Dexter: Dex, Lies, and Videotape flashback

In “Dex, Lies, and Videotape,” Dexter tampers with video evidence and deals with a copycat killer. Also Lila grows the rift between Dex and Rita.

Being a serial killer while working at a police station is risky. Even though it gives Dexter (Michael C. Hall) some inside information, he also runs the risk of being too close for comfort. Doakes (Erik King) had been suspicious of Dexter in the past, going so far as tracking his whereabouts.

Previously, Dexter tricked Doakes into easing off his harassment, after he saw Dex in a drug addiction treatment program. However, Dexter’s sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) screws that up by saying Dexter never even smoked a cigarette, let alone touched a needle (though, to be fair, it’s theoretically possible to become a heroin addict without also smoking or drinking).

In addition to all this, Dexter’s colleagues seem to be zeroing in on him, thanks to some marina surveillance footage they acquired. Unbeknownst to them, some footage shows Dex meticulously cleaning his own boat, the sardonically titled “Slice of Life.” While cleanliness isn’t a crime, it’s certainly suspicious if you’re seen using Luminol to detect and clean up possible blood spots (interestingly, though, Luminol by itself doesn’t necessarily prove a chemical is blood).

Dexter addresses the video in a very childish way:  He pulls the fire alarm in the Miami Metro PD station and hides.  Then, as everyone leaves, he edits the footage to remove the juicy, offending content.

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The question is:  Will this be enough?  Not likely with Doakes still on his tail (also, you probably already know what happens there).

Curiosity Kills the Copycat (just call Dexter “curiosity”)

Another complicating factor for Dex is a copycat killer, who some people are mistaking for the Bay Harbor Butcher. Dexter has a few reasons to get rid of him: (1) His work is sloppy, whereas Dex is clean, making it a matter of pride; (2) FBI Special Agent Lundy (Keith Carradine) may call in the FBI to deal with such copycat crimes. Well, Dexter locates the guy, Ken Olsen (Silas Weir Mitchell), giving him the usual treatment.

It’s actually a risky move, as Miami Metro was already aware of Olsen as a suspect. However, avoiding further FBI presence had to take priority (plus, the series was probably clamoring for a fresh kill). Dexter also gets bold this time, leaving the corpse gift wrapped for the police, as if to say, “This guy was a phony. I’m the real deal!”

Dexter, Lila and Rita

This episode hasn’t completely forgotten about Dex’s home life. However, as usual, things are complicated. It’s apparently not possible to make things work, no matter how hard Dexter tries. Or does Dex try much at all? He should have known his girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) would be jealous of his fake sponsor, Lila (Jaime Murray).

In fact, when Rita finds out the two spent time together, she wants to break up. For someone who tries to play it safe, Dex sure takes some silly chances! It’s almost as though he’s really not in control. It doesn’t help that Dex feels a connection with Lila, as she seems to accept him more for who he is.

She was there when he looked into his mother’s past, locating her killer (Tony Amendola) yet oddly letting him go. This part of Dexter’s journey continues. In “Dex, Lies and Videotape,” he learns more about his stepfather, Harry (James Remar) — particularly his relationship with his biological mother, Laura (Sage Kirkpatrick).

It turns out his adoption was due partly to Harry’s guilty feelings after Laura’s death, which was ostensibly the result of Harry’s decisions. So, the deeper Dexter delves into his past, the more he complicates his present and jeopardizes his future.

Of course, perhaps someone like Dex deserves to have his future jeopardized. He is, after all, a serial killer, and those tend to be frowned upon even more than people who sleep around a bit. So, as Dex attempts to continue his life, he’ll have both his day job, his extensive side projects, a girlfriend and a “side chick” to contend with. This isn’t how you simplify your life, Dex!

What are your thoughts on this “Dexter” episode? Let us know in the comments!