Catching Up with 'Dexter'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

I owe Dexter Morgan and Co. an apology.

I'm not really avoiding him.

Er, them.

It's amazing how much DVR time one does NOT have when one is holding down multiple occupations.

So goes the life of this particular writer these days.

But perhaps what is most frustrating for me is that this season continues to impress. Thus, I'm feeling even worse for falling behind on covering life at Miami Metro Homicide.

(Ne'er mind I'm wondering why my lapse in covering the show couldn't have happened LAST year, when I was already bored to tears by the time we reached this point in the season).

So where are we?

How Two Friends 'Met' Again

"Everyone stop!!  Alan Thicke, shut up. Marshall, it's a station wagon -- get over it.  Ted, stop talking about porn.  And for the love of God, somebody get the Storm Trooper some Pizza!" -Lily

"It's not a Storm Trooper!" - Everyone else

And that, ladies and gentlemen, summarizes the funniest scene I've seen on TV so far this season and one of the funniest I've seen on any TV show EVER!!  HI-LARITY that seemed to have no end in sight as the scene just escalated by the second.  Lily, Ted and Marshall, on a mission to break up Robin and Barney, piled into a stake-out station wagon (because the iconic van would have cost them $25 more to rent) and set a plan into motion that seemed destined to break up the pair: make them relive their four worst fights.  Lily, in a one-night only return from breaker-uper retirement, hatched the break-up scheme that brought Alan Thicke, Crazy Meg, dirty dishes and a robot who was supposed to be a Storm Trooper together in a station wagon while Lily watched the unsuspecting couple from her binoculars.  And it just got funnier from there...

'Case' is Off to the Races

It's fun to see a show that's boxed in by a formula do something a little outside that box. Such was the case with this week's Cold Case. The formula was still there (complete with the "who's the least likely suspect" game), but the story was just a smidge outside of the usual for this show. And it was enough to make me sit up and pay attention. Although about halfway through it, I found myself wishing we were working on Jeffries' case.  And that's not a knock on the episode, but a compliment to the intrigue the show created surrounding the missing girl he never found.  I have a feeling that case will make a re-appearance soon (fingers crossed). Anyway, I enjoyed this horse racing tale and found the move outside of CC's comfort zone to be fun.  And of course, there was also that funny conversation about whips and crops between Lil and Scotty.

Dust in the Wind

This week's episode certainly brought literal meaning to that famous Kansas song!  As Walter said, the victims were reduced to their most elemental state.  I tend to enjoy the stand-alone/freak- of- the-week episodes more than the mythology-laden ones and I thought this one was especially good.  The special effects alone were worth the price of admission!  How (disgustingly) awesome were those scenes with the remains, still intact, that began to crumble or, in some cases, blow away (thanks to an oscillating fan)?!  I wanted to be disgusted (and I'm sure I would have been had I been the one discovering my loved one like that), but the darn special effects were so good that I found myself in awe of their awesome-ness.  But there was also an intense race against time, a puzzling mystery and lots of pressure on Walter.  And a lot of that dust.

Of course, the dust was only a small part of this intriguing tale...

Birds of a Feather

This week's episode of Bones could have been a preachy platform for animal rights enthusiasts.  It could have been anti-meat eater, but the writers did a nice job of presenting the wrongs of the chicken industry without crossing the line into activism.  Through the characters, we got both sides of the chicken debate (including painting the "PECT" activists as extreme).  As someone who loves animals and wants them treated humanely (but also enjoys a chicken sandwich and some BBQ), I appreciated the balance in this episode.  The point was made in an educational way and not anvilously dropped onto our heads or preached from a Hollywood pulpit.  I also liked the dynamic it created between Brennan and Angela with Angela taking the more sensitive, save-the-animals approach and Brennan the more "they're just chickens" one (ironic because, in real life, star Emily Deschanel is an animal rights supporter).  Loved the way Brennan (on Sweets's advice) let Angela "have this one" at the end.  Rational or not.  Of course, none of that chicken debate mattered because the victim wasn't killed over animal rights, but rather, gas money.

When we last left off, I had hypothesized that the writers couldn't realistically move forward without Brennan and Booth being a bit changed by their shared moment at the opening of her exhibit.  And from the looks of things this week, this hypothesis seems to be proving true.  And speaking of "looks," there were a lot of them in this episode.

A Tale of Two Dillons

I'm starting to miss the departed Friday Night Lights characters a little less.  Maybe it's just that the abrupt changes in the premiere have had a week to sink in, or maybe it's because we got to know some of the new characters a little better, or perhaps, it's just the prevailing awesome-ness of Eric and Tami Taylor, but somehow the new FNL was a little easier to swallow this week.  I like the way the writers are developing the central conflicts inherent in Coach Taylor's new coaching position.  First, he has no team.  Or at least he didn't until that 10 p.m. practice.  Now, he has a group of kids who are willing to give him a second chance.  They're willing to put the past behind them and go forward with their season.  But they're going to need to learn how to play first.  They need to craft their raw talent, work together as a team, and trust their coach (even if he didn't let them finish their fight during the first game).  Otherwise, it's going to be a very long (and painful) season.

One 'Mother' of a Fight

Anyone who is in or has been in a long-term relationship can completely relate to Lily and Marshall's power struggle fight over dishes in this week's episode.  I am a "Lily,"in that, I too want the dishes cleaned as soon as you're done eating with them.  They can simply be rinsed off and placed into the dishwasher, but for the love of all that's good and holy, please don't leave them in the sink!  As you can see, Mr. TVFan and I have gone back and forth over this very issue in the past.  Luckily for him, he did not suggest that I clean all the dishes since it's "my problem" that I want them clean.  If he had, I'm afraid that he would have been packing a much bigger suitcase than Marshall.  Nonetheless, the bottom line with these sorts of domestic differences is you have to learn to live with each other's differences in order to make the relationship work.  And as Lily and Marshall stated at the end, these fights boil down to swallowing your pride and realizing that your love for each other is greater than winning.  It can be a tough pill to swallow at times, but if you love the other person enough, then you do it.  But, I got the impression that neither Barney nor Robin will be swallowing that pill anytime soon.  Yeah, that relationship is never getting off the ground.

'Cold' Sabotage

I've been complaining about Cold Case's lack of a strong doer this season (although, the problem can be traced back several seasons).  This week, I thought the show did a better job of picking someone who seemed like a plausible killer.  It's not that Iris was the most convincing murderer, but the show made a pretty strong case for her and provided a decent motive.  I'm not sure that I can see her sabotaging Vivian's plane knowing it would kill her (especially since it wouldn't look good for the WASPs to lose another pilot -- and their best one at that).  One thing that I found to be quite excellent about this outing, though, was its subject matter.  I'm embarrassed to say that I was unaware of the WASPs prior to this episode.  I knew that women helped out in wartime in many different ways, but I didn't know about the women who flew non-combat flights for the Army Air Force.  Interesting subject matter and a nice slice of history that paved the way for the many women in the military today (pilots and otherwise).

Other developments were a bit mixed, though.

Busy Bell

PTR Fave Kristen Bell is a very busy actress these days.  She's currently starring on the big screen in Couples Retreat, she got animated in the newly-released Astro Boy, she has When in Rome and You Again coming out next year and she just signed on to join Christina Aguilera on the big screen in Burlesque.  And if you've been to your local newsstand recently, you've probably seen that she's lighting up the covers of several magazines.  One of them, Women's Health, interviewed Kristen for its November issue while she and her four-legged friends went on a hike outside Los Angeles.  The magazine discovered something that we long-time fans have known for a long time...

I am so thrilled to have my Friday Night Lights back (and I'm so happy to be a DirecTV subscriber!)!! Having said that, I was very nervous going into this week's premiere. How would the show go on with Coach Taylor at East Dillon instead of on the Panthers' sideline? And how would the show fill the enormous void left by the departure of several key characters (who left for college)? Turns out, the Coach Taylor story line is off to a great start. But, I really miss the other characters. Out of all of them, I feel Tyra's absence the most. I so miss her. I really hope she comes back for a few episodes later in the season. I mean, the University of Texas gets a fall and Thanksgiving break, right? Please come back, Tyra!

Read more »

Roundup: 'Dollhouse' Delivers; 'Dexter's' Better Half

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

After taking a second second job (got to love this economy, eh?), I have to apologize to regular readers of PTR for getting my Dexter and Dollhouse write-ups posted a wee bit tardier than usual.




Dollhouse

Let me sum up last week's episode of Dollhouse this way: Dichen Lachman rocks.

Seriously.

Her portrayal of Sierra stole several episodes away from Eliza Dushku's Echo last season.

As in, Echo who?

There is something about her ability to assume all the different doll personalities that seems so incredibly natural - almost instinctive. So any episode that is going to feature her backstory coming full circle is good by me.

Particularly since when I last left the dolls, I was ... well, let's just say somewhat concerned that the action and suspense of the first season had all but disappeared this season.

Alas, I spoke too soon.

Last week's ep counts as a wow ep for me.

Learning that Sierra came from a mental institution whereby she was deliberately being made coo coo for cocoa puffs by the doctor who turns out to be one of Rossum's biggest clients AND obsessed with her after the fact?

Nice.

And Topher's emotional decision to have to let Sierra go (per demented doc's request), only to one up the dollhouse, imprint Sierra with her "clean" (as in, NOT coo coo) master imprint to get revenge on dearly demented doc?

A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

We recall Topher has a particular fondness for Sierra. Once a year, he imprints her with "his" perfect geek girl personality to play video games, eat pizza, hang out. It's his reward, as it were, for what he does. Playing on that theme - and giving us the full story that it was, in fact, Topher who saved Sierra from the mental institution - was tight writing. I like it when writers fill in the blanks for us and loop it back to what we already know in such a seamless way that it's as if we already feel as if we knew that element of the story.

Now the love story with Victor ... hmmm. Cute, but I don't get it. Can a doll - in their wiped clean state - really fall for another doll? I guess so.

In any event, this ep was all about Dichen for me. She delivered another powerhouse performance (the mental institution scenes alone were just fantastic) that did not have me missing Echo, Ballard or anyone else for that matter.

THAT is how much of an asset she - and her character - are to this show.

New episodes of Dollhouse air Fridays at 9 p.m. on FOX. For the scoop on the series, head on over to the show's official site.






Dexter

Keeping to the co-stars-sometimes-rock-it-better-than-the-leads theme, can I get another amen for JC?

That would be Jennifer Carpenter.

OMG.

The woman continues to impress me season in, season out.

We already know I wouldn't have gotten through last season's doldrums without her. But this past week's episode of Dexter had me watching her take the character of Debra Morgan to a whole new level of mess.

In a good way.

I confess I knew it was probably too good to be true for her to stay in her happy-go-lucky state of grace with Anton. Although the character deserved to at least experience some sort of happiness, you are much more engaged as the viewer when Deb Morgan is struggling with herself.

On all levels.

Emotionally. Mentally. Physically.

And boy did we get it all once again in this ep.

Torturing herself by not taking the pain medication to heal up the bullet wounds.

Breaking down to her brother, feeling as if she is a black mark of doom on everything she touches.

Beside herself on the loss of Lundy.

The wounds of Debra Morgan run ever so deep. Just when we think they might be healing, something tears them open once again. But what convinces us, the viewer, of just how real and painful those wounds are is JC's portrayal. She has an emotional depth that, for me, just pulls one through the screen.

Seriously.

It is intense. I don't care if she's hyperventilating as she confesses to Dex over the spot where Lundy was shot, or running for her life in the film Quarantine, her intensity is palpable. And much like with Dichen Lachman over on Dollhouse, Dexter would not be the same with out Jennifer Carpenter.

In the words of Dexter: "If Deb dies, I'd be lost."

So would we.

Thankfully, she didn't.

But her survival dredged up a whole lotta not-so-goodness.

In other news ... so Dexter's lying finally caught up with him, and Rita is instantly going for ... divorce? Or suggesting the marriage is on the rocks?

Did I miss something, or does this seem a little quick off the draw? I guess we, the viewer, are supposed to understand that there's been "other" stuff going on in the Morgan household contributing to this uncertainty, but I'm not sure I'm buying it on screen. That said, I actually LIKE the conflict and/or the challenge to the relationship (since happy-go-lucky Dexter did NOT work for me). It just seems a little quick. But hey, this is TV.

And I have to say ... did we really think Laguerta's decision to disclose her relationship with Batista WASN'T going to result in brass asking her to transfer Batista out of her squad?

Um, yeah. Even I knew that was coming. Yet, she seemed blissfully ignorant that consequence would ever occur.

Um, duh?

It's decisions like this that still make me wonder how Laguerta ever got to be a Lieutenant in the first place. The woman is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

No pun intended.

And while Dex comes ever so close to the Trinity Killer this week, Jennifer Carpenter rocked this episode.

Again.

And P.S. ... how much do I love having James Remar in nearly every episode? Love.It.

New episodes of Dexter air Sunday at 9 p.m. on Showtime. Check out the official Dexter Web site for the inside scoop on the series. You can follow the show on Twitter: Twitter.com/sho_dexter; or, become a fan on Facebook: Facebook.com/Dexter.