'Dexter: Resurrection' Season 2 Episodes 1 and 2 Review: A Continued Return To Form
Dexter Morgan is back on television screens doing what he does best in season two of Dexter: Resurrection. If the first two episodes are any indication, this revival continues to be a return to form for the beloved series.
‘Dexter: Resurrection’ season two catches audiences up with their favorite serial killer Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) a fair amount of time after the events of the first season, Dexter now settling into his life in New York City as he offers rideshares by day and hunts killers by night. His son Harrison (Jack Alcott) has now officially become a member of the NYPD, the two of them closer and more open with one another than ever. However, Dexter’s life becomes increasingly more complicated when an aspiring new serial killer named The Five Boroughs Killer (Dan Stevens) emerges and he struggles to balance the hunt and his civilian life with his son.
The debut season of the series did a surprisingly impressive job revitalizing the character of Dexter Morgan, not only providing an exciting new locale for the killer, but evolving the character in compelling fashion as he followed his son to the big apple to restore their relationship. The first two episodes of this sophomore season prove the first season was hardly a fluke, continuing to provide substantial stakes and add new layers to Dexter as he faces perhaps his greatest obstacle yet, a midlife crisis.
Hall continues to be pitch-perfect as Dexter, his magnetic and awkwardly charming performance continuing to remind audiences why he has become such a fascinating and iconic anti-hero. Hall gets rich territory to explore in these first couple of episodes, reconciling the fact he isn’t the physical threat he once was and that he has barely established any sort of hobbies or cozy homestead for himself. For the first time in his life, Dexter is starting to feel aimless and restless, yearning to re-invent himself in order to avoid complacency and even worse, boredom. Hall explores this territory wonderfully, imbuing the character with added layers yet to be seen until now as he continues to navigate fatherhood and a work/life balance.
The core relationship between Harrison and Dexter continues to be the beating heart of the show, their relationship continuing to make the latter more human than he ever thought he could aspire to be. Despite the fact Dexter is struggling to balance his nocturnal activities and his relationship with his son, their dynamic feels effectively lived-in and torn open in the best possible manner, the transparency between them a consistently engaging element of the new season, especially considering Harrison has followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the police department in an attempt to bring criminals to justice lawfully.
The supporting characters are also fantastic, the addition of Stevens as the season’s new killer an inspired choice. Stevens is terrifying and fascinating as The Five Boroughs killer, his mysterious, cold demeanor making him an intriguing new antagonist to follow in these first couple of episodes, especially as he makes his first kills to firmly put himself on the map and Dexter’s radar, not to mention the police department’s. Returning from season one is Uma Thurman reprising her role as Charley, no longer under the thumb of Leon Prater (Peter Dinklage), free from his shackles with her own agenda in play that causes her to cross paths with Dexter. Thurman continues to be a playful, lively delight, especially as she reunites with Dexter and helps set the stage for the remainder of the season.
Another terrific new addition to the sophomore season is the return of Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington), now in NYC investigating the disappearance of Angel Batista (David Zayas) as he catches up with Dexter in the process. His presence serves as a potent reminder to Dexter that as much as he has physically and emotionally distanced himself from his former life in Miami, that life simply has unfinished business with him. Harrington and Hall still retain their palpable chemistry and continue to play off of one another very well, their dynamic bound to evolve as the season moves forward. Even more exciting is the arrival of the serial killer known as The Ripper (Brian Cox) who has evaded capture from the police despite the fact his identity has been all but confirmed, the sadistic killer continuing to taunt the families of his victims from afar. Cox is relishing every moment of screen time, playing the part with a fiendish delight that makes him a continuously entertaining character to follow as Dexter attempts to bring him to justice as well.
The first two episodes of ‘Dexter: Resurrection’ season two do an incredibly effective job setting the stage and putting the pieces into motion for this second course. Dexter has plenty of plates to juggle and kill rooms to prep as the series continues to find its own voice while continuing to be a stellar return to form for the character. Whether the remaining episodes of the season can follow through on the potential of these first two installments remains to be seen, but it’s abundantly clear that Dexter is finally in secure hands, his future appearing brighter than ever.