Monday, October 03, 2011

Make My Darkness Bright: Reviews of Dexter and Hung




Hi everyone! Sorry for the long absence -- real life (or what passes for it) caught up with me in a major way. I'll be posting regularly from here on out (fingers crossed!).

Two reviews today:

Dexter returns with our favorite serial killer, Dexter Morgan, recharged and ready for action. The last couple of seasons, Dexter has been through hell -- no surprise that this season has his examining issues of faith. Taking his preschool-age son Harrison to a Catholic school, he freaks out at the gore of the crucifix, thinking it might be too much for a child's sensibilities. He describes his own belief system as a code of things to do to keep himself out of trouble to which his sister replies, That sounds like training a puppy. Angel, Dexter's colleague who suggested the school to him, tells him that kids need to understand about "those kinds of things," meaning theology, sacrifice, and faith. After Angel's rambling answer to Dexter's question about how we know there's a God, Dexter replies, "Thanks Angel. That really clears things up." Great season opener. Dexter lives by a code, but will he start to see his morally ambiguous position as a force for the greater good instead of a personal monster, an inner darkness? The ads use Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" as background. I think it's a good guess that Dexter will explore his own place in the universal order.

Hung, in a opening episode titled "Don't Give Up On Detroit, Or Hung Like A Horse" begins with Ray and Tonya in a new center for women named Orgasmic Living. Both of their financial situations are bleak in backstory -- Tonya is working at Bigby's Coffee and Ray is substitute teaching a couple of days a week. One bank loan and a new idea later, they are teaching women to umm, enjoy themselves, and let's just say Ray's practicum portion of the seminary seals the deal. They're in the money at the end, but with the threat of Lenore's newfound boytoy at the end, will their joy be short-lived? Higher stakes this season give the series an added pop. Who will give in or just give up? Like Charlie the pimp said last season, Mind bullets -- bang, bang, bang!

Great quotes --
"You only have to kill one time to be a killer, baby." Lenore to Jason after he agrees to take money for sex, but just this one time

"I've been looking for you for a long time, like they do for the Dali Lami in Tibet." Lenore to Jason after seeing "the goods"

"The big guy hit the ground. Time for the runner up hottie." Vince M. after his intern faints after seeing black snakes come out of the stomach of a murder victim

Benedictions and Maledictions
Happy Monday!

4 comments:

the walking man said...

Hey go back and steal those porch chairs for me will you? My dear sweet granny had a pair just like them.

The other stuff..*shrug* still quite left out of the HUNG thing and I thought Dexter was a cartoon character?

JR's Thumbprints said...

I can't speak on "Hung" but I can certainly identify with "Dexter." Hope everything is better.

jodi said...

Hiya Sweetcheeks and welcome back! Hope you are not up to some dumb shit like almost dyin' or something! A friend named his new baby after, Dexter but I am more a 'Hung" fan. Get home to Detroit because we all miss your 'Tinyness'!

Charles Gramlich said...

I'm thinking I'd like Dexter.