Ah, the sophomore season, here are whereby series are defined. Here you enter a world where the players have been set in motion, rules have been established. Now you have but one choice, take it to the next level or die. Only shows that take it to the next level; that are willing to go where the viewer never thought possible, are the shows that have as good a season as their first. Suffice it to say that Season 2 of Dexter is as good as the first and maybe even a wee bit better. The multi-layered overlapping stories are still here and they keep building and building until the tension is so great the viewer is left in awe.
Back in season 1, Sergeant James Doakes (Erik King) was the only officer who found, Dexter Morgan’s (Michael C. Hall) behavior more than a little unusual. This season Doakes is all out to find out what Dexter is really up to. Doakes follows Dexter wherever he goes and because of this, Dexter is unable to satisfy his hunger to kill. Worst of all, a bunch of divers has just found Dexter’s dumping ground. The media begins to call the least serial killer the Bay Harbor Butcher(Dexter of course) and FBI Special Agent Lundy (Keith Carradine) is send in to head the investigating. Dexter is slightly intimidated because Lundy has had a pretty good track record when it comes to finding serial killers. Dexter has also to contend will Lila (Jaime Murray) a lover/stalker he can’t seem to get rid off. Things get even more exciting when Doakes finds what Dexter has been hiding in his air conditioner
The second season much like the first is made up of 12 episode each one building on the other. The challenges placed on Dexter by Doakes, Lundy and Lily far exceed any tension from season one. Here the view is left to wonder if Dexter could be incarcerated at any moment. Never did I feel that it could not happened as the writers has already broken a lot of the rules I had set in my mine for the series. This is a great feeling to have when watching a television show as you don’t exactly know where the writers will take you, but know they have the guts to do just about anything.
Again like season one Michael C. Hall as Dexter is what makes the show so good. However, Dexter has some competition from Keith Carradine’s Lundy who plays his part pitch perfect. In addition, these two are not alone as this shows has one of the best cast around.
I initially saw the second season on DVD, right after finishing the first season on Blu-ray. I was a little disappointed on how the DVDs looked after seeing the first in high-def. Luckily last week I re-watched all twelve episode on Blu-ray and I’m glad to report that they look just as good as the first if not better. The sound quality is also phenomenal. The disc also features A lame game where the goal is to identify Dexter’s tools of the trade and interviews with C.S Lee, David Zayas, Erik King, Jennifer Carpenter, Julie Benz, Keith Carradine, Lauren Velez, and Michael C. Halls and the first two episodes of The United States of Tara. I which they would have included more features on this set. It’s a shame that such an excellence show lacks even one commentary track.
For those of you that have seen season one, don’t pass up season two because the show just gets better. Soon after finishing season two on DVD, I switched my cable package from HBO to Showtime just so I could see the third season and what did I think of it….Well you’ll have to wait till August.
Review By Brad Peterson
Release Date: May 5, 2009
BLU-RAY DETAILS
OWN BLU-RAY
