WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Dexter: Original Sin episode 8.
Dexter: Original Sinepisode 8, “Business and Pleasure,” features some interesting new developments while covering several key moments inDexter’slore. The episode opens with some backstory about the guy Dexter beat up in theDexter: Original Sinpremiere, who is revealed to be Tiffany’s brother. Episode 8 also offers some insight into Maria LaGuerta’s personal and family history, which includes a brief fling and a surprise cameo appearance by season 3 standout Miguel Prado.
Dexter: Original Sin
Cast
Dexter: Original Sin explores Dexter Morgan’s early years in 1991 Miami as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. Guided by his father, Harry, Dexter crafts a moral code and navigates a forensics internship at Miami Metro Police, all while controlling his darker impulses.
Speaking of brief flings, Deb’s rich boyfriend,Gio, turns out to be a not-so-nice guy, as her dating history (or future) in theDexteroriginal series would suggest. After Gio kicks Deb off of his yacht, she throws a bracelet he gave her into the ocean, which cleverly gives Dexter the idea to dispose of his victims' bodies off a boat. Climatic moments for Harry occur during both past and present timelines as he encourages Laura to spy on Hector Estrada for him one last time while ignoring Dexter’s attempts to tell him about Aaron Spencer’s real identity.
Aaron Spencer, The Ice Truck Killer, & Hector Estrada Are All Wrapped In One Episode
Image via Paramount+
Episode 8 finds Aaron Spencer fully revealed to us, leaving Dexter to plot how to bring him to his own signature brand of justice. Spencer winds up with even more blood on his hands after basically inciting a shootout at the home of a cartel member, which results inHarry’s partner Bobby Watt getting shot in the neck. Dexter discovers that Spencer paid an apparent junkie to frame the cartel for kidnapping his son Nicky and killing Jimmy Powell, an elaborate and twisted cover-up with no clear motive.
Meanwhile, Harry’s past comes pummeling into the present timeline when he discovers thatBrian Moser, The Ice Truck Killer, is a likely suspect in the string of three murders in Miami. He hides this lead from LaGuerta, who quickly demonstrates that nothing gets by her, finding Moser’s psychology file in Harry’s briefcase. While Dexter doesn’t “reconnect” with his brother untilDexterseason 1,Harry continues to bury secrets, including that Brian “Biney” Moser was in Miami, intending to take them to his grave.
These threeDextervillains – four if you count Gio – are expertly balanced and intertwined throughoutOriginal Sinepisode 8.
Most horrifically, theinfamous Laura Moser death scene with the chainsaw in the shipping containeris reenacted as young Dexter looks on in fear. We see Dexter “born in blood” in more detail than ever before, as he is unable to look away from the mutilation in front of him. These threeDextervillains – four if you count Gio – are expertly balanced and intertwined throughoutOriginal Sinepisode 8, creating one of the most immersive and thrilling episodes of the prequel series thus far.
Episode 8 Puts On A Masterclass Of Balancing Various Subplots & Timelines
Dexter: Original Sincould have been catastrophically bad. It has been a bold concept since its inception. Audiences were initially concerned about any actor playing Dexter Morgan other than Michael C. Hall only to havePatrick Gibson continually blow us awaywith his precise Dexter-isms on a weekly basis. The same can be said for Molly Brown’s Deb, Christina Milian’s LaGuerta, and even the lesser-used but crucial Masuka and Batista. It only took a few episodes for the acting concerns to fade.
Dexter: Original Sin Episode 7 Review - I Don’t Know How To Feel About That Massive Character Twist
Following a brief hiatus, Dexter: Original Sin episode 7, “The Big Bad Body Problem” returns to drop a major villain twist that may divide audiences.
Next came the concerns about how closelyDexter: Original Sinwould honor the original series' lore. It was tasked with the challenge of not replicating original series flashbacks while also avoiding changing or adding anything that would compromise the franchise. By the middle ofOriginal Sinseason 1,it was clear that Clyde Phillips and his team nailed itwith a quick sequence of Dexter’s very first kills. The show only got better as it maintained background suspense with Spencer’s main villain cutscenes and Harry and Laura’s volatile flashbacks.
Now, with only two episodes left of season 1, it’s more evident than ever the prequel series is an outstanding feat. While some may have called Aaron Spencer’s twist before the week-long hiatus afterOriginal Sinepisode 6, his main villain reveal only adds to the tension ahead of the season 1 finale. It also raises a handful of intriguing questions surroundingSpencer’s motivations, Harry’s denial, and Dexter’s methodologyin taking him out.
If it wasn’t already clear,Dexter: Original Sinepisode 8 offers all the evidence needed for Paramount to approve season 2.
This exemplifies whyDexter: Original Sinworks so well. We already know most of what will happen, so we can enjoy the thrill of seeing it all play out for the first time throughDexter’s perspective, which is and always will be the bread and butter of the series. While the significance of Michael C. Hall’s voiceover narration may seem to have faded since episode 1, it still authenticates Gibson’s great acting and the entire prequel series at large. If it wasn’t already clear,Dexter: Original Sinepisode 8 offers all the evidence needed for Paramount to approve season 2.
