Dexter: New Blood (2021) on Showtime

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Vidiot, Jul 25, 2021.

  1. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    I take an interest in “pop culture” items. I was intrigued by Adele’s new album - particularly its sales - even though I didn’t buy the new disc, or its predecessor. I started a thread on the Sex and the City reboot, again to see what people think of it. I liked the original show and feel the reboot is a disaster. I watch Succession, and am fascinated that it’s so well regarded, when I find much of the dialogue juvenile.
    And so on. Sometime around Harry Potter book #3, I became intrigued by “the buzz” about the series. Got the books for my son, and felt they were terrific. Was intrigued by the tremendous reception for the Twilight book series; read the first and thought it was horribly written, but still can be intrigued with how it became such a phenomenon.

    Again, to me the fascinating thing here is that they came back to create a “second finale” for a show - that rarely happens - but it seems to me they’ve pissed off much of the fanbase all over again. I’d think after all these years, they’d have managed something more surprising and fulfilling.

    The only reason I’m going “on and on” about it is because some people keep saying the ratings are garbage, and the show was really good. That may be the case, but where’s the data to prove that theory? I presented mine, and I’m fine if people question it. I just am not seeing any evidence, other than scattered opinions, that it was a good finale.

    Here’s another data point, from “Dexterdaily.com” (apparently a fan site?):
    Dexter Daily | Dexter: New Blood: POLL: What Did You Think of Dexter: New Blood (Season Finale) Episode 10 ‘Sins of the Father’?


    [​IMG]
    I just maintain that if the series finale was truly good, wouldn’t fans of the show appreciate it?
     
  2. D-rock

    D-rock Senior Member

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Prove what theory? There are going to be plenty of fans who think the finale was good. Are you saying the data suggest otherwise and the fans that are saying it was good are not validated in their opinion?
     
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  3. Isaac K.

    Isaac K. Forum Resident

    Sites like that are garbage because they only depict the opinions of a small subset of the audience. Most people that watch the show that love it are not going to be that dorky. They love the show and tune in and then move on with their lives, not visit something called “dexterdaily”.
     
  4. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    I’m saying the finale was poorly received by the fanbase, and I’ve provided evidence to support that theory.
    I’ve said I’m open to see data showing otherwise, and haven’t seen any, aside from isolated opinions.
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2022
  5. Isaac K.

    Isaac K. Forum Resident

    GPS.
     
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  6. Scope J

    Scope J Senior Member

    Location:
    Michigan
    It had to end the way it did, it had too!



    Whiners gonna whine
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2022
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  7. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    I think I've watched every episode of Dexter more than once, and only heard of Dexterdaily today.
     
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  8. nosticker

    nosticker Forum Guy

    Location:
    Ringwood, NJ
    I confess that I haven't read all 11 pages, but I have seen every Dexter episode. For anyone who disliked the last episode...did you prefer the original finale?

    We, as fans, got something that shows rarely, if ever, offer us, a kind of do-over. Was it perfect? No.

    Was it 10x better an ending to the series than the trash that was Season 8? I say yes. In fact, I rank this season ahead of the last four, but obviously not above the first four. I thought the ending was good, and reasonably executed(pun not intended), if not exactly the "break the internet" moment hyped by the producers. In my opinion, it held water.

    Having said that, here are my issues:

    The episode felt rushed. I'm aware that they worked backward, but so much ground was covered in the last episode that I wonder if a 90 minute or even 2-hour run time would have given us time to really process what he did to Logan, which really soured me on Dexter in a Walter White kind of way. Like Dexter, the final episode of Breaking Bad was his time to be taken out. Walter White admitted that his motives were NOT selfless, he enjoyed being the monster he was, and he needed to go. Dexter had already abandoned Harrison once to save himself, and now he was about to do it again, after having killed a good man(also going against the code, albeit not the first time he had done so). He was cornered and knew it...and was STILL going to leave Harrison!

    Sure, it would have been great to have a scene where Batista held his feet to the fire, but plot-wise, just the idea that he was now on the case was a final nail for Dex.

    I also think the showrunners/producers overplayed their confidence in the ending. I found it predictable (and predicted) that his son would end him in some way.

    And I'm sure an argument can be made that Dex was comfortable around police, enough to date an officer, but geez, that darn code thing again!


    Dan
     
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  9. SRC

    SRC That sums up Squatter for me

    Location:
    New York, NY
    I think how I would explain it is, the showrunner and writers either overestimated the intelligence or at least the attitude of their fan base, or they didn't think about that at all and just made the best ending they could. Either way, I'm glad they did. I'm comforted that there are professional critics talking about the episode in glowing terms, and having similar reflections on it that I have. I think the angry viewers who simply think of Dexter as "the hero" will fade away, and that this finale will be remembered generally as far superior to the original finale.
     
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  10. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    [​IMG]

    Small correction: Dexter didn't kill the cop -- the gun went off during a struggle in the jail cell. In fact, I watched it twice and thought it was visually very ambiguous and not very well-staged. But they made it clear that Dexter regretted what happened, at least as much as a sociopath can have remorse about anything. There were other somewhat-good people Dexter killed in the past, going back to Sgt. Doakes back at the Miami Metro PD. And don't forget Deb shooting Captain Maria LaPuerta, their boss. So Dexter's "Code" got violated quite a few times, whenever it got in the way of telling the story (or helping Dexter avoid getting caught).

    I don't see that Dexter was ready to leave his son at all. If anything, he was determined that they both leave and start over somewhere else. When Harrison realized how toxic his father was, he realized that killing him was the only answer. Dexter ultimately agreed, realizing the death and carnage he had caused in the past 15-20 years. And it made sense, in the context of the show.

    100% agree. Dexter was an anti-hero, and I think ultimately his death was always his ultimate fate. I think he also realized that by dying, maybe his son could avoid his path and actually wind up with a "somewhat" normal life without having to kill anybody.
     
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  11. FJFP

    FJFP Host for the 'Mixology' Mix Differences Podcast

    Obviously Spoilers below:

    For me, I thought the actual Dexter story was formulated the way it should have been, and it ended as it should have. One can argue about whether Harrison was turning his POV quickly, and I can see it from both sides, but for me it worked as solid TV. The main issue for me is I feel there was more to dig into with Kurt etc. Why was he so quick to take all the credit on the table in a way that felt like something else was up? Surely there was more to how he managed to get Molly, especially on her recorder. I think I just wanted more of that story. But I can see how it wasn't necessary for the story they wanted to tell.

    As for Logan, I didn't realise he broke his neck at first, but jumping back there's a very clear sound and change in expression. Dexter used Rule #1, but sometimes there's no justification for that... and voila!

    But yes, a 12 episode season would have been better, but I still had a ball.
     
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  12. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Yeah, they should have dropped a few more clues that Molly was going to die. They led us astray when Dexter rescued her and they got away, and that was a loose plot thread that I don't think worked. I suspect they wanted to shock us when Dexter found her dead body in a new glass box.

    BTW, that whole "two dozen bodies in glass boxes" deal was completely ripped-off from the end of Christopher Nolan's The Prestige, with the duplicate magicians dead in the boxes. All done for shock value, with a story that didn't quite make sense.
     
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  13. D-rock

    D-rock Senior Member

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    When Dexter looks eerily at Harrison and says something along the lines of "you forgot to take the safety off" .. did anyone else think for a second that Dexter was going to tackle Harrison and take the gun and kill him? That was my thought at first.
     
  14. nosticker

    nosticker Forum Guy

    Location:
    Ringwood, NJ
    [QUOTE="Vidiot, post: 28655997, member: 13586"

    Small correction: Dexter didn't kill the cop -- the gun went off during a struggle in the jail cell. In fact, I watched it twice and thought it was visually very ambiguous and not very well-staged. But they made it clear that Dexter regretted what happened, at least as much as a sociopath can have remorse about anything. There were other somewhat-good people Dexter killed in the past, going back to Sgt. Doakes back at the Miami Metro PD. And don't forget Deb shooting Captain Maria LaPuerta, their boss. So Dexter's "Code" got violated quite a few times, whenever it got in the way of telling the story (or helping Dexter avoid getting caught).

    I don't see that Dexter was ready to leave his son at all. If anything, he was determined that they both leave and start over somewhere else. When Harrison realized how toxic his father was, he realized that killing him was the only answer. Dexter ultimately agreed, realizing the death and carnage he had caused in the past 15-20 years. And it made sense, in the context of the show.

    [/QUOTE]

    Ok, so it was unintentional and maybe manslaughter, but it was still Dexter's fault that Logan died. It was pretty hazy.

    Dexter says "You don't have to come with me, but I can't stay here". That sounds like he's leaving Harrison. He didn't say "I'm not leaving without you. I can't abandon you again".


    Dan
     
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  15. SRC

    SRC That sums up Squatter for me

    Location:
    New York, NY
    If Harrison isn't coming with him, then Dexter knows he is leaving him either way - either by going on the run, or going to jail. And the better option in his mind was running, because then at least there might still be a chance he could see Harrison somehow in the future. Going to prison, and possibly in the end being put to death, is more of an abandonment than staying ahead of law enforcement.

    Yeah, the Logan thing came off as an accident, but he was still an innocent casualty, like so many others before, of Dexter's way of living. I thought, even if it could have been better executed, that was a strong point of the finale; The "code" is revealed as a smokescreen, a failure. Dexter's actions to avoid capture were resulting in the deaths of innocent and good people all along.

    Again, clearly I enjoyed and appreciated the finale, but it could have been better overall. There are good ideas in it, as a kind of tragic tale. Dexter really started the season off in a good place, even if really he was just "on the wagon", ready to slip. Once he slipped, he slowly began to go back on every good promise and effort he'd made.
     
  16. RandySchimka

    RandySchimka Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego
    I really wanted Dexter and Harrison to make it to LA and continue the show there with more episodes. There would have been many more great stories to tell...

    They could still do that if they really wanted to, got Showtime support, and if the actors involved wanted to continue. Dexter could be "rescued" and narrowly escape death, losing most of his blood, etc. and be brought back to life, and perhaps exonerated with all the evidence at Kurt's , etc. If they really wanted to move forward...So while I haven't lost all hope for more shows, I probably have to accept that it's over...
     
  17. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    Just my perspective, but I think Michael Hall is probably glad to be free of the role. I read an interview where he talked about people approaching him asking if Dexter was "coming back," etc. I suspect this will put a damper on that.

    Btw, did anyone read the books? Did the author have an "end" for his character?
     
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  18. Isaac K.

    Isaac K. Forum Resident

    Honestly, I think those are all terrible ideas. Going to LA just sounds like more “same old same old”, even with the apprentice twist. And creating an out for him like that just to milk another season feels horribly unrealistic and contrived. Kurt’s crimes couldn’t exonerate him from the ketamine evidence linking him to being the Bay Harbor Butcher and killing the cop. DEXTER is played out. The story is told.
     
  19. SRC

    SRC That sums up Squatter for me

    Location:
    New York, NY
    Dexter: New Blood is now the most-watched show in Showtime history. Truly popular series are cash cows, and elements at a network will want those series to keep going and going and going, often with bad results. Showtime has been trying to find a way to bring Dexter back essentially since he first left years ago. It's taken this long to put it together as best as possible. But in my opinion, cooler and more artistic heads know when a series has run its course, and as you hinted at, often key people involved want to move on with their lives. Dexter could return in some different form, but fans will have to accept that the finale is the canonical end to the character's story. The grieving process is hard, clearly!
     
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  20. JCRW

    JCRW Forum Resident

    My biggest gripe with the finale is that Dexter did not deserve mercy. From the start of the original series up to the end of 'New Blood' he always seemed to get his way and having no remorse for his actions. He tarnished the reputations of many people, some of them killed directly and indirectly from Dexter's actions. He pleads for his son to mercy kill him and gets his final wish, the last action and he still ultimately gets what he wants. I would have preferred seeing Dexter not getting his way: being arrested and locked up in jail leaving the aftermath to sweep through the rest of the characters. Bet you anything Batista arrives and takes all of the credit for finally capturing the Bay Harbour Butcher. Angela deals with the anger of the community for allowing two serial killers roam free, dating one of them in the process. We could still be left with the question of whether Harrison has a dark passenger just like his dad allowing the 'New Blood' title to remain relevant and move into a 2nd season. Oh well, what's done is done and believe me I am happy the program is done. With exception to the finale it was overall a much better season than Season 8 of the original series.
     
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  21. Jack D

    Jack D Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europa
    And Dexter only killed Doakes indirectly. An arsonist did. Season 2

    The list
    -Rita's husband (indirectly) -Doakes (indirectly) -Photographer's assistant -Unruly redneck -Isak's assassin? -Miguel's brother -The private investigator -The redneck in Nebraska
     
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  22. Etienne Hanratty

    Etienne Hanratty Forum Resident

    Location:
    uk
    Not necessarily the ending I wanted
    (I’ve had liked to see him in prison, continuing his vigilante ways in a more contained environment and having to fit his murders around lockdown and slopping out routines)
    but probably the right ending for the show. By
    showing him killing Logan, however ambiguously and reluctantly, the writers forced us to accept Dexter was not a good guy
    after which
    killing him off was entirely in keeping with the morality of the programme, although I was pleased they didn’t explicitly connect his fate with the Code
    . One slight issue, though:
    Psychopath or not, I just couldn’t see Dexter putting his son through the trauma of becoming a patricide. I’d have prefer to see Harrison do the deed unprompted-which, admittedly, would have made him a less sympathetic character for any hypothetical spin off- or Dexter die, accidentally or deliberately-by his own hand.
    All in all, though, the chaps have comprehensively atoned for Season 8.
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2022
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  23. Adam Pajda

    Adam Pajda Forum Resident

    Location:
    Poland
    Wow, just watched the final episode. An excellent closure to the whole story.
     
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  24. Jack D

    Jack D Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europa
  25. Isaac K.

    Isaac K. Forum Resident

    Wow, am I out of the loop. I just learned that much of this show was shot just down the interstate from me. The Whately Diner has actually been a hipster spot for decades now and I been there many times back in the 90s when I was in my early 20s, but almost always after dark so I didn’t recognize it. It’s a pretty generic looking classic diner. Also haven’t been back since 1999 after getting food poisoning from an omelette. It isn’t even that easy to see from the highway anymore. Pretty cool but it still doesn’t make me want to go back. I’d rather check out the pub in Shelburne Falls but the interiors were likely shot elsewhere.
     
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