'Dexter' Final Season Recap - Goodbye Miami

After last week's layoff (I assume so Showtime can lineup it's series finale of Dexter with the following week's season premiere of Homeland), we only have three episodes left with our favorite serial killer.

I must say, as much as I've knocked the show this season for it's inconsistent writing and pointless storylines, it is kind of sad knowing this is the last few times we're going to watch this great character of Dexter Morgan along with all the other supporting characters.  A decade or two from now, they're going to talk about the Golden Age of TV and Dexter will certainly be at the top of the list (granted, more so it's first four seasons compared to the last four) but anyway...

When we last left Dexter, he had basically been told by Dr. Vogel that she was choosing her son over him after he had drugged her in hopes of taking the son out (by the way, why did the writers choose to call this guy 'Saxon'?  Every time a character refers to him, it sounds like they're about to say 'sex.'  "Did you have any luck finding Sex..er Saxon?").

While Dexter is trying to protect Dr. Vogel - as he feels her son is a danger to her - he decides it's finally time to leave Miami with Hannah and move to Argentina.  We kind of saw this one coming as it's been talked about for weeks, but it's quite interesting to hear Dexter say he's finally leaving Miami for good...with Harrison too of course.

Back to Dr. Vogel, she tries to give her son a chance and vows to get him the best help possible to stop him from killing.  She believes he really doesn't WANT to do it and believes he can be saved.  Dexter doesn't see it this way as he knows Saxon is a killer who does it because he enjoys it.  This is only given further proof when Dexter finds the video of Saxon sawing off Zack's skull (which was actually pretty hard to watch considering that kid was very likable).

Once Dexter is able to covince Dr. Vogel of the truth about her son, she agrees it is best that Dexter put him down, but for it to be quick and painless, much to Dexter's oblige.

By the way, there's also one vital point to mention that happened in this episode:  with Dexter announcing he's leaving Miami, that put that private investigator back on his tail as he realizes with the trail of Hannah McKay gone cold, why is her former boyfriend suddenly fleeing the country?  This is going to be a good storyline to play out over the last two episodes.

Lastly, the resolution for Dr. Vogel.  After she unexpectedly invites her son over so Dexter can kill him, Saxon realizes what's going on and surprises Dexter before he can get there.  As he pulls up to the house, he comes upon Dr. Vogel in the window with her son standing behind her and a knife against her throat.  As Saxon says, "She picked the wrong son again" as he slits her neck.

Dexter is unable to get to Dr. Vogel in time and se dies in his arms as Saxon gets away.

As much as I would call this a sad development, I wasn't really all that upset with Dr. Vogel's murder.  She was an up and down character who seemed sweet one minute then evil the next.  We can't sympathize with the poor old woman who just wanted to save her son when at certain points this season it seemed as if she was hiding him from Dexter all along.

Notes:

• I know, I didn't mention the fact that Quinn broke up with Jaime and then gets back together with Deb, but all I'll say is we saw this coming for weeks.  And not for nothing, Jamie turned out to be a real bitch.

• Of course Harrison is going to fall on the treadmill and need stitches, exposing Hannah out in the open.  That one was seen a mile away.

• What is the point again of Masuka and his daughter (who is now getting high)?

• Gotta love Batista.  That guy just has a heart of gold.

Grade: C+