‘Dexter’ Season 8 Premiere Review;  ‘Dexter’ starts its final season with a bang (or stab) in ‘A Beautiful Day.’

MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW.

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When we last saw Dexter it was at a major turning point of the series in its 7th season; his sister Deb killed Captain LaGuerta to keep him out of jail, leaving his dark passenger secret intact.

The Season 8 première ep is titled  A Beautiful Day. Like much of Dexter, this is a darkly ironic statement. Things sure start off nice; Dex is enjoying his freedom and hasn’t shed a tear knowing that an innocent cop was murdered so that he can still roam free. Sure she didn’t fit the ‘code,’ but it was Deb’s call.

When we do see Deb, we see that she is not coping well. Addicted to drugs and hanging out with a two-bit hood, it appears she’s gone off the rails.

It is this role reversal; Dexter at ease, and Deb with her moral compass turned upside down, that proves a highly satisfying kickoff to the final season.

It’s later revealed that Deb is working on a case against the hood, but not as a cop. She quit after the gnawing guilt from LaGuerta’s murder. Instead she’s working as a bounty hunter, but she’s a little too interested in her quarry.

Dexter hasn’t seen Deb in months, and when he does find her, It’s clear, at least for now, that she wants nothing more to do with her brother, even while still feeling protective of him.

Elsewhere in Dexter’s world, Batista has rejoined the force in the wake of LaGuerta’s murder, recommitted to the cause.

This brings us to a new case; a man found dead on the beach, with parts of his brain removed. The case brings in a mysterious woman, neuropsychiatric Evelyn Vogel, played by Charlotte Rampling. She thinks this case may be indicative of a serial killer, even though it’s the first body so far.

But Dexter has the feeling she’s sizing him up, and for good reason. She hands him a folder containing his childhood drawings. When he threatens her life, she says he wont kill her because she doesn’t fit the code. Implying she helped his father come up with the code for keeping his murderous impulses focused on picking off undesirables. So what she wants with him now? Only time will tell her true motive.

And that’s how the episode concludes. It’s followed by an extended preview of the remaining 11 episodes. It brings up lots of questions; can Deb keep her secret, or will she confess to absolve her guilt? Will she take her brother down with her? Will Angel put 2 and 2 together?

And in the end, will Dexter live to slay another day, or go to jail, or will his sister put him down as he did his brother? And will she end her life as well? That’s the maddening appeal of this final season that already has my stomach in knots.

Dexter has been a fun ride, with some brilliant seasons, and some spotty ones, but the characters are always appealing, and Michael C. Hall remains a captivating presence. I’m very curious to see how they’ll wind up in the finale.

Dexter airs 8:00pm central time on Showtime. Check the official website for more info.

You can pick up all the previous Dexter seasons on Blu-ray from Amazon by clicking the link below: