PopSyndicate.com

Dexter faces a turning point in his road to being human.

Father. Family man. Teacher. Deacon in his church. These are all things that Dexter (Michael C. Hall) has learned about Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow). Oh, and did I forget to say, he also learned he is the Trinity Killer? Dexter has been investigating Trinity since he followed him home from his latest killing. Dexter insinuates himself into Mitchell’s life, pretending to be a man separated from his wife looking for guidance at a new church. Trinity takes him under his wing during their time together at a Habitat for Humanity-type charity that the church is involved in.

Some of the greatest mentors in people’s lives are often the people we find we least want to emulate, but find ourselves learning from in spite of it all. Trinity is one such mentor for Dexter. Deep inside Dexter is seething to let his anger out to met out justice to Trinity, but at the same time, Dexter remains fascinated by how Trinity has managed to integrate his serial killing into the contrasting home life that he has. Dexter is trying to juggle all this in his life, while Trinity seems to have perfected his mask so effortlessly.  So Dexter lets Trinity live a little while longer while he tries to glean what lessons he can from the man.

One such lesson is that he has to open up to his family. When Dexter during a conversation asks how he saved his family, Trinity corrects Dex and tells him that it was his family that saved him. Dexter learns this after struggling through some funny and painful marriage therapy sessions with his wife.  If looks could kill, Rita (Julie Benz)  would be just as deadly as Dexter, when the therapist points out the futility of thinking she could change Dexter, and Rita shoots her a withering look as she realizes she has been just as culpable in their relationship woes.  But ultimately, Dexter learns that being more open with her will save his family.

While not as exciting an ending happens in this episode as the last two, it nevertheless provides a turning point in the paradoxical burgeoning sense of humanity that attempts to awaken itself in Dexter.  That is always one of the high points of the show, when Dexter learns something about being human. He always gets the equivalent of that sideways head tilt look that an animal gets when you try to teach it a new trick. And after all, isn’t that what he is?

3