'Dexter' Final Season Recap - Are We There Yet?

Another week, another mediocre to somewhat-good Dexter episode.

I'm still astonished this is the final season of this show.  There has been nothing this entire season so far - unlike Breaking Bad - that screams 'The End'.  Granted, this week's episode was far superior to last week's absolute train wreck, but I still can't get over the fact how far the once mighty has fallen.

As we saw at the tail-end of last week, Dexter believes Zack is the one that killed his neighbor, Cassie.  He has every reason to believe so, especially after he finds Zack's blood at the crime scene, though we are given quite a surprise to challenge this theory in the episode's closing moments.

While Dexter is on the hunt to find Zack (who has gone missing), he is also in the process of rekindling his romance with Hannah McKay.  I have to say, as great as their relationship seems to be in terms of one serial killer connecting with another, you can not replace Julie Benz' Rita.  There was just something about that couple that had more of a believability and authenticity to it.

We're also caught up with Debra and her desire to bring down Hannah once and for all with the help of Elway.  This results in a rather comical exchange between Dexter, Hannah, Zack (who's found in the Florida Keys after committing his 2nd kill) and Debra herself where it's pratically a "Who the fuck are you?" introduction.

After Dexter locates Zack and brings him back home, we learn Zack wasn't the one that killed Cassie, and this is something Dexter can't seem to figure out.  What we're left with is a nice family dinner between Dr. Vogel, Dexter, Hannah and Zack.

Everything seems easy as pie for everyone involved as even Deb is heading back to Miami Metro, though we're given quite the shocker as Dexter returns home to find the lifeless body of Zack sitting in his desk chair with half is head sliced off.  Looks like the brain surgeon isn't dead after all.

I have to say, I actually liked the character of Zack, played wonderfully by up and comer Sam Underwood.  While he started off a bit creepy and annoying, he actually came across as pretty likable and even funny at times.  Sad to see him go, especially since he looked like the spitting image of a young Michael C. Hall.

While I would agree that this episode was actually quite good and entertaining, it presented more 'shock value' than good, quality storytelling.  There's only four episodes left for this series so let's hope things start picking up soon enough, right?

Notes:

 Yeah, there was a sex scene between Dexter and Hannah.  Great, but nothing we haven't seen before.

• I still don't buy Dr. Vogel as the brain surgeon, though I bet she's behind the whole thing.

• Masuka and his daughter...have to love it.

• Is it me or did Aimee Garcia's Jamie age considerably over the past couple seasons?

 Grade: B-