Dexter

[Mr. Hakujin]

She wants to make an official statement about what?!?!

 

http://youtu.be/6ckzE5vT0wc

 

 

This gonna be good.

[Panch]

Can't wait.

[Panch]

Is anyone else watching the final season?

[The NZA]

yeah, sen & i are - watched ep 1, gonna catch 2 (and i guess 3? when do they air again?) prolly next few days

[Panch]

Yeah, I think they're 3 episodes in. And they air on sunday nights.

[Mr. Hakujin]

Just finished S8E3...

 

 

This is kind of worrisome. I think they may be setting us up for a "happy ending" for Dexter. The "psychopath whisperer" keeps pointing out how Dexter isn't acting like a true psychopath and then kind of makes excuses for his concepts of "love" and concern for Deb as being ultimately self-serving. But we know from past seasons Dex is indeed capable of love--Astor, Cody, Harrison (who is the person the shrink really should be questioning Dex about). So I think they're setting us up for a possibly "cured" Dexter.

 

Also, we know the hot blonde serial killer from last season is going to show up again. So I'm not sure if it'll end up w/ a "cured" Dex, but it's certainly a possibility at this point.

 

[Panch]

 

I may be wrong, but I get the feeling this doctor is at the center of everything... and it feels lazy. Deb's downward spiral is the only REAL compelling storyline so far. Dex just seems like an errand boy this season and really isn't in control of anything.

 

Dex gets cured just in time for Deb to get dead. Harrison takes over the mantel.

 

[The NZA]

 

^GOD NO man

 

doc is okay, im pushing the "cured" bit to the background too...right now the only thing i really dont wanna see is the shamaylan twist of the deus ex doctor being the real brain surgeon, i swear i'm out if that happens

 

[Panch]

Start packin then.

[The NZA]

 

its way too obvious, right? DEXTER WIPE OUT MINE ENEMIES FOR ME WHILE WE PLAY A GAME BWAHAHA man this better not be what's happening

 

im taking it for a red herring, just like part of me is thinking since having deb bust dex is - or actually was, at this point - so obvious that maybe the dex gets away scott free thing ends up happening? there's times ive thought i'dve hated that, but they really made shit work in the shield...actually i dont even know how i want this to end, but i do know if its as deus ex-y as titty vampires blowing up a cabin with doakes in it im gonna be pissy

 

[Panch]

Doctor bitch WILL BE on Dexter's table, best believe. Deb, I don't see makin it out alive. It's really all Dexter has left (other than Harrison, but I see him following in daddy's footsteps which is what he doesn't want). Dex will have a happy ending... but really won't.

[Mr. Hakujin]

Harrison picking up after his pops would be almost as cliche as Vogel being the brain surgeon. I'm hoping for something a little more original out of the ending.Maybe Dex getting the blonde serial killer preggers and pop out a kid, her killing Dex, Deb killing her and then raising Dex's kids with Quinn. Either that or the whole show has all been a black out dream for Masuka as he goes out David Caradine style.

[Panch]

Holy schnitzel!

[Mr. Hakujin]

^ Yup.

 

Also--do not want creepy "intern."

[The NZA]

so...this season eh

 

[Panch]

Yeah :/

[Mr. Hakujin]

I feel like I'm watching a soap opera version of Dexter. Melodrama and characters acting predictably dumb.

 

 

Why is the wanted fugitive not at least changing her hair color and/or length?!?! I mean, that's the first fucking thing Harrison Ford does. It's fucking textbook.

 

And even if she's really attached to the hair, which makes no sense, but way to not at least put on a hat and glasses before heading out to the ER.

 

SMH

 

[The NZA]

 

 

 

bout to throw this show in the bushes....lemme know how it ends, panch

 

save us robo-doakes

 

Edited September 11, 2013 by Mr. Hakujin
shit my hat, nick.

[Panch]

It's (mercifully) almost done. Just finish it.

[The NZA]

 

okay, just watched clips and...i feel pretty safe saying this is the worst finale in recent years. i don't think Seinfeld dropped the ball this bad (ive seen Prison Break, Entourage, Lost & others named but not to this extent). spoilers abound!

 

 

'Dexter' Postmortem: Showrunner Scott Buck Breaks Down How It All Ended

 

What is the look on Dexter's face at the very end of the series? Is he attempting to fight the urge to feed his Dark Passenger? What's the takeaway?

We wanted to leave it all in the viewers' head. I don't know what he's thinking in that moment; I know he's in this self-imposed prison and the reason he locked eyes is essentially so we can feel as uncomfortable as he does in his world. He's someone who was just moments from taking that final step toward humanity who then has to face himself as the monster he believes he is and decide his own fate. He gives himself what he deserves. I don't think in that moment he's fighting the urge to kill; he's dealing with the reality of the misery of his life in that moment.

 

At the same time, he's also feeling his feelings, which is progress for him.

It is, but he wishes he wasn't feeling anything at all. It's the curse of his journey toward humanity, which now is having to feel what he feels. He purposely took that journey toward becoming more human and is now suffering the consequences.

 

Was there ever a point where you considered Dexter taking his own life and ending the finale after Hannah learns of Dexter's death?

We considered every option for the finale. But I don't think Dexter killing himself was one I ever took seriously. Dexter's survival instincts are so strong that that would always be a last option for him.

 

Did you talk about ending the series after Angel learns that Dexter died and not seeing either time jump?

No, I always pitched it as a whole; it was always the sequence of those scenes. We see Dexter disappear into the storm, we find wreckage, Batista (David Zayas) learns of it, then Hannah learns of it, then there's a slow fade to black and coming to the reality that Dexter, who has always been able to survive everything, is once again still out there.

 

Was it always Dexter's plan to survive after he sailed into the hurricane?

He knows exactly what he's doing there; he's putting his boat in the path of the hurricane, which will then allow him to escape in this way. It is mentioned in an earlier episode that he does have an emergency life raft aboard that boat and you can look back and see he had a plan, he just didn't know what it was.

 

As Dexter is poised to deposit Deb's body into the ocean, it felt like he was considering jumping in with her. Was that ever on the table?

It's also the first time you ever see Dexter cry. Dexter killing himself never felt quite believable to me. It's a worse sentence in a way to have to live with what he's done and killing himself might have seemed too easy a way out. Is it possible that that thought crossed his mind? Absolutely. It's so much darker and more horrible for him to have to live with what he's done. He's absolutely punishing himself at the end by having to deal with what he's done.

 

What behind the decision to have Dexter ultimately be the one to take Deb's life?

The last couple seasons have been about breaking down the walls inside Dexter's head -- through having a son, through his relationship with Hannah and Debra -- and discovering who he is. But even then he was somehow able to justify what he did and was still going out and killing people. It took the death of Deb -- the one person he's cared about in his whole life -- to force him to fully open his eyes. Once he does, he really seems to have very few options. It always felt important to me that whatever happens to Dexter, the end of the series wasn't about something that's happening to him but rather that it's his decision. He has decided the fate of so many other people, but now it's up to him to have to decide his own fate. His decision is to remove himself from the thing he's always wanted the most -- which is to be connected to humanity -- and to live in this self-imposed prison in the land of the serial killers: the Pacific Northwest. He also couldn't allow her to live under those circumstances. There's no hope of recovery for her and he knows she wouldn't want to go on this way. Dexter has killed so many people so easily throughout his whole life -- and it's the easiest thing in the world for him -- but to have to end his sister's life is the most difficult thing he has ever had to do.

 

Dexter leaves Harrison with Hannah, who herself is a serial killer. Why?

He doesn't judge Hannah the same way that we do because he understands what it means to kill. He's fully aware that Hannah is not the same kind of killer he is. She doesn't kill out of a need or a lust, she kills simply out of self-protection. He believes Hannah loves Harrison and would do anything to protect him. In some ways, it's almost the fact that because she is a killer that makes her more worthy of protecting his son.

 

David Nevins said he's looking at all avenues for a Dexter spinoff. Is Hannah and Harrison's story something you've talked about for a spinoff?

Absolutely. I love Yvonne Strahovski, she's a terrific actor and has brought so much to the series. Who knows? We may see her again in the future.

 

Why was it important to include flashbacks to Deb and Dexter seeing Harrison for the first time?

We wanted the flashbacks to document the moment when we felt that there was genuine hope in Dexter's future. Dexter's life really took a turn when Harrison was born; that was the moment when he started seriously wanting to be something better and wondered if there were more possibilities. It's flashing back to a very hopeful and positive moment in his life and to realize that even then he was fooling himself.

 

Did you ever consider having anyone find out about Dexter's Dark Passenger?

Sure. We talked about it. There were possibilities of having it come up, but it felt like bringing that up in the finale would have crowded too many things in there that ultimately wouldn't have a necessarily positive affect on the episode. It could have been anyone. We talked about Batista suddenly discovering something like that at the last moment, but it felt like it would take the episode off in a different direction and take the focus off of what Dexter's emotional journey was.

 

After Quinn (Desmond Harrington) sees how Dexter kills Saxon with a pen so swiftly, calmly and effectively, they exchange a look. What was behind that? It felt as if it solidified Quinn's old suspicions of Dexter.

Quinn has never believed or thought that Dexter was a serial killer; he always thought there was something off and a little dangerous about this guy. He spent one whole season looking into him. Quinn believes Dexter is not the nice, easygoing guy everyone thinks he is but I don't think there's a thought inside his head that he could possibly be a serial killer. There's darkness in Dexter the same way there's darkness in Quinn.

 

That sounds like good fodder for a spinoff.

Yes. Quinn wishes he were the one who could have killed Saxon. He believes Dexter killed Saxon on purpose and he may have set it up someway but that's as far as it goes. In [Quinn's] mind, that's perfectly justified and he'll do what ever it takes to protect [Dexter].

 

A lot of viewers have not been pleased with this final season. Are you proud of the final run? What would you have done differently?

I've also heard that some viewers are not happy with this season, and they all have different reason for it. So much of the stuff you read is that people want the show to be like it was the first few years where Dexter would go out and kill people. If we had continued to follow that line, the show would have gotten old very fast. This is a show that's run for eight years, and in order to sustain interest you have to continue to grow and evolve. So yes, I am happy with where we ended the show. This is absolutely the ending I wanted.

 

This season introduced a lot of plot points that didn't go anywhere: Masuka's daughter, Quinn vying for sergeant. Was all that just closure?

We've spent eight years with these characters and we want some feeling of where their lives are going to go. With Masuka (C.S. Lee) and his daughter (Madison Burge), it was meant to be a simple nod to the fact that Masuka hasn't been the most sexless character we've ever seen on the show and the irony that the one satisfying relationship with a woman that he would finally have would be with his daughter. It was really just attempting to give closure to a lot of our characters.

 

Where are you with the spinoff? Do you have an idea?

There have been no discussions yet on what a spinoff might be. Whether there is some other version coming out of the show in the future, it's always a possibility but there have been no talks about it at this point. We're just now finishing up Dexter.

 

What was your final moment with the cast during production like?

The very last scene we shot was the location stuff in Oregon, so the only actor with us was Michael. He's someone I've worked with for seven years on this and five on Six Feet Under. He has been a huge part of my writing career. As we were shooting that very last shot, I realized it was the last scene I was going to shoot with Michael. It was really emotional for me. He's been a tremendous actor to work with for so many years and this show for me has been a great experience.

 

 

the song's apparently fake, but still...that CGI

AV club was none to pleased either

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Panch]

*sigh*

 

I searched and searched for a gif to properly express my feelings on the series finale... and I don't think one exists.

 

First off, I want to say that Dexter has been one of my favorite shows since I started watching it some time in 2009/2010. I was late to the party, but finally tried it out after being told how awesome it was MILLIONS OF TIMES. And boy were they right. I loved Dexter. The premise, the characters, the setting (even though they stopped filming in Miami after season one or two). I loved how the show made me root for a killer. And not in that Gladiator type way. Forced to kill or whatever. Dexter was a bad person. Only "steered" toward other bad guys by some bullshit code. A code that really just was some thrown together thing to keep him out of the electric chair. No, I wanted Dex to get away with it. I wanted him to kill.

 

Now Dexter had its ups and downs. Some seasons were great. Some were epic. Some... weren't so much. Still, I hung on because it was Dexter. Michael C. Hall. Jennifer Carpenter. Masuka. I loved them. They became people I would like to meet on the streets of Miami. Through the good and the bad, I wish the show could go on forever, but alas, these things have to come to an end.

 

Which brings us to said end.

 

Season five was probably the worst of the bunch, but the show rebounded with six and seven. So season eight HAD to be good right? Well, while it wasn't the worst...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, yeah... it was the worst. It wasn't so bad that I wanted to throw it overboard a boat. No, it was like a poor animal bleeding out. Suffering horribly. Needing to be taken out of its misery. It was sad. I actually felt bad.

 

I wanted to like it. I did. I just couldn't find it in me. And while it was the worst season and it ended... how it ended, it didn't take anything away from the greatness from the show. In the end, I am thankful for having it. Thank you to everyone involved in making it.

 

I was actually making a joke with Nick a couple weeks ago and almost got my wish. While slow and filled with holes (like the season itself) I wasn't that turned off to the episode itself. It wasn't that bad except... Ok, spoiler time:

 

 

Dumping Deb into the ocean. I mean, I was even ok with the medical complications even if they were a soap opera-ish cliché. But cutting life support, stealing her body and dumping her in the ocean with all the scum he's sent before? No. Just no.

 

Ok, the joke: Nick had asked me how it was going (since he was way behind) and if it had jumped the shark yet. I said, that while close, it hadn't gotten to that point and didn't think it would, but thought it would be funny if Dex's last kill, wrapped up like a mummy, was stood up on skis and pulled behind the boat Henry Winkler style and made to jump a ramp with a shark jumping to get it. As Dex was driving out to sea I kept thinking Deb should be on the skis :P

 

Edited September 23, 2013 by Panch

[Mr. Hakujin]

*sigh*

 

 

I searched and searched for a gif to properly express my feelings on the series finale... and I don't think one exists.

 

 

Dumping Deb into the ocean. I mean, I was even ok with the medical complications even if they were a soap opera-ish cliché. But cutting life support, stealing her body and dumping her in the ocean with all the scum he's sent before? No. Just no.

 

 

Agreed. Especially w/ spoilers regarding Deb. Honestly, there's probably some fan fiction out there that could out do almost all of S8.

 

Can't they just bring back John Lithgow and kill him again?

Edited September 24, 2013 by Mr. Hakujin
fucking weak-ass finales.

[Panch]

Here's an alternate ending that the ex-showrunner proposed (contains spoilers):

http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/s64/dexter/news/a517677/dexter-final-episode-alternate-ending-revealed-by-ex-showrunner.html

 

Also, I'm not real happy with all this hate from folks all over the internet that haven't even watched it. Yeah, it wasn't good, but it doesn't give you the right to mock it. Watch it, come up with your own feelings THEN bash it if you didn't like it.

[The NZA]

normally im with you on that - experience something rather than wiki it - but cmon panch, if you invested so many years with a property, it's not like you didn't give its due. i bailed at the end of season 6, then again halfway through 8...im curious enough to rubberneck an ending, but all my fears from the early season being realized (laughably incompetent PD, deus ex's a-plenty, etc) came to fruition here. did i see every scene, rather than watch a few on YT and read summaries? no, but this was so abysmally bad i don't think witnessing it would've in any way redeemed it. honestly, i don't think i'dve made it through the whole ep, given the directions it took.

 

i know you're a big fan, and want the series remembered for more than its piss-poor final season...and over time/distance that might happen man. honestly i get why you're upset at all the negativity too - the Matrix & Wolvy Origins (arguably Daredevil) did this to me, Airbender's flick did this to Jax, and i kinda thought Spidey 3 did this to an extent. its also not helpful that about the most exciting show in years is ending soon too...but you said yourself, the property deserved better. everything about this felt like Showtime execs reacting to focus groups and shitting up a property they're scared of losing fans/relevancy/future profits from, but by doing so, they kinda killed said property.

 

doesnt take from the greater early seasons, but for better or worse, a bad closing act is hard to distance yourself from - especially when it's this recent, and this bad. be fair, man!

[Panch]

I guess it's just hard to accept a show of Dexter's greatness fall from grace like this. I'm just butthurt, that's all.