Life for a serial killer father understandably sucks. In the season premiere we get to see what fatherhood does to a dude who just wants to slay people. I mean, I know being a father and wanting to play World of Warcraft is going to suck, but what if I had an insatiable desire to kill? If the season premiere is any indication I’d rush my latest murder, crash my car, and throw body parts all over a park or some shit.

Dexter starts the season off by blowing up some big case where his testimony was crucial to putting the thug away. Guy was exhausted from being a dad and all and brought the wrong blood analysis to court. Whoops. It was a neat plot device that set up both Quinn being the Doakes replacement as a hard-ass, and giving Dexter someone to stab repeatedly. As soon as I saw Benito Gomez free, I was all, laugh now fucker, you’re going to be dead soon enough.

Meanwhile, of course, a new serial killer has hit the streets of Miami. If you can’t accept that every season of Dexter involves him contrasted with another serial killer, you’re going to be miserable. I don’t mind it at all. The Trinity Killer, played by John Lithgow, kicks things off with a bang by choking a chick out, dragging her into a bathtub, and then cutting her femoral artery. Brutal. It was the first time I cringed while watching Dexter in a long time.

Lithgow has to be the best casting ever. As I told my friend while I was watching it, not only is he a great actor, but also he’s so fucking creepy looking. I’ll give him credit for his taut ass, but when I look at him, I see a serial killer. Or a Martian. The scene where he’s laying eerily in the bathtub with the woman he kills was chilling. Maybe it’s because I actively root for a serial killer in Dexter, but the concept of murder has become passe in this show. I’m desensitized. So being reminded that most sociopaths are fucking sickos was appreciated.

Also, does anyone not want to light LaGuerta’s hair on fire? I fucking hate Angel banging her. Why remove him from an interesting relationship with Gianna from Vice for this? Gianna and Angel were interesting because of all the warts between the two of them, while this just screams cheap dramatic irony gag.

I don’t know.

My favorite bit had to be when Dexter sang “America the Beautiful” to his son Harrison over the phone. If this season is examining Dexter wedged into living the American Dream, than this scene was well done.  Hearing some Patriotic mantra jerking off American ideals while Dexter flipped through a computer catalog of smashed-in faces and bloody corpses was a sexy juxtaposition. I’m picking up what you’re putting down, writers.

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