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| Michael C. Hall, Uma Thurman, and Jack Alcott in Dexter: Resurrection Season 2. (Photo credit: Matt Infante/Paramount+) |
SPOILER WARNING! The following contains MASSIVE SPOILERS for the second episode of season two of ‘Dexter: Resurrection’ titled ‘Fallen’ - Proceed with caution.
Hot off the heels of Dexter’s perilous encounter with Rapunzel and the realization that he may be experiencing a midlife crisis, episode two wastes no time tackling that conflict head on. He is listening to self-help podcasts (Jordan Chase must be screaming from beyond the grave), hitting the gym, and clearly attempting to overcompensate for his perceived shortcomings.
I might even argue that this is the first time in the character’s history where his self-confidence has truly been shaken.
What that means for Dexter in the long run or how he may act to address this crisis is the name of the game. With that said, there are a lot of moving parts on the board this season which means fans may have to be patient a little while longer as much of this episode, like the premiere, is focused on setting the stage for what’s to come. Read on for my full review and analysis.
EPISODE RECAP
Before we jump into the analysis, let’s take a look at the most important story developments in the episode:
- Dexter struggles to address his midlife crisis by listening to podcasts and hitting the gym; Where he catches a news report about the Five Borough Killer.
- Harrison starts his job at the homicide division of the NYPD and quickly discovers that his training officer is actually his one-night stand from the night before.
- Charley approaches Dexter and offers to aid him in his efforts to eliminate the remaining killers from Prater’s club. The confrontation is tense and Dexter initially refuses to work with her.
- Dexter encounters Don Framt and follows him into a strip club where he plays on his narcissism to try and coerce a confession.
- Dexter agrees to lean on Charley for assistance in taking out the Jawsplitter and the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger. She rents a large condo and stages a meeting of Prater’s club to draw them out of hiding.
- Quinn surprises Dexter at his apartment and takes him out for a drink where he reveals that he is working as a Private Investigator on behalf of the families impacted by the killers in Prater’s club.
- As Dexter and Charley finalize their plans, the Five Borough Killer drops his 2nd victim off a roof just feet away. Dexter spots him on the roof and moves to intercept him.
"What does a midlife crisis even mean for a serial killer?"
Resurrection may be a series that is known for its vast and colorful cast of villain characters but episode two makes it clear that Dexter’s midlife crisis may prove to be his greatest adversary this season. It has him seeking validation from those around him, embracing riskier behavior in the name of change, and ultimately, questioning the rigidity of the code that he has lived by for most of his life.
It’s a question that will clearly be at the forefront of his mind as an up-and-coming killer starts to capture the attention of New York City. It’s a concept with a lot of obvious comedic potential but one that also seems to be inevitably leading him to a very dark place. In fact, at times, I was surprised by Dexter’s demeanor in this episode.
His frustration is evident and at times, he even appears to be growing impatient with those closest to him; namely Harrison.
He’s juggling his responsibilities as a father while very clearly feeling the urge to embrace his darker impulses the way he used to in his younger years. In a lot of ways, I am starting to see flashes of the Dexter of old in a way that I wasn’t expecting in a post “New Blood” landscape. Perhaps this is most apparent when Harrison implores him not to pursue Don Framt.
Dexter is clearly annoyed by the implication that Harrison has that kind of power. This gave me flashbacks to season seven when Deb was constantly trying to suppress his urges and Dexter felt like a caged animal.
"Now everybody thinks I’m the New York Ripper (I’m Not, Of Course)!"
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| The New York Ripper alongside one of his fans. (Photo credit: Matt Infante/Paramount+) |
Like season seven, Dexter agrees to the terms of his loved ones but can’t help but put himself within arms reach of temptation.
After spotting Don Framt out in the wild, he follows him into a strip club and proceeds to coerce a confession out of him through polite conversation. It’s an eye-opening exchange that simultaneously paints a clearer picture of who Framt is as a person while casting some doubt on his actual culpability in the Ripper’s crimes.
Brian Cox delivers a fun performance as Framt by painting him as a misogynistic narcissist that thrives on attention fueled by the police investigation. He’s a character that harasses every young woman he encounters and brags about the adoration of troubled women from across the country who are throwing themselves at suspected serial killers.
In short… he’s gross but not exactly what I (or many others) expected from the New York Ripper.
Fans have already started to call his guilt into question but Dexter himself appears to be far too distracted by his own troubles to notice the signs. If Framt proves to be a red-herring, could Dexter be on track to make a terrible mistake? Perhaps more importantly, who is the actual Ripper and why was he misidentified in Prater’s files?
It’s too early to know for sure but I am happy to see that an air of mystery still surrounds this fan-favorite villain.
"Is homicide a good thing or a bad thing?"
Harrison’s new role in the NYPD was always going to be a compelling development and episode two drives that point home thanks to some welcome nostalgia paired with some comedic misfortune.
Harrison mirrors his father by bringing donuts to the squad on his first day only to have them picked clean within moments of going through security. He’s clearly excited to have found purpose and to have been assigned to the homicide division but things take a strange turn when he discovers that his training officer is actually his one-night stand, Fiona Mixon (aka, the Captain’s daughter).
As we have learned though, Harrison is nothing if not resilient. He pushes forward, eager to learn, and doesn’t let something like some social awkwardness hold him back. He even seizes an opportunity to lean on his life in Argentina to step-up and prove himself as a promising and valuable ally on the force.
When looking for signs of how Harrison’s new role might impact the season at large, there isn’t a lot to point to but the potential is definitely there. He has a clear admiration for Claudette (despite it not being reciprocated) and even after one day, it has already put him in a somewhat awkward position with his father.
Regardless, his assignment to homicide has already brought him into the FBK investigation and as the Ripper story inevitably heats up, things are bound to get interesting; Especially when you consider his relationship with the Captain’s daughter and the morale tight rope he is going to have to walk for the sake of his father.
"Old habits die hard."
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| Dexter and Quinn in Dexter: Resurrection Season 2. (Photo credit: Matt Infante/Paramount+) |
Since it was announced that Desmond Harrington was returning as Joey Quinn this season, I have been trying to picture how that reunion could play out.
The two characters share an awkward history to say the least. So color me surprised to see that Quinn simply knocked on Dexter’s door, gave him a hug, and invited him out for a drink (expectations subverted!) Despite his genial nature and apparent dismissiveness towards Angel’s suspicions, I doubt I am the only one who is already questioning his motives.
Based on his limited screen time in season one, Quinn’s respect for Angel seems only to have grown in the years since Dexter left Miami. Seeing him dismiss Angel’s investigative instincts while buddying up to someone who he himself has already suspected in the past is setting off some immediate alarm bells.
He claims to be working as a Private Investigator on behalf of the families impacted by the killers in Prater’s club but like in the case of the Ripper, it appears that the situation is not nearly as cut-and-dry as it seems… and that’s how I like it.
"You are the middle of this."
Much of the episode’s forward momentum is built around the sudden re-appearance of Charley (Uma Thurman) who we last saw fleeing New York with her ailing mother.
Dexter and Charley share ample screen time this week and it’s in these moments that you can truly feel the pieces sliding into place. With that said, I think it’s worth mentioning that I was initially put off by Charley’s over-the-top characterization in the episode but it grew on me in subsequent viewings.
Her surprise visit as Dexter and Harrison share a meal is full of tension and distrust but she comes bearing gifts that Dexter — especially given his current woes — will be unable to ignore.
It seems that in the years since killing Prater, Charley’s mother expressed disappointment in Charley over her involvement with Prater before she died. According to her, she has returned to use Dexter’s expertise as a means of tying up the loose ends from Prater’s club and making amends for the sake of her mother.
While I don’t buy her explanation (I have my own theories that I’ll expound upon later), her intentions, at least in the short term, do appear to align with Dexter’s. After initially declining her offer, Dexter eventually admits that it is too good of an opportunity to pass up and the two of them set out to spring a trap on their first target by faking a new gathering of Prater’s club to lure him out of hiding.
Which leads me to the highlight of the episode for me: The haunting introduction of the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger reminds me that Dexter, despite all the dark humor, can be genuinely unsettling at times.
Gabriel Luna shines in the role thanks to his quiet intensity and perhaps the creepiest M.O. since Trinity.
He breaks into family homes, stands over their bed, and moves furniture night-after-night until he eventually stabs them with an ice pick as they sleep. It’s truly ghoulish behavior that I am honestly surprised wasn’t reserved for the “big bad” of the season.
While the potential to explore the fallout of Dexter’s midlife crisis is exciting, episode two remains a bit too busy setting up the playing field to act on that opportunity in any meaningful way (yet). That’s not to say that it’s uneventful or disappointing, — quite the opposite in fact — but the rapid-fire developments leave the season feeling like it has yet to truly begin.
It’s an episode whose soul-purpose seems to be underscoring the complexities of the various storylines that are in play this season. With that said, the climactic final moments of the episode — in which a fresh FBK victim falls from a rooftop feet away from Dexter and Charley — seem to suggest that the real fun starts next week.
Score: 8.5 out of 10