Dexter Original Sin / Dexter Resurrection

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Figured I'd start a new topic for both of these shows because I'm going to have lots of thoughts. Three episodes of Original Sin are out now.

Episode 1:

Spoiler

I liked this. It's not as good as regular Dexter seasons but still enjoyable. I do think the actress for Deb is all wrong tho. The character is written way too 'popular in highschool'-ish. Deb was kind of awkward and goofy in her early years on the show. The actress is playing it a little too valley girl that swears vs hard ass cop's daughter in my opinion.

There sure were a lot of 90s music montages. A little bit of that goes a long way. But all that said really happy to have this and like that it has a tie in purpose to New Blood and Resurrection. Quite sure the end of this season will be Harry's death juxtaposed with Dexter waking up on the ER table.

A little inconsistency I noticed tho. In season 8 of Dexter theres a video of Harry going to see Vogel after Dexter's first kill. When he goes he's in uniform. So according to og Dexter Harry was a uni still, not a detective wearing suits and what not. I'm sure there will be a few more of these inconsistencies. I'm assuming everything Vogel related is being retconned.

Episode 2:

Spoiler

I like the Batista they cast in this. I'm not sure what's going on with the kidnapped judge's son. But hopefully it's a good payoff. This episode didn't have a whole lot of forward momentum. But some more inconsistencies came to me. In of Dexter I do not remember them saying Harry worked with Dexter at any point. Nor was he direct co-workers with Batista or LaGuerta. So that seems like a really odd backstory change. Now they never outright said he didn't in of Dexter. But you'd think that kind of thing would come up more if it were the case.

In og Dexter Captain Matthews is also close to Harry in the past. Why is he nowhere to be found? He was the one who let Harry know someone walked that Harry arrested and he sent Dexter after him. He knew the truth about Harry killing himself. But he's just not around at all. I get wanted to have a blank canvas to tell stories in this time period. But contradicting the original so much is a bad move. I know the show runner of this left after Season 4 of the og, but you have to work with the established canon even if you don't like it.

Episode 3:

Spoiler

Giving Laura Moser so much agency and making her a go-getter is another odd change. She was a desperate single mother in the og so seeing her now being this undercover badass is a real tonal shift. And again, Harry was a uniform officer during this time frame. Painting him as a hard nose detective doing stings on drug runners doesn't fit what was established in the og. Speaking of tonal shift, Deb trying to score coke to be popular for her volleyball team? Seems so out of character. Dexter's hunt in this one was good stuff. Very much early vibes of the stalks and kills in the earlier seasons. It's not very believable that he'd be able to take down that big of a dude with the M99 tho. They really should have done a little bit of background on Harry making him do lots of combat training.

Overall really enjoying this season so far. Just wish they had cleaned up a few of the inconsistencies.

And a Resurrection note I noticed from episode one of Original Sin...

Spoiler

Interesting that it was the backseat of a single police cruiser Dexter was transported by with no follow cars. And no police presence or handcuffs on the gurney. Perhaps Harrison regrets his decision and comes back to save Dexter / take Angela out and hes the one that takes Dexter to the hospital??

 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

I must be literally the only person watching this lol.

Episode 4 thoughts

Spoiler

This one felt like boring filler up until the last 5 minutes. I'm kind of not sure of the purpose of this show as it goes on. It's recontextualizing Harry, Laura Moser, and their relationship. Not much else going on.

The judge's son being dead already is a little surprising. Seems like an odd route to take for a season big bad. We're 40% through and know nothing.

 

[Craig H]

If I get bored enough, I'll watch it. I haven't been bored enough yet.

[Technico Support]

Seriously, my first and only thought was “oh Jesus, who the fuck is watching this?”

 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Episodes 5 thoughts

Spoiler

His knock out drug is back to being M99. In New Blood they had retconned it as Ketamine. Which was a bizarre choice. Makes me wonder if that will be a plot point they revisit in Resurrection. Angela got details wrong so her theory is wrong. (Even tho her search showed Ketamine is what the Bay Harbor Butcher used).

Is Deb... not Harry's kid? Weird way to do the pregnancy reveal and Harry being pretty surprised by it.

Where is Matthews? 5 episodes in and Harry's closest friend and partner is nowhere to be seen in the past? Odd choice.

 

[HumanChessgame]

I've watched the first 4 episodes and much like the last new season I think it's better than it has any right to be. The tendency to milk a franchise for all it's worth by making prequels, spinoffs, soft reboots, etc is really tiring and this didn't really need to be made, but it's not bad.

[Curt McGirt]

Coming next: Dexter the Movie!

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Resurrection casting newz:

Spoiler

Batista, Harrison, and the ghost of Harry actors are all back. Interesting Harry is back because his ghost was replaced by Deb. I haven't heard of Jennifer Carpneter returning so I don't think Deb will be part of this.

Fingers crossed we get more of the originals in this. Really hoping for Astor & Cody to be factored in some how. There's some good storytelling to be told with them.

 

Edited January 8 by NoFistsJustFlips

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Episode 6 thoughts:

Spoiler

The math ain't math'in. When Dexter starts in 2005 he's at 54 kills according to the show. Original Sin is 14 years before that. He's literally done 4 kills in the matter of a month or so. If he keeps up at that rate he'd have 728 kills before the OG show.

Now maybe them finding body parts in his dumping area will slow him way down. But his rate should be like 3 a year or so not 3 a month.

Only 4 episodes left and hardly any movement on the big bad of the season stealing the kids. I had originally thought Harry would die in the season finale which wakes Dexter up in the current time line. But with the pacing seems like that won't happen.

Its a good enough show. But it's not the same without Michael C Hall in the role of Dexter.

 

[Curt McGirt]

Wasn't there typically only one murder per season from Dex? All the other ones being from the killer he was stalking? This sounds like they're in Oz territory -- murder of the night shit. 

It makes you value Deadwood who would not only use murders sparingly but deal with them logically, even in a town with no actual law. 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

No in the OG series he averaged about 8 kills per season. Some were his regular table kills. Some were self preservation kills. Even in New Blood where he hadn't killed on 10 years (and 2 less episodes), he had 5.

[Curt McGirt]

Well then. 

Makes Deadwood look better? 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Episode 7 thoughts, they revealed the big bad and...
 

Spoiler

Logically it makes no sense. Structurally for the timeline tho, fits pretty well. So the current police lieutenant kidnapped a judge's son. Cut his finger of. Killed him and hung him from a bridge. Now he's kidnapped his own son. Cut his finger off. And will probably be caught and killed by Dexter before killing his son / being the hero that saves him. Abducting and killing your own kid makes no sense. But for the timeline of the show this season probably ends with him being taken out and Matthews being put in as lieutenant. Otherwise don't understand why Matthews has been absent.

I guess what the show was going for is a desperate man trying to save his marriage by being the one to find and save his son to impress his ex-wife? The last 3 episodes will hopefully give a motive along those lines. Hope it doesn't end up being he's just a psycho that snapped and wants to hurt his ex-wife by killing his own kid.

 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Episode 8 thoughts (and what it means for Season 1 of the OG show)...

Spoiler

The hooker killer is all but confirmed to be The Ice Truck killer. All the theories that we had seen him in the restaurant in episode 2 or 3 taking a chair from Dexter's table were right. Harry is apparently trying to protect him and save him from being found out. I have a strong suspicion they're going to recontextualize Harry's death.

In the OG show we find out it wasn't an accident, that Harry overdosed on heart meds on purpose and killed himself. Which is later confirmed by Matthews saying Harry called him the night before to ask him to keep and eye on Dex & Deb. Well I think they're going to go with Harry being scared that Brian Moser is coming for him and that was the reason for the call. He'll have some conflict arise trying to protect Brian from the investigation, and in turn Brian will be the culprit of the heart med OD.

I'm okay with that change but it does kind of lead to a slippery slope where Brian is now following Dexter for what 15 years before the events of season 1? Seems a little far fetched. Also you would think that name would stick with LeGuerta when she saw Harry hiding his folder. How does she not recall that she's heard of him before later on in the OG series?

This show is really well made but there's a few inconsistencies and plot cracks that take it down a notch for me. (Like Harry was a uniform officer. Not a detective. He's wearing the uniform when he finds Dexter in the shipping crate. He's wearing the uniform when he visits Vogel once Dexter is active. None of the detectives in the future reference working directly with Harry in the past). That kind of stuff.

 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Episode 9...

Spoiler

Fixing plot holes sooths my soul. So they give a reason for Harry to be a uniformed officer when finding Dexter instead if a detective and it makes total sense.

Really good episode with lots of Ice Truck Killer character building. LeGuerta knowing the name Brian Moser and it being involved with Harry's affair, and that not coming back to her in the OG series is a little odd. Like just a name in a file sure you'd forget that. But the name of a coworkers affairs son after the mother was murdered and you look up the police report? That would stick with you.

One episode left. I think Harry dies at the hands of Brian Moser who covers it up and makes it look like an OD next week. It's been a very good series. Matthews and Evelyn Vogel being left out seems a little weird. But for what it's worth this show has been really solid.

 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Season finale...

Spoiler

Well that was a very over the top happy ending. Dexter saves the kid. Kills the bad guy. Harry convinced Brian to stay away. Deb gets into the police academy. The whole family dances.

It was a good season of TV. Some of it was redundant. But it was devoid of the late season contrivances that brought the show down. I assume there will be a season 2. And if so I wonder if they keep Brian on, just in a different location.

Having him move off to like Tampa and showing him get through med school or whatever you do to get into prostetics while still stalking and killing in the shadows could be a decent B plot. Maybe meets a girl he really likes and falls in love and something tragic happens to her to really drive him over the edge.

One annoyance with how the big bad was dispatched tho. He ex wife will live in fear forever. He is banging on the door trying to kill her then disappears. There's no way she will ever feel safe again.

Overall if you like Dexter, you'll enjoy this.

 

Very much looking forward to Resurrection. Think that comes out in June or July.

[NoFistsJustFlips]

The cast for Resurrection is wild. In addition to a Trinity appearance and Batista & Harrison coming back, the new cast include Peter Dinklage, Eric Stonestreet, Uma Thurman, Krysten Ritter, David Dastmalchian, and Neil Patrick Harris.

[Curt McGirt]

Dastmalchian must be a killer, right? Harris too? 

[Leonidas]

Dexter might have met his match if he's going up against the Bride . Great cast. Anything that gets more Krysten Ritter in my life is good with me.

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Three weeks from tomorrow Resurrection comes out. The trailer looks pretty fucking good too. Will be interesting to see how it plays out. Looks like the Batista / Dexter reunion / confrontation is happening episode one, right off the bat.

The trailer sure makes it seems like Harrison is dragging a dead body and chopping it up. But I think its creative editing and he's butchering meat.

Ill be posting thoughts on it here, wonder if anyone else is planning on watching.

[Craig H]

I had no idea until your comment so I checked out the trailer. It looks…fun? Yeah, I’ll watch it.

[Leonidas]

Loved all the fan service in the first episode. Got all of the exposition out of the way and set the table for the rest of the season too. Been so long since the cast was announced I had forgotten who would be appearing, looking forward to being surprised again in future episodes.

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Episode 1 thoughts...

Spoiler

I am loving the vibe and the feel of this. Dexter is meant to be in a big vibrant city with lots of energy. I liked New Blood a lot but this show is already giving us a more authentic feeling show just two episodes in.

I like that they didnt shy away or waive away him being slowed down by the gun shot injury. He's getting winded easily and needing to take breaks or in a lot of pain when bumped into.

I am shocked they went there with Harrison. I thought for sure the dragging a body thing in the trailers was disingenuous editing and gonna be him dragging and butchering an animal.

The Batista & Dexter scene had so many layers. Sweet happy loving Batista was very stoic and concerned, but you got the sense he has the pieces put together and he's trying to lead Dexter into a trap. It'll be interesting to see play out.

Also love love loved the hallucinations with Trinity, Miguel, & Doakes. They all had such different vibes to the conversations from each other but all felt very organic to how the characters always interacted. But still in a way where you can understand why they were all being encouraging to Dexter. Like there's no way Doakes thinks Dexter's a good person deep down. Thats just Dexter's psyche.

My only gripe was the explanation of how he's free / alive. A real exposition cop out with how Angela was handled. Maybe it would be felt different if they got the actress back to actually film some scenes instead of having Teddy just explain it all. The way Angela was portrayed in New Blood no way would she give up on the BHB investigation just because she found Iris / found out about Kurt. Let alone letting Dexter walk for killing Logan.

They really tried to retcon that one. Saying it was a self defense. As if Logan turned into some murderous psycho trying to kill an innocent man in a cell. They would have been better off getting the Logan actor back and saying he didnt actually die either. Just that he was choked out and had a non lethal neck fracture.

Overall great return episode.

 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

Episode 2 thoughts....

Spoiler

Since we did the heavy exposition lifting in episode one, in episode two we are off to the races and getting right into the meat of this season's story. Felt like that was a good choice.

Dexter hearing about the body in nine pieces thing was a pretty plausible explanation for him being able to track Harrison. It almost feels like Batista should be on to that too tho and not needing to have Teddy track the truck.

Dexter and Blessings becoming such good friends so fat felt a little disingenuous. Especially when Blessings sees the weird ass truck he was in at the impound lot lol.

I also dig Dexter being more pissed that the killer stole his name than actually being worried with wanting to kill the killer. I have a feeling this is gonna be a much quicker kill than normal and Dexter's going to be impersonating him going forward.

Harry being back adds so much. I liked what they did with the Deb ghost in New Blood. But the Harry dynamic was sorely missing in that show.

The female savant Lundy detective feels like shes going to be a good foil too.

Overall another strong episode. This season is firing on all cylinders right out of the gate. You love to see it.

 

[NoFistsJustFlips]

A few small nitpicks that came to mind...

Spoiler

-How does the newly resurrected Dexter Morgan have a bank account or credit cards to pay for things / have his Jim Lindsey money transferred over?

-How do the people at the hospital have all of his stuff under Dexter Morgan already? I suppose Angela could have told them when she brought him in, but since he's still technically dead on record at that point kinda doesnt make sense.

-How does he have a smart phone already tied to that name to use ride share?

-How did he get a stolen car out of impound without a license in that person's name?

 

Certainly things that can be overlooked. But I prefer when writers really try to not have the logic gaps like this in great TV shows.