Filthy Review - 'Dexter: The Seventh Season'

Dexter: The Seventh Season (2013)

Review by Jude Felton

When reviewing a seventh season of any show, there’s a fine line to tread. Chances are that the majority of fans will already have seen the show on television, and as such will know exactly what is going on, whereas newcomers to the show, or those that chose to wait for the Blu-ray or DVD, will not want any of it spoiled. With this in mind I’m not going to give very much at all away in terms of the plot of this season, although you might want to look away if you haven’t seen Season 6.

Personally, I am a relative newcomer to the serial killing ways of Dexter myself. I only started following the show on the previous season, which only served to piss me off that I never got Showtime. It is, as many fans will testify, a bloody good show. Due to its screening on a premium channel you don’t get hindered by stupid censorship rules, and as such allows for a bombardment of coarse language and shocking violence.

Of course, there needs to be far more to any show than just shock value, and Dexter is one show that succeeds in spades. For a start, Dexter himself (played wonderfully by Michael C. Hall) is just a charming sonofabitch; a real lady-killer, and man killer… The level of depth to his character, and those around him, is part of what makes Dexter work so well. On top of that there is also the cracking storylines, without which would make for terrible TV.

Season 7 starts off with Dexter’s sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), walking in just as Dexter plunges a knife deep into the heart of Colin Hanks’ villain from Season 6. Ah shit! So, Deb now knows Dexter’s secret, even though he tries to spin a yarn that makes this out as a one-off. She’s a savvy lass though, and it doesn’t take Deb too long to put two and two together.

This puts Deb in a tough position, aside from the moral quandary, due to her position as a Police Lieutenant in the Miami Police Department. Should she turn him in? Or try and help him? The answer to this is something that is revealed during the course of the season. Dexter, on the other hand, still has his hunger for dispatching those that he deems deserving of his special skills, and soon finds himself on a collision course with a ruthless Ukrainian mobster, played superbly by Ray Stevenson.

Over the course of the 12 episodes, spread over 3 discs (on the Blu-ray), all will be revealed as to how everything turns out, and it’s all absolutely riveting entertainment. Michael C. Hall owns this show, and once again delivers the goods as Dexter; his internal monologue is always great to hear, as is his frequent interactions with his deceased father. If you know the show, you’ll know what I mean, and if you haven’t it soon will make sense. Sure, it could be hokey, but it never is.

The Blu-ray release, which I watched, certainly delivers in terms of visual and audio goodness, and as is often the case these days is the way to watch a show like this. However, where I was slightly disappointed is with the lack of any substantial special features. There is the pilot episode of a new show, Ray Donovan, which can be watch via Ultraviolet, but that’s all. The DVD release does have biographies and a couple of other TV shows previewed, such as episodes from Season 2 of The Borgia’s and Season 1 of House of Lies, yet nothing directly Dexter-related. Could Showtime, Paramount and CBS not have got together and rustled up a commentary or two for this release? Some behind the scenes tomfoolery? Anything?

Despite the lack of anything really juicy in the special feature department, there is no denying that this is still a fantastic show, and having the seventh season all together in one place is great; I flew through it. Fans are going to want to grab it, and newcomers are going to watch it and then want to pick up any seasons they may have missed!

Dexter is one of the best shows out there, and even when it doesn’t fire on all cylinders, as one or two episodes here don’t, it is still absolutely captivating entertainment. You are going to want to watch this, of that I am sure, and then you will want to dive into the 8^th, and final, season when it hits Showtime in June.

Dexter: The Seventh Season is released on Blu-ray and DVD on May 14th by Showtime Networks, CBS Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution.