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TV Review: Dexter Season 3 Finale – Do You Take Dexter Morgan?

With Miguel out of the picture, Dexter’s focus shifts to calming his emotionally unstable brother, Ramon. Upon easing Ramon’s concerns, Dexter can finally breathe again. All that stands before him now is his wedding with Rita… until he’s met with yet another deadly surprise.
By  · Published on December 15th, 2008

Dexter, Showtime, Sundays at 9pm

Episode: “Do You Take Dexter Morgan?” (Season 3, Episode 12)

Synopsis: With Miguel out of the picture, Dexter’s focus shifts to calming his emotionally unstable brother, Ramon. Upon easing Ramon’s concerns, Dexter can finally breathe again. All that stands before him now is his wedding with Rita… until he’s met with yet another deadly surprise. Meanwhile, Debra’s informed by Batista that she is going to receive her Detective’s shield, but is instantly blindsided with information that could potentially derail her promotion.

Review: Miguel Prado is dead. There, I said it. Finally it came down to Dexter dealing with Miguel last week and it was glorious. And while previews of this week’s season finale promised some Dexter in danger, I am sad to report that the big finish was relatively tame. Don’t get me wrong — this has still been the most complexly inventive season of Dexter’s three. That doesn’t mean that we have to love every minute of it though. The finale ended on a somber, yet oddly bloody note where I would have loved to see something more cliffhangery — maybe Deb actually sees the files on her desk and connects the dots between Brian Moser the Ice Truck Killer and his mysterious brother named Dexter.

Alas, it was not meant to be. Season three of Dexter had come in like a bull, filled with spontaneity and the promise of more dark dreams, has gone out like a lamb. Though on a side note, it was very touching to finally see Deb’s story come full circle and see her receive her shield. I’ve always rooted for Deb — that will make her spiral into the depths of Dexter’s darkside that much more compelling later.

Ultimately the challenge for the creative team will continue to be, as its always been, the evolution of Dexter as a human being — the same human being who shed tears for the first time this week — without losing his darker side. If I were making bets on possible storylines for season four, due in ’09, I would be looking toward a Dexter meltdown of some kind. One that puts Rita and the kids or even Deb in danger. Then again, when it comes to Dexter I’ve learned only to expect the unexpected.

Until we return next year, dream on my fellow Dexterites…

Read More: Dexter Recaps

What did you think of the Dexter season finale? Where would you like to see the show go next season?

Neil Miller is the persistently-bearded Publisher of Film School Rejects, Nonfics, and One Perfect Shot. He's also the Executive Producer of the One Perfect Shot TV show (currently streaming on HBO Max) and the co-host of Trial By Content on The Ringer Podcast Network. He can be found on Twitter here: @rejects (He/Him)