Dexter: Season Four, Episode Two

Title: "Remains to be Seen"

The play-on-words in this episode’s title are not lost on the viewer: episode two, while not as explosive as its precursor, sets up many things that “remain to be seen”. While Dexter literally tracks down his lost victim’s remains by frantically going in circles we are still left with surprises for next week: How exactly will the Trinity Killer execute his next kill? Is the short lived relationship between Angel and LaGuerta already over? Did Debra really manage to squash her leftover feeling for Lundy? Will Miami ever be able to go one day without a murder? Stayed tuned!

Dexter’s fight with his need for sleep is quickly replaced by his need to find and dispose Gomez, of course further delaying the primal human need for rest. For once, Rita’s usually over-bearing advice rings true: Dexter should have taken a personal day to clean up his mess. As Harry points out, with so many plates spinning, it’s easy for things to get out of control: Dexter snaps at Quinn, stumbles with Lundy’s endless questions, shuts down against Masuka’s attempt to liven up work during evening hours and rails against Harry’s demands. Dexter’s mis-steps resulting in self-alienation have never been more profound and dangerous. Even though Gomez eventually winds up safely hidden in the deep waters of the bay, Dexter realizes that his fix is “only a band-aid.”

In terms of romantic relationships, besides the newly developing affair Quinn has with the reporter, things seem to have cooled off. However, just because romance has taken a back seat to work does not mean that’s where the trail ends. The record seems to be set straight between Debra and Lundy, but her desperate professions of love with Anton actually suggest the opposite. Meanwhile, LaGuerta’s inability to balance the power dynamics of work and her private life with Angel convince them to take a break, but it seems obvious that this is not where their story ends, (especially now with Masuka suspecting that something’s up).

The audience is provided a break from watching another creepy kill scene involving the Trinity Killer, but is not spared from the creepiness of the hunt in action. While Miami’s finest might be hot on the trail of the Vacation Murderer, it’s the Trinity Killer who steals the scenes and the storylines again. The only scene that did not jive well was the scene involving Checkers. How did Trinity’s latest victim end up walking down the street at night with so many heavy packages, and her van parked neatly in the driveway? A scene involving her walking her own dog Molly would have been more believable.

Let’s hope that Dexter is able to catch a little more shut eye for the next few episodes so he can return to his former self: confident and reserved, yet outwardly friendly and one of the pack. After raising so many eyebrows this episode, he’ll need to work overtime to compensate for his lack of vigilance.