Ways to bring back Dexter's mojo

[Mojochi]

But now, an increasing number of characters are looking at him the way much of the fans look at him, as troubled, ruthless & sexy.

I don't think the trouble is how the characters in the story regard Dexter; they don't know the truth about him, so their perceptions of him are entirely wrong anyway.

It's a problem, if the writers are making it that way, in order to mold him into what they think the viewers see him as, which in many cases is wrong too. Falling into the trap of trying to appease the public is never good for the story

I think the writers just don't have the stomach to write the character as he should be written - someone who could easily kill innocents, and is held back only by the mental gymnastics of The Code (which seems not even to be a factor anymore). Maybe the writers are afraid the audience will reject him, but they didn't reject him in S1-S2, so what are they afraid of?

It might not be fear of writing him that way. It could be as simple as having no inspiration to write something good with it. They might not know how to

Even Dexter doesn't want to see himself in that light anymore,

He accepted that facet of himself before, so why should that have changed? He used to enjoy thinking of himself as a "monster." Why should it trouble him now?

I honestly don't know, except that he's come to value his family relations, & having a life with them

The real source of angst should be that being a monster, he will bring disaster to those he loves, just as Doakes warned. And it's happened - Rita is dead. So Dexter should be seriously thinking about giving up the kids, even Harrison, to protect them, and shutting even Deb out of his life. Why hasn't this idea even been broached?

Actually, for a nanosecond, it did occur to him, at the very beginning of the season, before he went all sloppy on the prick in the bathroom. He was there, gassing up his boat, to leave them all behind. I remember thinking for a brief moment "Oh...... That's probably best" & then like 10 minutes later, When suddenly, out of the blue, Harry was telling him to stick around, I was thinking "Oh... Well that's predictable"

Frankly, I would've never had a problem with them completely leaving behind the entire supporting cast, except maybe Deb, who would perhaps spend years trying to track him down. The show's called 'Dexter'. Let's face it, none of those other people even matter, except that Dex needs a front with high level access to his prey

You know what I miss? Dexter hunting down people the police aren't investigating. The more he ends up in a race with them, the less believable it becomes. Trinity, Jordan Chase, & all his associates, The Skinner, Miguel Prado, Freebo, & even the Ice Truck Killer

Is Miami Metro ever able to send anyone to prison? You'd think that would get their attention eventually

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I think the core of the story is the fantasy parade at the very end of S1. Dexter doesn't want to change to suit the world (or his family.) He wants the world to change to accept him. Obviously this is impossible, but it is just possible that some key people in his life can come around, and he can build happiness for himself that way.

If the writers would only stick to that as the core of the dramatic conflict, I think they'd be much better off. It would give them a lodestar that would keep them from wandering so far from the point, and making it appear that Dexter is becoming tame and willing to accept changing himself to suit others, or even able to do so (which shouldn't be the case). It would ensure that they keep the integrity of the character.

I'm usually an advocate of character change and growth, but I think this is a story where the point is not to change the character, or at least not change the core of the character, which cannot help but be a cop-out. The premise is, how does a character who cannot change, and who is "unacceptable" the way he is, manage to find happiness regardless?

 

[Joe Washington]

Temis, the more I read your comments about Dexter, the more I wish you were in charge of the show.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

Dexter should be found out, and then go on the run, into hiding, a fugitive. It's kind of contrived, but it can mix the things up. Honestly, would anyone really miss LaGuerta, Quinn, Batista, any of these doofuses and their retarded side-plots? The only one worth a damn is Masuka and that's just because of his one-liners.

The other thing they should have done was have Deb find out he was the vigilante helping Lumen, and accepting it. Then next year they could toy with Deb finding out that Dex MAY have been killing more than just the rapists, and we can see her get pressed more and more.

In fact there's a great two year plan. Deb finds out about Dex helping Lumen in this finale, and accepting it. Next year, Deb sees Dex differently and starts suspecting he might be up to worse than just killing Lumen's rapists. Plus she's with Quinn who suspects the same. The whole season becomes a pressure point on just how much Deb can accept. In the finale, she turns him in - or everyone finds out somehow, and Dex goes on the run.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Temis, the more I read your comments about Dexter, the more I wish you were in charge of the show.

I wish I was in charge of lots of shows.

But I never thought I'd have to add Dexter to the list of Shows That Would Be a Lot Better If Only They Would Listen to Me.

In fact there's a great two year plan. Deb finds out about Dex helping Lumen in this finale, and accepting it. Next year, Deb sees Dex differently and starts suspecting he might be up to worse than just killing Lumen's rapists. Plus she's with Quinn who suspects the same. The whole season becomes a pressure point on just how much Deb can accept. In the finale, she turns him in - or everyone finds out somehow, and Dex goes on the run.

That sounds good to me.