Dexter, "The Getaway": I want to break free

A review of the "Dexter" season four finale coming up just as soon as you give me all your jewelry...

"This Dark Passenger is ruining my life." -Dexter
"It is your life." -Harry
"I don't want it to be." -Dexter

Whatever issues I've had with "Dexter" season 4, or with the series as a whole in recent years, I have to say that "The Getaway" was the show's strongest finale since season one, and possibly ever. (Been a while since I watched Brian go bye-bye, so I can't compare right now.) Michael C. Hall was as good as he's been on the series at showing a Dexter seriously questioning the path Harry put him on, and wanting desperately to be a real boy, and Jennifer Carpenter continued her recent strong work as Deb found out (some of) the truth about her adopted brother. And if Trinity wound up plastic-wrapped to a table like we all assumed he would be, at least he left a shocking surprise behind with Rita's murder.

As Myles McNutt points out, they lifted the Rita idea from the end of "24" season one, but I didn't see it coming, and I'm glad the writers had the guts to get rid of Rita, a character who's been offering diminishing returns for several seasons now.

I'm not sure I'm off the "'Dexter' should have ended after season two" train, but I'm at least curious to see where they go from here, and if Rita's death will have permanent ramifications (other than making Dex a widower), or if it will wind up being an excuse to again justify the status quo. (Dexter could easily say that if it's his fate to be covered in blood, and to have those he loves suffer the same fate, who is he to fight it?)

After all, Deb only got so close to Dexter's secret and no closer, and Trinity still got chopped up and thrown off of Dexter's boat. "Dexter" is still Showtime's biggest hit, so I don't think it's in anyone's financial interest to radically alter the series, or take steps to bring it closer to an ending.

But if season five finds Dexter to be a genuinely changed man - still a killer, obviously, because no one wants to watch a one-hour drama about a socially awkward blood spatter expert who's only a single dad when he leaves work, but changed in how he relates to the world, and to his need to kill - then I'll be pleased. And if not, at least season four was a big improvement on season three, and had a better ending than season two.

What did everybody else think?