SPOILER WARNING! The following contains MASSIVE SPOILERS for the fourth episode of ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ titled ‘Fender Bender’ - Proceed with caution.
Episode 4 moves the background story involving the kidnapping of Jimmy Powell to the forefront and sets up a really compelling connection to the original series. It also provides a perfect opportunity to let young Dexter endear himself to his colleagues while also proving himself capable on the job. Of course, the circumstances of Jimmy Powell’s murder also set Dexter on a path toward making one of his first major mistakes which I am eager to see him deal with next week. It’s another strong episode that moves the plot in some interesting directions while delivering a lot of fun and nostalgic moments for longtime fans.
“What you’re feeling… Is Normal.”
The return to Miami in Dexter: Original Sin stands in stark contrast to the backdrop of Dexter: New Blood but the sudden violent murder of Jimmy Powell darkens things considerably. When the young boy is found hanging from an overpass, Miami Metro is thrown into chaos and the usual crew are all clearly impacted by such an unspeakable crime. Even Dexter is surprised to find himself shaken when confronted with violence against a child.
This unexpected reaction within Dexter is the crux of the episode; It knocks him off balance and sets an unfortunate series of events in motion. Longtime fans will likely recognize that Dexter is grappling with his own forgotten trauma but it also serves as an effective means of humanizing the character for newer fans. It also gives Harry just enough false hope to stir up his own denial about Dexter once again. He is relieved by Dexter’s discomfort and is ultimately blinded to the potential danger that comes with it. This push and pull between father and son is such an important aspect of this series and I think it shined brightest in the opening moments of this episode.
The chaotic crime scene also gave the Miami Metro ensemble an opportunity to show off other aspects of their personalities. Most notably among them, LaGuerta lets her crusader facade slip for just a moment and we see the ambitious, political animal take the wheel. Captain Spencer has to literally pull her away from addressing the press and she is immediately disappointed when he assigns her to a lower-priority crime scene; With Spencer jumping at the opportunity to turn her own words against her.
It’s an appropriately chaotic scene that taps into the darker elements of the series while touching on one of the most interesting aspects of Dexter’s character. When we first met him in 2006, he was already acknowledging his aversion to harming children but the show rarely ever dabbled with making them the victims. This unexpected sense of compassion immediately humanized him and made us root for a killer; It even helped pave the way for him to become a father later in life. In Original Sin, we are seeing him confront that apparent weakness for the first time and I find it to be a compelling aspect of his character that is definitely worth exploring more closely.
“I Don’t Need Guesses. I Need Real Fucking Forensics!”
Episode four is also a treasure trove of Miami Metro nostalgia. It features Dexter coming into his own and being trusted with more responsibility at his job as Miami Metro grapples with a vicious and high-profile murder. When he finds himself deeply affected by the death of Jimmy Powell, Harry sends him to take the lead at a smaller scene. Not only does this give him some one-on-one time with LaGuerta, he gets a chance to demonstrate his knack for forensics; Even if LaGuerta isn’t quite convinced yet.
While it was great to watch Dexter work a scene without training wheels for the first time, I was also impressed by how the scene emphasized the time period and endeared him further to the audience. Dexter’s one-on-one conversation with Officer Sanders is touching but it’s his willingness to treat the victim (a male prostitute) as a human being that made me really love this. When the coroner refuses to touch the body for fear of catching aids, Dexter and Sanders jump into action and work together to lift him onto the gurney. It’s a smart bit of social commentary about the mindset in the 90’s and the unfortunate prejudice that still runs rampant in society to this day.
Later in the episode, the forensic adventures of Dexter the intern continue when he sets up a primitive version of his blood spatter room to recreate the circumstances of the crime. It’s a clear attempt to prove himself capable to his colleagues (LaGuerta chief among them) but it also puts Dexter in his element by giving him an excuse to play with fake blood while putting his scientific mind to the test. It was a joy to watch because he is still quite new at everything and his colleagues are not entirely sure what to think yet. In some ways, it feels similar to Dexter’s big forensic moment in New Blood (episode 7, ‘Skin of her Teeth’) but at the opposite end of the experience spectrum.
“Do you have someone in mind?”
Unsure of what to do with his feelings about the murder of Jimmy Powell, Dexter does what Dexter always does under pressure… he finds himself a new target; To Harry’s dismay. While Harry is clearly blindsided by Dexter’s eagerness to find yet another victim, it’s a reaction that sails right over Dexter’s head. When Harry reluctantly indulges his request, the look on his face says everything: Dexter is either blind to the effect he’s having on his father’s mental health or he simply doesn’t care. All he’s looking for is approval and then he’s off to the races.
The escalation of Dexter’s victimology continues this week as Dexter presents Harry with a file on a retired hitman for the mob known as “Mad Dog.” While I was kind of bothered by Dexter’s dramatic escalation in episode 3, the catastrophic ending of this episode put everything into perspective for me. His growing confidence and lack of self-control is the whole point. Everything that has happened up until this point has been setting Dexter up for a wake-up call; One that I am sure is going to steer him towards becoming the “neat monster” that we all remember so fondly.
But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself a bit. As Dexter makes his case for taking out “Mad Dog,” Deb interrupts them and what starts as a casual family conversation quickly devolves into chaos. Deb feels slighted by Harry for stiffing her on using his truck and is reduced to tears when he guilt trips her by bringing up the vicious murder of a child. He even notices her dilated pupils and decides it’s a great moment to interrogate her about drug use. I couldn’t help but notice how quickly Harry eases his grip on Dexter the moment he starts to feel like he is failing with Deb. There’s a dangerous family dynamic at play that was never fully explored in the original series and it’s what paved the way for Dexter to become such a prolific killer. It’s also at the heart of what I think makes Original Sin a journey worth taking.
“You must be really Brave.”
Harry’s inability to support both of his kids equally inevitably pushes Deb further down her rebellious rabbit hole. It’s here that I believe Deb takes her first left turn in life when she meets a smooth operator named Gio while out clubbing with Sofia. To say that I was immediately suspicious of this young man is an understatement. He’s incredibly suave in his pursuit of Deb but he continues to reveal red flag after red flag for the remainder of the episode. Perhaps most notably when he realizes Deb is younger than he initially thought but shrugs it off anyways.
Deb’s love life throughout the original series was turbulent to say the least and Gio will almost certainly represent the first bump along that road. His sudden appearance and relentless pursuit of Deb immediately makes me wonder if he will have any connection to one of the other plotlines (the kidnapper or the Estrada drug organization) or if he will just represent another threat that Dexter might find himself dealing with as the season progresses. Either way, I am intrigued by the character and am eager to see where it takes us.
“Great at his Job and Great with Kids.”
In the past, Harry finds himself continuing to dwell on Laura Moser. It’s obvious that he is torn between how he feels about her, the danger he is putting her in, and the love he has for his wife. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop him from offering to babysit Dexter and Brian while she goes with Bobby to continue their operation. It’s another fateful decision that brings them one step closer to tragedy but continues to enrich the circumstances of Harry’s indiscretions which we never really got to see before.
While looking after the boys, the seed is planted for yet another revelation about Harry’s past which I am sure is coming later in the season. Harry panics when he can’t find Dexter; A moment that brings the circumstances of his own son’s death rushing back to him. In the midst of the chaos, Brian can be seen catching and tearing the tails off of lizards in the front yard while Dexter is eventually found solemnly burying one in the backyard. It’s a moment that highlights for Harry (and for us) the stark differences between these two brothers. More importantly, that at least one of them was displaying signs of psychopathy well before the tragedy in the shipping container.
When Laura arrives home to find that Harry read Dexter a story and successfully puts the two to bed, the deal is sealed. The obvious attraction to each other that they have been feeling boils over and the two end up giving in to the temptation. So begins the affair that set the stage for Laura’s fate and put Dexter on his path. The electricity in this scene is palpable and I continue to be very impressed by the performances from Christian Slater and Brittany Allen.
“Talking about your Feelings is the Best Way to Work through Them”
As the episode comes to a close, Dexter finally makes his move against “Mad Dog” when he lures him into a trap in his own home. While it remains clear that he is going to have to find a cleaner way of disarming his foes before killing them, the kill room preparation itself goes smoothly. But Dexter’s eagerness and inexperience quickly gets him in over his head when Mad Dog comes-to on the table and quickly proves himself to be a very dangerous target (despite his family referring to him as “World’s best Grandpa”).
After nearly suffocating Dexter to death with his own plastic sheeting, he flees the house and runs down the street as Dexter desperately follows suit. In a miraculous turn of events, a car speeds through an intersection and takes out “Mad Dog” for him. It may feel fortuitous but it now leaves Dexter in an incredibly compromised position. The victim’s home is nearby with a fully constructed kill room, clear signs of a struggle, and loads of potential evidence that could point to Dexter.
Going into episode five, I can’t help but question Dexter’s actions in this case. He definitely demonstrated his due diligence when investigating “Mad Dog” but a lot of his “evidence” felt a bit thin in regards to satisfying the code. He even refers to Occam's razor (a problem-solving principle that suggests the simplest explanation is usually the most accurate) at one point when trying to convince Harry of his guilt but I usually associate that with something that people use when they don’t have enough concrete evidence to support their argument. On top of this disastrous kill, are we also going to discover that “Mad Dog” wasn’t even guilty of murder? Regardless, it’s a mess that Dexter is certainly going to pay dearly for next week and I feel like it’s going to set the stage for some major strategy and attitude adjustments going forward.
Fender Bender is a captivating episode that plunges into the meat of Dexter’s background on multiple fronts. The family dynamics at play in both timelines are captivating and somehow remain as such despite the wealth of knowledge I already have as a longtime fan. The broader story is certainly familiar but the new additions that are here to provide context are being handled with the utmost care. It’s too early to say what kind of stakes we can truly expect in the back half of the season but their efforts thus far have kept me guessing and that’s all I could have asked for.
Score:
Next Week: “F is for Fuck-Up”