'Dexter' is MIA - Seriously

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

So, I was all amped for this week's ep of Dexter.

The previews lead me to believe we might be getting things back on the awkwardly suspenseful track for America's Favorite Serial Killer.

As in, no more Mr. Mom or Hubby-To-Be doldrums.

Back to mysteriously disappearing to ... you know, kill people.

Well, we had that.

For about five minutes.

The rest was more Prado Stalkerazzi.

Golf.

A tiff with Rita over whether or not to give up the ol' bachelor pad now that marriage is on the horizon.

And a medical emergency whereby I a) thought for sure Rita was going to lose the baby and/or b) was actually kinda disappointed she didn't.

Horrible to say, I know. But seriously, the trauma that would've come with her having lost the baby might have put some serious Oomph back in this tangent-esque season, or at least made Dexter oddly grateful he didn't really have to face the dad equation given I'm not buying that he actually wants to be a father. If anything, sister Deb seems more capable at this point.

Whatever.

And now we have Prado baiting Dex? As in, setting up his kills for him by "leading" him to some slugs o' the earth that he himself couldn't put away?

How convenient.

I love Jimmy Smits. I do. And none of this is his fault given he's only as good as the material that he's given.

Which is exactly the problem.

I just don't know what in the world the Dexter scribes are going for with Miguel Prado, and they've given me way too much way too soon. As such, it's now farcical. The Stalkerazzi, Best Bud, We're the Same is just not believable. That kind of smothering alone should be making Dexter annoyed to the point of aversion. He has never let anyone do this to him, and he hasn't changed sufficiently to suddenly be having lunch dates and golf lessons. And if we're really keeping score, the stalker-wanna-be-best-bud routine is actually three seasons old: first the brother, then Lila, now Prado.

And third time is not a charm with Prado.

Did we not think he connected Dex's MIA routine for Rita's medical emergency a little too easily? As we all know, Dex has been missing before. Sure, OK, Rita wasn't necessarily in the hospital when he was, but 12 messages? Having the the U.S. Coast Guard on speed dial so as to track down Dex on his fishing day off?

I guess the National Guard not available.

Give me a break, folks.

Do I need to start a Save Dexter From Absurdity Campaign?

The one thing that I did like about this week was the flashback sequence whilst Dex was stalking his prey in Bimini. According to Harry, Dex must choose who is his wife, and who is the mistress. Meaning, is his condition his wife, and Rita the mistress? Or the other way around?

Thank goodness, too, that Deb still continues to hold my interest. No IA axe to grind this week, but a touching interview with a young kid potentially tied to the Freebo case.

And on a totally random note: Can I just ask when did Deb start driving a BMW convertible? Granted it is an oldie, but still ... where did that come from?

Anyways, seeing the The Exorcism of Emily Rose on cable this past weekend reminded me again why I do love Jennifer Carpenter.

She's saving the show for me right about now.

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.