Liam Hoofe reviews the second episode of Dexter: New Blood, ‘Storm of F*ck’…
After a solid enough opening episode, Dexter: New Blood returned to our screens for its second episode with a much slower outing. At the end of the last episode, Dexter has accepted his son Harrison back into his home just after he has committed his first kill in 10 years and things are about to get very heated for the former Mr Morgan.
The biggest talking point from this episode is no doubt going to be Dexter’s relationship with Harrison, and it also seems as though this is going to be the focal point of the entire season. Harrison’s return seems to have thrown a spanner in the works for Dexter, who is now going to have to work extra hard to keep his dark passenger, and his past, a secret. The final scene between the pair was one of the episode’s best moments, though, a redemptive arc for Dexter could be a risky move.
Dexter needs to get caught or die. Whether that’s at the hands of Harrison is another matter, but he needs to be stopped for the show to really end. A redemptive tale about a white serial killer in 2021 is just not what TV needs and anyway, the show is always at its best when Dexter is at his worst. Having him battle but ultimately embrace the dark passenger for one final run is what we want, and it remains unclear as to whether we are going to see that.
Thankfully, there is light in the form of the show’s new big bad. We see the girl from the last episode locked up in a cabin while a mysterious figure watches over. In the same episode, we also saw the arrival of Clancy Brown’s Kurt Caldwell, who couldn’t look more like a Dexter villain if he tried. There is the possibility that the character is a red herring though, with the main problem for Dexter coming from somewhere else.
Dexter has always lived and died by its villains and Caldwell, or whoever it is behind that camera, looks to have all of the makings of a great one. His power over the village and the money that he has will make him a worthy adversary for Dex.
Speaking of the village, the location is really starting to come into its own in the second episode. Having the murder investigation set up at Dexter’s cottage gives the whole thing a very claustrophobic feel and that is exactly what is needed for the show to excel. Having the net close in on Dexter in an incredibly small setting should really ramp up the pressure, and the fact that the body of his victim is so close will only add to the tension.
Deb is also beginning to shine as Dexter’s new passenger as well. Her mocking of Dexter brings an entirely new element to Dex’s character and could also prove to be his downfall. His self-doubt and the fact that he is no longer the killer he once was could cause him some real problems. Harrison’s own darkness, particularly his drug-related past, is also going to cause some issues.
‘Storm of F*ck’ felt a lot slower than the opening episode but the show is beginning to set its table now. As long as we avoid going down too much of a redemptive route, there is a real possibility we could finally get a pay-off worthy of the character.
Liam Hoofe
