Dexter: New Blood Episode 4 review: “Born in blood”

3.5/5

Story:

Kurt Caldwell lies about contacting his son Matt, while Dexter is urgently summoned to Harrison’s high school after Harrison is involved in a stabbing incident.

Review:

If there was any scepticism regarding the new limited series about the Bay Harbour Butcher, it’s safe to say that those concerns can be laid to rest because the first four episodes of the series is a return to form for television’s most popular serial killer. The inconsistency in writing of the final seasons of its original run could soon be forgotten. There are plenty of reasons to believe that Dexter: New Blood could be the fitting farewell that the iconic original series and the character deserved.

The episode carefully unpacks several mysteries surrounding Dexter, Harrison, Kurt, and the missing women Angela has dedicated herself to finding. Of course, the narrative is careful not to give too much away regarding what fate has in store for the main characters. But after teasing for a few episodes that Harrison may have a dark side in him just like his father, there appears to be a definitive answer to this theory by the end of this episode.

It is interesting to note that Harisson is not the only person who seemingly has a hidden identity. There is significant focus on Kurt as the mysterious antagonist of the series, but it could be an obvious misdirect by the showrunners. Regardless of where the narrative is headed, there is certainly still plenty of intrigues left in the story. The storyline surrounding Angela and the podcaster could potentially open new mysteries regarding the missing women in the locality.

There have been subtle socio-political themes woven into the narrative in each episode so far, and this episode is no different. The performances by the cast and the excellent screenplay continue to keep Dexter: New Blood at the top of its game. Jennifer Carpenter’s line in the final scene of the episode with the utterance of “He’s born in blood…”, along with a few clips from season four of the original series, delivers a scene that is both haunting and exciting, dredging up painful memories for both the characters and the audience

Verdict:

The only drawback that the episode has is the fact that the next one only comes out in a week. Dexter: New Blood continues to excel with its gripping narrative and well-written characters. The series has been an engrossing watch four episodes into the season.