My Review of Dexter's 4x05: "Dirty Harry"

Written by Tim Schlattmann
Directed by Keith Gordon

Deb: “You have everything and you’re doing your goddamn best to throw it away.”
Dexter: “Rita told you about the apartment?”

Much as I hate to disagree with Dexter but Deb is right on this one. There was a time when Dexter was better equipped at keeping things from Rita but that time seems to have passed and once again, another issue reared its head – the apartment.

When Rita found out that Dexter hadn’t gotten rid of it, it did seem to be a safe indication that not only would she confront him over but that she’d also go and see what was the fuss with him keeping the apartment. The story with Harry’s gun didn’t wash with her and now it seems that Dexter’s marriage is in trouble.

I want to care about this storyline and there’s a part of me that gets where Rita was coming from but I just find their scenes so draining nowadays. There was a time when the writing for Rita was a lot better but now, all she ever seems to do is be constantly suspicious of Dexter and nag him to the bone.

I don’t actually want to see them divorce but why did Rita have to force the issue of him selling his apartment? Dexter moved in with her and has been a hands on father to Harrison, Cody and Astor. Maybe Rita should actually ease up on Dexter or dedicate her hours on something else. At this point, Rita becoming a victim of Trinity might actually be a good thing for the show. After Quinn, she’s become the weakest character on the show.

Still, that being said, I actually enjoyed her scenes with Deb this week. She might have put her foot in it over the comforting advice she tried to give in regards to Lundy’s death but Deb had enough awareness in her to realise that Rita was trying to help and promptly did not blow up on her as I was expecting her too.

This was something of a bad episode for Deb on the whole. She survived being shot but struggled to cope with Lundy’s death and rejected Anton by telling him that she cheated on him as well as summing up her bad luck. Some of those lines could’ve came out really badly had it not been for Jennifer Carpenter who was excellent this week.

The scene with Deb and Dexter at Lundy’s final spot were a nicely done sibling interaction. Both Dexter and Deb believe they’re broken people for different reasons and while there’s some truth in their assessment of themselves, they’re also far better people than either of them want to admit to being.

Deb certainly has her share of fuck ups but she’s also improved a lot as a copper and is a lot more of a nicer person than she actually gives herself credit for. I’m still despairing over the fact that Lundy’s gone from the series now but I’m also rather curious to see how his death will spur her on from next week onwards. She looked unconvinced when Quinn had told her that there was closure on the whole shooting incident.

And so was Dexter. Dexter didn’t believe for a second that the shooting was down to Johnny Rose and the fact that it took Deb nearly being killed to seek out Trinity more aggressively was much needed. I still don’t think that Dexter will actually kill Trinity straightaway and that was before the rather interesting reveal at the end.

Both Dexter and Lundy assumed that Trinity was a loner so the reveal of him being a family man makes his cycle of killings even more interesting. I understood why Dexter chose not to intervene during the bludgeoning of the unfortunate coffee guy but he could’ve at least praised a fire alarm or something to generate attention but then again, Dexter wasn’t willing to risk Trinity being caught and arrested.

For the first time this season, Harry’s appearances actually worked the best. Constantly goading and encouraging Dexter to look deeper within Lundy’s research and recorder was great but the acknowledgement of Deb’s near death really does show much Dexter cares for her. Granted, I already knew that but the reminders are nevertheless appreciated.

Something else I also appreciated was Maria and Angel vowing to be honest with each after their relationship was disclosed. I did see Matthews forcing Maria into pulling Angel off homicide coming though but I’m not sure if he was just being professional or trying to spite Maria. After all, it’s not like the two of them like each other.

As for Angel, he should give Quinn tips in handling Christine. By getting the intrepid journalist to out Johnny Rose’s STDs, he managed to wrap up the whole Vacation Killer plot, even if it meant that Johnny ended up as a body. It’s kind of too bad that we never got any dialogue scenes with the guy but overall, at least that storyline is now done and dusted.

Finally, Quinn’s relationship with Christine – this is one that I don’t care about in the slightest. I still think it’s the pair of them mutually using the other (Quinn for sex, Christine for scoops) but at least Christine was useful in this episode and Quinn was actually alright for the most part as well. I don’t doubt that he’ll be back to his annoying self in the next one though.

Also in “Dirty Harry”

I’m not sure if the title really matched the episode to be honest, unless we’re supposed to see Dexter like Clint Eastwood’s famous role.

Dexter: “Lundy was a worthy adversary. He deserves better than to be faced down in a hotel parking lot.”

Even though he didn’t have much to do, I found Masuka’s concern for Deb really effective. Underneath the dirty jokes, he’s a decent guy.

Deb: “I expect those kind of questions from Batista or Quinn but you’re my brother.”
Dexter: “You said you were fine – twice.”
Deb: “Doesn’t matter anyway.”
Dexter: “Just tell me what you wanna do.”

Deb: “I slept with Lundy.”
Anton: “I thought you were happy.”
Deb: “I thought I was too.”

Given that Maria and Angel’s relationship was outed this week, I’m surprised that no-one actually commented on it.

Coffee Guy: “Can I get you any?”
Trinity: “No, no, caffeine makes me a different person. Appreciate the offer though.”

Deb (to Rita): “God, it’s like a Morgan curse or something – make the worst choice possible. At least Dexter’s don’t get people killed.”

Astor seemed a little bratty in this episode than she has been all season along. Maybe the writers will ease up on her pre-teen rebellion phase.

Dexter: “My sister doesn’t deserve to be in this kind of pain but I know who does.”

Chronology: Pretty much from where “Dex Takes A Holiday” left off.

Not as good as the previous episode but “Dirty Harry” was a solid enough tale. Dexter’s advancing on Trinity was nice along with most of the scenes with Maria, Angel and Deb but the Rita stuff really bogged this one down I’m afraid.

Rating: 7 out of 10.