SPOILER WARNING! The following contains MASSIVE SPOILERS for the third episode of ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ titled ‘Miami Vice’ - Proceed with caution.
With introductions and narrative setup in the rearview mirror, episode three of Dexter: Original Sin, wastes no time giving the audience what they crave: Dexter being Dexter. The double life that he leads comes into stark focus as Miami Metro sets their sights on a kidnapper and mutilator of children while Dexter zeroes in on an alternative target that won’t threaten to divide their attention. Meanwhile, he’s also trying to clean up a proper mess at home involving Deb, Sofia, and the earrings that he took from Nurse Mary as trophies.
The forked storylines of Dexter and Harry each make significant advances in their respective timelines and the central mystery surrounding the (presumed) “big bad” continues to tease what’s to come later in the season. On top of that, the final piece of the Miami Metro ensemble is introduced as Maria LaGuerta (played by Christina Millian) makes her grand entrance and immediately puts herself at odds with Captain Spencer. It’s a fun episode that continues to refine the overall pacing of the show while relishing in the narrative playground that the return to Miami provides. In short, longtime fans should be quite pleased.
“All I know is… I Wanted Blood”
The further we make it, the more it is starting to feel like this season was built to resemble the very first from the original series. This episode capitalizes on the vibrant Miami culture, leans on awkward comedy, and slowly sets up an intriguing mystery that captivates Dexter. It opens with a dramatic press conference on the courthouse steps where Captain Spencer issues an ominous warning to the villain responsible for the kidnapping of Jimmy Powell. Miami Metro watches on from the bullpen and Dexter appears disturbed by the heinous act; Unknowingly bothered because of his own childhood trauma that, at this point, remains buried in his subconscious.
While we don’t see much of the kidnapper directly in this episode, his (or her) presence is still felt throughout; Undoubtedly a sign that this seemingly random crime is destined to play a major role throughout the season. Miami Metro is feeling the pressure from the family and the media to solve the case and it is suggested several times that the Cartel is likely behind the abduction. While Spencer informs the media that no messages have been received, Dexter recognizes immediately that the severed finger WAS the message. It’s an intriguing setup that I can’t help but compare to the Ice Truck Killer.
The one scene that eventually does play out involving the masked kidnapper reminded me of Kurt Caldwell’s MO in Dexter: New Blood. Jimmy Powell’s makeshift jail cell is suddenly opened and the young captor jumps at the opportunity to try and escape. As he slowly rounds a corner and disappears from view, he is attacked, and presumably, murdered off camera. If that does prove to be the case, the kidnapper has now escalated to murderer of children and almost certainly secured his/her status as a potential target for Dexter going forward. The question now is whether or not this will be enough to convince Dexter to throw caution to the wind and put himself in direct competition with Miami Metro.
“I Don’t Back Down from the Difficult Questions”
The media pressure and intense scrutiny placed on Miami Metro finally leads to the long awaited introduction of Maria LaGuerta - confidently played by Christina Millian. It’s an iconic introduction if you ask me. Maria steps off the elevator in a colorful and unmistakably feminine outfit which immediately catches the attention of Batista (and the whole station). Angel does what he does best and is immediately shot down when he realizes that she is a new Detective, not a damsel walking in off the streets. Knowing their history, it’s a dynamic I am eager to see develop.
As confident and qualified as she clearly is, Maria’s arrival is not greeted warmly. Captain Spencer makes a spectacle of her introduction through attempted intimidation and blatant disrespect. She remains unphased and establishes herself as a strong personality that is most certainly going to make a huge splash within the ranks of Miami Metro.
While I have always been excited to see what role she ultimately plays throughout the season, it’s her early interactions with Harry that I think elevated her to “MVP” status for me. While Harry agrees to spy on her on behalf of Captain Spencer, her knack for the job almost immediately earns his respect. He quickly acknowledges her competence and even shies away from the horribly offensive “N.H.I. (No Humans Involved)” terminology when she calls him out about it. I knew it would be fun to see these two working cases together but I didn’t expect the dynamic to be so immediately engaging.
Given what we know about her fate, her eventual partnership with Doakes, and her intense attraction to Dexter in the early days of the original series, I think it’s going to be very interesting to see what they do with her here. I can’t help but wonder if this mutual respect between Maria and Harry will somehow influence her relationship with Dexter but exploring that dynamic in a prequel seems inevitable. Quite simply, there is a lot of room to really explore this character even though we already know where it leads. She represents yet another opportunity to enrich the existing lore of the show and I am here for it.
“That’s how they do it on Miami Vice”
As the episode title might suggest, Miami’s drug of choice in the 90’s plays an integral role in the story in both time periods. On one hand, Harry’s investigation into the Estrada drug operation continues to develop while “present day” Deb leans on her brother to help score her some Coke so she can win over her Volleyball teammates and earn their vote for team captain.
One thing I really didn’t expect was to find myself so invested in Laura Moser’s storyline but Brittany Allen managed to steal the show in this episode and get me on board. I think it succeeds because of her performance and because it goes a long way in painting Laura and Harry in a new light. In the past, we learned about this story from second-hand accounts, cut-and-dry police reports, and vague recollections from Dexter and Deb. As a result, Harry was painted as a heartless womanizer and Laura, a classless junkie. The strength of Original Sin continues to lie in its ability to change those misconceptions or at the very least, humanize these characters further.
Watching Laura accept her new circumstances as a CI and demonstrate her knack for undercover work is captivating. All-the-while, Harry’s sense of responsibility for her is admirable and almost certainly rooted in the empathy that he feels for her as a parent. Putting her in danger and almost losing control of a situation sends Harry into a tailspin; A fact that doesn’t go unnoticed by Laura; Who, at this point, probably feels more warmth and compassion than she ever felt possible in her romantic life. It’s a perfect storm that sets the stage for their extra-marital affair but in a much more sympathetic way than before. Harry resists her advance later in the episode but we all know it won’t last forever.
Back in the “present day,” Dexter’s plan to reclaim his trophies from Sofia puts him on the hook with Deb and serves as a clever way to highlight his problem solving skills. Rather than helping her score actual Coke for her friends, he taps into his pre-med education to create a viable substitute using caffeine pills. It’s a great sequence of events that highlights Deb’s affection for her brother and ends up throwing Dexter into an unbelievably awkward moment when Sofia tries to kiss him. As I have stated several times already: this storyline is another great example of how the show manages to tap into the formula that made the early years of Dexter universally acclaimed.
“One Wrong Move and it all Falls Apart”
Of course, the other narrative temptation of Original Sin is the ability to reveal Harry’s struggles and explain his eventual culpability in Dexter’s crimes. Episode 3 features two separate heart-to-heart conversations between father and son that speak to his steady resignation. It’s a dynamic that sits at the heart of the show.
When Harry discovers that Dexter’s apparent infatuation with Sofia isn’t remotely romantic, it throws his relative state of calm into disarray. Despite years of training, it is clear that Harry has been living in denial of what Dexter actually is. The revelation that he took trophies from Nurse Mary rattles him to his core. He lays down the law and makes it clear that he forbids him from taking trophies ever again. Considering what we know about his ritual later in life, I can’t wait to see how this develops over time.
Later in the episode, after Dexter has taken some bold action in the hopes of vetting a second victim, Harry is once again faced with the realization that once was never going to be enough for his son. Dexter digs his heels in and insists that he is being who he is meant to be but also demonstrates some semblance of regret for burdening Harry with his compulsions. In a surprise twist, Harry green lights his next kill but then suggests that he’s going to tag along to make sure Dexter doesn’t make any mistakes. While he eventually backs down from this suggestion, it was genuinely surprising to see him so intent on witnessing a kill for himself. It’s a subtle and welcome nod at what’s to come; But an event that I hope they take their time getting to (fingers crossed for a season 2 renewal soon).
“Alligators Eating Alligator Shoes”
If I had one gripe about episode three (or maybe ‘Original Sin’ in general), it’s that Dexter’s escalation as a killer is significant and sudden. We barely got to see him struggle to assemble a kill room in the pilot and now he has demonstrated a willingness to “go big or go home” when it comes to his targets and his kill spaces. With that said, it’s hard to complain when the stalk and kill is this fun to watch. If fans were waiting for an indication that ‘Original Sin’ was sharp enough to stand tall with its predecessor, episode three brought the goods.
With all eyes on Jimmy Powell’s abduction, Dexter’s attention has turned to Tony Ferrer, the violent loan shark that Batista described in episode two. It’s a stalk and kill that feels about as classic as we could have hoped for. Dexter uses his resources at Miami Metro to research the target, break into his home to find evidence of his crimes, and eventually take on an alias before approaching the target at a Jai alai game (look it up, I had never heard of this before but it feels very Miami).
The first meeting between Dexter (using the alias of Patrick Bateman) and Tony (played wonderfully by Roberto Sanchez) is electric. Dexter’s comfort and talent for deception is on full display and juxtaposed beautifully against his fledgling social skills at home. He takes out a loan that he has no intention of repaying and the trap has been set. When the two reconvene later at the bar, Dexter taunts his prey and eventually baits him into pulling a gun and firing a warning shot right past his head. The slow-motion effect not only highlights how close Dexter was to death but also gives us a clear view of his indifference to danger when a wry smile spreads across his face.
After comparing the ballistics on the bullet he recovered behind the bar to a bullet from evidence back at Miami Metro, the code has been satisfied and the plan is in motion. Dexter manages to take Tony by surprise at his home but ends up destroying half of his kitchen in the process. Regardless, he is successful and Tony eventually regains consciousness back at the Jai alai arena.
While the Nurse Mary kill was a faithful recreation of an existing kill, Tony Ferrer represents the writers’ first opportunity to create something new and it shows. Patrick’s performance in this kill room scene is nothing short of spectacular as he channels Michael C. Hall at the top of his game. He dominates Tony first by launching Jai alai balls at him and then repositions him for the kill under the spotlight on the floor of the arena. When he delivers the killing blow, his eagerness and inexperience ends up coating him in blood but the look of satisfaction is unmistakable. It’s a kill for the history books and one that I feel matches the quality of the best scenes that this whole series has to offer.
Miami Vice is an episode that makes a strong argument for the relevance and effectiveness of doing a prequel in the first place. All of the pieces that make for a full season feel like they have fallen into place and the writing and performances are working together to create something that could end up being very special. In the coming weeks, we’ll find out if they can maintain this momentum but for now, I am feeling quite good about where it’s all going. New weeks mean new Dexter and as a fan, it doesn’t get much better than that.
Score:
Next Week: “Fender Bender”