Dexter season 6 returns to carve up a fourth outing with this week’s ‘A Horse of a Different Color,’as our favorite serial killer studies the patterns of the gruesome ‘Doomsday Killer,’and faces a crisis of faith when young Harrison takes ill. With Dexter season 6’s main villains out in the open, the story ramps up full force but faces a few unnecessary distractions.
Last week’s ‘Smokey and the Bandit‘made for a fun standalone episode with a shocking twist, but still felt like a diversion from the main storyline. ‘A Horse of a Different Color’returns to the main narrative, but creates some tangential loose ends in a different way. Too many instances during ‘A Horse of a Different Color’had me asking ‘who are these people, and why do I care?’
LaGuerta still has nothing to do other than bizarrely coach Deb through her old job, Deb herself struggles with public relations, Quinn and Batista have nothing to do other than get high in a Trans Am, and Dexter’s babysitter Jamie (Aimee Garcia) seems to have a bizarrely prominent role despite a lack of involvement in any current storylines.
Unfortunately, I found myself asking the same question of Brother Sam this week, an exceptionally interesting character very well handled by Mos Def, but therein lies the problem. While Brother Sam still proves and excellent foil for Dexter, we’ve gotten to know him too well, past the point of believing he might become involved in the ‘Doomsday Killer’story. As captivating as his past or relationship to Dexter’s family might be, it’s still tangential at this point unless that relationship comes under duress somehow.
Whereas earlier I lamented Dexter spending its time on Professor Gellar (Edward James Olmos) and Travis (Colin Hanks) rather than the more interesting Brother Sam, ‘A Horse of a Different Color’successfully swaps that dynamic by putting the murders, and their very public biblical nature on the main character’s radar. ‘A Horse of a Different Color’handles the villains much as Dexter did season 4’s Trinity Killer (Jon Lithgow), exploring the villains’lives outside their murderous habits, which in turn makes them more effective antagonists. There are some overly familiar beats in the way Travis contemplates a more normal human existence than Gellar would like (here with the waitress, as opposed to his sister two weeks ago), but it all works toward the goal of making the two an unpredictable pair.
“Either you’re imagining me, or our waitress is a serious b$%#*.” -Showtime
Of course, all of this lies in the interest of posing the question of Dexter’s faith, as he struggles to find meaning in religion. Having Dexter actually attempt a prayer for Harrison’s safety speaks volumes about how far the character (and the show itself) have come since Rita’s death, but we never actually believe Harrison could be in any danger, or that prayer could really halt Dexter’s more murderous impulses. Exploring Dexter’s warped view on faith creates some fascinating discourse for the character, but I think we all know it won’t stick.
So the question remains, where is Dexter going? Our Doomsday Killer(s) are now very much the focus with their third public murder, but seeds of disagreement have already been planted . Right now the only other unanswered questions lie in what becomes of Masuka’s Ice Truck Killer hand-stealing intern Ryan (Brea Grant), but that thread doesn’t tie well into the season’s arc either, so we’re at a loss.
In the end, we’re better off taking a page from Quinn and Batista’s book, and blazing right through ‘A Horse of a Different Color’
And Another Thing…
- Dexter season 6 is making an awful lot of effort to remind us who the Ice Truck Killer was…coincidence, or something more?
- We’ve finally confirmed that Professor Gellar is real! Or…was…real. It seemed a little telling that the waitress completely ignored Gellar during their lunch, But it’d be awfully strange if Travis imagined Professor Gellar peeping on him, and tied up the girl before crawling back into bed to wake up as himself.
- Masuka got a nice moment this week in throwing Ryan out on her ass for taking the hand, but it certainly feels like Brea Grant’s been wasted so far.
- For the love of God, PLEASE don’t make Deb and Chicago Mike a couple.
- Other reviewers made note that last week’s ‘Tooth Fairy’name was borrowed from the Thomas Harris novel Red Dragon, and it’s interesting to note that Travis very much wants to spare the waitress in the same manner Francis Dolarhyde did Reba. Someone in the writers’room has been doing some reading.
- Seriously? Deb doesn’t bat an eye that Dexter’s suddenly hanging around with a known murderer and taking his car to a body shop way off-location?
- WHAT is with Dexter and CG this season?
What did you think?
Jonathan Harris? I think it was Thomas Harris… Also the author of Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal… Featuring Hannibal Lecter…
You are correct! Fixed. And yes, the mastermind behind Hannibal Lecter and all his works.
I've noticeed the Red Dragon parallels as well. The minute he started begging for her life, I immediately thought of Ralph Fiennes as Dolarhyde.
It'll be even more apt if it turns out that Professor Gellar wasn't real either! We'll find out…
Great review! Pretty much sums up my thoughts about too many unnecessary characters and Dexter's peculiar closeness to Brother Sam.
Also, is it too early for Dexter to have suspicions about Travis? I mean, can they drag out a possibly long and tedious story-line with Dexter and 'The Doomsday Killers' playing cat and mouse, for another 8 episodes? If they can construct a story-line similar to Season 5 (Trinity Killer), then bring it on! But personally, I highly doubt that the creators could captivate the audience as in previous seasons. There's a fine line between pleasure and pain.
Needless to say, I will be tuning in regardless!
I'll be tuning in as well! It was interesting, as if the writers wanted to quietly sweep under the rug that Dexter would befriend someone like Brother Sam, which makes sense in context to us, but would never be ignored by Deb. And Travis caused his own suspicions by foolishly returning to the scene of the crime with that goofy smile on his face! I think the season's doing alright for now, but there are some definite twists coming up!
Think the professor was real, but isn't anymore. If I would to guess, I'd guess that Travis was his student. Something happened (disappeared?). Now he is some sort of schizophrenic. Anyway, I find this season pretty lackluster. All your points are completely valid. Furthermore, unlike previous seasons, Dexter isn't threatened by anything other than a seriously sick son (who we knew was going to survive). He has no adult protagonist. He doesn't kill as much anymore, and as such, he doesn't discover strengths or weaknesses in himself. Its just one (two?) killers and Dexter thinking about religion. Hope thinks will heat up soon
Professor Gellar theories could go either way at this point. It's TOO suspicious that no one else has acknowledged his presence, especially that waitress, but it also seems TOO elaborate to have all been in Travis' mind. But Dexter is definitely going to undergo some self-examination in the coming episodes, so stay tuned!
Kevin, do you by any chance know the name of the song playing in Angel's car as he and Quinn are passing the joint back and forth?
Spill the Wine – Eric Burden and War