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Holy Crap! Dexter Vs. John Lithgow!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. I love me some Dexter. Last season felt a bit... off... not bad, just off, but the just announced big baddie of Season 4 has me smiling ear to ear.
John Lithgow will be playing the newest serial killer in Miami, a character named Walter Simmons who has evaded the FBI for over three decades. He's known as the Trinity Killer because his pattern is to kill in threes.
If you've only seen Lithgow's comedy work this seems like a strange bit of casting, but if you're as big a fan of De Palma's BLOW OUT as I am you know how fucking awesome it is to see Lithgow embrace the darkness again. You've also got RAISING CAIN and, bear with me, SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE. I know that one isn't really supposed to be a horror movie, but his cackling greedy Toy Company exec in that movie scared the bejesus out of me as a kid. Who puts broken glass in a doll if not someone terribly unstable?
What do you guys think of this addition to the series? I'm over the moon, personally. The Showtime original series premieres on September 27th.
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. I always wondered what that whacked out mofo was doing on 3rd Rock From the Sun...
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he's kinda villainy in that too
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You don't run down a list of John Lithgow's villainous outings without a namecheck of Cliffhanger in which he plays a hilariously OTT British psychopath, nor Russell Mulcahy's Ricochet. If he brings half the crazy he brought to both of those roles, this is going to be the best Dexter season yet; each Dexter season has only been as good as its antagonist. Dexter's brother = brilliant. Lila = brilliant. Jimmy Smits = ehh. Lithgow = GENIUS.
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Plus an AWESOME score by Silvestri
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i can barely remember what happaned. the show doesnt need stunt casting it needs to get back to it's basics
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Yep, I don't know how he missed referencing Cliffhanger and Ricochet. Not to mention his parody of a bad guy in the SHREKS. (I thought this was sposda be some kinda film geek site?) In fact, I associate Lithgow more with his scenery-chewing baddies than his comedic or straight stuff. I wonder if he'll tone it down to fit in with the DEXTER aesthetic.
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Fucking awesome movie. I've always got time for it when I catch it on television over Christmas.
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Also, loved Jimmy Smits in his role.
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I hope before every kill Lithgow says "Sealed with a curse as sharp as a knife. Doomed is your soul and damned is your life."
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The ending was off but the ending is always off in Dexter. All three seasons have stretched credibility towards the end. But the stuff between Dexter and Jimmy Smits was good. Dexter got a friend and they made it believable. I like the fact that they never go the obvious route. Each new season has given Dexter new stuff to do and the writers always manage to pull it off.
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was that the guy from LA Law really weirds me out.
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I don't know you - but anyone who can quote Buckaroo Banzai is a-ok in my book.
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solid american show, which is something you can't say about 75% of the shit on american tv today. f' reality tv.
sept needs to get here quick! -
Probably his best villainous character
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Sorry, couldn't help it.
I'm excited about this. -
to be fair, though, i went into it thinking the casting of jimmy smits would make it even better than the really great second season and nearly as great first season. so i wouldn't put much stock into the casting of the main antagonist, even someone as awesome as lithgow. i've read elsewhere that keith carradine will be back as lundy, which is very good news.
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The Supporting actors acting is subpar. His sister is the worst one of the bunch.
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May I pass along my congratulations for your great interdimensional breakthrough. I'm sure, in the miserable annals of the Earth, you will be duly inscribed.
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Dexter is one of the best shows going right now, I've liked all the seasons and they keep it interesting.
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I loved seasons 1 and 2. Season 3 was more than off - it was unfocused, like they weren't really sure what they wanted to do. I never really got engaged like I did in past seasons. I also don't like the direction they went with Dexter and Darla. She was just supposed to be his beard so that he appeared more normal - it wasn't supposed to end up in marriage. Darla was supposed to be screwed up from her past marriage which would have made her the ideal pretend girlfriend but she ended up being quite normal.
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Oh yeah, Hercules has never watched Dexter despite everyone telling him how good it is.
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BLOW OUT is amazing. That weapon on his wrist? And RAISING CAIN is actually very stylish spoof on all things De Palma.
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I am completely sold. The three things Lithgow does best is whacky comedy, scene-chewing villains, and dressing as a woman (The Wold According to Garp and Raising Cain).
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That's what was fucking missing from the season and made it not as good..FUCK YOU MORGAN!!
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best news ever, and season 3 was great!
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i had the same problem with the last season of the shield. in both cases i gave up after a few eps and found out what happened through wikipedia. dexter's just really boring now, he keeps going on about how different he is to those around him and how he has no real emotions but hes got a girlfriend and grins like a monkey at every opportunity. boring. how many did he kill in season 3 anyway, two?
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for not saying "Buckaroo Banzai."
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What are you guys talking about?! Season 3 was spot-on and delivered. Smits was pretty damn good too. The cool thing about Season 3 was it was a storyline that is usually used towards the end of a show's life. Instead they threw it at us in Season 3 which leads to huge expectations for Season 4 which is off to a kick-ass start w/ this casting.
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...then I hope it gets cancelled immediately. Season 1 was great, season 2 was even better... season 3 was a pile of crap "family show" about a babydaddy and his discovery of suppressed feelings. Probably written by the likes of those women who think that Richard Ramirez is a sad misunderstood soul who can be changed with some love.
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May 27, 2009 4:24:16 PM CDT
"Jesus Fuck Morgan! You're the Bay Harbor Butcher!"
by david cloverfield
Doakes was missing from season 3. Only one guy sensing something is "off" about Dexter. Debrah or the wife needs to start connecting the dots to make it exciting again. Or just let the world realize that the Bay Harbor Butcher may still be alive. Dexter is too normal, too safe by the end of season three. He works best, when he is a cornered, rabid dog under the calm exterior.
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I mean how many serial killers can this guy run into in a lifetime!
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Yes creepy and his nod to the character in 3rd Rock was excellent.
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he really was.
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Classic.
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May 27, 2009 4:29:22 PM CDT
David Cloverfield, Strayed too far from children book plot
by evilwizardglick
The books, even though the last was not up tp par, have a much better direction. Dexter is raising the next generation. He becomes Harry. But a Harry possibly more ruthless.
Well he will become Harry. His feet are on the path. -
"Good."
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Its Big Boo-tay! TAY!!!!!!!!!!
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history is-a made at night.character is-a what you are in-a the dark!
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LOVE Dexter...and Lithgow should be an exciting addition....
Now if they could only get Kate Gosselin on Dexter's table! --G -
As are seasons 1 and 2. Some people are just idiots.
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Makes it a tad strange to watch.
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when 24 and Lost are buried, one of the few last reasons to have a TV...... And yes, Herc is a douche bag. But I think everybody knows that by now. I hold him personal accountable for the renewal of the "Dullhouse" and the death of SCTTC...
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One of the most batshit insane films ever made. Where else could you see a rocket car drving, brain surgeon/ rockstar and Christopher Lloyd as an alien called Mr Bigbooty. Sorry, thats Mr Big-Bootaye!!
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How the hell hard is it to post a link to the original source of this story? I mean, I know it's being reported now by all the entertainment sites and the Ausiello is a pretentious asshole, but come on.
Here's the original link:
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/05/dexter-exclusiv.html -
is one of the finest actors on earth. Again Bulls eye. Kudos to the Dexter production Team
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Lithgow's casting is great news for Dexter fans. And as for last season, I thought it was BRILLIANT. Smits helped take that show to places it never knew. He deserves an Emmy. The show grew with him in the cast. Dexter rocks!
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May 27, 2009 5:05:58 PM CDT
You're having a motherfucking roley poley chubby cheeked shit ma
by xile1c
i fear for what lies ahead for this show with a kid involved in it...that premise destroyed a lot of shows.
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I thought season 2 was the one that was off. Smits was fantastic.
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Season 3 was my favorite. The way you had to keep guessing who was playing whom. Smits should definitely win the best supporting actor Emmy. A beautiful, subtly-nuanced performance. I've been waiting to hear who the new guest star would be, honestly never thought of Lithgow once, but the choice is brilliant. Once again, two strong actors playing off each other, for twelve episodes.
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Just... crap. Lila was an appallingly pointless and unbelievable character. Plus killing Doakes was stupid. Season 3 went a long way to getting Dexter pointed in the right direction again. John Lithgow sounds like very clever casting indeed.
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Keith Carradine is coming back in Season 4 for "multiple episodes", reprising his role as an FBI agent investigating serial killers.
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I miss Doakes. It takes real talent to use the word fuck as he does and with as many variations.
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Not only Blow Out, but I remember him as the oily villian in Obsession. Maybe my most recent memory of him is his work on Third Rock, where he could mug with the best of them.
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but found his role and his acting last season to be a real eye opener, so maybe it has something to do with the Dexter scripts.
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The prison sword fight with Ventura, classic.
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Dexter has never really had a good enough enemy, Jimmy Smits kind of fizzled out and the obsessed girl and Doaks were really no match, hope Lithgow is a total maniac
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I hope this season has lots & lots of blood.
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I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks Jennifer Carpenter (the chick who plays Debra) is a HORRIBLE actress. Her delivery makes me laugh almost every time. I got so excited at the end of season one, but then of course the writers didn't have the balls to kill her character off. *sigh* The news about John Lithgow is very exciting. I cant wait to see how he interacts with Dexter. September cant get here fast enough!!
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Period.And Lithgow was the shit in the Manhattan Project,well not really but I love that flick.
Great casting choice for season 4. -
I got the information from a press release, not another site. Good on them if they scooped the PR people, but the first I heard of it was from a widely sent press release. And I'm not Herc. He's much cuter than me.
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What I loved about Season 2 was that you basically knew what the plot was at the end of the first episode...Dexter's being hunted for his killings.It took too long to figure out what Season 3 was driving at.And I HATED the fake-out of Dexter being kidnapped, only to find out that it was for his bachelor party.Lithgow should be interesting, though.
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I thought 2 and 3 sort of dragged their feet half way through. But 3 definitely nailed the darker humour.
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If you wanted a stone cold killer Dexter is not your show. He never was evil or without remorse. They never went far enough in any of the seasons, but developed the character better in the third.
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It just did. Dexter rarely even killed anyone, and when he did it was an "accident". It was watered down to the point they probably could have aired it alongside some CSI show on CBS.
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Dexter was so much more creepy, not able to have normal relationships, the body parts wrapped up like meat at a butcher shop, the great villain...who Dexter admires - unhinged creepiness which explored new territory for TV.
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I stopped watching...I'll finish it eventually. Hopefully s4 get back on track. Dex has been too normal lately...he needs to struggle with his "Dark Passenger" again.
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in the fact that it told a full complete story, that set the rules and the stage for the seasons to follow.
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will not hold referencing SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE against you. CAIN is possibly the craziest movie I've ever seen that didn't at some point accidentally spill over into "entertaining."
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and I'd love dexter to get back to where it was in the second season. Man was that awesome.
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who is way tired of Dexter having to have these serial killing nemeses? As kurdt420 mentioned above - how many serial killers is this guy gonna bump into? Why can't we just have a season of him trying to pass himself off as a normal guy while still needing to kill people? I, for one, would prefer it if Dexter were the scariest and most amoral character on the show, not one of a pair, or one of what, I guess, is now a foursome.
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you might want to peruse the dessert menu brother...cause you just got SERVED!!!
(I also considered a notice of summons reference, but I'm too tired to think it all the way through) -
Dexter is poorly written and, aside from Michael C Hall, poorly acted. The first season was enjoyable (although it felt a bit too written near the end) but the second and third seasons have been awful.
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'Where's that, doc, New Jersey?' 'No, planeta ten'.
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May 27, 2009 8:13:34 PM CDT
the people who dig seas 3 are the same shmucks that dig T4
by future help
both terrible. both pissed me off had bad things have come in those to franchises.
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Smits does an amazing job on his character, but the season overall ends up being all buildup and no payoff. Smits gets killed off, what, like 2 episodes before the finale? Pretty fuckin easily too. And then after all that nonsense with the skinner, after all the fakeouts and shit, Dex just wriggles out of his ropes and kicks his ass in the space of like 5 minutes. Pretty eh.
I also felt like the season ultimately never really decided who Migeul really was. Does he actually care about Dex or not? Maybe the point is ambiguity, but to me the character is too developed to just kill off with no real explaination whatsoever about what his real motives were. Did he just use Dex to figure out how to kill people effectively? Did he need an enabler to let himself really go over the edge? Or, did he genuinely care about Dex all along, even if they disagreed on a key issue? Anyway, still a much better characterization that stupid naked Lila from season 2. -
I don't know what the rest of you were talking about. Lila in S2 was simply one of the worst characters in recent TV memory; she was annoying and stupid. She was more of a plot point than an actual character, just a way of forcing Dexter out of his comfort zone and putting him at odds with the Police Department.
In general, Jimmy Smits in S3 was much more fascinating--because he was an actual character that had a development arc, where he went from charismatic asshole to outright psychotic. And then they played this whole arc off of Dexter's continuing development as a human being, trying to find a friend despite the prevalence of his ever-present Dark Passenger.
How could you not dig that? The whole thing is far more fascinating than the drivel that Lila offered in S2. -
Lithgow should be amazing perhaps he will kill Dexter.
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But I still liked it. I like Dexter being more like a normal person, but he still has to feel like the same character in some ways. Also, I liked Lila better than Prado, but Miguel was still a cool character. Also? I loved his storyline in S2, even the ending, but I still miss Stoakes. Dexter needs an ongoing rival of some kind, not just rotating antagonists. You can have both.
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bad scripts.
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I still haven't seen it yet..
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and I wasn't nearly as impressed. Now that I've put my reading eyes back on (now with lazers) that does seem like awesome casting. I can't wait until season 3 of Dexter hits shelves so I can catch up.
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Was it a residual or active haunting?
Sorry, Ghost Hunters is on right now...
I love shows where something almost always might possibly could happen. -
while opinions of each season are varied, it's consistently good. So many shows are better as 13 episode runs. I think season 5 of House would have been better as a 13 ep run, or two 13 ep arcs like season 4 was (my fave season).
Dexter is good like that, and if you don't like it there's plenty of CSI and SVU and CI and WYSIWYG to go around. -
Baudelaire.
"Acting!"
"Brilliant!"
God, I love that man. Looks like I'll have to start watching Dexter just to see him. -
i cant to see him in dexter i loved
that scene in cliffhanger when he
shoots his girlfriend to prevent
that suck travers from killing him
and ricochet he was the ultimate
sociopath -
and Raising Cain then two seconds later read you saying the same thing. :) I'm behind on Dexter though, since I don't have the Showtime. I watch this stuff on DVD so as usual, I'll get around to it. Lithgow was kinda bad in the play I saw him in last year, All My Sons. I generally think of him as a bad guy. So this is typecasting, imo.
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You were Doctor Lizardo for christ sakes! Quit slumming you can't be that hard up for the cabbage.
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...retro mini-series of Lost in Space starring Tony Almeida and Michelle Dessler as the Robinsons, Alan Kalter as Robot, and John Lithgow as Dr.Smith. I love me some Lithgow.
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that was kind of the point of her character. And BTW, there was not another serial killer in season 2, Dexter's real friend/nemesis was the FBI Agent played by Keith Carradine.Season 3 was weak in comparison to season 1 and 2, but in comparison to most TV shows it was quite good. For me the problem was that I never really bought the buddy relationship between Miguel and Dexter. They are almost like two opposites. Now considering the fact that they were using each other for gain makes the relationship a little more believable, and as stated above Jimmy Smits was quite good in the role, but I just never bought the relationship.
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No better way to go.
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They were a perfect match. I wish they didn't get rid of Doakes though.
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Which is pretty dope.
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Never missed an episode, sure not starting now.
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Lithgow's a great choice and i'm glad to here Agent Lundy's back. Hope it never ends.
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That'd be great, but source please?
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Dex made a conscious decision to kill and change "the rules". Granted it was a kiddy fiddler but its the first step on that slippery slope to any old excuse
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My only complaint with S3 was that it ended anticlimactically.
As far as Lithgow goes, I'll just wait and see. I seem to remember him as a bit of an over actor in some bad guy roles. But since I'm not remembering anything specific I'll just assume I'm wrong. -
Considering what had gone before it. It took way too long for the storyline with Jimmy Smits to properly heat up.
I just hope Season 4 gets back on track. They are short seasons. They can't afford filler episodes. They need to remember that.
Oh, and keep staying away from the books. They have turned to utter shit. -
Lithgow's character could go after Dexter's police team and his girl... in 3s. Just kills them all off and then replace them with new people who can actually act. Silly that they got rid of Doakes when he was the only other one that had a little bit of acting ability (though, not all that much).
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He was also pretty great as a transgender in Garth
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We have had the little dream sequences with Dexter's dad for the past 3 seasons, what we need now is in-head or dream-sequence Doakes. Shit would be grand!
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what if the old Hannibal ends up in Miami. An old serial killer, who already lived the serial killer life and has the experience what Dexter is only about to have in the coming years. Not an evil lunatic, more like a mentor, an intelligent killer. Since Lithgow became like a poor man's Anthony Hopkins I think this is the closest they will get to fulfill my vision.
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Lithgow's casting is an interesting development. I agree with you about Lithgow in Santa Clause The Movie, he played a greedy bastard very effectively. Too bad they can't make good xmas movies like that anymore, sniff.
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Holy Crap indeed! Bring it on.
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why would u mention santa claus as an example when you have ricochet
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At times I sort of felt season 3 got into the melodrama a little much, but the stuff with Miguel was great. And I even felt for sleazy Masuka when he admitted his feelings had been hurt. I like the way Deb's character has developed over the three seasons too... She seems more confident than her first appearance. Wonder if she'll find out Dexter's connection to Rudy/Brian now that she's digging into her father's past. Oh, and the end of Lila was one of the most satisfying things I've seen on any television program.
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The worst part of S2 (aside from the entire Lila subplot), was the unnecessary death of Doakes. I have never seen an actor who could spout vituperous obscenities with such admirable flair.
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...I think the reason S3 feels "off" was because Dexter wasn't a serial killer in that season. He moved to far into "anti-hero" territory. S1 and S2 were all about Dexter the monster who is charming enough to like. He was Dexter the psychopathic serial killer. Those seasons had the cat and mouse type chess games (not to mix metaphors) as well. But S3 was all about the chess game, positioning, etc. ANd while that was arguably some of the best yet...there was practically ZERO of Dexter the serial killer/monster. I mean, other than the death that starts the ball rolling, does he have ANY victimes (aside from the obvious)? Oh...there was one guy he suffocated at the computer which wasn't even his usual MO. I think Dexter S4 needs to go back to being about Dexter the psychopath trying to fit in as a way of hiding. S3 felt too much like him wanting to fit in and be a normal person and it didn't quite go far enough to work. But I still think the Season overall was good...just the weakest yet.
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Never seen Dexter. But I'm pretty sure if they want the guy done with they should put Michael Westin on the case. Can't wait for Burn Notice next week.
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actually wouldn't be a bad idea either. He would make a great antagonist for Dex or maybe just a good once-off kill.
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OK, the side character's stories were kinda lame, and I still don't know how I feel about daddy Dexter, but everything with Jimmy Snits was outrageous. Loved that storyline more than any other the show has produced.
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I was just thinking about that the other day how he did a couple of movies and how good he was at being evil. I didn't see season 3 of Dexter yet but I'm glad most of you are saying it's an improvement of season 2.
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They know what they're doing. Furthermore, Odenkirk on Breaking Bad is doing incredible things. That being said, I do support this idea, and love Lithgow in De Palma. I adored Dexter's second season, but the third was far too predictable (although I did enjoy parts of it). Did anyone honestly not know how the Smits/Dexter storyline would turn out? It was incredibly obvious from the start!
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Is when the show started, the writers ONLY cared about Dexter. So you have this extraneous supporting cast that is dull as hell. As the seasons progressed, they wanted to use these characters, but the problem is, you CAN'T use them now, when they've been relatively abandoned for so long. Did anyone care about Angel getting promoted? Did anyone care about Masouka getting "professional"? It's too little too late, and it's just coming off as uneffective. I still love the show a lot, and enjoy it more than I dislike it, but this is a clear problem on it, and one that I see them having a hard time rectifying. This is why characters like Lila, and Smitts' and Carradine's pop so well because as soon as we meet them, they're interesting, rather than suddenly having them injected with character two years after we care. Dexter would be much better off to kill off the whole supporting cast (or have him move?) and rebuild. People are watching the show for Michael C. Hall anyway.
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The lost "3rd Rock From the Sun" episode! :)
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and if anyone dare say elsewise i want them to meet me at the monkey bars at 3.
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Lithgow is the man and i was wondering why Richochet wasn't mentioned. He is a psycho in that movie. Upstaged Denzel in my opinion, although Denzel wasn't an evil genius yet...
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Dick Solomon dixit.
Season 3 was great, fuck you haters. -
but he had to die. He was closing in on Dexter. It happened in the book, too (can't remember if he actually dies or ends up disabled). The only disappointment to me was how they killed him off. In the book, he was mutilated by another serial killer some professional drug cartel killer dude. Doakes had parts of his body cut off and his tongue was cut out. It would have been great. It reminded me of Audition, when the dude wakes up at the end to find the Girl cutting away at his feet.
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can't wait
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michael hogan and tricia helfer are in warehouse 13, as is mark sheppard.
damn, looks like I'm gonna have to give it a chance... -
This has been the first thing I've heard about this show that's caught my attention enough to consider watching. Hopefully it's a hell of a time.
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"Laugh-a while you can, monkey-boy. "
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May 29, 2009 12:02:36 PM CDT
John Lithgow? Are you sure your not thinking or Mr. Wizard?
by coyrhino
John Lithgows a genius.
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Sure he had a popular series and some funny bits but come on...this guy plays psychos all the time - I can think of five films where he was murderous and nuts. Good casting for Dexter but not shocking...Lithgow plays this part well.
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So was Mr. Wizard.
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First I have to completely agree with ArianeB. W/o getting into which season was better, S3 was WAY better than all the other shit on TV. Be thanksful for what we have. Smits was great - never was a big fan until now. The part on top of the cop house where Dexter tells him he has evidence, and Smits yells back: "I HAVE CITY FUCKING HALL!!!" Brilliant. Watch it again when it comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray.
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I enjoyed all three seasons so far. Dexter is one of the best shows on television right now. I can't wait for the new season to start.
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really
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Was pretty good compared to the shit they are showing at the moment but still in the world of dexter it was the weakest so far.
I never liked Miguel Prado that much he just did not seam to fit, i liked the concept of the character though how his story went but it just never geled well in my eyes.
The suporting character on the other hand are fucking excellent. I even miss that old guy that deb was going out with.
Can't wait to see john at work on dexter :D :D -
Best fucking show on TV. Let's talk about it...
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