By Elaine Bergstrom
Bear with me, dear readers, while I moan and gnash my Dexter-loving teeth. What happened to those pithy Dexter one liners? The long nights spent stalking his unsuspecting prey? They’ve been smothered by a baby’s cries, Rita’s demands, and his own need to sleep. Baby Harrison can’t help being helpless and needy, but what’s up with Rita? For a single mom with a volatile ex, she was handling things pretty well in season one. But she sure has become dependent and bossy.
First off, what is that woman doing with her days besides taking care of children? Last season she lost her job and, so far, I haven’t seen her wearing any work togs. So, yes, though Dexter should be taking on his share of baby care, on nights before he has court, Rita dear, dealing with a crying baby should be up to you or he’ll lose his job, you’ll lose the house and you’ll all have to squeeze into his oceanside apartment with just a window air conditioner. As a co-worker noted in an e-mail to me after seeing the season opener, his family all hates Rita “because she’s whiny. Do you hate Rita, too?”
No, I don’t hate her, but I don’t much like her either. She’s been too demanding, which only serves to show how nice Dexter is when there isn’t a needle or knife in his hand. Hopefully, she is smart enough to realize that her man needs some sleep after the whallop of a final scene in the season opener — one that will definitely have fans watching come Sunday night even if they were yawning through half the season premiere.
But enough about the stars, what about the guest star, John Lithgow, as the Trinity Killer? Lithgow, best known for physical comedic roles such as the pompous alien Dick Solomom in 3rd Rock From the Son, has also played the twisted villain in a number of films — most notably in the Brian DePalma thriller, Raising Cain. He doesn’t disappoint here, as he dispatches his victims with marvelous flourishes. He’ll be a worthy adversary for Dexter, as well as for Officer Lundy, who abandons retirement to come to Miami and help catch him. Lundy may also have high sights on snaring poor Debs again. Being rather fond of Anton, I hope she is smarter than that. Quinn is back, too, but his role is uncertain — but then, it always was.
And then there is “Angel-Heart” — that odd relationship between LaGuerta and the always gullible Angel Batista. Who knows, maybe some of his goodness will rub off on her.
Next: Where’s the arm … and the leg and the head?
Photo credit: Showtime
One of the most annoying characters of tv. She was so manipulative. I’m glad they wrote her ass off the show, Real women aren’t like rita or lori from the walking dead.
Oh, yes, and one more thing. What they did to Julie Benz, suddenly writing her out of the show after she had been told that she would never be written out of the show.
I feel sorry for Julie for losing her great acting job on this show.
I feel sorry for Micheal T Hall because the writers have ruined his hit show. I’m sure he realizes that.
But what they did to Julie. And they said they did it on impulse, almost at the last minute. Can you imagine ruining a great show with no forethought? And damaging the career of an actress on impulse???
God, what as*holes they are.
It seems that the writer of the above review did not really even watch the show.
But I can tell you, season four sucked big time. Apparently they changed writers and directors. The writers made Rita and the kids act totally different than they did in the past. And Dexter and his new wife never had any honeymoon period. After watching them happily getting married in the last scene in season three, season four opens up with them being practically estranged, paying little attention to each other, and the kids being distant and bratty. You would think the new writers never even watched the show or knew what the characters were about.
The writing sucked, and to make it worse, in spite of the great acting by Micheal Hall and John Lithgow, the directing was so bad that the scenes had little impact.
Then, to completely kill the show, they had Rita killed in the last scene. Which means they are taking the best show EVER, and throwing out it’s whole premise, and starting over from scratch.
I’m through with the Dexter show. Because they got new (terminally bad) writers, the show died a sudden and early death.
and Jenny your a dumb ass hahaha she is selfish she is his wife i love people on that show you people aren’t true fans its pathetic maybe you should actually watch the show dumb asses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i hate all of you people how can you say that i bet you all feel really bad now dont you know rita is dead she was just being a wife you morons
you just don’t like it because it sometimes gets in the way of dexter killing someone
and this season did not suck it was outstanding this show is the most outstanding show ever best show on television
you people are retarted
Rita is one of the most boring characters on TV. I have been fearing the moment when I could no longer watch Dexter. Rita provides ample justification to start browsing for something new – If Trinity doesn’t get rid of her, maybe Dexter will.
Rita sucks so hard, I cannot stand watching her and she also ruins the show….Dexter needs to dump her hard, she is the most selfish cow and poor Dexter has no life thanks to her non stop complaining…. I know we are supposed to not like her, but gaw!!!! Get rid of Rita, she ruins the show…I loved it when dexter was on his own without all the baggage….
I’m a TRUE Dexter fax from season one, episode one. -Don’t have much to say except season four has absolutely SUCKED so far. The show’s turned into some kind of daytime drama or soap with all of it’s little “unfinished, what’s gonna happen romantically next between so & so”. Where’s the MURDER & ALL that goes along with it. They fucked up this year. I can only hope that future episodes won’t disappoint as the first few………
I no longer like watching this show; in the previous seasons, I could fast forward through Rita, but now with Dexter wrapped up with annoying Rita and an annoying screaming baby, I am fast forwarding through the whole show! Why did they take this show down this road? It just sucks.
Do you think we are supposed to hate her? What is her role on the show supposed to be? Im really not getting it. Because if it is a chance for Dex to have fulfillment in his life besides the Dark Passnger then they are successfully showing us that raising a family is indeed far more sick then vigilante killing, and I would rather not believe that. And what is the deal with her GAwful clothing? Does it really make sense to layer like she is in Seattle? Thats what makes me go from disliking her to hating her. those weird toga that always look like aprons.
I hate Rita so much she actually ruins the show for me. I understand that she is meant to make it more interesting by calling at the wrong time and demanding things of Dexter. But she doesn’t demand normal stuff. she demands that he do everything she asks for. First she says “I can raise the kid on my own”. Then she can’t even take care of the baby for one night so Dexter can sleep for a few hours? I thought being a single parent was her one accomplishment, so how come now she needs Dexter to do absolutely everything. She is the whiniest, most helpless, unempowered woman on earth. And Dexter isn’t even attracted to her. He just doesn’t want to disappoint her or the kids. I just can’t stand how she thinks the world is there to help her take care of her progeny. Maybe she needs to use birth control.
Well, Sarah, I can only figure they are all trying to look like Flo, the Progressive Insurance girl. Some people love Flo, others think she looks like what Flo rhymes with. Personally, she’s irritating and the makeup – on her and the women of Dexter – only adds to it.
Maybe Trinity will capture Rita. One can hope (not that I want him to succeed in killing her, but when she escapes, she might stop her whining and be grateful to be alive!). Whiny, horrible woman!
By the way, what’s with the glam makeup on Rita, Deb and Laguerta this season??