The finale and the whole of the last season was an incoherent mess. Felt like the sort of rushed ending you get for shows that are cancelled mid run, not a show that has had time to prepare for its denouement.
reminiscing about rita and astor/cody etc would have been nice but it wasn't necessary, they only had 1 episode to play with.
he already said in previous episode he was giving astor his SUV so they were mentioned.
finales are a strange beast, fans are happy to watch and love a show but if the finale doesnt give them the ending they want personally they go crazy lol
...Final thought: Sadly Dexter in the final four seasons was never able to scale the heights that it achieved from Season's one to the exceptional season four.
If they'd gone out with season four (which I've always seen a conclussion of sorts) Just think what a highly-regarded, groundbreaking series Dexter would be seen as....
The final four seasons have been a struggle, but at least it's over now.
Agreed. Guess it was inevitable that the show would not be the same after the executive producer plus lead writer both left at the end of season 4 and unfortunately their replacements were never able to recapture that magic which had made the show such a hit.
Now that Dexter has come to a close after eight seasons, the postmortem on how it perhaps should have, or could have, concluded have gone full throttle. As have the continuing spinoff speculations.
Clyde Phillips, who was an executive producer and showrunner on Dexter in the early years and exited at the close of the fourth/Trinity Killer season, recently weighed-in on how he would have said good-bye to Dexter, had he still been a part of the series...
reminiscing about rita and astor/cody etc would have been nice but it wasn't necessary, they only had 1 episode to play with.
I'm not talking about a full-on three minute montage played out to 'Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong' or anything, simply an acknowledgement of Rita's existence, perhaps even a mention of her name, which were glaringly skipped over in the 'Let's meet Harrison' flashback. It seemed deliberate and jarring, seemingly done so as not to interfere with the true-love-honest storyline of Dexter and Hannah.
Ironically, had Lumen re-appeared and a similar tale played out, I would have bought that completely - Hannah always seemed like a cheap, ill-thought out substitute for Lumen. I believe Julia Stiles was only ever going to commit to one series - perhaps the producers should have considered a different casting for the only decent female character they came up with in four seasons...
reminiscing about rita and astor/cody etc would have been nice but it wasn't necessary, they only had 1 episode to play with.
To be honest, they had 11 episodes to play with; but filled all of them with Masuka's Daughter's Boobs, Quinn's Promotion, Deb's Miracle Overnight Alcohol/Drug Rehabilitation, Batista's Crusade To Avenge LaGuera's Death, The Training Of Young Zach Hamilton (or Dexter v2.0) and the Fake Brain Surgeon dead ends instead...
To be honest, they had 11 episodes to play with; but filled all of them with Masuka's Daughter's Boobs, Quinn's Promotion, Deb's Miracle Overnight Alcohol/Drug Rehabilitation, Batista's Crusade To Avenge LaGuera's Death, The Training Of Young Zach Hamilton (or Dexter v2.0) and the Fake Brain Surgeon dead ends instead...
mazuka/daughter stuff was funny
just because its final season dont mean the characters change and their normal lives stop.
hannah is much better than lumen,great chemistry with dexter.
zack, vogel,vogels son etc were all enjoyable to watch
To be honest, they had 11 episodes to play with; but filled all of them with Masuka's Daughter's Boobs, Quinn's Promotion, Deb's Miracle Overnight Alcohol/Drug Rehabilitation, Batista's Crusade To Avenge LaGuera's Death, The Training Of Young Zach Hamilton (or Dexter v2.0) and the Fake Brain Surgeon dead ends instead...
Agreed. Guess it was inevitable that the show would not be the same after the executive producer plus lead writer both left at the end of season 4 and unfortunately their replacements were never able to recapture that magic which had made the show such a hit.
Accepted, but the point remains: there was a large reward offered for her. She wasn't on the most wanted list, but she wasn't low priority either.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure she wasn't at the bottom of the pile; but as much as they'd like to solve every case, including capturing Hannah, when budgets and resources are limited prioritising becomes a necessary evil. There will always be cases that require more urgent attention than others, and other more dangerous fugitives on the run with even greater prices on their head.
I see a possible spin-off is mentioned in the linked article....
Can't say I'm confident that a spin-off will be any good unless a new showrunner and writing team takes over, as I don't think the current lot did a particularly good a job with the latter 4 seasons of Dexter. Although maybe they'll do better with a fresh canvas than they did trying to follow in the footsteps of the team which created the first 4 seasons of Dexter...
I blame the former show runner for leaving, he should have stuck with it and finished what he started. was he forced out or something? these shows nose dive when the people that have a clear vision and full understanding of the story leave the project. season 8 in no way resenbles the great show Dexter used to be.
My thoughts after watching the final episode yesterday. I do not expect a masterpiece from a series finale - I enjoyed the finales of both Lost and the Sopranoes when many didn't - but I thought the finale of Dexter was extremely poor.
I felt that the final episode got progressively worse towards the end. I can accept Dexter killing Vogals son as revenge him shooting Deb and can accept Dexter killing Deb as he would not want Deb to suffer. Had it cut from the hospital to Argentina with Dexter, Hanah and Harrison together it would have still been a poor ending but more acceptable than the disaster that followed.
It was the final ten minutes that moved it into the category of a disaster. Dexter taking Deb from the hospital straight onto his boat parked outside ( I know there was a hurricane but where were security ) then riding out on his boat amid the poor CGI hurricane effects was ludicrous. As was the idea that he would need to dump Deb's body in the sea. His suicide which would leave Harrison alone with the woman who had tried to murder his sister was unbelievable enough but the agony was extended for one final scene.
He fakes his death after wrecking his boat in a hurricane and managing to swim back to shore through shark infested waters. He than lives alone as a logger as he does not want to cause further pain but with no loved ones his killer instinct would soon return and there would be a new serial killer out in the woods!
It should have ended with Season Six. I always wanted Dexter to get caught and pay for his crimes or to die. If Deb had shot Dexter in the penultimate episode the final episode could have shown Deb and the rest of Miama Metro dealing with what Dexter had done and moving on with their lives. Why did the writers give us a final series that was not really required and an ending that has dissapointed so many fans.
but with no loved ones his killer instinct would soon return and there would be a new serial killer out in the woods!
I think (?) the point is that we are meant to believe he has changed and won't go back to killing. Whether or not you find that acceptable is another thing, but I think the writers had other ideas in mind.
Change & Redemtption seem to be running themes throughout Dexter. Who can and who can't change, etc. Masuka is allowed a better attitude to women via his daughter; Joey changes, but it's too late for his promotion; Debs... well, that's an essay in itself; Angel tries to retire, but can't really lose the policeman inside himself, and so on.
I thought the last episode was ok , not nearly as bad as I'd heard . I just don't buy the idea that Dex would want to be away from his son .
there was just something 'off' about the whole last season , the editing and direction seemed poor , all the surprises / shocks fell flat somehow , and it really lacked the zing it used to have
Dexter was never with his son, Jamie Batista saw more of him than Dexter. Him sinking to the bottom of the briny deep with his eyes open in the storm would have been a nice way to end the show.
Can't say I'm confident that a spin-off will be any good unless a new showrunner and writing team takes over, as I don't think the current lot did a particularly good a job with the latter 4 seasons of Dexter. Although maybe they'll do better with a fresh canvas than they did trying to follow in the footsteps of the team which created the first 4 seasons of Dexter...
Good point about the writing etc. From the article linked to earlier:
Showtime president of entertainment David Nevins has repeatedly said that Dexter is to Showtime what Batman is to Warner Brothers. In other words, they want to stay in the Dexter business and "keep the show alive."
Can't say a Hannah/Harrison spin-off appeals to me. Though what else is there? A Miami cop show?
Seriously though, I guess they could recast Dexter and cover more of his back story. But don't see there would be much point.
They could use the actor who played young Dexter, I guess. However, we've seen Dexter's first kill already - as enacted by Michael C. Hall. Even if we went back and explored Harry and Vogel teaching Dexter the 'code' when he was a kid, we wouldn't see any bloodshed as that started with Hall's Dexter.
I'd have to re watch, but I'm fairly sure that Rita didn't get so much as a mention, let alone a flashback appearance or anything.
To be fair, I don't think she was that important to Dexter. She was adopted as protected camouflage. She never knew him and he never felt about her the same as he felt about Deb, Lumen or Hannah.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but, now it seems like it should have ended at the end of season 4 as everything had come full circle (and of course left room for a Harrison spin-off set years later).
Comments
he already said in previous episode he was giving astor his SUV so they were mentioned.
finales are a strange beast, fans are happy to watch and love a show but if the finale doesnt give them the ending they want personally they go crazy lol
Agreed. Guess it was inevitable that the show would not be the same after the executive producer plus lead writer both left at the end of season 4 and unfortunately their replacements were never able to recapture that magic which had made the show such a hit.
Imho, best to worst seasons...
Good: 1 > 4 > 2
Okay: 5 > 3 > 7
Poor: 8 > 6
Former Dexter showrunner on how he would have ended the series - IGN
I'm not talking about a full-on three minute montage played out to 'Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong' or anything, simply an acknowledgement of Rita's existence, perhaps even a mention of her name, which were glaringly skipped over in the 'Let's meet Harrison' flashback. It seemed deliberate and jarring, seemingly done so as not to interfere with the true-love-honest storyline of Dexter and Hannah.
Ironically, had Lumen re-appeared and a similar tale played out, I would have bought that completely - Hannah always seemed like a cheap, ill-thought out substitute for Lumen. I believe Julia Stiles was only ever going to commit to one series - perhaps the producers should have considered a different casting for the only decent female character they came up with in four seasons...
mazuka/daughter stuff was funny
just because its final season dont mean the characters change and their normal lives stop.
hannah is much better than lumen,great chemistry with dexter.
zack, vogel,vogels son etc were all enjoyable to watch
id rate them
1,4,2,3,5,6,8,7
Even they weren't worth seeing.
I see a possible spin-off is mentioned in the linked article....
Not quite. I have more positives than negatives about it
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure she wasn't at the bottom of the pile; but as much as they'd like to solve every case, including capturing Hannah, when budgets and resources are limited prioritising becomes a necessary evil. There will always be cases that require more urgent attention than others, and other more dangerous fugitives on the run with even greater prices on their head.
Great minds think alike, well almost! Seasons 1,4 and 2 seem to be most people I know' favourites whilst 7,8 and 6 are least popular.
Although season 7 appears to be quite highly regarded by the readers of IGN: Ranking the Dexter Seasons From Worst to Best - IGN
Can't say I'm confident that a spin-off will be any good unless a new showrunner and writing team takes over, as I don't think the current lot did a particularly good a job with the latter 4 seasons of Dexter. Although maybe they'll do better with a fresh canvas than they did trying to follow in the footsteps of the team which created the first 4 seasons of Dexter...
I felt that the final episode got progressively worse towards the end. I can accept Dexter killing Vogals son as revenge him shooting Deb and can accept Dexter killing Deb as he would not want Deb to suffer. Had it cut from the hospital to Argentina with Dexter, Hanah and Harrison together it would have still been a poor ending but more acceptable than the disaster that followed.
It was the final ten minutes that moved it into the category of a disaster. Dexter taking Deb from the hospital straight onto his boat parked outside ( I know there was a hurricane but where were security ) then riding out on his boat amid the poor CGI hurricane effects was ludicrous. As was the idea that he would need to dump Deb's body in the sea. His suicide which would leave Harrison alone with the woman who had tried to murder his sister was unbelievable enough but the agony was extended for one final scene.
He fakes his death after wrecking his boat in a hurricane and managing to swim back to shore through shark infested waters. He than lives alone as a logger as he does not want to cause further pain but with no loved ones his killer instinct would soon return and there would be a new serial killer out in the woods!
It should have ended with Season Six. I always wanted Dexter to get caught and pay for his crimes or to die. If Deb had shot Dexter in the penultimate episode the final episode could have shown Deb and the rest of Miama Metro dealing with what Dexter had done and moving on with their lives. Why did the writers give us a final series that was not really required and an ending that has dissapointed so many fans.
I think (?) the point is that we are meant to believe he has changed and won't go back to killing. Whether or not you find that acceptable is another thing, but I think the writers had other ideas in mind.
Change & Redemtption seem to be running themes throughout Dexter. Who can and who can't change, etc. Masuka is allowed a better attitude to women via his daughter; Joey changes, but it's too late for his promotion; Debs... well, that's an essay in itself; Angel tries to retire, but can't really lose the policeman inside himself, and so on.
there was just something 'off' about the whole last season , the editing and direction seemed poor , all the surprises / shocks fell flat somehow , and it really lacked the zing it used to have
Good point about the writing etc. From the article linked to earlier:
Can't say a Hannah/Harrison spin-off appeals to me. Though what else is there? A Miami cop show?
Vogel & Harry: The Early Years
Seriously though, I guess they could recast Dexter and cover more of his back story. But don't see there would be much point.
They could use the actor who played young Dexter, I guess. However, we've seen Dexter's first kill already - as enacted by Michael C. Hall. Even if we went back and explored Harry and Vogel teaching Dexter the 'code' when he was a kid, we wouldn't see any bloodshed as that started with Hall's Dexter.
They made a point of saying that his boat had a life-raft. It was in the previous episode when he was selling it.