‘Dexter: Resurrection’ Recap, Episode 2: ‘Fallen’

Change has never been Dexter’s strong suit. The O.G. series’ familiar formula turned it into a serialized show with a distinctly procedural vibe — not that there’s anything wrong with that. After several years, however, a series that had once kept us on our toes became surprisingly predictable. How many times did Dexter take on a burgeoning serial killer partner while another Miami Metro cop tried to pin him as the Bay Harbor Butcher? And then came Dexter: Resurrection, a radical revamp that actually recaptured the joy of the show’s glory days. Sometimes change is a good thing! It’s fitting, then, that the second episode of the season sees Dexter learning that the best way to counter a midlife crisis is by doing something different.

Harrison is also all in on change, having evolved from impulsive murderer to police officer working homicide. And while some might consider that a lateral move, he does get to spend more time with his one-night stand, Fiona, who turns out to be his field training officer and Captain Mixon’s daughter. This makes for a delightfully awkward moment at Brooklyn Diner when a clueless Dexter asks Harrison, “Is your officer one of those old-school types who’s gonna ride you hard day and night?” Double entendres aside, Dex is right to rain on his son’s parade about Harrison’s plum homicide assignment. It does seem more likely that Wallace wants to keep a former suspect close than that she was simply impressed by his test scores. Harrison’s frustration soon gives way to fear with the sudden arrival of Charley Brown, crashing their dinner and sporting a much calmer demeanor than when she was Prater’s right-hand woman. “Be cool, I’m not a threat,” she says when Dexter instinctively reaches for his knife. It’s such a thrill having Uma Thurman back, and the chemistry between her and Hall is electric from the jump.

Once Charley assures both Morgans there’s no need for police intervention, Harrison leaves so she and Dexter can have a one-on-one. “I’m here to help tie up some loose ends,” Charley explains. If we take her at her word (and that’s a big “if”!), she’s had a dramatic change of heart. Before her mother died, Charley confessed all of her serial killer-wrangling in the hope of absolution. Instead, she got the appropriate amount of judgment, and now she’s determined to make things right — which starts with eliminating the last remaining members of Prater’s club. Charley has no interest in hunting down the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger and the JawSplitter herself, but she can coax them out of hiding and into Dexter’s crosshairs. “I have no reason to trust you, so forgive me if I don’t jump at this opportunity,” Dex answers. He’s right that Charley could be lying, but what would her end game be? And on some level, he wants to believe her. While she can’t sway him with cash, Charley is probably right that these killers will strike again if Dexter doesn’t take them out first.

Back at home, Dex debates his next move with Harry, who has become a lot more open-minded between seasons. (Given that Harry is not an actual ghost but a reflection of Dexter’s psyche, I think that makes sense.) When you’re stuck in a rut, Harry reasons, it’s good to try something different. As hard as Charley may be to trust, there may be worse ideas than partnering up with her. Dexter points out that Harry has advised against this sort of arrangement in the past, and that’s certainly true of Lumen, Hannah, and Mia, among others. “That was true then, but things feel a little different now,” Harry notes. “Maybe being alone all the time has become part of the problem.” As it turns out, Dexter won’t be alone for long. Right on cue, there’s a knock at the door from none other than Joey Quinn. Both men look like they’ve seen a ghost.

Over drinks at a nearby bar, the former colleagues catch up. Quinn has left Miami Metro — does anyone still work there? — and he’s now a private investigator. Because the NYPD has not made any progress in finding Prater (good luck with that), Quinn is now working to find him and his serial killer pals on behalf of their victims. Last week I mentioned my concern that the Quinn storyline was going to play out exactly as Batista’s did last season, so I’m encouraged by a different angle here. At the same time, I don’t buy that Quinn isn’t also suspicious about Dexter, who famously faked his own death after Deb died. That’s not a normal thing to do! Quinn also makes a point of mentioning that Prater had a ton of memorabilia from notable Miami serial murderers like the Ice Truck Killer, Arthur Mitchell, and Travis Marshall, but nothing for the Bay Harbor Butcher beyond a James Doakes nameplate. Dexter smartly realizes he needs to keep Quinn close, and to that end, suggests working together on finding Prater. The theme of this episode may be change, but there’s a throughline of unlikely partnerships, too.

As Dexter mulls over Charley’s offer, he decides it’s worth trying to get the ball rolling on the New York Ripper. When he spies on Don Framt, he discovers that the octogenarian has groupies — though he’s not fessing up to his crimes, Framt has been publicly identified as the city’s most brutal serial killer, which has the hybristophiliacs out in full force. It’s fun watching Dexter wrestle with his complicated feelings here, balancing his repulsion toward the Ripper with his jealousy at another serial killer getting so much adulation. Dex follows Framt into a strip club, where he fans out over the New York Ripper and presses him for details that Framt is smart enough to hedge on. One thing Framt is clear about, however, is how much he’s loving his new fame. “Attention, adoration… that’s awesome, man,” an envious Dexter says. There’s a flash of the Ripper’s dark side when he harasses a waitress, a reminder that he’s likely still more dangerous than he looks. After Framt gets kicked out of the club, Dex fantasizes about doing what the cops can’t.

The problem, of course, is Harrison, whose admiration for his superior, Detective Wallace, means he can’t let Dexter take out the Ripper — she needs to be able to put Framt in prison herself. Thankfully, Harrison is accepting of the fact that Dex will have to get his jollies going after the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger and the JawSplitter instead. As much as I don’t need to see these two at odds again, I have doubts that a loving relationship between a serial killer father and his homicide detective son can last. On the other hand, it’s possible Harrison sees real value in what his dad does, especially given how much the NYPD is struggling to find the Five Borough Killer. The department is in hot water for not warning baseball game attendees about the first threat FBK called in — especially after Oliva’s daughters share on TikTok that their dad tipped them off — and Wallace’s casual remark that the killer could be a one-off prompts FBK to deliver his next warning. “I promise you, I’ve barely gotten started,” he says. “Someone will die on Broadway tonight. A very special show.” The cops have nothing to go on, beyond that the suspect is of average height and wearing smart glasses, so they take the drastic step of shutting down the theater district. It’s that or risk the cast of Other Desert Cities.

Elsewhere, Dexter decides he’s ready to accept Charley’s offer. “Maybe Harry was right,” he reasons. “Maybe I can change more than I think.” In this case, that involves discussing plans for offing the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger over a very expensive bottle of wine. (Charley has been draining Prater’s bank account, which she counts as her severance.) Dex’s one condition is that he needs to do the killing on his turf, which means Charley will have to be more involved than she’d intended. Under the pretense of a Prater dinner party, she will invite the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger (real name Ray Ballard) to a new venue, where she’ll introduce him to “Red Schmidt.” Dexter will take care of the rest. As part of the plan, Charley rents a townhouse that isn’t quite as upscale as Prater’s mansion, but will work in a pinch.

Ballard seems like a worthy next target for the Bay Harbor Butcher. Charley details his M.O.: watching his victims while they sleep, gaslighting them with barely perceptible changes to their home over multiple nights, and finally stabbing them to death with an ice pick. She also admits he creeps her out more than the others. “I think if you were to peel back the layers, you wouldn’t find an actual human in there,” Charley says. Even as they discuss a homicidal sociopath, there’s no denying the spark between Charley and Dexter, who quickly fall into a mutual respect that sure looks a lot like attraction. “It’s nice to work with a professional,” she tells him. Dex, who has spent these first two episodes desperate for attention, responds, “It’s nice to be recognized.” Kiss already!

To be clear, I love a slow burn, and I’m here for whatever course the relationship between Dexter and Charley takes. But the show is clearly leading us in a specific direction, as evidenced by the final scene of the episode, in which the two meet again at an outdoor restaurant and get mistaken for a couple by the waiter. When Dexter says it might be safer to let people think they’re a couple, Charley grabs his hand. (A “fake dating that leads to real feelings” trope? It’s almost like the Dexter writers knew AO3 would be down.) Charley asks what led Dex to agree to work with her, and he shares his new outlook. “I think I just finally came to a point in my life where I felt like it was okay to do things a little differently,” he says. “Be open to change.” They look like they’re about to lock lips for real after Charley learns that she and Harrison are the only two people alive who know Dexter is the Bay Harbor Butcher. “I’m honored,” she tells him, which is a funny way of saying, “I’m horny.” Am I falling into an obvious trap? Is Dexter? Before anything can happen, though, they’re interrupted by a body being thrown off the roof above them and splattering on a nearby newsstand. Nothing like the next FBK murder to kill the mood.

• FBK hasn’t earned the serial killer title yet, because, as Dexter repeatedly notes in frustration, it takes three kills. Earlier in the episode, he tells Harrison, “He’s killed one person, putting him in the same category as Aaron Burr and Phil Spector.”

• Was anyone else thrown when Wallace mentioned that the Ryan Foster case was a few years ago? I clearly hadn’t been paying enough attention to the timeline. For fellow confused folks, there was, indeed, a three-year jump between seasons.

• Harrison gets to flex some of his Spanish, along with a reminder that he grew up in Argentina with Hannah. Fiona looked pretty impressed!

• The song playing at the strip club while Dex buddies up to the New York Ripper is, hilariously, “Pony.”

• Speaking of Brian Cox, the sequence of the Sleepy-Eyed Stranger casing his next victims’ house reminded me of the Tooth Fairy in Manhunter, which feels deliberate.

• Care of Charley, Dexter finally has a new boat to dispose of bodies with, and he’s named it the Slice of Life Too. As Harry taunts, “You expect me to believe this isn’t part of your midlife crisis?”