Dexter S08E02 Review: "Every Silver Lining..."
"A killer's out there, Dexter. And I don't mind admitting I'm afraid of what's coming next." --Dr. Evelyn Vogel
After watching the premiere of Dexter's final season last week, I was extremely concerned about the direction the show seemed to be taking. The introduction of the new potential antagonist, Dr. Vogel, was really the only positive element of the premiere. Everything else just felt underwhelming, especially after the constant intensity of the last season, uneven though it was.
Consequently I cautiously approached the eighth season's second episode, "Every Silver Lining...", with some apprehension, fearing the lackluster premiere was a sign of even more terrible plot turns and inconsistent character development in the weeks to come. However, I'm relieved to report that Sunday's episode flaunts a complete 180, quality-wise, that does more to set up the eighth season's arc than the last episode. Retrospectively, I now see "A Beautiful Day" as a thinly plotted bridge between seasons seven and eight. Dexter's last season really starts with episode 2, and things are looking up.
Most significantly, the Dr. Vogel character was given a lot of backstory and balanced characterization in these 55 minutes. The episode begins with a lengthy scene between Vogel and Dexter in which the former lays nearly all of her cards out on the table. She helped Harry Morgan develop Dexter's 'code' when he was growing up. She's been keeping tabs on Dexter ever since. And she's afraid that this season's "Brain Surgeon Killer" is a former patient targeting her for revenge.
And with that first scene, we're off. Vogel brings with her an intriguing philosophy about the social necessity of psychopaths as "alpha wolves [...] an indispensable demographic." This may be exactly what Dexter needs to hear, since lately he's been consumed by guilt over having reduced his sister Deb to a traumatized, alcoholic mess who admits to being "fuckin' nuts." Without Deb around to keep him anchored to reality, Dexter's world is spinning off its axis these days. Thus, his new Oedipal partner Dr. Vogel swoops in to help him along through the next phase of his personal growth. As far as plot mechanics go, it's pretty transparent, but this is somehow okay in my mind because of how surprisingly well-drawn Vogel has become so early in the season. I look forward to see what happens between her and Dexter in the future.
Then, of course, there are the usual problems Dexter has always suffered from: shitty dialogue, overuse of Ghost-Harry and explanatory narration, awful B- and C-plots among the supporting characters. I sorta liked Deb's story in this episode, because it's a fairly intriguing idea to have her totally black out and murder an experienced hitman, but I'm not sure how long the writers can sustain her arc if it never moves beyond her guilt-ridden PTSD woes. Similarly, "Every Silver Lining..." continues the soapy non-adventures of Joey Quinn and the Batista clan, introducing tension between slacker Quinn and the overprotective Angel, who doesn't like the idea of his sister dating a deadbeat. As always, Quinn's story has nothing to do with anything else, and I doubt anyone gives a damn about whether or not he'll pass his upcoming sergeant's exam. More Vogel, please.
Other than these ever-present glaring issues, though, "Every Silver Lining..." seems to have set season eight back on track. With the tightest thematic focus the show's had since season four, a legitimately interesting new character to watch out for, and the knowledge that everything's coming to an end in ten more episodes, this final season promises to deliver some pretty crazy developments in the near future. Hannah McKay's still out there, Deb's downward spiral threatens to upend the Morgans' world, and Dexter himself is standing at a major crossroads.
Does Dex try to continue bettering himself for the sake of his sister, his son, and his soul? Or will he break down and accept his "alpha wolf" status once and for all? Vogel wants him to embrace his inner evil, whispering almost seductively into his ear: "You're exactly what you need to be. You're perfect." I think Deb Morgan would disagree. The time is fast approaching for Dexter to choose his path. If the first two episodes of the season are any indication, he's running out of options, and out of time.
Written by Modern Sin
