30 Days of TV: Day 08 - Best Twist

I'll have you know it took me an hour of messing around with HTML code to learn how to insert page jump breaks so that I don't spoil anyone on this post, and it turns out that all I really needed to do was update my posting editor. So... there's that. Whew... Man. I feel dumb and yet technologically savvy all at the same time. Aren't computers awesome?

Okay, on with it:
Day 08 - Best twist in a series

Dexter, Season 4 finale, "The Getaway"

Shhh... Spoiler Alert

If you have not seen this episode, and if you plan on watching Dexter at some point, DON'T EVEN BOTHER GOING BEYOND THE CUT. If you have not seen this episode but got spoiled and know what happens, I would recommend that you still not click the link. Even if you know "what" happens, you might not know exactly "how". Even if you do know what and how... it's so much better in context. If you can keep yourself from seeing this scene, please do so. I gasped and screamed at the tv when it happened. You should get to, too.

If you have already seen this episode or never ever plan on watching this show, ever, in your whole entire life... you may proceed.




 

When season three ends, Dexter and his long time girlfriend Rita (played by Julie Benz) get married. She's pregnant. Dex is gonna be a daddy. This kinda bothers me and I worry that they might ruin the show.

All through season four Dexter follows Arthur (John Lithgow), a serial killer with a family. Aurthur's being tracked by Dexter's sister Deb, and of course, Dexter is well ahead of her on the case. He was actually going to kill Aurthur, but identified with him too much. Dex thinks that he can learn something from Aurthur about how to kill and still be a family man. He uses a fake name and becomes Aurthur's friend. They build houses together with a group like habitat for humanity.

In the season four finale, Arthur finally learns Dexter's true identity and confronts him at his office in the police station. Which is insane because TWO SERIAL KILLERS are standing in the POLICE STATION and NOBODY KNOWS IT. The Trinity Killer and the Bay Harbor Butcher are both in front of your noses, Detectives!

Anyway, Aurthur warns Dexter to leave him alone. When he leaves, Dexter follows Arthur, not leaving him alone at all, but he accidentally hits some dude's car. Aurthur goes to a bank and brings a large envelope back to his van. Dexter attacks him, knocks him into the van, and then finds the envelope is filled with cash. Dexter plans to kill Arthur, but a whole big mess happens with the guy whose car he hit. Because of this, Dexter ends up getting detained by police and Aurthur ends up getting away.

Meanwhile, back at the bat cave, Deb has been doing some investigation into her father's past and she finds out that he was having an affair with Dexter's mom... And it turns out she was the Ice Truck Killer's mom, making Dexter the brother of a serial killer! Oh, and the police just figured out that Aurthur is the Trinity Killer...

So, the police go to Aurthur's house. Once there, Deb confronts Dexter who pretends he had no idea about the affair or his insane brother and Deb buys it, for the millionth time. It's cute how she's such a good detective and has a huge blind spot where her brother is concerned.

Dexter calls up Rita, tells her to get out of town so they can finally have their honeymoon and goes off to capture and kill Aurthur. One he finds him, Aurthur says he and Dexter are the same. Dexter disagrees with the business end of a framing hammer (one of the Trinity Killer's weapons of choice) and then ditches the body. Dexter then goes home and the last three minutes of the episode are:

This killing in the bathtub is one of the MOs of Trinity. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? HOW DID HE DO THAT? WHEN DID HE DO IT?

I don't think that my explanation of this is really doing it justice. I mean, IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE! The WHOLE season Dexter was trying to figure out how to quiet his dark passenger and still be a family man. And now his son has the same past, bathed in his mother's blood at a very young age. Destined to be just like his father...

It was shocking, unexpected, and changed the direction of the whole series. No more Julie Benz! What about her other kids? What was going to happen? ARGGGGHHHHH!

It was amazing. It was the best kept secret, best twist I never saw coming, and an absolutely brilliant season.

This is a great show, by the way. Season five might have even been better than this, even if its finale could not compete. I doubt that any season finale will be able to compete with Dexter, Season 4 for a very, very long time.

Can't say enough good things.

LOVED IT.

I would also like to give a runner up mention to Grey's Anatomy season five finale, "Now or Never". If you don't know what happens, I don't want to spoil you. Otherwise, you know what I'm talking about...

See what others think:

Brenda

Dany (to be published)

Jessie

Beth (to be published)