Dexter Season 7 (Starts September 30, 2012)

[Xajii]

You mean when it was fresh and new? Yeah, I remember that, I also remember enjoying it the same because I don't try too hard to know everything before everyone and ruin the surprises the show has in store (see: all of last season). If you enjoy the ride, Dexter is still perfectly fine, but if you nitpick every little thing then yeah, it's not as enjoyable as it once was.

Dexter's still just as good, but it's normal for a show that's been on this long to get a little more predictable because we know it (and the characters) a shitload better than we did at the start of season 1. And I bet everyone has their own idea how a season should go or a character should act in situations, but you didn't before because you didn't know that much (and you certainly didn't think you knew better).

I don't agree. I'm going to use Season 4 as a pivotal example because it's far along enough in the season that we know the characters very well, as your stipulations mention.

The following contains spoilers for seasons 4, 5, 6, and 7.

Spoiler: show

Every single episode of that season was unpredictable yet well developed. We understand the basis of the main villain in Trinity, but we are unaware of who exaclty his next target will be, and - later on in the season - how close they will be to Dexter. At the same time, it does a great job of developing tension and unpredictability by having Dexter get so close to Trinity. The final moments that mark a huge death in the series - coupled with how the police station was successfully diverted from the real story - are a great example of something that was not trite, easily predictable, or too basic.

But then there's season 5. The premise is there from very early on: there's a dude with an evil group of people who do shitty things and Julia Stiles wants them dead so Dexter will team up with her and kill them and it will be covered up and then she'll probably leave or die because she's a guest character. This is also the season where the entirety of the writing gets really bad. The ending of that season where Dexter gets all angsty about her leaving was out of character and plain not fun to watch.

Season 6 gets worse. EJO is clearly an extension of Travis Marshall's mind - the way it's set up in the very first episode brings that thought to mind and with each consecutive one it becomes more and more obvious. The entire trope of religion and forgiveness is forced. We know Dexter will kill Travis and with Debra's promotion we also can finally begin to suspect she's going to find out because she is more involved. Add in terribly written plot lines for the side characters, over-the-top killings, flat out unbelievable escapes by multiple characters, and you've got the worst season in the series right there.

Season 7 has already made it abundantly clear that the new dude is going to either take the fall, get killed, or both. The fact that we know this isn't the last season does, to be fair, have a decently sized role in this. But he's overstepping boundaries from the beginning and he has all the makings of a perfect scapegoat. And then you've got this Ukranian plotline that's over the top and almost certainly irrelevant to the overall development of Dexter and the series-arching storyline.

Which brings me to another point: the last two seasons have had absolutely no impact on Dexter's character. The sixth season tried to set it up so that it would, but everything that Brother Sam worked towards went to shit after he died and is now completely inconsequential. The Season 5 "can I love?" BS right after Rita's death was forced and also completely inconsequential now. However, now that Deb knows, this opens up a CHANCE for them to do make a reasonable development or change in his character. Do I trust the writers to at this point? No, not really.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the show and will be glad to follow it to its conclusion, but it is sad to see the degradation and it is frustrating to see the missed opportunities.

[AzazaelFenrir]

It wasn't even apparent that EJO was an extension of Travis until like ep 4 I think? And even then people were starting to guess at it, it wasn't 'omg clear'. Elcura was spot on with what they said. The other problem is now that the show is more popular everyone wants to nit pick. The same people who loved the first few seasons now hate the show because it is so popular and they aren't special for liking some fringe show. The airport scene is this years cell phone that everyone will gripe about. People need to learn to stop over analyzing EVERYTHING and just sit back and be entertained.

[Qalbert]

it seemed fishy from the beginning, and blatantly obvious a couple eps in

[Moss]

It wasn't even apparent that EJO was an extension of Travis until like ep 4 I think? And even then people were starting to guess at it, it wasn't 'omg clear'. Elcura was spot on with what they said. The other problem is now that the show is more popular everyone wants to nit pick. The same people who loved the first few seasons now hate the show because it is so popular and they aren't special for liking some fringe show. The airport scene is this years cell phone that everyone will gripe about. People need to learn to stop over analyzing EVERYTHING and just sit back and be entertained.

Dexter is about nitpicking; the attention to detail is an important theme. Everything Dexter does is planned out with excruciating detail, making it believable for a serial killer to go unnoticed. The conflict occurs when something doesn't go according to Dexter's careful plans. When the writing gets sloppy with this, it really detracts from the show, at least in my opinion.

I just feel like early Dexter never would have tried to make a kill at a freaking airport like he did.

[Kanriel]

Dexter is about nitpicking; the attention to detail is an important theme. Everything Dexter does is planned out with excruciating detail, making it believable for a serial killer to go unnoticed. The conflict occurs when something doesn't go according to Dexter's careful plans. When the writing gets sloppy with this, it really detracts from the show, at least in my opinion.

I just feel like early Dexter never would have tried to make a kill at a freaking airport like he did.

At the same time, Dexter is starting to branch out, and he's relying more on his killing to ground him because of the increased stress. He straight up says this shit.

And if Dexter always only did perfectly planned out kills...he would never, ever get caught. It would just be a side thing, which it mostly was in season 1.

[Delirium]

I look at it as he is still a serial killer. As exact as he may be, as plain looking as he may be to avoid detection, he still has mental problems. He stopped following "the code" and he is taking more risks because of the emotional response he gets. Most serial killers get more and more messy as time goes along anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up getting caught when they decide to end the series.

[Moss]

At the same time, Dexter is starting to branch out, and he's relying more on his killing to ground him because of the increased stress. He straight up says this shit.

And if Dexter always only did perfectly planned out kills...he would never, ever get caught. It would just be a side thing, which it mostly was in season 1.

My point was that even if you plan out everything perfectly, something can still go wrong (like Deb walking in on a kill). I agree with your first point, I guess the problem for me is less that he made the kill in the airport and more that he did it so easily. Him just waltzing out of the airport with a dead body just required too much suspension of disbelief for me.

[Marootsoobutsu]

My point was that even if you plan out everything perfectly, something can still go wrong (like Deb walking in on a kill). I agree with your first point, I guess the problem for me is less that he made the kill in the airport and more that he did it so easily. Him just waltzing out of the airport with a dead body just required too much suspension of disbelief for me.

It required more for me that there was no security camera in the storage room that saw dude strapped to a table. Getting a body into the airport would be hard, but I've yet to have my luggage checked or x-rayed on the way out of one.

[Moss]

It required more for me that there was no security camera in the storage room that saw dude strapped to a table. Getting a body into the airport would be hard, but I've yet to have my luggage checked or x-rayed on the way out of one.

You would think there would be a camera in the storage room to prevent theft. I also don't like how anyone could have just walked in and he would have been screwed.

[Tajin]

He picked the lock. The scene is safe as in: because the room is locked and the guy was done for the day its a safe place to kill someone.

The camera and the overall low airport security are, however, valid arguments.

[arus2001]

Maybe 9/11 didn't happen in their world...

[Moss]

He picked the lock. The scene is safe as in: because the room is locked and the guy was done for the day its a safe place to kill someone.

The camera and the overall low airport security are, however, valid arguments.

How can a luggage room be done for the day at an airport though?

Maybe 9/11 didn't happen in their world...

pretty much

[Tajin]

I'd have to watch the ep. again looked more like lost & found storeroom.

[Tajin]

So yeah, watch harder son :D

[Jer]

I'd have to watch the ep. again looked more like lost & found storeroom.

It was, more or less. Unclaimed luggage. But it was the middle of the day, and the sign posted said that its business hours were from like 7am to 7pm or something.

Edit: Took too long.

[Moss]

Yeah I wasn't implying it was a normal luggage area. Didn't remember that sign though.

[chazzyphizzle]

bad writing is bad writing, i don't really know why people are trying to excuse it by saying we are thinking about it too much. really not much to think about, it is a severe step down from earlier seasons and it makes me sad, but i'm still watching it in spite of this. doesn't mean we the dissatisfied masses can't bitch about the perceived lack of quality

[Kanriel]

It was, more or less. Unclaimed luggage. But it was the middle of the day, and the sign posted said that its business hours were from like 7am to 7pm or something.

Edit: Took too long.

Was it the middle of the day?



That's from when he first enters the airport. He bought ticket, found the guy, knocked him out, etc. Looks to be 6:15-6:30ish in the picture.

[Uzor]

When he passed by there the guy was just locking up. Picture shows the 8:20 plane as "at gate", so I'm guessing it's just past 8 PM.

Iunno though, the 6:25 one is also "at gate", but I migh be delayed?

[AzazaelFenrir]

My point was that even if you plan out everything perfectly, something can still go wrong (like Deb walking in on a kill). I agree with your first point, I guess the problem for me is less that he made the kill in the airport and more that he did it so easily. Him just waltzing out of the airport with a dead body just required too much suspension of disbelief for me.

Had he done it perfectly he would have killed Travis well before he did, instead of branching out and trying to save him. I just feel that the people bitching about nitpicking would be bitching if the show was perfect because 'what is the point he will never be caught because he is perfect'.