Dexter: Resurrection Season 1 Finale Review: And Justice For All…

After a very well-rounded, well-received first season, Dexter: Resurrection Season 1 Episode 10, “And Justice For All…,” does a fantastic job of wrapping up loose ends while leaving just enough open for more.

The performances by Jack Alcott and Michael C. Hall alone carry this episode from start to finish. Plus, we can’t discredit the star power that is Peter Dinklage who gives Prater one heck of a last hurrah, all things considered.

Not only that, this episode brings everything to a satisfying conclusion despite a few missteps along the way and gives Dexter the emotional growth this character has needed for some time now.

Dexter’s Dad Instincts Take Over

One thing that has been hinted at since Dexter: New Blood is the amount of care and love Dexter carries for his son. This is a character who since the beginning has been very candid about his inability to understand typical human behaviors and emotions.

However, when Harrison came to find him in Iron Lake, New York, Dexter started a journey toward being an actual father with all the human behaviors that go along with it. He’s definitely struggled, especially during the run of Dexter: Resurrection.

That said, over the course of the season, Dexter has warmed up to the concepts of protecting his son and going to bat for him while also just being there with sage advice. All this is due in large part to the vision of his own father just over his shoulder every time he turned around.

So much so that by the time we get to Dexter: Resurrection Season 1 Episode 10, “And Justice For All…,” Dexter is reflecting on his time with his son and realizing he loves him. In his own way he even tries to say that to Harrison just before they separate in the vault.

He might’ve said, “I’m really glad you didn’t kill me,” but we all know that means “I love you,” in Dexter speak. Then, we see Dexter and Harrison work together to take down Prater once and for all.

But not before Dexter offers himself up on a silver platter for Prater to kill. That level of sacrifice is something that Dexter has only built in the last few years or so. It’s something Harrison had to awaken in him.

The Downfall of Leon Prater

At the end of the day, Leon Prater flew too close to the sun. He wanted to finance serial killers because it was a mindset that fascinated him, but failed to consider the consequences of such actions.

After all, you get in bed with murderers you never know which day will be your last. It was clear from Dexter: Resurrection Season 1 Episode 9, “Touched By An Ángel,” that Prater’s glee at having the Bay Harbor Butcher in his grasp wasn’t going to end well for him.

Dexter might be a serial killer but he has a strict code and he doesn’t look to favorably on people who kill for sport. And while Leon Prater didn’t necessarily pull the trigger, until Batista, he was encouraging and financing those who do. 

That’s something that interested me about Prater from the start. For someone who is so keen on serial killers, their psyche, and their killing nature, Prater really was blind to the danger of it all.

Not only that, he fails to see the motivation behind each individual serial killer’s urges. Therefore, when he is tied to Dexter’s table and begging Dexter to spare him by offering him money, it comes as no surprise that Dexter scoffs at him.

Leon Prater might think the Bay Harbor Butcher is a prize possession, but he failed to see that Dexter has survived this long because he has a code that he sticks to and he rarely gets sloppy enough to get caught.

Most of all, Dexter isn’t motivated by outside forces such as fancy men with an indiscriminate amount of money.

This alone is what makes Prater’s death that much more satisfying. For the first time ever, Dexter has someone who fits his code but is a third party observer instead of a bona fide killer, Batista aside.

Detective Claudette Remains an Open Issue

There are two things that hung over the Dexter narrative this whole season: Harrison’s involvement in Ryan Foster’s murder and the New York Ripper. This has made the character of Detective Claudette a fun foil for Dexter’s actions.

Unfortunately, if we were looking for a solid closure for either of these parts of the plot, Dexter: Resurrection doesn’t give it, yet. We do see Claudette staring at one of Prater’s files as if she recognizes the name.

However, there is no definitive answer to who that person is and whether or not that has been one of her suspects in the Ripper case this whole time. As for the Harrison parts, that isn’t concluded, but my guess is Ryan’s case will go to the wayside while Detective Claudette focuses on the New York Ripper.

That is if we get another season, things aren’t entirely clear on that yet.

Now that Dexter has alerted the entire NYPD to Prater’s serial killer vault, they’ll have their hands full with that and locating Prater. Once again, it feels like Dexter is back in business and making fools out of the police — which is something we all love most about him.

Whatever, is in store for Detective Claudette moving forward we now know that if her song is playing at a party she will abandon her attempts to leave and instead head straight for the dance floor. It’s nice to know she does know how to decompress and loosen up from time to time.

Stray Thoughts:

• Dexter grabbing his slides from Prater’s vault before escaping is peak Dexter. 
• Him also telling Prater that he won’t be taking a blood sample because he doesn’t want to remember him is ICONIC!
• Ending the episode with Dexter on a boat, dumping a body, and reflecting on his purpose is very in line with the original series.
• The emotional response Dexter has to Batista’s dead body, seeing his brother Brian, and mentioning how much he misses Deb is proof positive that Dexter does have a heart, even if he thought he didn’t for most of his life.
• Never thought I’d love hearing Harry Morgan’s spirit say, “Go get the fucker” but here we are.
• The unexpected drugging from Harrison during the Prater confrontation was the kind of twist we deserved.
• Charley’s whole plot during this episode further proves that she was never really a major player to begin with. Her ending is whatever because her whole arc has been kind of meh.

 

---

What did you think of this episode of Dexter: Resurrection? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

Critic Rating:

Audience Rating:

 

Dexter: Resurrection streams Fridays on Paramount+ Premium and airs Sundays at 8/7c on Showtime.

Check out our latest TV recommendations, updated weekly!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!