Director: Ernest Dickerson
Spoilers. Now that the compelling reason to stick with season 3 has been delivered, it's slightly disappointing this half-way checkpoint is such a mixed bag. Fortunately, the good stuff is riveting enough to pull "Sì Se Puede" ("yes, we can") through its stickier patches, and thankfully some of the blander subplots progress a few steps…Following last week's game-changer, Miguel (Jimmy Smits) now knows Dexter (Michael C. Hall) killed a man who had escaped justice for drowning his wife. While still unaware Dex is an accomplished serial-killer who "accidentally" murdered his brother Oscar, Miguel is still perversely fascinated and buoyant that he's found someone capable of getting their hands dirty for the greater good.
For Dex, his defences have lowered slightly because of Miguel's positive reaction upon hearing about his sin -- and, while he's still uneasy about the offer of a "partnership", and careful to keep the full extent of his lifestyle a secret -- it really does look like he's found a kindred spirit in the smooth Assistant District Attorney…
"Sì Se Puede" finds Miguel eager to continue their "work", but Dex isn't sure Miguel can cope with the pressure he's lived with for so long, so he devises a ridiculous plan to kill a racist murderer called Gault, who is still ordering hate-attacks from his jail cell, in an effort to make Miguel realize how difficult creating opportunities to mete out justice is. However, Miguel has a thirst and aptitude for vigilantism that astonishes even Dexter…
Elsewhere, the hotchpotch of subplots rumble on, trying to keep their heads above water. The best of the bunch belongs to Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) and her search for murder suspect Freebo, after her child witness Wendell (Marc John Jefferies) becomes the latest victim of serial-killer "The Skinner". Debra begins to suspect The Skinner is following her around, picking off anyone who might be helpful to the police investigation. Later, she begins to suspect Miguel's hotheaded cop brother Ramon (Jason Manuel Olazabal) might be The Skinner, so teams up with Quinn (Desmond Harrington) on an off-the-record mission to prove, or disprove, her theory.
I'm becoming more interested in the identity of The Skinner (as it must be someone we've met already, and there aren't many suspects -- Quinn? Anton? Yuki?), although I'm struggling to see how this killer fits into the Freebo situation. We know Dex killed Oscar Prado while targeting Freebo, then tied up his loose-end by killing Freebo shortly after. The situation would appear closed, so seeing how The Skinner fits into the equation should be enlightening.
Internal Affairs officer Yuki (Liza Lapira) also returns to threaten Deb's career with the spread of malicious gossip, unless she helps her snoop on Quinn. Blah, blah. Deb finally decides to just tell Quinn about IA's interest in him, and is surprised to discovery Yuki's interested in Quinn may actually be based on a personal vendetta. As most the audience half-suspected from the start, so the "surprise" was deadened.
The limpest subplot belongs to drippy Angel (David Zayas), who sweet-talks himself into a date with sexy vice cop Gianna (Kristin Dattilo). Zayas makes it all quite endearing thanks to his measured and playful performance, but it ultimately feels like time-killing filler. Elsewhere, unemployed and pregnant Rita (Julie Benz) is offered a job as a real estate assistant to Miguel's wife -- which is only of interest to highlight how close Rita and Dex's lives are now intertwined with the Prado's.
And there's a slightly tedious subplot for Camilla (the evidence storage clerk and family friend of the Morgan's), who it's now revealed is dying of lung cancer. Scenes between her and Dex at her hospital bed were well-acted by the actors, but I don't think Camilla has been prominent enough to earn much audience sympathy. It took me awhile to even remember who she was!
No, the main source of pleasure in this episode was the slow build-up to Dex and Miguel's risky scheme to entrap Gault under false, legal pretences and kill him to stop the claw killings he's been ordering lately. These tense courthouse sequences, with Dex relying on help to trap his prey for the very first time, delivered excellent jolts of adrenaline. I'm also enjoying season 3's use of Harry Morgan (James Remar) as a ghost for his son Dex to converse, instead of a memory glimpsed in flashback. It's helping to break-up the use of voice-over, which is sometimes only used to guide dimwits through scenes.
It's been a pleasure watching Jimmy Smits this season, too, and I remain conflicted and edgy about Miguel's character and motivations. It's a feeling that has almost single-handedly kept me invested in season 3. My latest theory on the mustachioed A.D.A? Well, what if he had a similar murderous understanding with his younger brother Oscar -- whom he had sent to kill drug-dealer Freebo for the same reason Dex was there to kill Freebo? Hmm?
Overall, "Sì Se Puede" was thrilling whenever it focused on Dexter and Miguel's uneasy alliance, but less so when it didn't. As usual. Still, it was great to see some proper development in The Skinner storyline and that interminable Internal Affairs subplot, so I'm hopeful those stories will begin to bloom very soon. Or, in the latter's case, just wilt and go away.
While this was a mediocre episode in many respects (with a bizarre absence of anyone mentioning the Bay Harbor Butcher when faced with the idea of a willful cop like Ramon being a killer), the mesmeric performances from Hall and Smits, together with a compelling plot for their characters, ensured "Sì Se Puede" didn't falter too badly.
2 November 2008
Showtime, 9/8c
Cast: Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Julie Benz (Rita), Jennifer Carpenter (Debra), Jimmy Smits (Miguel), Lauren Velez (Laguerta), David Zayas (Angel), C.S Lee (Masuka), Desmond Harrington (Quinn), Jason Manuel Olazabal (Ramon Prado), Kristin Dattilo (Gianna), Marc John Jefferies (Wendell), Yuki (Liza Lapira), James Remar (Harry) & David Ramsey (Anton)
