Dexter: The Final Season Discussion [Spoilers]

[Val22]

Why didn't he just send Harrison to to his brother, sister, grandparent to live?

Yeah, that would have been good. I don't trust Hannah, but I guess it doesn't matter anymore.

Deb dying did make me shed a tear or two. I knew that would break Dexter.

The only thing good about the series ending is that Dexter got to kill that Vogel/Saxon freak. I hated his smug look all the time. I'm glad he killed him and you know he suffered. lol

Dexter going to another part of the country or world sucked.

I think he should have gone to south America and maybe found out that there was a serial killer loose there and at the end he should have looked at the camera and winked. That would have been so much better.

I was hoping that when Dexter sat down, Harry would appear, but no, James Remar wasn't even in the last show. That sucked.

I know it's only a show, but in reality there would be no way that Dexter would be able to keep his kill gene from coming back. I'm sure someone in wherever he is living now will do something terrible or get on his nerves and the knives will come out again. One can only hope.

I just can't believe how the writers let us and Dexter down this season. It was like Dexter was a whole different person and no one changes that much.

And yeah, don't think Hannah won't find someone older guy to suck in and poor Harrison will have to deal with never seeing Dexter again. He really should have sent him to his family. It's just not fair to his kid, but then again, it's only a show and it's over, so no sense bitching anymore. lol

I hate these endings. Like the dark knight rises, dex couldn't have survived the storm and bruce couldn't have survived the explosion.

It worked for TDKR. The plane had an auto-pilot system installed so the editing toward the end was simply misleading, it appears he abandoned ship before it even hit the ocean. It's a bit of a manipulative ending in the sense that it's edited in a way to mislead audiences, but I have no problem with that if it's done in a classy way like Nolan managed to pull off. He basically pulled a prestige on the audience (ha!).

And regardless, with TDKR both the film and its character EARNED redemption. Bruce was ultimately selfless and willing to sacrifice himself -- not just literally but in the sense of his own identity, fortune and fame -- for the people of Gotham. In stark contrast, Dexter didn't earn any kind of redemption, and certainly not enough to validate such a heavy-handed ending.

For eight seasons he was a selfish psychopath. Yes, we enjoyed watching him try to weasel his way out of situations. But let's look at what he produced in the aftermath of his own selfish, compulsive need to murder:

- He was indirectly responsible for the death of a cop doing his job (Doakes);

- He got his wife murdered because he was playing cat and mouse with a serial killer, and then he dumped her orphaned kids with their grandparents;

- He consistently put his own son in harm's way;

- He basically manipulated his sister into killing an innocent police chief (again, someone just doing their job);

- He got his sister shot and killed by a serial killer who, again, he was playing mind games with

But because of the way the narrative has been framed for years, we were manipulated into sympathizing with Dexter. I stopped sympathizing with him a while back.

At the same time, I wouldn't have cared if he had lived at the end of the show. What's insulting is how they tried to provide him some kind of catharsis/redemption/revelation where he suddenly - after eight seasons for us, and a lifetime for his character, of being an emotionless serial killer - no longer feels the need to kill...because he found "true love" in some blonde bimbo (Yvonne Strawhatever is a lovely actress but let's face it, they had no chemistry, her character was a joke, and ultimately she too was a serial killer so how is it that she somehow negated his own compulsion to kill people?).

It's an insulting ending, and it doesn't work within the context of the show and its character's history. Furthermore, the 'ambiguous' ending with Dex staring into the camera miserably? Again, doesn't really work -- so we're meant to take away that he's exiled himself to a lifetime of guilt and remorse... or has he really? Without his love around, no doubt he's going to revert back into a psychopathic mindset; and he's going to feel the selfish need to kill again. And he won't be able to feel human emotions (something he constantly reminded us of with his increasingly banal voice-overs) so is he REALLY going to spend the rest of his life surveying all the damage he caused the ones he (pretended to) love?

Probably the worst finale to any show i've ever seen.

Yeah, all of what you said is true, but someone Dexter was likeable and Rita was annoying and Dokes was annoying too. I really didn't like anyone that Dexter killed so that's why I stayed with the show and liked the character of Dexter. The LT, Maria was a real bitch to Deb from the beginning, so I wasn't sorry to see her go. I really didn't feel bad when she was shot and killed. I just felt bad for Deb because I knew there was no turning back for her. At least she told Joey she loved him, but it was too late.

yeah, there are a lot of characters on tv where everyone around them dies and they go on living, but I wouldn't call it living where Dexter wound up.

At the end, you knew he felt very sad and terrible about Deb and he knew he was bad for the people he loved, so I guess he got what he deserved. Being along until he dies.

[Estranged Reality]

that's why i said we were manipulated into siding with him. annoying or not (and i didn't think doakes was annoying), ultimately these were innocent people who were murdered as a direct result of dexter's behaviour, and who left behind loved ones.

i know it's just a show. i'm just saying, this is all stuff to consider as part of this whole forced 'redemption' for the character last second. even in his redemption he's still being selfish and manipulating people. he hasn't really changed, and i don't buy the ending.

if you want to take it at face value and believe dexter has become human and is now feeling sadness over deb's death and all the other people he affected, that's fine. to me, it feels cheap, unwarranted, and is insulting to the long journey we had with this character.

i'd have honestly preferred him to end the same way the show began, as an emotionless psychopath with a code. taking away the code and trying to turn him into a human with emotions at the very last second is just so forced and ham-fisted.

[Black Sabbath]

I don't think it's a matter of "buying" the ending. They made Dexter go into exile away from humanity and all of the people he loved to live on his own in some shithole away from killing since that's all he ever did and look where it got him.

Still though, not how I wanted things to end.

[dalsh327]

I don't think they went too far in the future, but it sounds like he was trying to process everything that had happened. That final look could be seen as his dark passenger waking up again.

It's a given someone will eventually try to find him the way he did the old man in the retirement home.

Also, Deb dead and Dexter "dead", they had their survivor benefits, Harrison's getting a lot of money.

[Lithium]

"You don't even work here. How are we going to explain this?" How indeed Batista.

Yeah, what the hell was up with that? Not only was the "final battle with the villain" incredibly anti-climactic, but the aftermath was a major cop-out. Dexter was never really a part of the real heavyweights to me, like The Sopranos or The Wire - it was always just an entertaining watch, but it still pains me to see how the writers raped the show.

[Axl_morris]

He isn't technically in exile. Just from the people he knew, there will be people at his work place...etc. There will always be reason for social interaction.

[dalsh327]

"You don't even work here. How are we going to explain this?" How indeed Batista.

Yeah, what the hell was up with that? Not only was the "final battle with the villain" incredibly anti-climactic, but the aftermath was a major cop-out. Dexter was never really a part of the real heavyweights to me, like The Sopranos or The Wire - it was always just an entertaining watch, but it still pains me to see how the writers raped the show.

Maybe, but it was the first time Batista saw Dexter go in for a kill, Quinn didn't seem surprised but they gave each other that quick look. Neither one seemed shocked though.

[volcano62]

I feel bad for Harrison - he will never see his dad again

I feel bad for Quinn - he really loved Deb

I feel bad for Deb when she died, that was hard to watch

I feel bad for Bastista, Deb and Dex were like family.

I will miss this show so much, every character was important over the years and you could feel what they are feeling.

After Rita died, things were just never the same.

I know it's just a show and it has its flaws but IMO nothing will ever top this show.

[Dead Flower]

Y'know everything was terrible. Saxon's death, the bus, the queer flashbacks.

But when Dexter went into the storm to kill himself, I thought oh ok that's pretty decent. Not great, but I get that. Somewhat redeemable ending to a bad final season.

But no! Then we flash to lumberjack dexter with a shitty beard. I lol'd.

[Forsaken]

So, what ever happened to the token black detective gunning for the sergeant spot with Quinn? Just written off to never be seen again?

[Lithium]

I forgot all about that.

[CheapJon]

I wish Rita had never died, then I'm sure I would've ended the series by the fifth season instead watching it all. Damn cupcake show runners.

[Val22]

I feel bad for Harrison - he will never see his dad again

I feel bad for Quinn - he really loved Deb

I feel bad for Deb when she died, that was hard to watch

I feel bad for Bastista, Deb and Dex were like family.

I will miss this show so much, every character was important over the years and you could feel what they are feeling.

After Rita died, things were just never the same.

I know it's just a show and it has its flaws but IMO nothing will ever top this show.

Yeah, Dexter will be missed. I just wish the writers would have made Dexter more like he was when the show first started. After Rita, I don't think Dexter knew who he was anymore? Now he had a son to raise. Once Deb found out, I knew things would get weird. I felt bad for Deb because she loved Dexter so much and then had to cover for him and try to find a way to live with that. I think the writers hurried the finale and really didn't do the show justice.

Although Dexter was a serial killer I couldn't help but like him and hate the people he killed. Dokes never liked Dexter, so I was happy when he was killed. The annoying English woman got hers too. Don't fuck with Dexter's family, that was his motto. I also think the writers changed Hannah too much, I mean come on, how many people did she kill and never once felt sorry for it? I really hate that she is raising Dexter's son. I think that was a huge mistake, but I guess it really doesn't matter anymore.

Maybe one day Showtime will have a special Dexter reunion and he'll get his son and kill Hannah and move on to the South Pole. lol

Whatever, I liked the show a lot and liked Michael C. Hall a lot. I hope he gets another show soon. I love James Remar too. I remember him as Ajax in the Warriors movie. He is a super good actor.

[Val22]

Next week's tv guide reviewed the finale of Dexter.

There was a Q&A and someone asked why Dexter didn't take Harrison to live with his brother and sister and their grandparents. It seems the grandparents weren't Rita's they were her late husband's parents so Dexter wouldn't have wanted them to have Harrison. They also mentioned how much Hannah loves Harrison and would make a good parent.

The article said Dexter exiled himself in the Pacific Northwest of the US and it's supposed to have the most serial killers there. Interesting. I really hope that SHO one day goes back to Dexter because I don't think Dexter will be able to keep his killer instincts in check for the rest of his life.

Anyway, the writers said they were never going to kill Dexter off. It wouldn't have been right for his character to die.

I'm just glad that no one at the police station ever knew he was a killer. But since they lost both Deb and Dexter I'm sure it would have been terrible for them.

I don't know why they bothered to introduce Mazuka's daughter when that character went no where. I guess it was just to give him his own storyline for awhile.

Anyway, great show and I will really miss it.

[volcano62]

Next week's tv guide reviewed the finale of Dexter.

There was a Q&A and someone asked why Dexter didn't take Harrison to live with his brother and sister and their grandparents. It seems the grandparents weren't Rita's they were her late husband's parents so Dexter wouldn't have wanted them to have Harrison. They also mentioned how much Hannah loves Harrison and would make a good parent.

The article said Dexter exiled himself in the Pacific Northwest of the US and it's supposed to have the most serial killers there. Interesting. I really hope that SHO one day goes back to Dexter because I don't think Dexter will be able to keep his killer instincts in check for the rest of his life.

Anyway, the writers said they were never going to kill Dexter off. It wouldn't have been right for his character to die.

I'm just glad that no one at the police station ever knew he was a killer. But since they lost both Deb and Dexter I'm sure it would have been terrible for them.

I don't know why they bothered to introduce Mazuka's daughter when that character went no where. I guess it was just to give him his own storyline for awhile.

Anyway, great show and I will really miss it.

Thanks for posting this! I miss the show also and hope they give us at least 1 more season.

I know the network wanted a season 9 but the writers refused.

[dalsh327]

Next week's tv guide reviewed the finale of Dexter.

There was a Q&A and someone asked why Dexter didn't take Harrison to live with his brother and sister and their grandparents. It seems the grandparents weren't Rita's they were her late husband's parents so Dexter wouldn't have wanted them to have Harrison. They also mentioned how much Hannah loves Harrison and would make a good parent.

The article said Dexter exiled himself in the Pacific Northwest of the US and it's supposed to have the most serial killers there. Interesting. I really hope that SHO one day goes back to Dexter because I don't think Dexter will be able to keep his killer instincts in check for the rest of his life.

Anyway, the writers said they were never going to kill Dexter off. It wouldn't have been right for his character to die.

I'm just glad that no one at the police station ever knew he was a killer. But since they lost both Deb and Dexter I'm sure it would have been terrible for them.

I don't know why they bothered to introduce Mazuka's daughter when that character went no where. I guess it was just to give him his own storyline for awhile.

Anyway, great show and I will really miss it.

Thanks for posting this! I miss the show also and hope they give us at least 1 more season.

I know the network wanted a season 9 but the writers refused.

Mazuka's daughter was karma for his objectifying women.

I think the Tooth Fairy Killer episode is what Dexter saw his future turning out to be, except he pulled a disappearing act. I don't see him staying in Oregon and eventually making his way to South America. I also think with Harrison being older, he didn't want to have to keep living a lie about where he was going.

[Coma16]

Mazukas daughter had a nice little rack on her. Highlight of the season for me.

[arnold layne]

I loved how nobody in Miami Metro never stopped to think why all the people they investigate end up dead two or three days later.

[Estranged Reality]

I loved how nobody in Miami Metro never stopped to think why all the people they investigate end up dead two or three days later.

or how doakes and maria laguerta both openly accused dexter of being a creep/serial killer and both ended up dead.

honestly, that's the biggest running joke of the show: that miami metro is the worst police unit in the world. if they do make a spin-off show about miami metro it would have to be a sitcom or something.

[Angelica]

Maybe that's why Dexter didn't seem to worry about Saxon revealing him if he was taken alive. If TWO decorated detectives were blown off, what's a fellow serial killers word worth? Still can't believe how crappy this season was.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Angelica