Customer Reviews

Dexter: The Third Season

5 star:		(221)
4 star:		(41)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

"Dexter" never disappoints! As a big fan of the show, I was concerned how Season 3 would play out now that one of my favorite characters, James Doakes, is out of the picture. I never should have worried, because the third season of "Dexter" was just as fabulous as the first two. This season mainly focuses on Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) personal relationships. He's working through some major issues with his deceased father, Harry (James Remar), and his relationship with Rita (Julie Benz) takes a surprising turn when she announces that she's pregnant with Dexter's child. All of these emotions cause Dexter to turn to an unlikely person...Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits), who takes a liking to Dexter and makes it his personal mission to become Dexter's BFF. No one is more surprised by this than Dexter, who discovers that he has more in common with Miguel than he possibly imagined. For the first time in his life, Dexter has a friend whom he can rely on and share (some) of his dirty little secrets with. After a while, however, Dexter realizes that there's much more to Miguel than he originally thought, and decides that the ADA may not be BFF material after all.

This is a great season chock full of twists, turns, and excitement. In addition to Dexter's storyline, there are great subplots involving a new serial killer ("The Skinner"), Deborah's (Jennifer Carpenter) relationship with a CI, Angel's (David Zayas) recovery from his divorce, and Maria's (Lauren Velez) coping with the death of her former partner in Season 2. I am always impressed by the way this series constantly surprises its audience and keeps evolving these dynamic characters. The whole concept of Dexter making a friend was so simple, and yet carried the entire season extremely well (thanks in part to an outstanding performance by Smits). My one complaint about Season 3 is that it's already over, and I have to wait a long time before the arrival of Season 4! However, I have a feeling it will definitely be worth waiting for.

I finally took advantage of getting what I pay for with my cable company. Prior to Season 3 of Dexter, I watched the first two seasons on DVD (Season One & Season Two). I used to send all this money to my cable company for subscribing to Showtime, and Dexter was never part of my regular TV viewing until 2008. Color me stupid. What was I missing out on?...Only the absolute best show on TV.

How good is it? Let's put it this way...I'm actually glad that I hadn't seen this until DVD, because my wife and I were able to watch the first two seasons in weeks versus like 3 months PER regular season on Showtime. We often watched three episodes in one night on the DVD sets. Alas, I couldn't wait for Season 3's release on DVD, so it was one episode of Dexter, one week at a time for Season 3.

So certainly one of the good things about Dexter on DVD is that you don't need to wait 12 weeks to see a season from start to finish. But certainly the best thing about the series is how well done it is.

Dexter (played by Michael C. Hall of HBO's Six Feet Under fame) is a blood spatter analyst with Miami Homicide. It's his job to help solve murders, and he also happens to moonlight as a serial killer....Just a side note that last part.

The acting in the show is terrific, and the thrills and twists are plentiful. Combine the nature of Dexter's professional life with his favorite pass-time, and you can bet your carotid artery that there's plenty of blood in the show too. But rest assured that the show isn't just about killing. Relationships, family, the inner working of a homicide squad...all of this "stuff" is also packed neatly into the Dexter series and makes the show one of the best on TV that I've seen in a long long time.

The major plot involving guest star Jimmy Smits in Season 3 is a bit more of a stretch of reality than were Season's 1 & 2. But the acting, dialogue and well-written story flow kept the show right up there at the top of my list of TV's finest.

Add this bloody-good show to your cart. I'd strongly urge newcomers to start from Season 1. I dare you to just try watching Season 1 and then not go for Seasons 2 and 3; I simply don't believe that anyone could possibly do that.

Dexter is, hands down, the most brilliantly written television series I have ever watched. The pacing is downright perfection, the story telling and weaving is an absolute powerhouse of entertainment. Plus, the dialogue is nothing short of utterly amazing.

The cast is something that award shows lust for. Michael C. Hall was always brilliant on Six Feet Under - The Complete Series Gift Set. Since episode one he has proven that he can make a totally different character (than the interally conflicted gay brother who owns a funeral home w/his family.) He truly is an actor in the caliber of DeNiro or Nicholson, in my opinion.

The rest of the cast is amazing too. Jennifer Carpenter Quarantine (+ BD Live) [Blu-ray] is often called the weak link (by my wife and almost every woman I know for some reason,) however I disagree, she's just as brilliant in her internal conflicts than everyone else. She's often the conscience in Dexter's mind when there is none otherwise. That's not to say Dexter doesn't have morals, but there are certain things that his sister points out which seems like a light bulb goes off in the Dexter's head.

Jimmy Smits in any TV show seems to improve it by a factor of three. This series didn't need it so much, but he's a very welcome addition. In fact, I compared the 'Donut Shop Scene' in this season to the DeNiro/Pacino coffee shop scene in Heat (Two-Disc Special Edition).

This season is full of twists and turns which come like an 18 wheeler truck from out of nowhere. They blindside you like any great mystery and story does. Constantly brilliant is an understatement when it comes to Dexter and his way of thinking and the problems he faces.

From episode one, the story arc is a white-knuckle thrill ride which grabs you from the get-go.

The only issue which could be seen as a fault to anyone who hasn't seen the last two seasons, is that you MUST watch the first 24 episodes. Without knowing the history of Dexter, you are completely lost. This is certainly not a series you can jump into just because it 'looks okay.'

Five stars for sure, wonderful in every way.

... which is great. Season 1 and 2 were 24 of the very best hours on television ever, no doubt about that.

But the third season is different. The story in itself is clever, well done and actually everything you could ask for after the mindblowing revelations in season 1, and the chilling struggle between Dexter & Doakes in season 2.

But then there is the pacing: whereas the first 2 seasons gained momentum throughout the first two, maybe three episodes and then kicked it up a notch by burying the viewer in an avalanche of great acting, suspense and brutal horror, season 3 doesn't really start until episode 5 or so. Read: most of ep 1-5 drag without anything stunning happening.

On the other hand, the 3 final episodes are crammed full of action and lightspeed storytelling. The season's two plot strands exist side by side and don't really connect until the very end, which makes for an awkward
story-telling.

The end itself feels rushed and strangely anemic, the tie-up feels a bit forced a doesn't deliver the satisfaction of the previous season finals.

It's great to see Dexter acting out of character, but certain moments conjure up scenarios usually to be found in daytime soap operas. The seasons comes across a bit too cheesy at times (in my opinion).

Also, the season suffered from a lack of David Zayas and could have used some more James Remar, but that's just me.

Still, Dexter is an outstanding drama series:
Michael C. Hall's acting is flawless, and guest star Jimmi Smits is perfect as the emotional, short-tempered counterpart to deadhearted, calculating Dexter.

Good season, yes ... but season 1 & 2 were absolutely brilliant, so ... 3 is somewhat of a letdown (but still a great show)

I hope for a better 4th season

For two seasons, serial killer protagonist Dexter outwitted and outmaneuvered his way through any obstacle, preventing him from quenching his ingrained bloodlust. Numerous flashbacks told the story of how Dexter's cravings came alive, as well as his unique brand of vigilantism: capturing and slaying other murderers. Predictably, having such a dangerous double life forces Dexter to lie about his entire life, despite his difficulties in masking his lack of emotions and oddball behavior towards loved ones (which includes sister Deb and girlfriend Rita).

Season one nicely established that foundation, and season two expanded the concept to lofty highs. The possibilities for season three seemed endless, and I couldn't wait to see where Dexter would go next. Instead, it shows that Dexter's novel premise might be just that: a novelty.

Season three's premise follows yet another chain of events that spurred from Dexter's late night executions. This time, it involves the death of a district attorney's younger brother, who Dexter stabbed by accident. The morning after, Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits), the aforementioned DA, heads over to Miami PD to be more deeply involved in the investigation, and winds up befriending Dexter because of their likeminded interests.

Admittedly, the initial plot promises the same thrills Dexter is known for, and even introduces another prolific serial killer called the Skinner some episodes later. Alas, what follows feels all too pedestrian, and it reduces Dexter into the lesser realms of procedural crime dramas.

Much of that can be attributed to Dexter's more normalized problems. Without spoiling a small surprise by the first episode's end, it forces Dexter to re-evaluate his relationship with Rita. Problem is, compared to Dexter's previous stressors with the Ice Truck Killer and Bay Harbor Butcher cases, his recent problems aren't nearly as compelling.

Another issue is the lack of continuity between seasons two and three. Besides a brief callout of the Bay Harbor Butcher case, there isn't much of a connecting thread bridging the previous episodes. The new characters in Miami PD, while okay, don't inject much new spark in the already established cast. Doakes's obvious exclusion also leaves a void. His antagonistic attitude towards Dexter always crackled tension, and in season two, their combative chemistry really soared into something special. Deb, a one-note character who blossomed in season two, gets stuck romantically with an assigned PI. I know Deb's lack of fatherly attention makes her insecure when she has no boyfriend, but surely, after surviving the Ice Truck Killer, she should stand more on her own. Batista and Masuka also get sent down several sideplots of personal affirmation and potential love interests, which all feel more contrived than convincing.

Even the Skinner case never elevates past a sideshow distraction. While the killer sounds terrifying from witnesses, the writers never properly develop his character, so he's as unmemorable as the case itself.

What does work is Dexter's relationship with Miguel, and it's the only thing levitating season three past mediocrity. Although some fans accuse Miguel of being Lila 2.0, that only serves to undermine the former character, and his intriguing connection to Dexter. Yet even with Smits and Hall playing off their respective characters wonderfully and their relationship spurring the moral complexity Dexter is known for, their situation feels startlingly predetermined since episode two. Only twice did the writers throw genuine surprises, but swift, under whelming resolutions stifle them. When the season finishes, it leaves you yearning for more.

So what went wrong? It's hard to fault the core writing. The dialogue is as sharp as ever, and the dark humor that keeps Dexter from feeling overly grim is still intact. However, the writers' tendency to neatly wrap up every single plot thread by the end of each season is beginning to hinder the show. Each season also follows a pattern of attachment Dexter has towards a key character, and while the characters' personalities' are varied, their journeys don't deviate enough. While it's understandable to resist completely serialized storytelling in this era of TV shows facing instant cancellation, it prevents Dexter from growing and nurturing. Season two did this well, but season three does not do it enough.

What season two also did wonderfully is keep viewers on their toes. The Bay Harbor Butcher case took Dexter into a wild direction, and even though the twists were random, they were always logical and exciting. Even Dexter wasn't the same confident killer as before. He was ambivalent and struggled to stay a step ahead of the FBI, who tried to oust him. Seeing Dexter in constant weakness and losing control made for fascinating TV, but now, he resolves most of his problems with the intimacy of compiling an Excel spreadsheet. Befriending Miguel did not challenge Dexter like I hoped, and that hurt the season's unpredictability factor.

Without fresh ideas keeping the show alive, future seasons of Dexter won't sustain the show beyond gimmicks that go nowhere. Fortunately, there are enough lingering plot threads that could open up new avenues of creativity, and get past the languid spell that bogged down season three. Otherwise, Dexter might end in a whimper, and that's the worst that could happen to a once promising series.

Lastly, for those of you who already watched season three, unless you really want to re-watch it, I wouldn't buy the DVD set. Based off my experience with the previous Dexter sets and advanced reviews of this one, the extras are barebones at best, and you can search for the Dexter interviews on the internet anyway. The only justification for the skimp extras is the smaller price, compared to other TV shows on DVD. This will please those who don't care about additional content, but if you do, don't waste your money.

Ahh Dexter... everyone's guilty secret where they're cheering for the serial killer.

Season one of Dexter was a supersonic bullet fired from a sniper rifle - you never saw it coming and by the time you heard the sound, you were probably already dead. If you were like me and only became aware of Dexter at the start of season two, you probably watched all of season one in a single sitting because there was no way you were going to sleep before finding out what happened next!

Season two slowed things down a little bit in order to develop other characters. Lila was a waste of space, but she was a good utility character used to wrap up all the loose ends in season two. A great season, but it didn't hold a candle to season one.

Season three comes along and all of a sudden we're wondering about Daddy Dexter - maybe even Mr. and Mrs. Dexter?

For Dexter fans, season three is a great culmination of what's been brewing in season one and season two. You really start to see Dexter develop as a person rather than a mindless killing machine who's barely in control of his "Dark Passenger". Where control was always a central focus in the previous seasons, manipulation becomes the theme in season three as Dexter finds out the hard way that sometimes he's the puppet not the puppet master as when he tangles with Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits).

Season three also starts throwing conundrums to the fans about Dexter's character. You learn in episode one that Dexter's about to be a daddy and throughout the season you see Dexter trying to figure out if he can raise a child that doesn't turn out to be just like himself. You also see Dexter suddenly having to tackle emotions like mercy and even odder, having to deal with the ins and outs of friendship. While part of you cheers for Dexter Morgan growing as a person, becoming more and more socially adjusted - hoping that he'll make a great dad; another part of you really wants him to leave Rita, stay alone in his apartment, and return back to the simpler days of season one.

All in all, Dexter is still one of the best shows on television and season three is no exception. Bring on season four!

I finally took advantage of getting what I pay for with my cable company. Prior to Season 3 of Dexter, I watched the first two seasons on DVD (Season One & Season Two). I used to send all this money to my cable company for subscribing to Showtime, and Dexter was never part of my regular TV viewing until 2008. Color me stupid. What was I missing out on?...Only the absolute best show on TV.

How good is it? Let's put it this way...I'm actually glad that I hadn't seen this until DVD, because my wife and I were able to watch the first two seasons in weeks versus like 3 months PER regular season on Showtime. We often watched three episodes in one night on the DVD sets. Alas, I couldn't wait for Season 3's release on DVD, so it was one episode of Dexter, one week at a time for Season 3.

So certainly one of the good things about Dexter on DVD is that you don't need to wait 12 weeks to see a season from start to finish. But certainly the best thing about the series is how well done it is.

Dexter (played by Michael C. Hall of HBO's Six Feet Under fame) is a blood spatter analyst with Miami Homicide. It's his job to help solve murders, and he also happens to moonlight as a serial killer....Just a side note that last part.

The acting in the show is terrific, and the thrills and twists are plentiful. Combine the nature of Dexter's professional life with his favorite pass-time, and you can bet your carotid artery that there's plenty of blood in the show too. But rest assured that the show isn't just about killing. Relationships, family, the inner working of a homicide squad...all of this "stuff" is also packed neatly into the Dexter series and makes the show one of the best on TV that I've seen in a long long time.

The major plot involving guest star Jimmy Smits in Season 3 is a bit more of a stretch of reality than were Season's 1 & 2. But the acting, dialogue and well-written story flow kept the show right up there at the top of my list of TV's finest.

Add this bloody-good show to your cart. I'd strongly urge newcomers to start from Season 1. I dare you to just try watching Season 1 and then not go for Seasons 2 and 3; I simply don't believe that anyone could possibly do that.

Dexter was a plesant little surprise for me when it debuted on Showtime a few years ago, and it doesn't slow down one bit in its third season. Season three of Dexter kicks off with our serial killer protagonist (Michael C. Hall) doing what he does while still questioning the code bestowed on him by his late foster father Harry (James Remar). It isn't long before Rita (Julie Benz) has some surprising news for Dex, and the surprises keep coming with the arrival of Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits), an ADA who forms an unlikely friendship with Dex, and has some secrets of his own to boot. What makes Dexter so good in the first place is that we never quite know which direction the series will take, and there's enough genuine surprises and great moments to continue to help make the series the best show on premium cable TV today. Hall remains simply magnetic in the title role, while there's still great supporting work from Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, and Lauren Valez as Dex's co-workers, whom are still unaware of his extracurricular activities. The season ends on a note that I wasn't too fond of at first, but it's fitting in the darkly quirky way that the show has been since day one, and really sets up some possible bigger developments to come in the future. All in all, if you've never seen Dexter before, you have been quite sadly missing out, and you should give it a chance at the very least on DVD.

I've never been the one to get into "addictive" TV shows like 24 and Lost, but I got thrown into the Dexter craze ever since I watched season 1 on DVD. The first two seasons were great, and I was waiting for Dexter to team up with someone, which finally is the case in the 3rd season.

It was a great season with a lot of suspense built up all the way until the final episode of the season, but then it feels extremely rushed. The climax of the story (which I won't spoil for those who haven't seen it) that took 11 episodes to build to is resolved in a matter of two minutes. Frankly it was pretty disappointing. Don't get me wrong, I am a Dexter fanatic and I can't wait to watch season 4 when it comes out, but the writers should have relished the suspense a little longer. Perhaps less Rita love story and more edge-of-your-seat action would have been better.

I would have loved to give 5 stars to the third season of Dexter, but the finale was really poorly written, so I have to give it 4 stars. Despite the episode #12 flop, it's still worth it to see the whole 3rd season. I can't wait for season 4!

Disc 1 Size: 42.0 GB
Disc 2 Size: 42.6 GB
Disc 3 Size: 40.3 GB
Region: A

Disc 1 Episode List:
01. Our Father
02. Finding Freebo
03. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
04. All In The Family

Disc 2 Episode List:
05. Turning Biminese
06. Si Se Puede
07. Easy As Pie
08. The Damage A Man Can Do

Disc 3 Episode List:
09. About Last Night
10. Go Your Own Way
11. I Had A Dream
12. Do You Take Dexter Morgan?

Video
All 12 episodes of Dexter come to Blu-ray with 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 video presentations, and look just as great as Season 1 and Season 2 did. Unlike many recent television releases, Dexter truly shines in high-definition. The show's sunny and colorful environment brings some of the most vibrant colors and fantastic detail on a television release. Black levels held up quite well, aside from a few darker-lit scenes. Like previous seasons, there is a healthy amount of grain present at times, but is not really intrusive to the experience. Fans of the show must pick up the Blu-ray release. 9/10.

Audio
A 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio track is included, sounding very very nice. The show's music is once again a beautiful thing to experience at the beginning of every episode, with such a dynamic and aggressive music mix, each instrument and sound clear as can be. Dialogue was always clear and easy to understand, and the mix did a great job at creating environment for the show. The track doesn't always call for a lively mix, but when it fits, it's used well. 8/10.

Extras

BD-Live
The features currently do not work for me, but the following are definitely included:
Dexter By Design - Book Excerpts
First two episodes of United States Of Tara, Season 1
First two episodes of The Tudors, Season 3
Interviews with Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez & David Zayas

Blu-news Summary
Dexter is definitely one of my big television loves, the show is dark and humorous, and will have you wanting to watch episode after episode until you realize what time it is. The show is completely unique, and anyone who gives the show a chance will love it.

Dexter: The Third Season brings some great new characters to the show, some lasting longer than others. This Season also features quite a bit of changes in the office for all the characters we have all come to love, from Batista to Deb. But those changes are nothing compared to what Dexter has to face this season, including some good and bad surprises. The season is a bit less exciting than the second season was, but definitely better than the first season.

The Blu-ray release is fantastic, featuring top notch video and a good audio mix. Extras are a tad disappointing as they are exclusive to BD-Live, but I believe the DVD doesn't include anything at all without a computer. Despite a few annoyances, this season is still fantastic compared to most shows on TV, and deserves to be 'Highly Recommended.'