Dexter“Finding Freebo”
Episode Airdate: Oct 5, 2008
Valeria – TwoCents Reviewer
valeria@twocentscorps.com
Right now, Dexter isn’t sure how he feels about kids. Sure he likes them, and likes playing with them - but is he ready to deal with the idea of being responsible for one? Well, he’s going to have to deal with it, because Rita has exited the doctor’s office and confirmed that she really is pregnant.
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[photo: Showtime.com]
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Dexter
ReplyDelete“Finding Freebo”
Episode Airdate: Oct 5, 2008
Valeria – TwoCents Reviewer
valeria@twocentscorps.com
Right now, Dexter isn’t sure how he feels about kids. Sure he likes them, and likes playing with them - but is he ready to deal with the idea of being responsible for one? Well, he’s going to have to deal with it, because Rita has exited the doctor’s office and confirmed that she really is pregnant.
Throughout the rest of the episode, as Dexter tracks down details on dead junkie, Tegan, and her drug dealing boyfriend, Freebo, he keeps thinking back to what it will be like to have a child. He’s scared. But the more he mulls over it, the more it seems like it might be something that he would be into. Especially when he starts contemplating names for the baby.
The police station is buzzing trying to figure out details on the murder of Oscar Prado, everyone is determined to find their suspect, Freebo. Deb is desperately trying to find out details about the dead-end case of aforementioned dead junkie. Only Dexter knows that the two cases may in fact be related.
Miguel Prado is going crazy since he’s not allowed to be involved in the investigation. He’s having a back and forth with Maria determined to find out any details he can – but she isn’t giving him any. The conversation between the two is really intense, and you can tell right off the bat that they have a history – a history that goes beyond just growing up in the same circle. Maria gets especially uncomfortable and flustered whenever Miguel brings up his wife Sylvia.
Deb goes out in search for some details about dead junkie She hits up the usual spots, and then she runs into the IA cop that has been hounding her. IA promises to get her a detective shield if she’ll just spill the beans on her sleazy partner. But Deb is resisting, she doesn’t want to be rewarded for being a snitch. It’s obvious to everyone, except her, that being a cop is all she knows and all she wants. Maybe she should take up scrap-booking like IA suggests. As a last resort, Deb hits up the informant that her partner, Quinn, turned her on to. He’s resistant to helping her out, but after she voices her foul-mouthed frustration, he’s like “Damn,” and agrees to help. Something tells me that there’s a possibility that their relationship could possibly progress into something else. Could it be that Deb’s first adult relationship is with a questionable character?
As Dexter leaves the police station to pursue his true hobby, he’s called over by Miguel. He thanks Dexter for taking a special interest in his brother’s case, and invites him over to dinner. It’s not like he has people to kill tonight, right?
Dexter and Rita arrive at Miguel’s house. On the way over, Rita has tried her best to bring up the pregnancy in the subtlest way possible. Unfortunately, she still hasn’t caught on that her sociopathic boyfriend doesn’t do subtle. Dexter tells her that it’s best not to be subtle in the future. But babies are now at the forefront of his mind. His first reaction when invited into Miguel’s home is to emphatically state that the house is “a great place for kids” – followed by an innocent raise of the eyebrows and smile to Rita. Rita and Sylvia enjoy some one on one female bonding, while Miguel bring Dexter into the den and tells him the true reason why he invited Dexter over: he needs an inside man. He needs someone in the department that cares about the case and will fill him in on what’s going on. But it’s not like Miguel doesn’t have his own sources. His brother, Ramon, works in the Sherriff’s department and has gotten his hands on Freebo’s mother’s cell phone. So if Freebo tries to call his momma, they’ll get his location.
Unfortunately, we’re not treated to a dinner scene. But what the audience is treated to is something significantly more awesome. Dexter at a Frat Party. He leaves Rita at home, with a promise to return soon, and he heads over to Tegan’s sorority house. He mulls through the crowd, with tousled hair, a fitted t-shirt and jeans, and a red plastic cup in his hand. He throws around the words “my girl,” “ho-bag” and “ho-pad” and “off the hook” and promises to get high with some slutty girls. Oh Dexter, how you humor me. He finds out where Tegan lives from the slutty girls, but there’s no time for killing tonight. He’s got a girlfriend and baby to get back to. Holy crap – is this what his life is going to be like from now on?
Well, if it is, Dexter is definitely not going to stop killing. He looks at the clock the whole time at work, waiting for the day to end, so that he can kill. But during a little bathroom break, Dexter runs into Angel, and tells him that Rita is pregnant. I think his reveal to Angel shows how much Dexter probably wants this child. Last season, during another heart to heart with Angel, Dexter told him that if he were to pick any real person to be, it would be Angel. It’s obvious that what Angel thinks is important to him. So, when Angel congratulates him, and tells him that there’s no greater accomplishment than a child, Dexter sees a light. And he daydreams about what his family would be like. Rita and him and the kids and Dexter Jr. are playing in the park. They’re swinging on swings and playing tag. Then, Harry shows up. Dexter, with a smug look on his face, twists the knife into his father, saying that he could have surprised Harry. He could have given Harry grandchildren, that maybe it is possible for Dexter to have this life for himself. That is, until the dream turns dark, and Dexter Jr. is wearing a kill outfit, and Astor has gone missing.
But there’s no time to dwell on dreams. There are people to kill tonight. Dexter arrives at Tegan’s house and finds someone living there. Freebo. Who apparently, likes to be naked. Not that I’m complaining, he’s got a really fit/perky/cute butt. But obviously Dexter is not interested in this detail, he’s just happy to have someone to kill. Time to get ready.
Just as he’s about to head out of his apartment, kill tools in hand, Rita shows up at his door. She’s here to talk about the baby. She’s not so sure that having this baby would be the best idea (relief from Dexter), but she’s going to keep it (panic from Dexter). If there’s one thing that she knows she can do is raise good children. But, she tells Dexter, she would understand if he didn’t want to be in the baby’s life. After all, last time she forced someone into a pregnancy, he ended up being a sociopath. Oh wait, um . . . yeah . . . old habits die hard Rita.
We never find out if Dexter told Rita if he’s into the idea of keeping the baby. Next we see him he’s stalking Freebo. But what Dexter doesn’t know, is that someone else is stalking Freebo as well – Miguel Prado. Luckily, they don’t notice the other person is there. Dexter sets up his kill room in the detached garage, and he takes the same weapon he killed Oscar with and stabs Freebo in the neck. Miguel has already ventured into the house, ready to shoot on sight. Guess that cell phone thing worked out for him.
Miguel finds the detached garage, and right before he goes in, Dexter sneaks out, with the bloody knife in his hand. Holy crap. It’s like the confrontation between Dexter and Doakes all over again. Except not. Dexter tells Miguel that he killed Freebo. But, it was in self-defense y’all! Dexter just wanted to make sure that his “forensic lead” checked out when he was unceremoniously attacked. Surprisingly, Miguel is nothing but grateful for what Dexter did. He takes Dexter’s head in his hands, and gives him a heartfelt “Thank you.”
Dexter, with eyes wide in surprise, gives him a “You’re Welcome.”
The camera pans out, and we see the blood from the knife on Miguel’s clothes.
What this episode basically did, is set up what’s to come in the subsequent episodes. There were so many cliffhangers, that not a lot really ended up happening in this episode, and up until the last 10 minutes, it was pretty anti-climactic. Definitely not one of my favorite Dexter episodes. But, because of all the unresolved issues here, pretty sure that this season is going to pick up some pace. I wonder how Miguel and Dexter are going to work around the police investigation now that Freebo is dead.