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When one looks in the box, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the cat.

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So the big bombshell from last week is out in the open and confirmed by the doctor: Rita, Dexter’s girlfriend, is pregnant. How a new baby will change the direction of the show remains to be seen as Dexter himself still can’t quite believe his impending fatherhood. He likes kids, when they’re not his own. (I know quite a few people who would agree.) A child is a “little bundle of uncertainty.” That especially chilling for a man with a certain habit for homicide. I enjoyed Dexter’s hazy visions of a Dexter Jr. who has inherited his father’s killer genes. (Hey, if Showtime can go with bad puns, why can’t I?) A pregnancy is usually one of the telltale signs of a TV show’s imminent jumping of the shark, but I’m willing to give Dexter the benefit of the doubt. The more entrenched Dexter becomes in his family life, the more fiercely he must protect his dark secret. Rita decides to keep the baby and if Dexter wants to stick around, that works too. So, are we going to actually see Dexter pushing a stroller or will the writers doom Rita and the child so Dexter can go on his most out-of-control, bloodiest revenge binge yet?

This week, Dexter is still on the hunt for the drug-dealing co-ed murderer Freebo, who Dexter meant to kill last week, but ended up accidentally killing the assistant D.A.’s little brother instead. Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits) is determined to use Miami’s finest to bring Freebo to court… or maybe to a different kind of justice. The problem is that Freebo can identify Dexter as Oscar Prado’s killer. So now Dexter must beat his friends and family to the punch. Just when I started to worry that the show was retreading last season’s storyline again, things took a nice twist. Dexter got Freebo at last, but as he was leaving the scene of his latest crime Miguel caught him outside, literally red-handed. But instead of being furious, Miguel was grateful for Dexter doing the thing he himself could not and now the two share a secret. I knew something seemed a little off about this character! It was subtle, but you don’t bring in Jimmy Smits for a guest spot and not give him a meatier part. Maybe it’s good for Dexter to keep his enemy close, in the guise of a friend. But I don’t think the pair will be kicking back with some brews, reminiscing over the good ol’ times in the coming weeks.

In other developments, Deb’s haircut is still ugly and she’s still being courted by Internal Affairs. Masuka, the horndog forensic analyst, published an article in a medical journal. It was the article Dexter lied about proofreading, so I wonder if that plot point will return to haunt Dexter. LaGuerta is still continuing to blur the lines between private and professional behavior with her clear affection for Miguel.

Also, it seems there’s another serial killer loose in Miami, one with a penchant for taking a square of skin from his victims. I’m starting to wonder if it might not be Miguel’s other brother, Ramon. He’s got a bad temper and a real mean look. Wouldn’t that be another interesting obstacle to throw between the new best friends?

Lastly, Showtime is giving viewers the opportunity to annoy the hell out of their friends by “Dexterizing” websites and e-mailing the results. Go here to wrap a site in plastic and drops of blood. If you have nothing better to do.

Dexter airs Sunday nights at 9 P.M. EST on Showtime.

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Theresa DeLucci

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