Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Dexter - Lost Boys, S04E10

Though not the heart-stopping, emotionally devastating episode of last week, the 4th season of Dexter continues to be on par with the 1st.

Arthur Miller (John Lithgow) is a villain for the ages, and a terrific counterbalance to Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall)'s dark passenger. Last week, we learnt that Arthur terrorized his family; this week, we learn that he is not actually a trinity killer - he kills in 4s. A little boy, representative of him, is preserved (while still alive) in concrete, to remain pure for the ages.

However awful Arthur Miller was before, he continues to become even more so. Such a horrid monster who still manages to hide in our world, to exist with students and congregations, to appear not normal, but better than that. And he has killed children, young women, mothers, and fathers again and again and again. And yet, when Dexter had to chose between eliminating his prey, present before him, and saving the boy from the concrete, he picked the boy.

Dexter may have a dark side, and a deep need to kill, but not only is it directed at monsters, it is not so deep as his desire to protect the young. He sees his sons, Cody and Harrison, but most of all he sees himself, and his way of preserving a child's innocence is by preventing him from coming in contact with the horrors he and Arthur suffered as children.

Harry (James Remar) - who helped focus Dexter's urges - may not have taught Dexter a perfect way to exist - there are errors in his thinking- but he did help forge a serial killer who lacks some of the things that would make one call him psychopathic.

Only two more episodes left - will Arthur be killed by Dexter or will he end up in jail? And will Dexter's secret remain so? What are your thoughts?

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