Dexter: Resurrection Season 1 Episode 5, “Murder Horny,” takes a break from the excitement of Dexter’s journey and instead shows us insight into where each character is at — new and old faces alike.
The last episode ended on a cliffhanger with Dexter finding Harrison right before he’s about to turn himself in to the police. What follows is an emotionally charged and tense conversation between father and son.
There’s goodness in him when Dexter sees Harrison about to turn himself in. It’s something Dexter would’ve never done, and there’s a hint of disappointment in this realization — but also a hint of hope.
This balance between disappointment and hope is reminiscent of the dynamic between Dexter and Rita — a gentle reminder that Harrison isn’t completely like his father. Still, he also shares traits with his mother.
While the idea of Harrison becoming like his dad is fun to imagine and toy with, at the end of the day, it’s not something Dexter or we viewers should hope for.
Reality sets in for both viewers and Dexter alike when we see just how torn up Harrison is.
Dexter shouldn’t expect Harrison to be like him — he should want him to be better. He accepts this reality when he takes the watch from Harrison and says, “Let me carry it for you.” It’s not just the watch he’ll carry, but it’s Harrison’s guilt that he will carry for him.
It’s heartwarming in a strange way because it’s murder we are talking about here, but besides that, Dexter is discovering what it means to be a proper father to Harrison.
Dexter also has a revelation about Mia, A.K.A. Lady Vengeance.
She turns out to be too good to be true when she reveals that not all of her victims are sexual predators or completely innocent. She doesn’t have a code as Dexter had hoped, and he once again realizes how alone he is.
Mia proposes a collaboration on a kill, particularly one of his victims, as “The Dark Passenger.” It’s moments like these that remind us why we find ourselves rooting for Dexter, despite his faults. He’ll never break Harry’s code, and he’ll never kill an innocent.
The dice are perfectly lined up now that we know Mia isn’t like Dexter.
He cleverly plants Ryan Foster’s watch in her apartment and calls the police on her as she’s about to make her first kill in New York City.
At the same time, we learn a bit about Leon Prater and his origin story. His parents died in a drunk driver accident when he was in the back seat.
He was put into a foster home. When he made his first million, he paid off the mortgage of his foster home and for every family who adopted a child from it.
He doesn’t want the latter to be published, a seemingly humble gesture. But what’s so humble about him watching his own interview as he eats, enjoying the jokes he tells and the statements he makes to the interviewer?
While this episode isn’t as thrilling as previous ones, it remains an enjoyable watch for those who appreciate the characters and their development. It serves an important purpose in setting up plots and giving us vital insight into all the characters.
Everything seems perfectly in place, but it’s only a matter of time until the other shoe drops and the dice fall where they may.
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New episodes of Dexter: Resurrection air Fridays on Paramount+ and Sundays on SHOWTIME at 8/7c.
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Samantha Barker
Samantha Barker is a writer and fangirl from New Jersey. When she's not rewatching Daredevil or listening to the Beatles, she's cosplaying and attending comic-cons with her friends. Sam also co-hosts a podcast called Fangirl Confessions and writes for her Substack, Samantha, etc. Connect with her on X: @0nyourleftsam and IG: @onyourleftsam.