DEXTER 2.12 – "The British Invasion"

Writers: Daniel Cerone & Melissa Rosenberg
Director: Steve Shill

Cast: Michael C. Hall (Dexter Morgan), Julie Benz (Rita Bennett), Jennifer Carpenter (Debra Morgan), Erik King (Sgt. Doakes), Jaime Murray (Lila Tournay), Lauren Velez (Lt. Maria LaGuerta), David Zayas (Angel Batista), C.S. Lee (Vince Masuka), Christina Robinson (Astor), Preston Bailey (Cody), Geoffrey Pierson (Captain Matthews), Jonathan Banks (FBI Deputy Director Max Adams) & Keith Carradine (Special Agent Frank Lundy)

The task force close in on the Bay Harbor Butcher, Lila finds Doakes imprisoned in the cabin, and Dexter makes a last-minute scramble...

"You're going away with me alright... in a garbage bag."

-- Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall)

A life-affirmed Dexter (Michael C. Hall) faces the final curtain, as Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) tell him the FBI task force are beginning to search the Everglades, and could be hours away from discovering Sgt Doakes (Erik King), who's still caged inside Jiminez's cabin.

Dexter races to beat the Feds before they discover Doakes and his elaborate frame-job is ruined, not realizing loony Lila (Jaime Murray) has beaten him to it. Having stolen Dex's sat-nav last week, Lila has arrived at the cabin and finds Doakes inside, quickly ascertaining his captor is her ex-boyfriend: Dexter Morgan, the Bay Harbor Butcher. Uh-oh.

Her reaction is nicely underplayed by Murray, and the depth of Lila's nuttiness is revealed when she almost immediately turns sympathetic of Dexter's plight. Her pyromania (a plot-point laid mid-season) blossoms once again, as she decides to play guardian angel for Dex and sets fire to the cabin with Doakes inside. Fortunately, Doakes manages to escape from his cage seconds later... unfortunately, a propane canister then explodes and (in one of the show's best stunts), Doakes is horrifically incinerated.

The impact of Doakes death is a surprisingly big gut-punch, as Erik King managed to belatedly make Doakes less of a cartoon thorn in Dexter's side, and a credible force for good. I had a faint glimmer of hope Doakes might even survive season 2 somehow, and never expected the gruff sergeant to go out so early, and in such eye-popping style! Oh, and certainly not at the hands of Lila...

It's not long before the task force are crawling all over the smouldering cabin, with Lundy (Keith Carradine) confident the Bay Harbor Butcher's kill-site has been unearthed; thanks to the retrieval of another victim's body in the wreckage and another knife/saw set.

In one of the show's grizzlier scenes, Doakes' charred torso is pulled from the lake and Masuka (C.S Lee) confirms it's their work colleague. Dexter can't believe his luck, even toying with the idea that the Devil himself has performed a miracle for his benefit. In an amusing scene for fans, the next day begins with a reprise of the excellent opening title sequence, with the chirpy theme tune playing over Dex's morning ritual, before he goes to have make-up sex with Rita (Julie Benz).

Later, Lundy and Debra plan a wintry holiday together, now that the Bay Harbor Butcher case has been solved, both blissfully unaware that the real culprit is actually still at large...

LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) is still convinced Doakes wasn't the Butcher, until Lundy visits her office and makes it abundantly clear that all the evidence, and all the facts, point to her friend's guilt. Lila, on the other hand, knows the truth and finds creative inspiration in Dex to paint a slightly-warped portrait of her homicidal former boyfriend.

Dex himself is busy combing through the cabin's remnants when Masuka reveals the explosion was likely caused by a burning stove (which Dex knows he didn't leave on). Then, after confirming his missing sat-nav unit was part of the debris, Dex realizes Lila must have been responsible for his unexpected reprieve... and must now know his darkest secret.

The former lovers agree to meet at an aquarium, in perhaps the episode's best scene, where they finally see each for who they really are. Dexter seems amazed Lila chose to help him and, despite the fact she admits to always being "afraid" of him on some level, he convinces her she's more like him than she realizes. A weird chemistry quickly develops, with Lila suddenly becoming the perfect partner for someone like Dexter; a confidant, accomplice and lover all in one sexy package.

They agree to run away together, but -- as Dex's voice-over wryly comments after she leaves to pack her things -- Lila will only be coming with him in a garbage bag...

LaGuerta is finding Doakes' hidden life difficult to handle and is having a tough time getting her staff to donate to his memorial fund. Understandably. Debra, who faced similar heartache last year when her boyfriend was unmasked as a serial-killer, has a neat little heart-to-heart with her lieutenant, and comes to understand LaGuerta's need to focus on the good in Doakes' character...

Arriving at Lila's (to kill her), Dex lurks in the shadows with his hypodermic needle primed, but is surprised to find his sister is the victim of his ambush attempt! As he tries to explain himself, Lila arrives and senses the strange atmosphere, with all three characters on different pages: Debra is forcing illegal immigrant Lila to leave the country, Dex wants Lila to think they're going to elope, and Lila has knowledge that could rip Dex's life apart...

Debra takes charge and forces Lila to go, although she takes Dex's bag in an attempt to force his pursuit of her. Unfortunately, Lila later discovers Dex only brought his killing tools and realizes she was to become his next victim. She refuses to answer Dex's desperate phone calls and, as we all know, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" (particularly one moments away from being dismembered!)

As expected, Lundy's involvement in the show draws to a sad close, as he receives word that the FBI want him to lead another case in Oregon, and a long-distance relationship with Debra isn't going to work. I think the Lundy/Debra subplot worked pretty well this year, thanks mainly to Carradine's effective performance and the oddness of their pairing providing more chemistry than I thought possible.

At Rita's, babysitter Lexy (where did she come from?), is rendered unconscious by Lila, using one of Dexter's needles, and Dexter returns home to find Astor (Christina Robinson) and Cody (Preston Bailey) have been kidnapped! What's more, Captain Matthews (Geoffrey Pierson) informs Dex that a woman with a British accent contacted him saying she had new information about the Butcher, that involves Dexter...

With his freedom hanging in the balance again, Dex rushes to Lila's house and finds the kids safe and sound – but vengeful Lila has only used them as bait, and sets fire to her home, trapping all three inside to die.

Debra decides to join Lundy in Oregon and is on her way to the airport (without even telling her brother, but we'll let it lie...) and has to decide between her family commitments in Miami or life with Lundy, when Rita calls and asks for her help finding her children...

As the fire rages our of control, Dex manages to get Astor and Cody to safety through a window, but he can't fit himself through. As the smoke begins to choke him and with the door firmly locked, Dex collapses to an inevitable death... before a flashback to a campfire scene with Harry (James Remar) inspires renewed strength, and he manages to crash through a disintegrating wall, just as his sister arrives to help...

In the finale's closing moments, Lila flies out from the airport alone, and Debra comforts her oddly-calm brother, who echoes his campfire flashback by promising her he's going to "be like this forever"...

The denouement flits across the Atlantic to Paris, to find dastardly Lila living alone and finding a postcard from Miami in her mail. Dex is there, and quickly injects her, tying up loose-end Lila by stabbing her through the heart (how apt) and zipping her up in a body-bag. Mon dieu!

Doakes' memorial is held with LaGuerta and Dex in attendance, although it was actually heartbreaking to see Doakes' small family huddled together crying, doomed to think their son/brother was a twisted killer!

But, as far as Dex is concerned, he can only honour Doakes' "sacrifice" by enjoying his consequential freedom. After taking receipt of a new slide box for fresh blood trophies, Dex promises to carve out a new path for himself, experimenting with new killing rituals, stepping out of his father's shadow to turn "Harry's Code" into his own...

The British Invasion is a succinct, thrilling and appropriate finale for this excellent second season. The various plot-strands come together brilliantly (although Lundy's story was ultimately a bit extraneous), but it was particularly wonderful to get the "old Lila" back, with the aquarium scene between Hall and Murray particularly chilling.

Most interestingly, while Dexter ends with everything back to the status quo (which I always half-expected), it hints that Dexter Morgan himself has evolved and learned from these experience, so season 3 will see the show explore new avenues.

I think the writers have definitely taken certain aspects of Dexter as far as they can, so it will be nice to see a moderate shake-up --although hopefully that won't just mean Dex gets more elaborate and imaginative with how he kills criminals.

Will this new direction also mean an end to the flashbacks, which have been such a big part of the show for so long? I doubt it, but Harry certainly won't be presented as the all-knowing Frankenstein to Dex's young Monster anymore.

And, now the show has used a storyline many thought would be reserved for the last season, where can we go from here? Another serial-killer for Dex to thwart, yet admire? Would the show perhaps benefit from a move away from sunny Miami? Will Dexter ever find someone to confide in, or is he destined to be a lone wolf? Will he perhaps find a progeny to pass on his craft someday?

There are still some possibilities, I'm sure, but the direction remains excitingly unpredictable – so I can't wait to see what Dex does next...


16 December 2007
Showtime, 9.30 pm