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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Latest from TV Guide - Questions & Answers with Matt


Latest from TV Guide. Click the link below to read Question and Answers about Dexter, with Matt Rouch...



Question: My husband and I love Dexter, but why must Debra use such a foul mouth? To our way of thinking, when you have to use the "F"-word constantly both on TV and in the movies, it means that the program isn't good enough to stand alone. But this program is good enough. Hopefully when the program resumes next year, the writers can find another way of Debra expressing herself. — Judy


Matt Roush: I wouldn't count on it. Have you met Debra? She's been this way from the start. In last night's episode, Quinn even notes that he admires her because she's "more like a guy. You don't play games. ... You just say it, and usually with a lot of really filthy words that I've never heard before." It's in her DNA to talk this tough, a defense mechanism from growing up around cops and fighting her way into the detective squad. I agree with you that it gets tiresome and is no longer fresh, if it ever was. But that's Debra. And she's not going to bleeping apologize for it. Or, I would imagine, change her profane stripes.


Question: Where do you stand on Dexter this year? Although John Lithgow's Trinity will probably always be the gold standard among Dexter's Big Bads, the current season is shaping up to be my favorite so far, and I never would have thought I'd have said that six or seven weeks ago. Why? One-word answer: Lumen. I was afraid the ongoing story would descend into some twisted domestic drama, and although that's kind of what it's done, I'm now good with it. Having someone with whom Dexter can share who he truly is and who accepts and doesn't judge him has provided the growth he needed to get a lot closer to being "human," even to the point that he realizes maybe Harry developed "the Code" for him when he maybe should have given it more time. He's able to tell his son and even his bratty stepdaughter he loves them and feel the feelings that go with the words.

At the same time, Deb feeling no remorse for killing the soulless monster in the nightclub as well as feeling a kinship with and approval of the theoretical escaped 13th victim/avenger is hopefully setting her up for acceptance of her brother's activities if and when she ever finds out about them. Throw in a de-emphasis of the LaGuerta/Batista storyline in recent weeks, and a sleazy ex-cop using surveillance equipment to watch as Dexter gives Lumen lessons in execution and disposal (Peter Weller may be my favorite villain this season), and the conclusion I get is that this has been Dexter's best season and is one of the best shows of the year. And it's good to know that there are some acts of depravity that even Masuka doesn't want to watch. — Mike


Matt Roush: You make some convincing points. And the last few Dexter episodes have been terrific, as often happens late in a season's run, and I'm with you on Peter Weller being a delightfully despicable villain. (SPOILER ALERT if you didn't watch last night: I'm really sorry he's gone now, but the scene in the van when Dexter and Liddy were in the death grip as Quinn approached the vehicle was Breaking Bad-level intense. The blood dripping on Quinn's shoe, yikes!) That said, this season has been just too uneven for me to rank it ahead of the year of Trinity. I enjoyed the start of the season, when Dexter was so numb he'd lost his murderer's mojo, and I loved the shock of Lumen's entrance into the story, and when she was feral, she was fascinating. Then it stalled a bit until lately, but they have ratcheted up the suspense, and Julia Stiles' shaky performance has become stronger as well. But ouch for anything that doesn't directly involve Dexter. This is a show that some weeks suffers for having to fill time with unnecessary subplots because pay-cable episodes run longer, and the central Dexter-Lumen story may not have needed 12 episodes to play out. But I have to say: Next Sunday's finale? I am so there.

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