I received a challenge earlier this week to defend the ending of Dexter. Now after taking a few days to think about the final episode I'm ready to share my conclusion about the ending.
To sum things up: It could have been better.
I don't think it was bad and I certainly don't think it was the best ending to have but here are my thoughts on the things they did wrong and the solutions for the problems it had. (ATTENTION: SPOILERS FORTHCOMING!!!)
Things they did wrong:
1) Killing Deb off they way they did.
I don't think it was a bad idea at all letting Deb die in the series, I just wish they'd have done it sooner. By trying to cram everything into the last episode, Dexter fell short by not allowing the audience time to "feel" Deb's death in the series.
It should have happened half way (or three quarters) into the series. That way you have an invested interest in seeing the main villain get his due. The best scene in the finale was when Dexter kills him with a pen, but it would've been a lot sweeter if we'd have entered the scene with a simmering hatred for the character instead of a nonchalant way in which he received him.
Think about the series 24. How many of you stood up and cheered when Jack finally killed Nina after 3 seasons? I know my dad played it back on the DVR at LEAST 17 times, because he loved the "payoff" so much. We all did. In Dexter the villain kills off Dr Vogal and the kid earlier in the season but they were just guest stars. We had no invested interest in them at all.
Killing Deb off, either immediately or slowly over a few episodes would have been fine.
2) Hannah's fate
Another botched concept that was crammed into the last episode was Hannah's escape from the bounty hunter and the Feds. Another story they could have taken time in telling over the last few episodes but didn't.
We should have been on an emotional roller coaster wondering from one week to the next wether she was going to escape or not. Instead, we received a whole half season of her waiting for the right time to leave. How awesome would it have been if in one episode we see her captured by the bounty hunter and then have to wait a week to see if she can get away!? Another wasted opportunity by the writers.
3) Supporting character's pointless side stories.
This season lacked in short story arcs for the supporting cast. None of the had any relevancy other than to fill up the time of an episode. Think about it.
Angel has no goal in this season other than to run the department. He's a great character with a lot of depth and he seemed wasted in this season.
And what was the point of Masuka's story line with his daughter? I was really expecting a twist to come out of that but I guess the writers needed something for him to do so they threw Masuka a story line that serves us no point.
Quinn's story on the other hand was all over the place. It started off with him trying to commit to a stronger relationship with Angel's sister, only to switch midway thru the season about him trying to be a better cop and studying for the Detective's exam. This story was quickly dropped to rush in a last minute flame for Deb again so that in the end I guess he could be broken up about her "death"
Quinn, Angel and Masuka have all had way better side stories before. Defining their characters better and making them more meaningful to the overall plot. Although this season it's safe to say the writers had nothing for them to do so they suffered from poor story telling this season.
4) Dexter's demise.
Reading an article from the director and producers of the show I get why it ended the way it did. Dexter's all alone. He doesn't kill anymore and he doesn't have friends. He even doesn't have his thoughts with him, which was one of my favorite points about the ending. It's the ONLY time we don't hear a voice over from Dexter in the entire series! That part was well done. And the others I get too.
So Dexter destroys everyone he's with. True. It's been established in all of the past seasons. Everyone who gets close to Dex, eventually dies. So to save Hannah and Harrison that fate Dexter becomes wolverine from X-Men Origns. Grows a beard and works as a logger in Canada. Well done. Point proven.
In the article they said killing Dexter was never an option, nor was giving him a happy ending because when it's all said and done, Dexter's a serial killer who doesn't deserve happiness nor did they want to let him off easy with death. So the perfect fate for our "anti-hero" was to leave him all alone, miserable and cut off from everything he loves.
I get that. I understand it even. But I don't like it.
This whole series is about Dexter becoming more human and feeling emotion like everyone else. The series has done a great job in slowly turning him around to this point. The producers goal of having you forget Dexter's a serial killer too (which killing is wrong and yada yada yada) then bravo! You did it!
But as a "reward" for Dexter finally understanding what it means to be human you have him agonizing in guilt for the rest of his life?! What?
This is too cruel a fate. Why not reward him? I'd have been happy if he would've lived happily ever after with Hannah and Harrison in Brazil then to be cut off from everyone, miserable and depressed for the rest of his life. It just isn't the kind of payoff you give to him.
How it should have ended
How would I have ended it? I'd have the apparition of Harry turn out to be Dexter's actual "dark passenger" and send Dexter into an internal conflict with him when he finally discovers this. Dexter would end up stabbing himself and "killing" the dark passenger which was within him this whole time. He would die, but with the peace of mind that everything in life is as he wants it to be. Hannah and Harrison would be taken care of and Deb would live happily with Quinn. Both girls would mourn yet understand the reason of Dexter's death and we'd be talking about for the next few months.
Boom baby! THAT'S how you end a series!
