Dexter 4x02

Dexter is hanging upside down his wrecked car when we pick up the story. At the hospital they tell him he’s had a serious concussion and needs to remain for observation for at least twelve hours. Then Rita rushes in, he tells her he only had a minor fender-bender and is ready go to. His problem is that he doesn’t know what he did with the body of his last victim. He’s suffering from short-term amnesia. Plus, at the office they are working overtime not only on the bathtub murder, but also an apparent killing spree of tourists. Special Agent Lundy wants to pick Dex’ brains about the “Trinity Killer.” Not wanting Lundy breathing down his neck when he has more important things to do, Dex points him to his sister Deb. When he gets to his car on the impound lot, he only finds his tools, not the body. His search is interrupted when he is needed on another crime scene. Lt. LaGuerta is upset to read that the newspaper has already coined the phrase “Vacation Murder” and Det. Quinn has to downplay his relationship with cute Christine Hill, the reporter he’s dating. Later he has to berate her for printing information he told her “off the record.” When Dex gets to the site of his car crash, he finds no remains of his victim there, either. Arriving late on the crime scene, Dex feels sick and heads to the balcony, where he finds blood on a cactus needle – their only possible clue.

Meanwhile the “Trinity Killer” is already stalking his next victim, a mother of two. Dex relayed to Deb that an identical bathtub death occurred in the very same house thirty years ago. She later tells Lundy that she followed up and has brought in the man who was convicted for it. When they question him, they soon come to the conclusion that the man had been set up and has a sound alibi for the recent bathtub death. Deb agrees with Lundy about the man’s innocence. Lundy wants to share his theory about the “Trinity Killer,” and invites her to dinner. But when she shows up at his hotel room, she embarrasses herself talking about Anton and rushes out. Back at the boxing gym where he performed his murderous ritual, Dex still cannot find the remains of his victim, although there is a careless drop of blood in the ring. Rita is livid to find out that Dex lied about his fender-bender, but he tries to console her that he didn’t want to worry her – and he bluffs that she can call the doctor that he is fine. Working on the blood sample from the crime scene Dex is finally able to trace the killer’s identity. Now he can return to the boxing ring for a double check and finds another drop of blood, even though he’s cleaned the place meticulously. Then he looks up and remembers he filled a punching bag with the body parts!

It’s an exciting season so far. The various stories and relationships are very engaging. I still don’t know what to make of Angel and Maria, but I wish them the best – which is probably not this: secretly dating and trying to lay low at the office. Masuka’s already suspecting something. Plus, Batista cannot help getting touchy when LaGuerta takes over the case of the “Vacation Murders,” claiming high priority to save Miami’s tourism business. It would seem obvious that Quinn is going to run into trouble with Christine – a cop dating a reporter is never a good idea. I wonder if she really likes him, or if she’s just using him as a source. Deb is clearly shaken by Lundy’s return to Miami, but it’s also clear that she needs to convince herself things are going great with Anton. While I sympathize with Rita, I find her a little insensitive about Dexter’s efforts to juggle work and fatherhood. True, he’s always working late (and not particularly honest about his “extracurricular activities”), but he’s losing sleep because of their new baby – and he’s giving his all to be there for his family. Then there’s Deb’s quest to find out if her father ever had an affair with one of his informants. She seems to have given up, but we know she had the file of Dexter’s mother. I am curious whether they are going to leave it at that. Naturally, the real interest is Jon Lithgow’s character. I am having high hopes for the story arc there!