Season 8 Episode 5 - "This Little Piggy" [SPOILERS]

Whatsisname

So what did everyone think?

I thought it was pretty good, an improvement on last weeks and finally Deb has stopped her whining.

I thought Yates death could have been done a little better, I was expecting him to slit Deb's ankle and Deb ending up shooting him in a panic!

Off the top of my head, I don't think we've seen anybody on Dexter's table this season, am I right?

Was anyone else expecting Vogel to be Yates Mother from the way she spoke to him and how he feared her or was that just me?

I also thought the acting was a bit poor this week, especially from Vogel, very unconvincing.

I think its finally starting to gain some momentum and a possible Dex and Deb partnership could be in swing after that.

Thoughts?

gnfnrhead

A much better episode than in recent weeks. Hopefully it's a long overdue turning point for the season, but they could easily fcuk it up again next week. The first episode was also very good, but the quality went off a cliff for the next three.

More convinced than ever that Yates was not the brain surgeon. Way too thick to have been capable of cutting out specific parts of the brain. Plus, all his victims were buried in his back garden. Why would he suddenly change pretty much everything about his killing?

As for the being thick thing, he left a very smart woman alone while he just strolled around his kitchen. A very stupid thing that somebody who has killed as many people as he has, should never do. If it was his first time, fair enough. But he had experience so shouldnt have made such a basic mistake. The second stupid thing was keeping Vogul alive while he hid. Should have slit her throat and done a legger. What exactly was his plan? Stab Deb in the ankle and hope Dexter didnt notice? For someone with so much experience, he sure did act like a newbie. No way in hell is/was he the brain surgeon.

A technicallity, but what kind of mobile stays lit up for that long? I think I have the same phone and mine goes off after about 15 seconds into a call.

Nikki and Matthews are both being way too obvious. A few seasons back and they would be a lot more subtle. They are being so obvious, I'm thinking it's a tactic to trick the viewers into thinking it's not them because of how obvious they are, but they have gone too far and put the focus back on suspecting them. Hard to explain in text, I guess.

As a whole though, the episode was much improved.

Fiftysix

gnfnrhead wrote: »

More convinced than ever that Yates was not the brain surgeon. Way too thick to have been capable of cutting out specific parts of the brain. Plus, all his victims were buried in his back garden. Why would he suddenly change pretty much everything about his killing?

As for the being thick thing, he left a very smart woman alone while he just strolled around his kitchen. A very stupid thing that somebody who has killed as many people as he has, should never do. If it was his first time, fair enough. But he had experience so shouldnt have made such a basic mistake. The second stupid thing was keeping Vogul alive while he hid. Should have slit her throat and done a legger. What exactly was his plan? Stab Deb in the ankle and hope Dexter didnt notice? For someone with so much experience, he sure did act like a newbie. No way in hell is/was he the brain surgeon.

You have to remember though that he had taken hostage a psychologist. Not only that, he had taken one that studied and knew him inside out. She had the ability to get under his skin and manipulate what he did, which is what she did.

I thought the kill was quality, pure impulse from Dexter, and the camera angle mad it look deadly. (excuse the pun)

Rosy Posy

Good momentum and a vast improvement on last week. Thank fcuk Deb's got her mojo back, I couldn't stand another seven episodes of whingy Deb.

The Yates thing was a bit anti-climactic, I didn't like how everything seemed all wrapped up at the end. Also he just decided to forgive Vogel for experimenting on him and instead of wanting nothing more to do with her brings her on a moonlit body dump? I still don't trust her.

I did like how he killed Yates- when they pan to the window I was wondering if Dexter was thinking he'd escaped but actually he was assessing the curtain rod as a weapon! Classic!

All in all I'm not sure where they're going with this- Dexter and Deb vigilante killer couple? I'm sure they'll pick up some more threads next week, hopefully involving Hannah!

Aside, it was good to see Jaimie stand up to Dexter- he treats her like shyte! Did they actually eat the meal she made or did Dexter and yer wan leg it before dinner? Either way if he was my employer I wouldn't have any of it. Also Deb's boss seems to be going over and above himself to help her out...doing illegal phone traces no questions asked...?

Rosy Posy

gnfnrhead wrote: »

More convinced than ever that Yates was not the brain surgeon. Way too thick to have been capable of cutting out specific parts of the brain. Plus, all his victims were buried in his back garden. Why would he suddenly change pretty much everything about his killing?

As for the being thick thing, he left a very smart woman alone while he just strolled around his kitchen. A very stupid thing that somebody who has killed as many people as he has, should never do. If it was his first time, fair enough. But he had experience so shouldnt have made such a basic mistake. The second stupid thing was keeping Vogul alive while he hid. Should have slit her throat and done a legger. What exactly was his plan? Stab Deb in the ankle and hope Dexter didnt notice? For someone with so much experience, he sure did act like a newbie. No way in hell is/was he the brain surgeon.

But he was used to having his victims all trussed up in his specially designed torture bunker. And Vogel had just done some freaky regression therapy stuff on him and he was out of his element. It did feel like a damp squib but I think the whole brain surgeon mystery is done and dusted and they'll be on to the next thing

gnfnrhead

Rosy Posy wrote: »

But he was used to having his victims all trussed up in his specially designed torture bunker. And Vogel had just done some freaky regression therapy stuff on him and he was out of his element. It did feel like a damp squib but I think the whole brain surgeon mystery is done and dusted and they'll be on to the next thing

What about the random change in tactic? From torture, keeping a shoe and burying them in his back garden, to cutting out a piece of their brain and leaving them to be found with both shoes and no torture? No way can they try and pass that off as being the same person.

Backstreet Moyes

Anybody think Deb's boss will be after finding out. Surely he was curious about all the secrecy and went to the house to see what was going on.

gavmcg92

gnfnrhead wrote: »

he left a very smart woman alone while he just strolled around his kitchen. A very stupid thing that somebody who has killed as many people as he has, should never do. If it was his first time, fair enough. But he had experience so shouldnt have made such a basic mistake. The second stupid thing was keeping Vogul alive while he hid. Should have slit her throat and done a legger. What exactly was his plan? Stab Deb in the ankle and hope Dexter didnt notice? For someone with so much experience, he sure did act like a newbie. No way in hell is/was he the brain surgeon.

She definitely got under his skin. While what you said is true, this wasn't one of his normal victims. Vogal had systimatically been able to emplant this idea in Yates mind that she was, sort of, a reincarnation of his mother. In the short space of time she had been able to create a bond with him that ultimately lead to his survival.

Would have liked to have seen Deb make the kill but I just don't think the season is ready for that. I think Dexter has somewhat taken her under his wing and is teaching her the tricks of the trade. Perhaps she will be the one that takes the kids life that seems to feature heavily in the next couple of episodes. If the clips at the end of this episode are anything to go by,

Dexter is going to have his hands tied with Quinn keeping a close eye on him, perhaps freeing up Deb to do the dirty work.

Walt Grace

Rosy Posy wrote: »

I did like how he killed Yates- when they pan to the window I was wondering if Dexter was thinking he'd escaped but actually he was assessing the curtain rod as a weapon! Classic!

All in all a very good episode this week. The above quote sums up the Yates killing - very well done. Much better than the typical table kill (something different every once in a while is good!).

Rosy Posy

Walt Grace wrote: »

All in all a very good episode this week. The above quote sums up the Yates killing - very well done. Much better than the typical table kill (something different every once in a while is good!).

I do think its strange that they seem to have moved away from Dexter's usual mo, apart from the cannibal guy who was really glossed over. I wonder is there a reason for this? Maybe Dexter is evolving away from killing altogether. He certainly has had less kills this season and seems to have less dependence on the release of killing compared to previous seasons.

FearDark

yawn

we'llallhavetea

i voted good.. i dunno, so may flaws. at times i wonder how the hell i have stuck with this show for so long, it used to be brilliant but now its just kinda sh!te.
also yer mans (from shameless) attempt at an american accent was woeful!
can't wait for the end, dying to know how it goes!

pixelburp

Oh god, that voiceover, I think I'm going to hurl something at the TV if it continues to be so clumsy and insulting to the audience. It's nothing more than a crutch for the writers to default into exposition, rather than reveal things to the audience with anything resembling creativity or subtly. The entire scene by the pool at the Hamiltons was hilariously awful: between the voiceover telling us Deb is calling ('cos the writers forgot TV is a visual medium apparently?), and then announcing the arrival of Hamilton's son (snarling with almost pantomime villainy - hey do you think he might be a psych... oh, nevermind...), the voiceover has become a horrible device best dropped.

I was also generally disappointed with the story because it felt like the writers are hammering us over the head with this idea of Dex as a misunderstood hero; nearly everything in that episode tried to absolve Dexter of any blame, to make Deb seem like the irrational one for wanting to kill him in the first place, while Vogel overemphasizes what a force for good Dex is. I don't like this direction and it rings completely false against the previous 7 seasons of evidence suggesting that umm, no, Dexter is not some fallen angel.

PaddyCar

Getting sick of Dexter at this stage. Just hanging on in there to see what happens in the finale.

whitewave

FearDark wrote: »

yawn

I completely agree. Thought it was a terrible episode, Vogel's acting was horrific and tYates ending was terrible. A psychopath who has gotten away with several murders and stumped the police to his whereabouts would have been smarter than that, no?

The whole thing just seems so forced lately, and I agree with whatever poster mentioned how annoying the voiceovers are...I miss the days of Dexter making snide, funny comments in his head, now he just seem condescending towards the viewers - we're not completely thick!

Rosy Posy

+several million on the voiceover thing...it's been building to a crescendo of awfulness over the last few seasons. I read the first couple of books before I copped how one dimensional and poorly written they are, and they seemed to use Dexter's internal monologue to highlight what a d!ck he is compared to the persona that he projects to the world. Here they seem to use it to repeatedly bang the viewer over the head with the point... Maybe it's because I only watch a few well developed tv shows (Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Homeland) but the lack of subtlety is really bothering me at this stage. I'm another one in the camp of only watching to see how it ends (and biding my time til August 12th when Breaking Bad starts!).

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ixoy

pixelburp wrote: »

The entire scene by the pool at the Hamiltons was hilariously awful

+1000. Don't forget how heavily they tried to point us in the wrong background with the "spurned spouse" line. Then - what a shock - when we agree with Batista latter on, "I didn't see that coming" when it turned out to be the son. Sure the son was practically dancing about the place admitting it.

it felt like the writers are hammering us over the head with this idea of Dex as a misunderstood hero; nearly everything in that episode tried to absolve Dexter of any blame

Agreed again - Dexter is a killer. He deserves to be caught and brought to justice, just as I posted in that thread I started a year or so ago. You can't redeem him by trying to fob him off as he's just being who he's meant to be. Rubbish - and Deb used to believe that but now it seems she's the one in the wrong.

loveisdivine

At the minute it doesn't feel like a final season. There's so many new arcs and it doesn't really feel like there is an end in sight at the minute.

I could be way off but maybe Zach will replace Dex and it will be up to Vogel and Deb to teach him the code.

Prowetod

Average enough episode. Good to see Debra finally over La Guerta. I agree it will be disappointing if Yates is in fact the brain surgeon. Wouldn't mind Hannah returning as mentioned above. Whatever they do I hope

Zach doesn't turn out to be Dexter v2.0!

splashthecash

Hey all...someone said Nikki and Matthews are being obvious....am I missing something??? What's going on with those two

vitani

I think what's bothering me most about the last two seasons is that Deb used to have a strong subplot of her own, often tied in to an interesting case at Miami Metro. Now she's just part of Dexter's story. So we're left with Deb and Dexter and nothing much else going on apart from that.

I mean, does anyone really care whether Joey Quinn makes sergeant? Even he doesn't seem to care.

splashthecash

Prowetod wrote: »

Average enough episode. Good to see Debra finally over La Guerta. I agree it will be disappointing if Yates is in fact the brain surgeon. Wouldn't mind Hannah returning as mentioned above. Whatever they do I hope

Zach doesn't turn out to be Dexter v2.0!

He came across as a spoiled little **** who needed a good slapping

spiritcrusher

Ugh, it's such a pain to watch this show now. I hate to become one of those people who whinges about a show but doesn't stop watching, but so much time has been invested in watching the previous 7 series I feel I have to stick it out. It's just really, really poorly made now and full of inconsistencies. I'd usually give a show with long plot arcs like Dexter til near the end of a season to form a real opinion but this it's beginning to take the piss a bit.

Like what about Yates and the cops? The guy had a ton of security cameras in his home that were still working. Surely they would go back through the previous few days footage looking for evidence and see Dexter creeping through his stuff..?? Anyway that mightn't be finished yet as it may come back to bite Dexter in the ass, which it should unless he does something.

At this stage my money's on Quinn finding out about Dexter and coming up with a way to protect Deb after one of them kill him, or he kills himself. Obvious, but that's the way it's gone now.

And speaking of Quinn, what an unholy waste of a fantastic character he's been so far this season so far. By far and away the most interesting and morally ambiguous person on the show now and he's stuck in a clichéd love triangle and going for promotion. I'm all for character development but at least have some resemblance to who they were.

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snausages

spiritcrusher wrote: »

At this stage my money's on Quinn finding out about Dexter and coming up with a way to protect Deb after one of them kill him, or he kills himself. Obvious, but that's the way it's gone now.

The stupid thing is that he should pretty much already know about Dexter. It should be obvious as hell to him that he killed Robocop in season 5 and he has all those pictures of Lumen and him dumping bodies as well. I think the writers are just kind of hoping everyone forgets that.

mahamageehad

Anyone else thing Dexter getting the curtain pole off the wall so easily and pushing it through the duvet, mattress, bed and a human body as easily as a hot knife through butter was a bit ridiculous.

I'm not buying that Yates was the brain surgeon, not even for a second.

Vogel is still creepy. That thing she did with Yates- assuming the persona of his mother - she did it so easily and so perfectly even though she was supposed to be terrified- I think that shows what a powerful character she can be. The mother analogy with her, Dex and Deb is just painful though.

I think Matthews is already fully aware that the rich son is a killer and has either covered for him before or at least helped him hide it. Kind of like what he did with Dexter really coz I still maintain Matthews knew about Dexter.

Sooo many plot holes....

Bench Press

PaddyCar wrote: »

Getting sick of Dexter at this stage. Just hanging on in there to see what happens in the finale.

Me too, it is really gone downhill