We’ve crossed the half way mark in Dexter Season 6. While the series has definitely rebounded from the Lumen (Julia Stiles) era, it doesn’t look like season 6 will top the heights of any of Dexter’s first four seasons.
However, the next few episodes may tell a different story. When Dexter (Michael C Hall) disobeyed Brother Sam’s (Mos Def) dying wish, he brought back the spirit of his deceased brother Brian Moser (Christian Camargo). It felt like the start of a reborn Dark Passenger. However, after a road trip to Nebraska that included a supermarket quickie, joyride shooting, and a misguided kill, Dexter decided it was time to kick Moser out and let Harry (James Remar) back in.
Now, Dexter’s back to being Dexter. But, what does that really mean? He’s no longer the sexually awkward killer we knew in Season 1. He now frequently sleeps around indiscriminately. He’s had two one-night stands in Season 6, something that would be unheard of in prior seasons. At least in Season 2, he knew Lila (Jaime Murray) before he cheated on Rita (Julie Benz).
Dexter also seems to be a little nicer, if not sloppier, when it comes to unleashing his Dark Passenger. Early on in Season 6, he let Travis (Colin Hanks) go so that Travis would lead him to Professor Gellar (Edward James Olmos). Next, he spared Trinity’s son. Leaving two potential kills with his identity. Now, in Episode 6.8, “Sin of Omission”, we saw something else. Dexter will apparently partner with Travis to take down Gellar.
While Dexter has partnered with people in the past, it seems strange that he is so brazenly letting people know who he is. It’s as though Dexter wants to get caught. Which may well be the case.
His sloppiness has been echoed through the character of Travis and Dexter’s relationship with Deb. In “Sin of Omission”, Deb’s (Jennifer Carpenter) therapist actually compares Dexter to Travis. Coincidentally, Deb almost discovered the truth about Dexter towards the end of Season 5, when she let Dexter go from a crime scene. Deb knew that someone was helping Lumen take down the rapist ring. However, Deb actually believed in the crusade so she let Lumen and her masked mentor go.
Now, Deb is butting heads with the one person she thought she could trust before anyone else. She’s starting to notice how distant Dexter has been, primarily because Dexter is losing control of how well he wears the mask. She also learned about Dexter’s trip to Nebraska because Dexter held onto a pen of a motel he stayed at. It won’t be long before she also learns about the murder at the motel. What will happen when she does learn about the murder? If she were Doakes (Erik King), she would take down Dexter. But, based on how she acted with regard to the Lumen case, it would seem that Deb would actually want to help Dexter. More importantly, as lieutenant, Deb would have the power to easily cover up Dexter’s tracks. The dynamic would negate the loner side of Dexter’s personality, unless Deb learned the truth and then helped Dexter without Dexter knowing.
With only a few more episodes left of Season 6, we can assume that Gellar will go down very soon. The real question is what will become of Travis and how will Deb’s relationship with Dexter evolve or dissolve?
Dexter will go on to Season 8.
What are your thoughts on Season 6 and where do you see the series going in the next few episodes?
