose.
Quinn=shady but is starting to grow on me. He and Deb as partners for some reason REALLY pleases me.

So to paraphrase a friend of mine's husband (about LOST characters, no less) we have Deb, YES, Batista, YES, Masuda, YES, LaGuarda, YES, Quinn, probably YES, and Rita?

A BIG FAT "NO."

I was fine with her during the first two seasons because she was so mousy and timid, not any sort of presence at all, really. And who couldn't feel sorry for someone with that witch of a mother, loser ex-husband, and kids with those names? ASTOR AND CODY? Geez. That's harsh.

This season she's just a nightmare. Now that they're married, I feel like she's turned the corner and become a totally unpleasant liability for Dexter, not just because he's committed to her and their kids and therefore is vulnerable, but because she's always just an annoying pain in the ass. Usually when she's in a scene I go get a snack or go to the bathroom. I suppose they are showing the kind of changes that occur when one goes from a dating to married status, or maybe it's that I've become so emotionally invested in Dexter that I have negative feelings toward anything that might be a downfall for him, which she definitely IS, but really, boo.

Other than that, 4th season is fine. With Lundy back and all the Lithgow-y serial killer grossness, I am expecting some good things here on in. WHO WAS THE GLASS OF BOOZE POURED FOR? (bludgeon-y male?)

On another note, it's hilarious for me (or hideous, maybe) watching John Lithgow play these GROSS, DISGUSTING creeps; because I know he's a dad and I have both of his family-centered books (Lithgow-Palooza and Lithgow-Party Palooza) and he's really a creative and devoted parent. I wonder what his kids think of him being such a slime on film? If my dad was an actor and did this I'd be completely grossed out and embarrassed. Yuck.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Just finished reading this last night. I have to say the experience was quite influenced by having seen the show first but even so, there are a few things I think the creators of the show really did well given what Jeff Lindsay gave them as a starting-off point. It's only 288 pages long after all. What I liked about reading this was getting that extra insight into the character of Dexter that can only come from reading a story that is told in first-person (although the show does do an excellent job of monologue-ing). The way Dexter talks about the Dark Passenger is a lot more substantial here but it almost seems like there are two Dexters sometimes; the show didn't really have that vibe for me---more like, I am Dexter, I have no emotion, I'm ALWAYS the Dark Passenger, it's just a question of timing and availability that I am able to BE him with all the killing........

The show did a great thing by pumping up the character of Angel Batista. Part of this credit should really go to the actor, David Zayes, without whom this part would really be nothing special, but that was one thing that was lacking for me while reading this. Angel just brought a lot to the series I think. Doakes also was marginally small in the novel but huge in the series, which I also enjoyed. LaGuerta had a bigger role in the novel but I don't know if it was necessarily a better one. I almost found myself liking her toward the end of season two, but that's another discussion. I just now saw that Jeff Lindsay was actually a writer on the series, so maybe these ideas came to him after having lived with the characters as they were......fleshing them out to be bigger, badder, and longer lasting could have been pretty sweet for a writer, in my opinion. The background and flashbacks of Harry and Dexter's younger years were great. Deborah was great and translated almost perfectly from book to film.

All in all, this was a very pleasurable read. The show has that special quality to it that can only come from great writing and kick-ass casting but the story itself is some sort of genius on its own; it was bound to strike a chord with me (serial killers and all....) I've seen only two seasons and already I have placed it on the highest pedestal possible (The Sopranos, Twin Peaks, 24). I look foward to the next installment in the triple-D Dexter series, which I believe is......DEARLY DEVOTED?!?!?