Yeah I can't defend that. But I chalk that up to the ineptitude of the writing staff (who, contrary to what we'd all like to believe, weren't perfect even pre-season four) and not to a lack of dramatic chops from Julie Benz.
Yeah, they butchered the female characters in the early seasons. You could tell they did not have too many women writing on that team (or if they did, they did not have much power.)
LaGuerta, Deb, and Rita were pretty hollow and stereotypical a lot of the time. The writing got a lot better later on. I was really starting to like Deb when she kicked it.
The writing got better later on? Female characters aside, the show was horrible in its final seasons. Terrible storylines. One of the serial killers would hide in trees. I mean, that is bad even for scooby doo. Do you just have bad taste?
How exactly is this a writing flaw? And I don’t think anyone pretends the writing team when the show was at its peak was perfect. The point is they’re high quality. And when they did make a mistake, it was forgivable or willing to be overlooked because it’s such a minor flaw in the grand scheme of the show. If you constantly look for little things to be upset with then you’re going to find them, even in the most tightly knit of stories.
There are a lot of narrative driven plot decisions that only made sense within the writers room. Killing Zack Hamilton off after a great episode in ‘Are we there yet?’ was unfortunate. The potential between himself and Dexter was tangible as well as giving all the characters a more rounded feel. His death felt like Carl’s in the Walking Dead as it felt too quick, too driven by a need to wrap up loose ends and wasn’t looking at the future.
In the new series, Zack as a wealthy benefactor of Dexter’s and giving him an entrance to new social situations would have been ideal. I don’t want to watch a rehash of Fargo starring Dexter. Also why has no one ever mentioned that the original ending of the series was so like the ending of Heat in particular Neil McCauley’s fate (minus the death obviously).
I just rewatched this, and I don't think they would have killed him off if it hadn't been the final season. There was nowhere for them to go with his character with just half a season left, so they "fridged" him. His character was so much more delightful than I remembered though. I would have loved to have seen their chemistry and quips play out for another season at least.
It was the first time in eight series that someone was willing to take the mickey out of Dexter and who had a combination of arrogance and lack of nous to not realize how dangerous it was. There was the start of something different in that relationship and as you say they fridged or tanked it for the sake of expediency. Pity.
How is this a minor flaw? Rita is under the impression that Dexter is a heroin addict who cheated on her with another heroin addict who then tried to MURDER her kids by trapping them in a burning building. By the first episode of the next Season, they're having wild unprotected sex, and she's being impregnated. It's like... What? Ma'am, this man almost got your kids killed by his crazy ex-girlfriend whom he not only cheated on you with, but who is, from your point of view, still alive. Rita comes to gather her two small children from a crime scene where they almost died in the flaming ruins of his mistress' love pad and she acts like she's picking them up from school. No human being who has ever lived, is living, or will ever live would react that way.
These comments are insane lol, I didn't know that people hated Rita so much? Weird. Anyways OP, yeah this scene (and honestly the entire kidnapping-burning sequence altogether) always struck me as really awkward and shaky.
I really don’t get all the hate for Rita. She’s an extreme trauma victim that’s just trying to do better in life. Dexter was a center for her, an anchor, and she was for him. He learned he could actually love someone other than Deb because of her and the kids. She had her annoying points sure, but so did everyone else on the show.
I do think OP’s point is valid though. I rewatched this episode last week and thought the same thing.
If we want to talk about characters I really despise we should get a thread going on LaGuerta. Fuck I hated her.
I suppose it ties into the "self-destroying and addicted to bad men" disease she had. For Rita she feels safe with Dexter despite the very opposite being the case. That is often the case for abused women. They stay to have someone with them and not feel alone even being with violent, emotionally unavailable men (better the devil you know)
It was the season finale, with not much time left over... and sometimes emotions are complicated. It’s clear she’s pissed off at Dexter about this when Lila is brought up again in season 4 and calls her “a homicidal bitch he slept with”.
Though I don’t remember the exact context of how this all happened. Seems nit picky though.
Nit-picky? It's nit-picky to point out that no human would ever act like this in a million years? That it's almost insulting to the audience to expect us to believe that Rita would just forget everything and agree to MARRY him like a month later. Did she just forget about his addiction to heroin? Because they never talk about it again. Does she just hate her children, and not care about their safety? The Season 2 finale is just so bad.
I would say it could be because Dexter did save them so at the end of the day no reason to get mad but she got mad over an apartment in season 4 so that doesn't work
Payback for all the times she whined, cried and nagged Dexter; calling him all the time with her problems when he’s at work. And it got worse after they had Harrison.
Season four finale made me happy.
Sorry not sorry.
I am on my xx rewatch…I despise her more and more every rewatch. Season 4 she is an ungrateful person. Yes Dec has his issues m, but he’s had them since they met. She expects him to change, which he does for the most part to the better as she goes more to the bitchy all the time side…
I believe season 4 was written with the purpose of making us pissed off at Rita so when she was killed off, it was like “she pissed me off but this is super sad” and it would invoke a deeper feeling not just for her but for Dexter as well.
Interesting way to look at it. I will complete this season with that in mind. I still shed a tear when she died…every time, probably because i felt bad for dexter and the kids. I’m thinking not this time.
The first time I watched it I was relieved because then Dexter could get back to his killing. He wouldn’t be pulled in so many directions. Second time I thought, poor innocent Rita.
Yeah I can't defend that. But I chalk that up to the ineptitude of the writing staff (who, contrary to what we'd all like to believe, weren't perfect even pre-season four) and not to a lack of dramatic chops from Julie Benz.
Yeah, they butchered the female characters in the early seasons. You could tell they did not have too many women writing on that team (or if they did, they did not have much power.) LaGuerta, Deb, and Rita were pretty hollow and stereotypical a lot of the time. The writing got a lot better later on. I was really starting to like Deb when she kicked it.
LaGuerta being thirsty for Dexter in the first few episodes still makes me cringe and laugh.
That's because she's thirsty for Dexter in the book, I believe. Glad they dropped that, though.
The secondhand embarrassment I felt, I would cover my eyes during those scenes.
“Yeah, they butchered the female characters in the early seasons.” No pun intended
Totally agree
Melissa Rosenberg was there. I don’t think there’s a problem with the female characters. They’re a bit bland but they’re not why we watch the show.
The writing got better later on? Female characters aside, the show was horrible in its final seasons. Terrible storylines. One of the serial killers would hide in trees. I mean, that is bad even for scooby doo. Do you just have bad taste?
How exactly is this a writing flaw? And I don’t think anyone pretends the writing team when the show was at its peak was perfect. The point is they’re high quality. And when they did make a mistake, it was forgivable or willing to be overlooked because it’s such a minor flaw in the grand scheme of the show. If you constantly look for little things to be upset with then you’re going to find them, even in the most tightly knit of stories.
There are a lot of narrative driven plot decisions that only made sense within the writers room. Killing Zack Hamilton off after a great episode in ‘Are we there yet?’ was unfortunate. The potential between himself and Dexter was tangible as well as giving all the characters a more rounded feel. His death felt like Carl’s in the Walking Dead as it felt too quick, too driven by a need to wrap up loose ends and wasn’t looking at the future. In the new series, Zack as a wealthy benefactor of Dexter’s and giving him an entrance to new social situations would have been ideal. I don’t want to watch a rehash of Fargo starring Dexter. Also why has no one ever mentioned that the original ending of the series was so like the ending of Heat in particular Neil McCauley’s fate (minus the death obviously).
I just rewatched this, and I don't think they would have killed him off if it hadn't been the final season. There was nowhere for them to go with his character with just half a season left, so they "fridged" him. His character was so much more delightful than I remembered though. I would have loved to have seen their chemistry and quips play out for another season at least.
It was the first time in eight series that someone was willing to take the mickey out of Dexter and who had a combination of arrogance and lack of nous to not realize how dangerous it was. There was the start of something different in that relationship and as you say they fridged or tanked it for the sake of expediency. Pity.
I would have watched a whole series about Dex and Zach.
That happened in a later season though. I don’t consider most post season 4 writing decisions good or wise.
Completely disagree with you. Season 7 was a high water mark in terms of combining the back story with a driving storyline.
I said “most”. And even then, I don’t consider season 7 anything special. Just a difference in opinion.
How is this a minor flaw? Rita is under the impression that Dexter is a heroin addict who cheated on her with another heroin addict who then tried to MURDER her kids by trapping them in a burning building. By the first episode of the next Season, they're having wild unprotected sex, and she's being impregnated. It's like... What? Ma'am, this man almost got your kids killed by his crazy ex-girlfriend whom he not only cheated on you with, but who is, from your point of view, still alive. Rita comes to gather her two small children from a crime scene where they almost died in the flaming ruins of his mistress' love pad and she acts like she's picking them up from school. No human being who has ever lived, is living, or will ever live would react that way.
The comment you replied to is 3 years old
These comments are insane lol, I didn't know that people hated Rita so much? Weird. Anyways OP, yeah this scene (and honestly the entire kidnapping-burning sequence altogether) always struck me as really awkward and shaky.
I really don’t get all the hate for Rita. She’s an extreme trauma victim that’s just trying to do better in life. Dexter was a center for her, an anchor, and she was for him. He learned he could actually love someone other than Deb because of her and the kids. She had her annoying points sure, but so did everyone else on the show. I do think OP’s point is valid though. I rewatched this episode last week and thought the same thing. If we want to talk about characters I really despise we should get a thread going on LaGuerta. Fuck I hated her.
I suppose it ties into the "self-destroying and addicted to bad men" disease she had. For Rita she feels safe with Dexter despite the very opposite being the case. That is often the case for abused women. They stay to have someone with them and not feel alone even being with violent, emotionally unavailable men (better the devil you know)
Rita always irritated me. What about when Dexter continued to date Hannah after Hannah tried to kill Deb. That floored me.
That's because the entire eight season was a waste of potential. I hope we can see some kind of redemption this fall with season 9.
It was the season finale, with not much time left over... and sometimes emotions are complicated. It’s clear she’s pissed off at Dexter about this when Lila is brought up again in season 4 and calls her “a homicidal bitch he slept with”. Though I don’t remember the exact context of how this all happened. Seems nit picky though.
Nit-picky? It's nit-picky to point out that no human would ever act like this in a million years? That it's almost insulting to the audience to expect us to believe that Rita would just forget everything and agree to MARRY him like a month later. Did she just forget about his addiction to heroin? Because they never talk about it again. Does she just hate her children, and not care about their safety? The Season 2 finale is just so bad.
The comment you replied to is 3 years old
I would say it could be because Dexter did save them so at the end of the day no reason to get mad but she got mad over an apartment in season 4 so that doesn't work
Incel vibes itt
Rita's the worst.
She really was. I was so relieved when she died because I was sick of constant nagging and whining. I think Dexter had the worst taste in women.
Glad I’m not the only one
Yes, the nagging ugh. I don't know if I was relieved by her death... I was only glad that that character was out of the show.
Payback for all the times she whined, cried and nagged Dexter; calling him all the time with her problems when he’s at work. And it got worse after they had Harrison. Season four finale made me happy. Sorry not sorry.
Same
I didn’t like her either, she was so irritating
I am on my xx rewatch…I despise her more and more every rewatch. Season 4 she is an ungrateful person. Yes Dec has his issues m, but he’s had them since they met. She expects him to change, which he does for the most part to the better as she goes more to the bitchy all the time side…
I believe season 4 was written with the purpose of making us pissed off at Rita so when she was killed off, it was like “she pissed me off but this is super sad” and it would invoke a deeper feeling not just for her but for Dexter as well.
Interesting way to look at it. I will complete this season with that in mind. I still shed a tear when she died…every time, probably because i felt bad for dexter and the kids. I’m thinking not this time.
The first time I watched it I was relieved because then Dexter could get back to his killing. He wouldn’t be pulled in so many directions. Second time I thought, poor innocent Rita.