Suburbia is really taking a toll on both Dexter the character and Dexter the show. While in the first two episodes Dex’s home life was a plot on the backburner, the writers chose this episode to turn up the heat. The results were interesting, but I’m ultimately not sure they added up to anything important. At least, not anything as important as questions raised by other storylines.
The opening image of Dexter adding strawberries to smoothies at a pool party and turning them blood red with the touch of a button was deliciously suggestive, but was sort of a throwaway homage to the opening credits that I think the writers use to little effect. It’s an interesting bit of self-consciousness, but only when it’s used as it was in the premiere–to show who Dexter is (this season: tired.)
