If last week’s premiere episode was all about retelling an unavoidable but defining moment in Dexter’s Origin, episode two is about taking us back to the roots of the original series; Playing with nostalgia, endearing us to the new cast, and just barely hinting at a fresh new villain that is almost certainly destined to be the driving force of the season. More importantly, this is an episode that feels more appropriately paced now that it isn’t burdened with the responsibilities of being a pilot.
Picking up right where we left off last week, we find ourselves back in the comforting backdrop of Miami Metro where Dexter is eager to find out how his new career path can meld with his new reality as a blossoming young serial killer. While there isn’t a kill to help drive home the darker themes at play in this episode, it feels like a very necessary building block for the season. Whether it’s the flashbacks to Harry’s introduction to Laura Moser, the brief glimpses of a ruthless new villain, or the hilarious exploits of Dexter at his most awkward, this episode is packed with enough fan service (the good kind) and intrigue to make the whole thing quite enjoyable.
“Put me to Work Boss”
At the heart of episode two, is Miami Metro and the cast of characters that will unwittingly influence Dexter in his early years as a killer. Their introductions in the pilot were brief but everyone gets their time to shine this week; Both in their role on the team and in their ability to haze the newbie. As Dexter dives into his new role eagerly, the rest of the team jumps at the opportunity to playfully humble him.
It’s fun to watch Dexter struggle to find his footing while also recognizing that his new peers are accepting him as part of the unit. At one point, Dexter even appears surprised by how good it makes him feel. Of course, it’s a partially disingenuous reaction but it also feels like an early glimpse at the buried humanity that lives somewhere behind the mask that he wears. One of my earliest concerns about the prequel was that Dexter would be far less endearing to the audience at this point in his life. Luckily, the writers clearly recognized that and have been quite daft so far in their attempts to circumvent that potential issue.
While the entire team gets ample screen time this week, it’s Tanya and Batista who both stand out to me as MVPs of this episode. Tanya Martin (played by the lovely Sarah Michelle Gellar) delivers an endearing performance and quickly establishes herself as a potential mentor for Dexter. She confidently identifies as “tiny but mighty” and she carries herself as such in almost every scene. Her friendly but meticulous personality makes for a welcome addition to the cast and I have no doubt that she will play an important role in shaping Dexter into the highly effective predator that we all know he is destined to become.
A little bit later, a young Angel Batista, charismatically played by James Martinez, displays that big heart that we all associate with the character from the original series. After watching Dexter struggle to socialize, Angel happily acquiesces to Harry’s request to take Dexter under his wing and help him fit in (and subtly train Dexter in the art of blending in). When the two spend some time together after work at his cousin’s bar, it truly starts to feel like the original series. Batista gives him some pointers about salsa dancing, lets him take a shot in honor of a fallen friend, and unknowingly points Dexter in the direction of his next target. It all goes a long way toward making this episode feel like a true throwback; Like it would have fit comfortably alongside episodes from the original.
“It Felt like Christmas Morning and I had been a Good Boy”
For me, the set-piece moment of the episode comes very early on. After Dexter appears very disappointed about being excluded from visiting a fresh crime scene, Captain Spencer throws him a bone and lets him tag along. The scene that ensues is unapologetically Dexter. A bloody crime scene in the parking lot of a convenience store is juxtaposed against the bright Miami sun, upbeat 90’s tunes, and an ecstatic new intern who is absolutely overjoyed to be a part of the grisly affair.
I continue to be incredibly impressed by Patrick Gibson’s performance in this episode but perhaps most notably during this scene. His facial acting is on point as he approaches the body and Michael C. Hall’s voiceover meshes well with the performance. As the camera returns to the unfortunate victim, we find that Dexter’s imagination has wrapped it in a big red bow; Like a present wrapped just for him and left under the Christmas tree. I am really enjoying these projections from Dexter’s mind in each episode and I hope they continue to utilize it throughout the season. They seem like a playful and welcome flourish that givesOriginal Sin a distinct personality.
As a prequel, we get to see Dexter’s enthusiasm for blood and violence bubble to the surface in his professional life for the very first time. Luckily for him, the rest of the team mistakes it for eagerness to impress and uses it as a playful hazing opportunity. Patrick's performance in this scene is infectious as he confidently analyzes the scene and makes some bold, if not obvious, claims about how the crime went down. It immediately highlighted how much I had missed the crime scene element from the original series; An aspect that was used sparingly in New Blood. With Miami Metro back at the center of the story, I have no doubt that Original Sin has a lot more where this came from.
“Maybe God doesn’t want us to Replace our Baby”
As Dexter settles in at Miami Metro, Harry’s past continues to come into sharper focus as well; Along with that of Dexter’s mother, Laura Moser. And so begins a deep dive into the series of events that will eventually show us exactly what went down in the shipping container where Dexter’s dark urges were born.
We get to see Harry and Laura’s “meet cute” (though maybe it’s not so cute) which was only hinted at in the original series. Harry goes undercover to bust her and her boyfriend dealing drugs in the hopes that he can flip the boyfriend into a CI (Confidential Informant) to use while building a case against Hector Estrada (Dexter fans should recognize that name). While a lot of what is shown in this episode is familiar territory, it’s the revelation about Harry’s son from the pilot that continues to add weight and context to the story.
Harry eventually shifts his focus to Laura and is eventually able to convince her to cooperate by appealing to her instincts as a mother. Harry seems pleased with himself but that is short-lived when he comes home to find his wife drinking and lamenting the negative results of a pregnancy test. It is revealed that it has been two years since the death of their son and despite multiple attempts, they have been unsuccessful at having a second child. As one might imagine, this continues to weigh on Harry given his role in the death of his son.
As the season continues, I think it is safe to say that Harry’s reasoning for guiding Dexter is going to be intrinsically linked to the guilt that he feels. Whether that is the extent of his motivations or not, remains to be seen. What I can say is that I am impressed by how much heavy lifting that surprise reveal in the pilot has already done in altering my perception of Harry as a character. If handled well, it has the potential to completely change the way I perceive the rest of the series and that’s the kind of thing that gives prequels value and legacy.
“The Dark Passenger was Rising Up”
This episode may have kept Miami Metro at the forefront but it is also about moving game pieces around on the periphery of the board. As Dexter struggles to figure out how to appeal to the hearts and stomachs of his new work family, a new villain is slowly being introduced in the background. A masked man (or woman?) has kidnapped Jimmy Powell, the child of a prominent Miami Judge, and locked him away in what appears to be the bowels of a ship. The motivations of the kidnapper remain a mystery but it is made clear that the police are quick to theorize that the kidnapping was perpetrated by the Cartel (smells like a red herring to me).
While the kidnapper doesn’t make any demands, he does eventually escalate by cutting off the poor kid’s finger and sending it to the Judge’s house. Of course, that finger eventually finds its way into Miami Metro where Tanya is able to confirm its connection to the child; A revelation that appears to trigger something inside of Dexter. Of course, this unsettling feeling makes sense to those of us who already know about Dexter’s past; Specifically how the circumstances of his mother’s death gave him a soft spot for children. The question now becomes what is Dexter going to do about it?
With Batista telling Dexter about the tragic deaths of a young immigrant family at the hands of a vicious booky and the mutilation of a young child by a ruthless kidnapper, Dexter decides that he can’t ignore his urges any longer. The episode closes with Dexter picturing the mugshot of his next victim as he lays in bed and the smile that spreads across his face tells us everything we need to know.
At the end of the day, “Kid in a Candy Store” is a remarkably paced episode that accomplishes a lot in it’s relatively short runtime (approx 45 minutes). Dexter, Harry, and Deb all move forward on their separate tracks (some more than others) but their inevitable collision is looming and the writers continue to inject fun surprises into a story that we thought we already knew. I didn’t even realize how much ground was covered until my second and third viewing but my appreciation for the storytelling grew each time. I think that’s the sign of a prequel done right so my hope now is that they continue on this track for the remainder of the season.
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Up Next: “Miami Vice”