SPOILER WARNING!!
This third season is similar to the second one in terms of themes. The guest star of the season is Jimmy Smits, who plays Miguel, the assistant DA. They meet and by chance Miguel slowly starts to know the real Dexter. But he’s not repulsed, on the contrary he offers his friendship and help in killing criminal who get away from the justice system.
I really liked Miguel, he really seemed to be the first true friend that Dexter could have, both in the killing and with Rita. It couldn’t have fit better. But as with Lila, Miguel turned out to be someone else, gradually. At first he just seemed like a loose cannon that would get himself (and Dexter) caught. But he turned out to be even worse, only using Dexter and never being a true friend.
Dexter had always followed Harry’s code, but in this season he started to doubt that code, hence allowing Miguel to get closer to him. But once Miguel went against the code, it was clear that Harry’s code was still valid. Killing Ellen Wolf was really the wrong thing to do, even Dexter knew it.
Since there doesn’t seem to be much left about Dexter’s past, we don’t get flashbacks anymore. Instead Dexter imagines talking to Harry, which is not as interesting as the flashbacks, but at least Harry is still part of the show, which is a good thing.
In his personal life, there are also huge changes. Rita is pregnant, and after stumbling like a totally clueless alien, he proposes and gets married with Rita. I think he does love Rita and the kids, and Debra, but in his own way. He cares about them and is protective of them, but he just lacks the tools (IE: feelings) to deal with them. When Debra needs some advice or comfort, Dexter just sighs and says “I got nothing…”.
Other story lines that converge, are Debra having a relationship with Anton. The new detective Quinn and his dark past. And the season’s bad guy, the Skinner, who’s actually not central to Dexter’s story until the end.
This season felt a little lighter, much less dark than previous ones. Part of it is that Rita is pregnant and they’re getting married, part of it is that I never felt Miguel was a big threat for Dexter. The Skinner was never after Dexter until the very end. And it also ended very neatly, all the bad guys were dead and none of the good guys died. I still loved it, but it seemed to have lost part of its edge.
Season Rating: 4 Stars