On the occasion of tomorrow's Emmy nomination announcements, we re-publish this Vulture article about Debra Morgan's cry faces on Dexter: "Jennifer Carpenter gets a lot of attention for cursing like a trucker as Dexter's Debra Morgan. But, really, the tough girl act is just that: an act. Deb, at her core, is a mess, and she has shed the (gallons of) tears to prove it. This season, though, she has been crying at a pace that's impressive even for her (alcohol and a guilty conscience don't mix, people!). In the first three episodes alone, Deb has already demonstrated all of her signature cry moves. See for yourself after the jump.
The Frozen Face of Terror
Deb is a proud woman, so even though she cries a lot, she does not surrender easily to tears. Her face stiffens before it crumples, leaving her to appear terrified of her oncoming emotions. In this case, she might actually be terrified: El Sapo, a hit man, just beat her up.
The Stop-Looking-at-Me Cover-up
What do you do if you’re too humiliated to let your brother — the man you love and the reason you’re a wreck — see you cry? You hide behind your hands. Deb might also be hiding because she's embarrassed for having sex with Billy Walsh.
The Ugh, Stupid Feelings Head-Hold
Feelings are icky. Deb does not want to deal with them, especially when she's hung-over. By holding her head in her hands, she expresses frustration. And nurses a headache.
The Surrender
Deb can’t keep things bottled up forever. Here she is — six months after killing LaGuerta — finally losing it at the station. “I want to confess,” she blubbers to Quinn. When she finally unravels, she unravels fast.
The Full-On Crumple
Let it out, Deb. You have a pretty fucked-up life.