Showtime's award-winning drama "Dexter," which follows Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), blood-spatter analyst by day, serial killer by night, recently kicked off its fifth season.
Devoted "Dexter" fans were left shocked by the unexpected and devastating fourth season finale. Unfortunately, the dramatic and abrupt conclusion left the show's writers in the tricky situation of ameliorating viewers' despair and resolving loose ends while still maintaining the edgy, morbid, sexy tone that has made "Dexter" so popular.
Though there seemed to be hope that the writers could pull it off, neither of these goals were ultimately accomplished. Rather than adhering to the classic "Dexter" style, or truly addressing the harrowing finale, the writers seemed to try desperately to mix the two, and the result was confused and unsatisfying. Fraught with character inconsistencies, a multitude of anticlimactic scenes and a crippling lack of direction, season five of "Dexter" is off to a rocky start.
One of the most apparent casualties of this directionless desperation was the music score. Despite the somber tone of the episode, cheery, tropical drum riffs were inappropriately inserted into many scenes, negating the tone that the show tried desperately to evoke. Distracting and annoying, the jolly melodies only further demonstrated the writers' and director's obvious bafflement.
The incompetence the writers exhibited when they tried to retain the quirks that "Dexter" fans have come to appreciate was almost as frustrating as the cheery soundtrack. Throughout all four seasons, Vince Masuka (C.S. Lee), one of Dexter's co-workers, has told his trademark dirty jokes, but nothing could have been more inappropriate than a classic Masuka line delivered in the somber atmosphere. Even worse, his line was apparently meant to be meaningful and sentimental — yet another aspect of the show ruined by indecisive direction.
Despite the fact that the storyline, score and overall direction of the show have drastically veered off course, the gifted actors have managed to retain the talent and appeal that carried the previous seasons: Hall is, as always, captivating in his portrayal of the titular serial killer, and the supporting cast, including Julia Stiles, promises to keep the acting strong. Though she did not make an appearance in this episode, Stiles will be taking John Lithgow's spot as guest star for the fifth season, a daunting task considering Lithgow's jaw-dropping performances.
Each previous season has had a defined conflict. Whether Dexter is struggling with the contradiction between his humanity and his savage obsession, the trials of marriage and fatherhood or the simple confusions of everyday life, "Dexter"'s appeal has classically been found in watching this tormented man face these extremes and challenges all while coping with a ongoing identity crisis. The show was fascinating because Dexter is such a complex character, capable of the most extreme brutality but also of the most extreme humanity, and we as an audience are privy to every dark detail. The fifth season seems to be doomed from the start because the series has lost this side of Dexter: The Dexter viewers now see is simply an emotionless enigma.
Whether this results from the fact that the fourth season's finale is simply impossible to top, or from the incompetence of those deciding the show's direction is debatable, but it is clear that unless Dexter remains his classic, darkly and captivatingly tormented self or reveals a new, unexplored facet of his character, season five is destined to be an unsatisfying and confusing shell of what the once-great show used to be.
