Showtime's killer series “Dexter” has just completed another season. With two more to go until curtain call, the season 6 finale has taken things into an entirely different direction, one that fans certainly did not anticipate.
It's become a sort of rule to expect the unexpected of “Dexter” since most fans already know that it's one of the most atypical series now running on TV.
Even so, season 6 might have jumped the gun, angry voices online are saying. Showrunner Scott Buck doesn't agree and, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, states his reasons for it.
*Fans who have not seen the season finale yet are encouraged not to read any further than this – major spoilers ahead.*
Season 6 of “Dexter” has ended not only with a scene in which Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) walks in on Dexter (Michael C. Hall) as he's killing Travis (Colin Hanks), but also with her declaration of love.
You read that right, Deb tells her step-brother that she's in love with him, a twist in the plot that's gotten many fans saying writers are compromising substance for cheap thrills and cliffhangers.
Buck says that the declaration of love was anything but that. In fact, he's actually surprised that people would take so much offense about this particular plotline, especially when they're seeing in on a show that documents the doings of a serial killer.
“I find it kind of interesting that people are uneasy about Deb’s love toward her brother. That on a show about serial killers, it’s the idea of love that makes people more uncomfortable,” Buck says.
Then again, it's not like this doesn't happen in real life.
“We did some research on that among adopted siblings: It does exist and it does happen, and it does create a very awkward situation,” he says.
Buck also talks about the possibility of Dexter reciprocating Deb's feelings which, he says, is unlikely to happen because, obviously, Dexter has almost no feelings at all.
Still, her confession will impact on the remaining two seasons, but in what way exactly that will happen, Buck can't say right now.
However, he wants fans to know that, even if some plot twists feel forced and used solely for their shock factor, producers and writers are only putting them in the story because they feel it's the right direction to take the characters they have come to know and love.
“Dexter is always a show that’s less about plot twists and much more about characters. Our allegiance is always most strongly to the character of Dexter Morgan. What’s the most satisfying, honest place to take Dexter over the next two years,” Buck says.
Now, if you've seen the season finale already (which you probably did since you're still reading this), here's video of it to refresh your memory.
Now, you can drop us a line in the comments section with your predictions on where “Dexter” will go next. How did you feel about Deb telling Dex she loves him? How about walking in on him like that? Are writers selling out on your fave characters?
The scene was such a jaw dropper. From the moment the door cracked open there was a split second until you recognize Deb's silhouette. At once, 6 seasons of Dexter were unravelled and you were left screaming for more!
Definitely this was the most disappointing season of the Dexter series. I'm not sure where the writers are going with this incest thing with Deb and Dexter, but they have certainly managed to set up a nice cliff-hanger ending with Deb walking in on the disposition of Travis (DDK). Certainly will get me to watch episode 1 next season.
Comment #2.1 by: poop on 21 Dec 2011, 20:19 GMT
How is it incest? Idiot
Comment #2.2 by: dexfan247 on 21 Dec 2011, 23:22 GMT
Not technically incest. But they were raised as brother and sister. Deb's always looked at him this way and especially today's society with so much divorce and many newly blended family's. Come on its a form of "incest". If your raised as brother and sister, then you don't cross those lines.
Comment #2.3 by: mkepanther on 24 Dec 2011, 20:34 GMT
If you watch the entire series closely is quite obvious that Dexter's adoptive father is his REAL father and thus he and Deb are genetic half-siblings. My guess is the final scene of season six will put her (programmed by inappropriate psychologist) supposed sex feelings for her brother OFF in a big way.
Comment #2.4 by: fail on 17 Feb 2012, 00:37 GMT
1 Question.. How did Dexter did that mistake? He knew his sister was going to meet him at the church..I also think that it was the worst season..just expecting a strong return and a good ending...not like so many other series that start great and they end up like * !!!
Comment #2.5 by: cole on 04 May 2012, 23:39 GMT
Yeah I was a bit, "what the" with that one at first, just seems it would complicate the story, but Im growing on it, and would be an interesting story line.
There is a lot of un answered questions, which I dont actually like, I prefer the story end when the season ends, but grips you for next season.
Comment #3 by: CHING CHONG CHANG on 21 Dec 2011, 19:56 UTC
It's interesting to me that at the end of season 5 there were outcries because Deb didn't look behind the curtain and find Dexter and Lumen, and this season there are outcries because she did walk in on him as he was killing Travis. Some people are never happy. I'm also amazed that people watching a serial killer and loving it are disturbed because his non-biologically related foster sister, notorious for falling in love at the drop of a hat, has decided she loves him. No wonder Europeans consider us violence-prone prudes.
Comment #4.1 by: xlasicka on 12 Jan 2012, 01:12 GMT
Nicely said... but you know what?? .. We (Europeans) watch it too...
Comment #4.2 by: Smiljan on 01 Feb 2012, 03:23 GMT
@cisi: Well spoken although it is obvious you have a mangina.
Deb having "feelings" for Dexter is ridiculous. It makes the show feel more tacky soap opera like. Thought its true the story line is of odd content,and we like it and yup its about a serial killer and we like him. I think I personally accept this plot because even though the character's intention are self serving. These kills are actually are preventing anyone innocent that could potentially be harmed if not killed by Dex. He's ridding the world of harmful people and lets face it people can accept that. Co-mingling his sister with his brother seems more like a week attempt to shock people. The real shocker was the death of Rita which left me stunned, and the surprise that the professor was dead and its was just Travis the whole time. Those are well written never done before shockers, in tune with the story line its self. This reveal of Deb's feelings for a step sibling has been done over and over in any cheesy romance novel or soap opera. Dexter writer can do better then that…
Comment #7 by: ChristineC on 22 Dec 2011, 03:14 UTC
I think that Deb will have a minor breakdown caused by Dexter's inablity to take the blame for all these murders and denying what she saw. People at work already have her on edge constantly as the band new lietenant. A lot has happened since she got the promotion enough to burn her out. So her being crazy overries any implication of Dexter's 'dark side' as the writers refer to. When Deb realizes that she has to go with the flow and pretend that she had a breakdown which placed her on light duty, she contines to be detective of her own police force. One that finds the bad guys and one that ultimatedly kills those who are bad for society and order. Their record of reducing crime spreads to other states and then the Fedral government. A researcher watched the crime rates carefully and knew what Dexter and Deb were up to. This researher stalks them like paparotz (bad spelling) and uimately years later the Federal government is accused of violating the rights of all people. The right to be innocent until proven guilty is facade. Which makes you wonder, where is this writer on his/her political agenda. Interesting . . . don't ya think?
Buck said: "It’s the idea of love that makes people more uncomfortable."
Wrong, Scott. The characters of Debra and Dexter have always loved each other, and no one was uncomfortable. What creeps them out is the idea of incest, not love.
Buck said: "“We did some research on that among adopted siblings: It does exist and it does happen".
Well, Scott, did you do some research on blood siblings? Because incest does happen there too. That doesn't make it something we want to see on TV. Children raised as brother & sister have exactly the same feelings as blood relatives, including the same natural anti-incest revulsion.
What Buck doesn't understand is that the whole idea of Debra lusting after Dexter undermines and perverts what was a wonderful brother-sister relationship on the show. It takes what was a sweet, fraternal affection and turns it into something unnatural and repugnant. _That_ is what makes people uncomfortable, Scott.
It was a cheap, sensationalist plot twist, by a new showrunner who just gave us the worst season of Dexter in the show's history. Showtime needs to find someone with common senses to take over the reins of this (formerly) excellent drama, before Buck ruins it for good.
Comment #8.1 by: whocares on 11 Jan 2012, 12:00 GMT
That's your opinion, an opinion from a person who is easily offended by an awkward situation that happens in real life. You take the story as it is presented to you, the only person keeping you from enjoying it is yourself.
Comment #8.2 by: Dexmas on 12 Jan 2012, 04:55 GMT
That's ridiculous, they aren't related. Even if they were related, it would be interesting. It's a dark show, feel free to stop watching, there will never be a shortage of fans. It was a good twist, and am excited to find out what happens. I love how the books and the show go in such opposite directions. Twice as much Dexter! Cant wait!!
Comment #9 by: alferalfer on 23 Dec 2011, 00:23 UTC
Loyal fans of the show also have an allegiance to the characters (as the writers do) and many of us feel as if the psychologist's suggestion that Deb was in love with her brother was inappropriate and off-base but because it came from her, it was eventually received by Deb and she now believes it to be true... because she's so emotionally confused anyway regarding men, love, etc....
It's not that the viewers are uneasy with her love for her brother... it's that many of us don't buy the fact that she actually IS in love with her brother. Deb is good at her job but a mess in her personal life and therefore, she tends to be constantly in a state of flux in her personal life.
One possible scenario is Dexter will talk his way out of this as being a stand alone incident caused by anger after his son was nearly killed by Travis, selling it some kind of act of self defense.
I see Deb helping him, as after all they are close, and the killer deserved what he got. With each season of Dexter turning him gradually into a nicer person trying to use his darkness for a meaningful purpose benefiting to the good of society, she might view him more like a Batman-like vigilante than an evil serial killer. Deb has always been more about justice than following the system blindly, and earlier when Dexter got caught by his wife showing his dark side, she actually was overwhelmingly understanding. I can see Deb also following in this trail, as she is basically driven by the same writers.
About her love for Dexter, I always assumed her shrink was inducing this idea at a vulnerable point in her life, working with her boss to attack her weak and confused heart in an effort to get rid of her.
Love the idea of dexter and deb he really was not close to her growin up since he was off learning harrys code not dad but harry...I think if dexter can love anyone besides harrison it would be deb he killed his true blood brother for deb...and shrinks cannot plant ideas in your head just bring things you feel or think to the surface
Comment #14.1 by: Dexter fan NY on 31 Dec 2011, 01:14 GMT
I believe in Season 7, Deb will remember seeing Dexter kill someone or something when they were children, but remember Harry/Dad made her block it out and pretend it never happenned. She'll do the same thing with Dexter killing Travis OR basically like someone else wrote he'll talk his way out of it, but it will never get to her thinking he's a serial killer.
I lean more on the rules of Harry, and Dex and Harry had this secret world Deb sort of knew about, but always hushed up on it and never asked any questions and never exactly knew what they were doing other than maybe hunting or something we haven't seen yet.. She may or may not begin to follow Dexter or keep better tabs on him to test her theory, but he'll just have to lie more, spin her and confuse her.
She'll deal with her therapist on that she loved a serial killer and now she found out her brother is at least a one time killer and they'll talk about that and begin banging someone else on the show, total twist and maybe marry someone.
Overall to any writers reading these blogs, DEX needs a girlfriend. It keeps it a bit more real and interesting. Maybe he'll start banging Batista's sister, but he needs someone.
I think Deb's discovery of her love for Dexter add a whole new dynamic to her finding out who Dexter "really" is. It's one thing for her to find out that her brother is a murderer but its another thing to find out her brother (who she has intimate feelings for) is a murderer. That being said, Deb is a good detective and there is no way she would'nt put the puzzle together ( all Dex's "personal" trips and time off he needs and other things out of place. Especially since hes got his whole kill room set up. If the writers stick to her character then she'll know its not his first time doing this. I can't wait to see what happens! P.S. if the show offends anyone...change the channel..
Comment #15.1 by: tars on 05 Feb 2012, 16:36 GMT
the whole season has been one series of 'lucky' plot twists and too many coincidental bits. it comes nowhere close to the better seasons that were the trinity killer's. i still dont get how dexter finds the right building where DDK plans to sacrifice his kid.
the deb love angle has been thrown in conveniently, so that season 6 isnt the last. now season 7 will have her shielding Dex, instead of turning him in bcoz of her feelings till something happens in season 8.
the show is steadily turning into a soap instead of the edgy thriller it was earlier. there was a sense of mystery earlier knowing that dex could be caught sometime. Now he is just invulnerable till season 8, and we'll have to endure some more irrational plots in the future.
Comment #15.2 by: Chris on 07 Mar 2012, 23:18 GMT
He found the building because he found the sketch that ddk drew and threw in the trash at the house where ddk killed those two old people.
Comment #16 by: dexter1993 on 03 Feb 2012, 19:53 UTC
I hate it that Deb has fallen in love with Dexter. It makes me wonder how far they are going to go with this storyline. I am not alone. Everyone I know who watches Dexter feels the same way. It feels immoral. I loved the commraderie they sharesd as "brother and sister";not as lovers. And since Deb falls in love with just about every man who crosses her path who is to say she is sincere about Dexter as well. How does one's feelings change from brotherly love to that of lust and passion? It doesn't feel right. I think the writers are out of touch with the common people. I don't know of anyone who feels okay with this situation. I believe the series will lose a big portion of its fans if they continue on this path.
A lot of hype about seasons 5 & 6, I would say I enjoyed season 1, 2 the most they were both awsome, but I actually also liked season 5, I enjoy seeing the human side of dexter, and the relationship with Luman was cute, would have liked that to continue, season 4 was good, but was an anti climax, and season 3 was also good, but unlike 1,2,5, I dont like watching over and over, season 6 I liked the story, the story jumped around and changed too often leaving you wondering what direction or point was trying to be made, probably a bit too many story lines for one season, and I was constantly wondering why the intern had the ice truck killer prop, which was not revealed. I cant wait till season 7 though, not sure how dex is going to get out of this one after the final scene. I dont think there has been a bad season yet though.
Comment #21 by: dexterforever on 22 May 2012, 16:16 UTC
This is just too ridiculous, even though this season had me hooked,the part where debra starts to fall in love with dexter just totally put me off. I sincerely hope this doesnt continue throughout the next season.
Dexter is my favorite show and I love michael hall, he is a fantastic actor..and the director too is brilliant..season finale was shocking tho there was flaws here and there...deb should not admit her feelings to dexter coz that will kill the charm of brother and sister relationship director already created between them....
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