TV Review: DEXTER 6.12, "This Is The Way The World Ends"
This particular piece of the puzzle provided even the most jaded Dexter fan with enough to be excited about next year...
rating: 3
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Wow everybody, we did it the season six finale. You'll have to pardon me a moment because if you would've told me five years ago that I'd be reviewing that amazingly awesome new show, Dexter, I would've assumed you had me confused with some other lucky soul. But here we are and I couldn't be happier. Well, that's not entirely true. I wish the entire season could feel as successful as this episode was. Season six seems to be a collection where the total is less than the sum of its parts, but thankfully this particular piece of the puzzle provided even the most jaded Dexter fan with enough to be excited about next year. While I could've done without Quinn surviving, This is the Way the World Ends achieved everything it needed to very well and pretty much ended this rocky season as well as was possible. Before dissecting the episode in detail I want to establish what I think benefited This is the Way the World Ends most which is its pacing. Unlike the last couple episodes, this one didn't feel rushed or forced and because director John Dahl took his time in letting the audience linger among the characters in just a few key scenes, the episode felt rich and substantial as opposed to crowded and shallow. I loved the time spent on watching Dexter float hopelessly in the ocean and seeing Dexter taking such satisfaction in simply sitting and quietly playing with Harrison and putting him to bed lent genuine emotional weight to what has become Dexter's sole motivation for living. I very much appreciate Dahl letting this scene speak for itself; no dialogue, no narration, just a visual demonstration of what has been the true driving force behind all of this season's plot providing an adequate legacy for Harrison something that has noticeably lacked attention. I similarly enjoyed the scene where we saw Travis watching the news in the home of the couple he killed, including the shot of Travis' profile with the painting of Dexter's face in the background seemingly glaring down at Travis. In the same vein, the scene where Travis has entered Dexter's home was another excellent example of when it's better to show and not tell. Seeing Travis put on one of Dexter's shirts and eating his Cheerios spoke so many more volumes to his creepiness and psychosis than any piece of dialogue he ever spoke. This is how tone and mood, the most influential elements of any art work, are best utilized and I hope Dahl and others like him continue to helm episodes of Dexter. First we should dispense with the most technical component of the episode, the final showdown between Dex and Travis. Until we definitively know the season we're watching is the last of the series there's no real question as to whether the antagonist will end up on Dexter's table. The real question is how he or she will get there. It was a bumpy ride for Travis and despite all the potential Doomsday had he was the most poorly executed major antagonist of Dexter since the third season if not of the whole series. I can't believe I'm about to defend an aspect of the third season (still my least favorite of the series), but at least Dexter was sincerely connected to Miguel Prado. Although their bromance was obviously destined to fail, the attempt to build a genuine friendship by sharing Dexter's darkest secrets felt relevant and earnest whereas I never honestly believed Dexter needed to kill Doomsday it was always either a curious obligation or a misguided experiment in redemption. Even though I did appreciate the scene where Dexter was doused in blood by one of Doomsday's tableaus, at that point it just felt too tacked on after the fact. But The Skinner was so unforgivably lame that season six still wins. Anyway, in addition to not establishing a firm connection to Dexter, DDK also failed as a catalyst to further advance the themes of religion and spirituality that were played with throughout the season. The murders surrounding the tableaus did nothing to comment on what should have been an exploration of the negative aspects of faith and instead were just examples of insanity which would be fine if that insanity were explored but it wasn't. Rather we're expected to just accept that Travis is a psychopath and let that be enough to inform his actions, but that's simply not the case in a series where psychology is a major motif. Regardless of your personal opinion of religion, it is a topic which deserves better treatment than what was offered. Brother Sam would be disappointed. Regarding the other opportunity DDK provided the show, the Dark Passenger foil, this too was squandered and fell to the wayside. In fact, I don't think Harry was seen even once this whole episode. Instead, we got the most obvious twist since M. Night Syamalan's The Village which threw the entire season off balance. The major arc of the season was ultimately a failure, however, the silver lining here is definitely the as yet fully explored subplot of Louis the intern. Where DDK was the loud bull in a china shop, Louis has quietly and creepily entered the series' mythos just barely under the radar and is tough competition for what I'm most excited to see pursued next season. Check out my belated review of the previous episode, Talk to the Hand for a full explanation of why Louis is just so intriguing. Let's face it though, the most exciting aspect of next season is of course the promise of watching the fall out from Debra witnessing Dexter kill Travis. I can hardly express how happy I am that this is finally happening. Seeing Deb attempt to justify Dexter's true nature will reinvigorate the series as we'll all be forced to reevaluate the core of what makes Dexter such a fascinating character psychologically, morally, and philosophically. In my last review I spoke of how unhappy I was with Deb's therapist suggesting Deb may be in a kind of love (beyond familial) with her brother and while I'm of course still grossed out by the idea, in retrospect I am more accepting of its emergence especially seeing how heavily it will play into Deb's reconciling of how she feels about Dexter overall. Naturally I didn't like the notion of watching Deb pine for Dex romantically (her and Lundy were bad enough), but I appreciate Scott Buck and the other producers for finally making a ballsy move by tackling difficult subject matter that's the type of daring territory series on networks like Showtime and HBO need to take advantage of being able to explore. Plus, now that Debra has seen even just a small sample of who Dexter really is, the narrative value of the whole incest thing takes on a completely new light as its purpose clearly is to inform fully how difficult it will be for Debra to come to terms with Dexter. Speaking of purpose, I ought to give credit to producer-writers Buck and Wendy West for what was certainly one of the best written episodes of the season. This is the Way the World Ends had a lot to live up to mostly in terms of why Dexter was interested in pursuing religion at all and what conclusions he's come to after all is said and done. Concerning the reason behind wanting to explore spiritual matters of faith, Buck and West really tried to bring the issue full circle with Harrison's Noah's Ark themed school pageant, specifically Dexter's lines that love is all that's really needed to provide for Harrison and that there's room in this world for the lions, not just the sheep. It wasn't much but it was enough to remind the audience that even though Dexter hardly scratched the surface of spirituality and its implications, the only reason he even considered it was for his son, and for me that almost makes up for the complete lack in follow through for all that was built up in the first half of the season. The debate between Dexter and Travis on the validity of faith also had two really interesting lines from Dexter, where he stated that perhaps his purpose is to bring balance to the dark and the light and that God has nothing to do with this. It seems as though Dexter has accepted the significance of good and evil, but refuses to let God into the equation. As much as I liked these lines I can't say I think they were truly earned because this subject was not consistently touched on throughout the season. Also, their discussion lacked two important things the first being the fact that Travis is genuinely, clinically insane. Dexter never had to kill someone that was so specifically recognized as not being fully in control of his actions and I'm disappointed this angle was dropped immediately after Travis magically began behaving as Gellar had all season. And correct me if I'm wrong, maybe I just missed it, but did Dexter cut Travis' cheek to obtain his blood slide? I can't remember seeing that. Looking back, season six was full of curve balls, inconsistencies and too many shortcomings to recap in full detail here but I can't say I didn't enjoy the ride (for the most part). Despite not living up to its full potential, I can at least see the effort put behind season six and am honestly the most excited for the new season since the first one ended. We have at least 24 more episodes of Dexter to look forward to and I for one am confident that our favorite serial killer will get the proper ending he deserves. Lastly, allow me to thank all those who have read and commented on my reviews this season. The opportunity to formally discuss one of my all time favorite television series with you has been an immense pleasure and a genuine honor to take advantage of. Hopefully you all watch Justified and can help me dissect the adventures of the coolest cowboy since Doc Holiday when the series returns for its third season in January. Until then, take care and happy holidays.