Andrew Grevas
The penultimate episode of the Dexter prequel series is upon us. Dexter: Original Sin Episode 9, “Blood Drive,” was written by Scott Reynolds, directed by Michael Lehmann and was perhaps the most bloody episode I can remember throughout the entire franchise. We’re about to get into heavy spoiler territory so if you haven’t seen this episode yet, proceed with caution.
Dexter: Original Sin Episode 9 largely revolved around Dexter chasing Captain Spencer and Harry remembering his complicated relationship with Brian Moser, filling in some gaps in Brian’s story for us viewers. The episode opened with Brian sitting at a bingo table with an older lady. Brian was charming, helping the lady win and keeping her engaged in conversation.
In flashbacks we would learn that Harry went to Captain Spencer back in the ’70s, telling him that Laura and her sons had been taken by the cartel. We saw that Harry told the Captain about his affair and that he was demoted, explaining why the original series showed Harry in uniform when he found the boys in the shipping container. It was an effective scene that ensured continuity held and also showed the dynamic between Spencer and Harry has always been the same.
Seeing that Harry and his wife Doris originally took in both Dexter and Brian was another interesting development. In the gruesome shipping container scene, we saw Laura’s head separated from her body and Harry grabbed Dexter, separating the boys who were holding hands. He left Brian and carried Dexter out of the disgusting crime scene, before Harry’s partner Bobby grabbed Brian and took him out.
Brian would try and suffocate baby Deb with a pillow because she was too loud one day, which was what ultimately led to Harry and Doris sending Brian back to the state. The fact that the woman from the state who first took the boys to Harry and then took Brian away eventually was the same woman Brian was stalking as an adult in the opening scene was another great twist. The trend of Brian killing everyone who knew anything about his childhood continues.
At this point, it feels very likely that Brian will kill Harry next week in the finale. Narratively speaking, it makes sense. Brian’s MO has been established—killing everyone who knew anything about his childhood. Harry’s kids are both in a position where they don’t really need their father as much as they once did. The police department is getting ready to be rocked by scandal with Captain Spencer. Harry dying near the same time as Spencer makes odd sense given how intertwined their lives are.
The question of how we should view Harry as a character is more complex. He’s guilty of hurting his wife and not being there for Deb. He’s tragic due to loss of his first child. He’s honorable for taking Dexter in but questionable because of his code. Counseling might have been a better alternative, but Harry wasn’t going to do that. I think he loved Laura Moser and not being able to protect her meant that he was going to protect Dexter at all costs. Brian, though, he did hurt. He ignored Brian in favor of Dexter before Laura died. He ignored Brian in favor of Dexter when he found them with their dead mother. Then, he separated them, discarding one broken child while he tried to save the other broken child.
The Big Bad
Dexter in the 1991 timeline was ready to take out Captain Spencer for good. Table time. Dexter: Original Sin Episode 9 gave us the big moment—Spencer on Dexter’s kill table—but in a moment that was both surprising as well as necessary, Dexter allowed him to run, after he cut off one of his fingers.
Dexter doesn’t know where Nicky is stashed and Spencer wasn’t giving up that information. Nicky would die of starvation if Dexter killed Spencer now. So he let him go so he can hopefully find the boy, and then kill the boy’s child-killing father. Now that the Captain knows that Dexter is onto him, the showdown between them next week in the finale will be interesting. If Captain Spencer is in fact working with Brian at all, like has been hypothesized, then we could be in store for another interesting showdown next week.
I can’t help but wonder about the potential fallout at Miami Metro when Captain Spencer does meet his end. Will he disappear and be remembered as a hero? Will Dexter be able to save Nicky before killing Captain Spencer so that the Captain’s true nature can be revealed? What will that do to the police department? Will Harry live to see this play out?
Deb
Seeing Deb visit the police station was nice foreshadowing. After last week’s episode, it seemed the wheels were in motion for Deb to begin to discover her career path. Seeing the meeting with Maria was humorous given how their future relationship would play out. But Deb was charmed and intrigued by Tonya, much the same way that Dexter was, making Tonya an even more intriguing character in this “Dexter-verse.” What her ultimate fate is I’m even more curious about.
Seeing Deb as a baby with Brian was excellent world building, given what will happen in their futures. It makes Brian even more villainous, even though we also understand why he’s as damaged as he is. In many ways, this prequel series has made the flagship series even more compelling by adding these extra layers of complexity to the stories.
Final Thoughts
I’ve enjoyed this prequel, minus one episode, and am genuinely excited to see how the finale plays out. I’m still not sure if a second season is needed or even could be good, but I have appreciated what’s been done so far. If they make a Season 2, count me in.
Given how the pilot episode was kicked off with Dexter in the future, setting up the next sequel series, there is part of me that thinks next week will again show us Michael C Hall as Dexter, as part of tease for the next part of this ongoing narrative.
If next week is a wrap on Christian Slater and Patrick Dempsey both, then they will be missed. Top tier acting from two industry vets who gave this prequel much needed credibility. Fingers crossed for more Sarah Michelle Gellar in some form though.
