Dexter (TV Series) The Dark Defender (2007) User Reviews

A Look Into Dexter's Past!

[g-bodyl · 9/10 · 16 June 2014]

This is the fifth episode of the second season of Dexter and it's a very strong episode. I was interested in how this episode has a relation to the current comic-book faze, hence the title. I liked how Dexter explores more of his past in this episode and it shows a different side of Dexter. The acting is excellent especially by Michael C. Hall who is clearly embracing his role as Dexter. The guest stars in Keith Carradine and JoBeth Williams add even more starpower to this excellent episode.

In this episode, "The Dark Defender," Dexter decides to confront one of his mother's killers at Lila's urging. Also, Rita's mother, Gail tells Dexter to leave her family alone. Debra gets angry at her new boyfriend after she thinks he is writing a book about her. Finally, Dexter cleans off any traces of blood on his boat in the marina but he doesn't realize that the place is being filmed.

Overall, this is a fantastic episode and I love how Dexter is seemingly changing his personality. I also liked how he confronts his past and all of this is going to result in an interesting future. I rate this episode 9/10.

Return to form

[rolandddd · 9/10 · 23 May 2012]

This episode is without a doubt one of the better ones from season 2. Dexter and his sponsor and new friend Lila embark on a quest to Naples, Florida to track down the only one of his mother's murderers still alive, and try to find some closure at last.

Naturally, taking the road to forgiveness does not come easy to Dexter and before long he has to choose which way he wants to play it. I really like seeing the character evolve, and the start of season 2 has really explored these themes beautifully through the relationship with Lila.

Michael C. Hall does one of his best performances of the season, managing to convincingly portray the many contradictory sides of Dexter's character. The chemistry with Jaime Murray who plays Lila also works well.

As far as the acting is concerned, the guest stars put in some of the strongest performances. Keith Carradine is really good as the stubborn agent Lundy, and I like seeing old 80s star JoBeth Williams playing Rita's mother.

Such a great episode of Dexter

[UniqueParticle · 10/10 · 18 May 2021]

''How do you stand this Miami heat it makes my toes swell up? You like cucumber sandwich's officer Morgan, it's all about the cream cheese. Its 1 0 clock I like eat lunch at 1 o clock" I absolutely love that whole scene and relate so much! It's also amazing everything with Dexter (Micheal C. Hall) and his so called sponsor; the fact that he confronts someone from his past.

Things Are not Always What They Appear to Be

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 15 August 2010]

The press questions whether the Bay Butcher Killer is a friend of a foe. Dexter decides to perform a further investigation about the murder of his mother and finds that most of the evidences are missing. He finds that one killer is still alive running a bar in Naples, Florida, under the witnesses' protection program. He tells Lila that advises him to travel and face the past that haunts him. Meanwhile the distrustful Debra glances at Gabriel's e-mail and believes he is betraying her. Agent Lundy decides to install hidden surveillance cameras in the three possible marinas where the Bay Butcher Killer might have taken the stones and shows Debra the report of his personal investigation about Gabriel. Debra does not have time to tell Dexter about the cameras since he is in a hurry to head to Naples with Lila. In the end, Dexter and Debra find that things are not always what they appear to be.

"The Dark Defender" is another engaging and one of the best shows of the Second Season of Dexter. In this episode, Dexter finds that his stepfather had not told the whole truth about the execution of his mother. Debra also discovers that she has misjudged Gabriel that seems to really like her. The conclusion with Dexter cleaning his boat is promising. Last but not the least, Jaime Murray is sexier than I could imagine. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Defensor Negro" ("The Black Defender")

Superhero Dexter looks for his mother's killer.

[chillwill92 · 9/10 · 21 February 2011]

Now that the Bay Harbor Butcher has been outed by Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) as a killer of killers, some of Miami's denizens have decided to look to him in the way they would a comic book superhero, "The Dark Defender" which also happens to be this episode's title. This is the point where season 2 really feels like it gets on track. Dexter (Michael C. Hall) travels with his sponsor Lila (Jaime Murray) to find Santos Jimenez (Tony Amendola), one of the three responsible for the death of Laura Moser and the "birth" of Dexter's Dark Passenger. Lila and Dexter bond during this trip, but he completely goes behind Rita's (Julie Benz) back in the process. After confronting Jimenez, Dexter realizes that Lila can calm down his murderous urges, and continues with her as his sponsor. He also discovers that his mother was killed for being a informant to Harry (James Remar), once again leaving Dexter doubting his adopted father and his code. "The Dark Defender" is a cool allusion to how Dexter hoped people would accept him, although it will never come to pass.

A New Soulmate

[ZegMaarJus · 9/10 · 1 April 2021]

This episode begins with Dexter, he drinks a cup of coffee together with his sister. Maria has been promoted back to Lutenant. Denny Foster has been killed in his shop. Debra sees that Gabriel is writing about her, after this she leaves the room. Dexter stands eye in eye with his mother's killer, Santos Jimenez. Dexter slams Santos with a baseball bat. Dexter leaves Santos alive. Lila told to Dexter that she set the house from her ex on fire in the past, that's the reason why she is at the adiction therapy. Gail stays in Miami to look after Dexter 's. Nice episode of Dexter Season 2, Dexter found a new soulmate. Lila is the first one who knows Dexter his secret.

Dex: My little sister, the cuddler.

[antisocial1 · 9/10 · 6 January 2011]

Deb: If dad taught us anything, it's the value of human life. Dex: (monologue) Yeah, but I think we had different homework assignments.

Dexter learns that one of the three men who murdered his mother is still alive and, thanks to the Witness Protection Program, running a pub in Naples. On the trip there, Dex really opens up to Lila in a very character building moment. Later he confronts Santos Jimenez, but Lila's message that he doesn't have to be this person anymore, gets through and he lets him go. During this wonderful time, Jaime Murray hops in the shower, showing our buddy Dex and us the beautiful site.

Very good episode, could of done without Rita's mother involved.

The Epic Dark Defender [9/10]

[panagiotis1993 · 9/10 · 11 September 2023]

My Reaction / Review for Dexter Season 2 Episode 5 ''The Dark Defender'' (S2. E5): Episode 4 was awesome and I gave it a rating of 8.8/10. Let's see if this one is better or worse. Harry knew Dex's mother, now that's some new info. The police is getting closer, now they investigate the place where Dex has his boat, that's not good. So Deb's new boyfriend is writing a book called ''The Ice Princess'', i thought it was related to the Ice Truck Killer but its just a children's book. Will Dex be able to ''not use again''? He gave that man a good beating though. Let's see. Is it just me or there is something going on between Deb and Lundy? So Rita's mother will be living at Rita's house? That sucks. Overall an amazing episode, my rating is 9/10.

Beautiful

[dannylee-78082 · 9/10 · 21 December 2021]

1. Lila takes a shower and dex is confused 2. Lundy takes off socks 3. Rita's mom moves in

What an episode!!! Describing killing as an addiction is definitely not a socially accepted thematic exploration but wow I'm wondering if Dexter is "curable" or he was inherently born to have homicidal urges. The plotting suggests it's the former but we will see. Pushed the plot a lot forward too with Dexter realizing that his mother died because of her relationship with his foster father. With all this turmoil, Dexter is confused and this is no longer the empty Dexter - but a Dexter filled with rage and emotions. However Lila is there to see through it. The relationship between Lila and Dexter is so sweet and so real - they share their dark side in a way Dexter could not with Rita.

There's a big mistake here

[silverton-37959 · 5/10 · 14 November 2020]

Writing in the NA fellowship is a mistake that makes it hard to suspend disbelief, at least for that part of the story. It would be far better to have Dexter go to some woowoo new age group therapy meetings than to present such a false picture of NA.

Maybe the writers couldn't get anyone in NA to work with them, or maybe they didn't try, but the inaccuracies are pretty jarring. The Lila character would not have been accepted in any NA group and Dexter would have been warned by other members not to get a woman as a sponsor.

Of course, Dexter and Lila are both faking being addicts, and their silly relationship is a good example of one predator trying to take advantage of another, but they both would have been invited to stay away from any NA group they tried to frequent. NA groups consist of people who are pretty hard to fool, and those people are rather committed to keeping frauds from preying on new members.

The sooner this kind of fairytale storytelling ends, the better for the series. Since the series is in its 9th season, maybe the writers have dropped this whole fake NA thing. I hope so, because I'm new to watching the series and I don't know what happens in episodes after this one.