The season one finale of Dexter: Original Sin gave us something no Dexter series has yet—a different character’s overhead narration. We hear from Brian Moser’s inner monologue during a few key moments in this ep. If Brian’s inner narrative is accurate, he’s had legitimate beef with everyone he killed. But is it?
Brian Moser remembers singing to Dexter in that shipping container. But we saw him hurting, even torturing his brother long before their mother was killed. Maybe the other kids did all the things he said. Maybe all these situations were salvageable if anyone had understood him. Maybe Brian was just as savable as Dexter—and would have been had his many, many meds not been stolen. And maybe not. We could ask his mental health doctor. Alas...he’s no longer with us.
What we mostly learn about Brian is that he’s utterly obsessed with Dexter, and reuniting with him. Remember in ep 2 when a weird guy asked Dexter if “this seat is taken?” That was Brian, the Radio Shack employee. Hilarious if you’re old enough to know that Radio Shack was known for a clientele of angry loners and obsessed techies...along with normal folks who just needed an adapter.
Dexter’s attempt to rescue Nicky Spencer was suspenseful AF. Given the way this season has gone—we honestly didn’t know whether Nicky would live or Spencer would be outed. I had a hard time figuring out how Dexter could rescue the boy, capture the killer, and keep his identity secret from all of them. Yet—he manages it. We also get to see that Captain Spencer had a stereotypical 90s haircut, we just didn’t realize because he always combed it back.
Had Spencer been even slightly less hateful and obsessive (he’s at least as obsessive as Brian) he could have easily escaped during the last time in history it was legit possible to disappear yourself and start a new life. The internet sort of ruined that for shady people. Gen X viewers are no doubt horrified at what this show has done to our teenage crushes. How much did you love that moment when Dexter shoots the flares and then walks away like a boss? Dressed as the Dexter we know and love?
Harry is responsible for Laura Moser’s death. Also for his own son’s death, though that was less intentional. Harry cheated on his wife, tore Dexter and Brian apart, and is generally a shady jerk. No one should have been surprised when he screwed Maria over on the “NHI” serial killer—who we now know was Brian Moser all along. Honestly, that could be reason enough for Maria to never mention Harry again.
I already crowed about how right I was about Spencer. I was, however, wrong about Tanya the forensic lead. I did assume she wouldn’t be with us all season, and tried to guess why she’d exit—death, gambling, something else? But she’s still alive and in good spirits in the finale. She’s a great character so I don’t mind missing the mark on this.
Spencer’s actions still leave us questions. Did he really kidnap and kill a judge’s son just to set up a scenario to do the same to his own son? Why does Spencer think Nicky isn’t his son even though their blood types match? Is he so off the rails by that point he just wants an excuse to murder them both? We don’t know. But his predictable anger is the only thing that allowed Dexter to find him and put him...on the boat.
I’ve never borrowed anyone’s boat before—but I have to think it’s very poor etiquette to dismember a corpse on it. Before he dies, Spencer outs himself as a straight-up terrorist. Even though he didn’t get to kill his wife—he says “I taught her a lesson. She’ll never feel safe again.” Given that her ex’s body won’t be found (not even when the oceanic dumping ground is discovered), he’s probably right. That poor woman will never be able to relax all the way. It’s great though that Dex got to kill him and Spencer’s reputation was still ruined.
The last third of the episode was all happy stuff. Bobby lives! Debra decides to go to the police academy. Dexter gets promoted to real employee with a laminate. No more visiting intern. Harry tells both of his children that he’s proud of them. Sophia and Deb talk things out. But in the middle of the celebration—lurking in the shadows—is Brian, hoping as much as we are for another season of this show.
What will happen to the department with Spencer gone? Will Thomas Matthews do more than take a donut from Dex next season? Why did no one bring this situation up when James Doakes was accused of being the Bay Harbor Butcher? Surely Batista or LaGuerta or Masuka would have commented that Doakes reminded them of the time their Captain murdered a judge’s son and tried to become a family annihilator.
Special attention was drawn to Dexter choosing to help Nicky Spencer over capturing and killing his dad. Yes, it seems great that Dex saved the boy. We all wanted him to live, after all. But see, that choice in Dexter TOS S4 is how Rita ends up dead. Had Dexter gone after Trinity instead of saving Scott, the boy in the bag, Arthur Mitchell wouldn’t have been free to kill Rita. Speaking of, John Lithgow is returning to star in a Trinity Killer spin-off.
When all is said and done this week, there’s one question that was never answered. Why did the cartel guys leave Dexter and Brian alive in the shipping container? Either the hired killers had souls and couldn’t just murder two innocent children, or Brian did something that made them leave them alone.
Dexter: Original Sin has not been officially renewed. But there’s every indication that we’re gearing up for another season. In fact, Brian’s overhead narration in the finale makes me wonder if he isn’t getting a spinoff of his own. I’m all about expanding this universe. Grown-up Harrison should have a show too. There are rumors that Hannah will return in Dexter: Resurrection, so it should be fun to see how they’re retconning that.
Overall, I was impressed with this season in spite of some pretty dramatic retconning. Despite having fewer affairs than in TOS, Harry still turned out to be highly flawed and every bit as bad at dealing with his emotions as Bran and Spencer. Ultimately, the teenage girls do a better job at regulating emotion and self-reflection. Harry, Dex, and others know that some people deserve to die. The Dexter universe is a place where the ends justify the means, as Dexter explains, “Because some people deserve to live.”