Another season of Dexter comes to an end and instead of that now familiar sensation of watching a once great property decay, we are left with a much missed feeling hope. Season 7 of Dexter was good, and I mean real good. The type of good, where as it got closer to the end of the season I said more than once they can’t keep this up.
The real shocker is that not only did they keep it up with one of the greatest finales in the series history a keen competitor with series 1 and 4, but it did all this coming off the back of season 6, a season I hope to one day forget.
Yes, Dexter is back. What changed? Well to anyone who saw the finale of season 6, it was a game changer.
Spoilers to follow:
With Deb now aware of Dexter’s true nature the dynamic of their relationship is entirely changed. Not only does she know he’s a killer but she now sees him for exactly who he is, we must remember that to most characters in Dexter he is viewed as a pretty average guy. Having Deb realise what he is capable of doing to survive is thrilling to watch, there is a sense of her both being repulsed and attracted as she begins to understand just how efficient he is. Dexter has never really been able to be open with people about what he is, this is a theme that has been explored since season 1 and something that has weighed on Dexter for just as long: remember the psychologist episode? So having him finally be able to talk about his plans with Deb is amazing. Add to this the fact that the now anther-wearing trop of the voiceover has been relegated in favour of him actually discussing his reasoning with real people. Yes the Deb dynamic was the main story of Dexter season 7 but we can’t forget the other amazing arcs.
Hannah Mckay was fascinating to watch, a different type of killer in the Dexter universe, clean, methodical, under the radar, essentially untraceable, she was for all intensive purposes Dexter’s mirror. Add to this the sympathy engendered for her by the writers and the link was fully established. I for one hope Hannah will return in season 8.
The true stand out however was Ray Stephenson as Isac. When Stephenson’s casting was announced I was a little disappointed, it seemed once again that Dexter was counting on casting to make up for poor writing, but Isac’s journey was fascinating and it must be said a lot of fun. Isac had style and so did Season 7. Surely aware of what a master stroke the season 6 finale had been , season 7 happily, or rather
,unhappily ended on it’s own. For the previous couple of seasons Dexter had felt like it was simply spinning it’s wheels but now it seems to be racing ahead, and for the first time in a couple of years I have faith that they know where they are going.
