Dexter (TV Series) Scar Tissue (2013) User Reviews

Debra Makes Her Choice

[nikashvili · 9/10 · 22 July 2013]

When the end begun, I was sure that the final season was about more Dexter's emotional and moral choices then his victims on the killing table. And I was wrong and I was right the same time. This season is not only about him, it's about everything we did not know from the beginning.

Dr. Vogel seems to be a person who wants to help Dexter, she's come out of nowhere to assist serial killer in survival. But is that all? Is she an angel saving bad people, or there is something she hides beyond surface? Scar Tissue asks this questions quite clearly but provides no answers. However, she definitely helps Debra to forgive herself and brother what she did to La Guerta. But there is a thought that screwed my mind while watching this episode - if Vogel wants Debra away from Dex, why is she helping her in recovery? Because if she recovers, brother-sister relationship will become the way it was before. Yup, she is weird, and adroit.

The same time, Vogel starts to convince Dexter that he does not need a sister, since he is perfect, he is serial killer and he can't have any feelings toward any person, including her. Doctor definitely makes his choice harder: with Debra, or without Debra?!

The same time, Dexter gets closer to a killer from Vogel's past. And this leads to a new discovery, that might be very disappointing. As it turns out, he kills people for a reason and it's not only about his thirst to kill, it's about something Dex (and we) never doubted before.

This is a good episode, but not as good as previous ones. It gives some interesting points and information but does not make even best fan (that turns out to be me) to stick at the screen very attentively. Actually there is nothing happening very special, until the last minutes of episode.

I am sure the end of this episode will shock you a little and make you feel really great. Because it did to me.

Unbalanced Debra

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 3 August 2014]

Dr. Vogel continues to treat Debra and they visit the container where LaGuerta died. Then Dr. Vogel shows the footage with Harry to Debra and explains her that she shot LaGuerta to protect Dexter; if she had shot Dexter, she would be feeling worse. Meanwhile Dexter investigates her former patient A.J. Yates and he notes that he has a scar on his head. Dexter meets Dr. Vogel and she tells to him that the cableman Yates was submitted to a brain surgery. Dexter breaks into Yates's house with Dr. Vogel and finds that the guy is a hacker and had accessed her files. Among them, Dexter finds one showing that he is an experiment to Dr. Vogel and he breaks with her. Quinn passes his exams to Sergeant but Matthews prefers Detective Angie Miller for the position. Debra seems to accept her situation but she snoops around Dr. Vogel's apartment and finds another footage of Harry that was made a couple of days before he commits suicide. Debra goes to Miami Metro and summons Dexter to go with her to a private place to talk. Dexter is surprised by the unexpected attitude of his unbalanced stepsister while driving.

"Scar Tissue" shows that Dr. Vogel, who seemed to be someone that wanted to help Dexter, is actually using him in another experiment. Dexter is different from the other seasons due to Debra and now Dr. Vogel is messing with his mind. Debra is totally unbalanced and has become a threat to Dexter. What is the real agenda of Dr. Vogel? My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Cicatrizes" ("Scars")

Psychopath whispers

[konstzir · 9/10 · 23 July 2013]

It looks like the season is getting better and better as we are moving forward. Another good episode. Good performances, the plot is getting more complex, secondary story arcs, new faces, everyone was involved.

First off, I liked that the episode started with another time jump. Unlike the season premiere, this time it served its purpose better. The episode caught up a week later after Deb was left handcuffed with Vogel, and it looked like they'd been having some intense one on one sessions.

Dr. Vogel proved why she's called the psychopath whisperer. She was assertive, manipulative, sharp, and powerful. I am still not sure as to her motives, but she is getting more interesting to watch by the second. She appears to have control over Dexter and Debra, not as much as she thinks possibly, but definitely she is working her way into their minds.

In all honesty, I did not like Jennifer Carpenter's acting in the early seasons. I kind of got used to her. I am taking all that back now. She is nailing it so far this season. It actually made me smile when I saw some glimpses of the old Deb back.

Although Dexter believes he found the brain surgeon in AJ Yates' figurine, I wasn't convinced. Admittedly he is an impressive villain, but I believe he is here for something different. I may be wrong! I like how Dexter's dealing with psychopaths now, contrary to just killers, is making his job significantly more complicated. I don't think he has taken into account the fact that those people are thinking unpredictably and way out of the box. After all they are psychopaths. Paranoia and everyone-is-out-there-to-get-me is their standard aspect.

The emotional roller coaster toward the end of the episode was steep and tense. Even though I knew it was not going to last, I enjoyed the very very brief time where Dex and Deb were brother and sister again. Although Jennifer Carpenter is a regular cast member, the way Deb talked with Quinn really scared me. And on the top of all that, she tried to kill Dexter and then she saves him right away. I don't know how many times I said 'wow' and 'no' during this episode.

Last, Masuka is a daddy now? Gotta love Vince's mannerisms. Quinn's struggle keeps on going. Matthews pulling a "LaGuerta" on Angel, and a new girl in Dexter's life. I don't think Cassie is going to disappear too quickly.

Good episode with everything coming naturally. There were some rushed scenes and a lot of secondary stuff worth seeing about how little things affected everyone's decisions, but it was well-crafted.

Poorly written episode

[Unknownian · 22 July 2013]

Dexter is my favorite series, and the only reason I subscribe to Showtime. However, this, the final season, I have been disappointed. This episode in particular was just plain stupid for many reasons. I'll just mention one: Dexter decides to lure his next victim out of hiding so he can do him in. So he calls his potential victim from the hospital room of the victim's Father, telling him to come quick, because his Father's heart is giving way. The "concerned" target rushes to the bedside of his Father. So what does Dexter do? Instead of waiting for him outside the hospital, and injecting him with the knockout drug; he chooses to wait "in the Father's Hospital Room" with his needle.

What was he going to do? Inject him in the room, and carry an unconscious victim down the halls of a Hospital, smiling at the nurses? DUMB. He should have waited outside the Hospital, and captured his prey as he exited his car, then throw the unconscious body in Dexter's SUV......as usual. Then take him to his prepared Kill Room for the nasty deed.

As soon as I saw Dexter waiting in the Father's Hospital room, I knew this would be a failed attempt, and the writers had no intention of ending the victim's life in this episode. Then the victim sees Dexter, and pulls his Father's oxygen tube from his mouth, to set off the alarm and alert the nurses so he could escape. Then Dexter makes the DUMB comment that this guy rather see his Father die, than be caught.

The victim already proved he loved his Father by immediately showing up at the Hospital, so the writers were REALLY out to lunch in this scene.

Also this season, they destroy the entire concept of Dexter's Dad being the cool inventor of "the Code", and make him out to be a wimpy loser that ends up killing himself, because he couldn't deal with Dexter becoming a serial killer. For me, bringing in Charlotte Rampling as the Shrink who really invented the code, was a poor judgment call by the writers, and negates all previous episodes with the cool Dad being imagined in Dexter's mind giving Dexter his advice. Sad way to end perhaps one of the best series ever.

A Healthy Relation?

[ZegMaarJus · 8/10 · 20 April 2021]

This episode begins with Debra, she dreams that she kills Dexter. Dexter broke in to Yates his house. Quinn got into a fight at Papa's, he wanted to defend Deb. Masuka meets his daughter Niki. Dexter discovered that Yates is The Brain Surgeon. Dexter found Janet and brought her to the AR. Yates killed his father. Dexter stops with working for Vogel. Deb discovered that Harry killed himself because of Dexter. Debra drove the car into the water, Deb got saved. Deb saved Dexter. Nice episode of Dexter Season 8, Dexter his relationship with Deb seems okay. But it is far from it!

Bubbling Up

[talksallabout-426-536345 · 10/10 · 23 July 2013]

The plot is bubbling over on Showtime's Dexter, season 8, episode 4, titled "Scar Tissue," that aired on Sunday July 21, 2013. Most seasons we get only one or two serial killers for Dexter to stalk and eventually kill. For this last season, we get a new serial killer every week. Who knew Miami is such a hotbed of serial killers? Dexter hasn't even dispatched last week's killer whose cuisine favors human organ meats, and he has another one to deal with. The next man on the list of Vogel's former patients, AJ Yats, might just be "The Brain Surgeon."

Towards the end of the show a seemingly rehabilitated Debra is in the car with Dexter. Debra asks if their father committed suicide. Dexter confirms that he did. Suddenly, Debra reaches over and grabs the wheel of the car, turning the car off the road and into a lake. This is the "does-suicide-run-in-the-family" moment of the week.

The car is beginning to sink and we see both Debra and Dexter, unconscious inside the car. A man who happened to be nearby fishing in the lake, jumps in and pulls Debra out of the car and gets her back to shore. Debra comes to just as the car is covered over by the water. We see the air bubbles rising .and Dexter in the car, still unconscious.

Debra dives into the water, swims to the car, dives under, and pulls the still -nconscious Dexter to safety.

This was an Interesting turn of events for me because this type of scenario was on my mind. Just before I watched this episode, I was wondering if the series will end with Debra and Dexter as a murder/suicide or a double suicide.

In this episode Dexter tried to kill Yates at the bedside of Yate's dying father who is in a nursing home. Yates yanked out his father's breathing tube in order to set off the alarm. The nurses came running in and Yates escaped. Later we hear Deter's thoughts: "To save his own life, Yates was willing to take his fathers'." Is this foreshadowing for something Dexter might do? Dexter thinks he is better than Yates when it comes to family. Is he? This is an excerpt of a review on my blog. Read the full review at Premium Cable Reviews.

S8.E4 - Scars [9/10]

[panagiotis1993 · 9/10 · 28 September 2023]

(S8. E4) My Reaction / Review for Dexter Season 8 Episode 4 ''Scar Tissue'': Episode 3 was good and I gave it a rating of 9/10. Let's see if this one is better or worse. It seems like Dr. Vogel is actually helping Deb, that's good. Yates has security cameras all over his house, that's smart but I expected from Dex to find these cameras. Will Deb be able to forgive Dex eventually? Masuka is funny. Harry didn't like or approve Dexter's ritual, interesting. It seems like there is hope for the relationship between Dex and Deb. What the hell happened? Did Deb try to kill both her and Dex? That's insane. After that she tried to save Dex's life? That makes no sense, she did try to kill him so why save him? Overall a good episode, my rating is 9/10.

The first major indicator of the 8th season's quality falling apart.

[rhemfelt1 · 6/10 · 31 October 2020]

Up until this point in the season there really is hope for a decent passable end to the show. I honestly enjoyed the 1st string of episodes this season. There was a ghoulish main-season villain, some entertaining monsters of the week that Dexter stalks and table-kills, and his personal life seems to be unraveling with secrets from the past. The very end of the episode is the first clear indication of confused, rushed, lazy, poorly thought-out plotlines.

It's glaringly apparent by Debra's actions at the end of this episode that the writers either don't care or know what to do with her character anymore.

It marks the beginning of Dexter not being Dexter. Episode 3 of this season is Dexter's very last table kill. There are 9 episodes in a row with not 1 single table kill. They start to completely neglect to develop Dexter's rivalry with the main season villain and the same muddled confused writing from the episode's very last scene plague every other episode up to the finale. The rest of the season is basically just Dexter seeking family counseling and quietly weighing the pros and cons of leaving Miami for good.

I absolutely love the show though, and I'm confident Clyde Phillips will deliver us a sendoff Dexter deserves with this upcoming bonus season, with Scott Buck nowhere in sight.

Eighth season a dull knife compared to it's counterparts?

[Brendan_Frye · 6/10 · 25 July 2013]

The eighth and final season seems to be a dull knife compared to it's serrated counterparts, empathy and emotion have been propelled to the forefront while his hunger to kill virtually goes malnourished. Viewers are given appetizers at best while the main courses are devoured off-screen. I've grown accustomed to seeing Dexter struggle but never without satisfying his hunger. The dark passenger has always been present but slowly it seems to dissipate and only reveal itself when portent to the story. After four episodes I'm hesitant but sincere when I say that if his hunger goes unsatisfied than so am I as a viewer.

Many staples and trademarks of the series have subtly yet abruptly disappeared. Dexter has had less frequent monologue, he's also without the presence of 'Fake/Ghost Harry'. While some might argue that since the arrival of Vogel, he doesn't need that shoulder to lean on anymore. I would have to rebut and claim that his mind projects his father to help him achieve the codes number one rule, don't get caught. 'Fake/Ghost Harry' judged every action he took and criticized it constructively with good intentions while also providing commentary and either delivering trusting/distrusting remarks on other characters in the series. Even before the arrival of Vogel we hadn't seen 'Fake Harry' but that isn't as much of a flaw as it is just writers discretion.

Through the first four episodes Dexter has only had one person on his table and his demise wasn't even on-screen. While Dexter did kill someone in the first episode he ultimately decided to do so very uncharacteristically, kill without caution or preparation. Don't get caught is the number one rule for Dexter, yet he sacrifices this in the very first episode. Why jeopardize yourself by killing someone spur of the moment. While it's entirely possible no one witnessed it, wouldn't there be DNA from something? Dexter didn't wear gloves, wasn't wearing his typical attire and didn't even clean-up after he was done. His decision ended up being more of a head scratcher, leaving the body with an already unstable incompetent Deb.

The writing has been arguably the biggest asset that the show has had throughout it's successful seven year tenure. However, season eight's penmanship has driven Dexter off a cliff and nosedived him directly into a lake...literally. Let's just hope there is a fisherman around to save the writing not just Deb. As a viewer I was shocked at the climatic moment when Deb took the wheel but was almost disappointed when she dove right back into the water and saved her brother. While I'm not saying Dexter should have died, what was the point in her diving in after him? It would have been logical to have the fisherman save Dexter and him dive in and save Deb. I'll just chalk this one up as confusion in the script, let's hope we've moved a few inches in the Deb/Dexter saga by next episode.

The eighth season has introduced us to new faces but it's also divulged a lot of it's screen time to secondary characters. Almost every scene involving Quinn & Bautista has to do with the Sgt. exam. We've grown to think of Quinn as an incompetent and menial character, so why should the viewer be interested in his love-life with Jamie and his opportunity at becoming Sargent? Masuka has rarely been present in the eighth season but has always been the OTHER lab guy. However, the writers felt it necessary to reveal Masuka has a kid...That's right the perverted lab geek, whom you've been glad hasn't been a father becomes one in the eighth season. The kicker is that he has a daughter who possesses the same laugh and quirky attitude. They even go as far as to have him hit on his attractive teenage daughter. While both are odd and not really relevant to Dexter.

What this season seems to lack is the cunning, ruthless, enjoyable villain that appears in each of the prior seasons. While it's entirely possible Hannah will return with a vengeance, my bet is on the brain surgeon being it's obvious villain. Vogel could be a villain in disguise but they passed the point of no return when she receives a text message telling her to look outside where she finds two more pieces of brain. Yates certainly has the look to be a solid villain but isn't witty enough or proved himself. I could be trigger happy with these assumptions given it's only four episodes in but at this point in the seventh season we already seen what Issak was capable of. Issak had a motive, was immediately likable and showed how dangerous he really was.

The biggest flaw of the season is it's infatuation with emotions. Vogel consistently tries to tell Dexter he doesn't possess empathy but he clearly does. Dexter had empathized with Lumen throughout the entire fifth season by taking under her wing and cleaning up after he. He saved Aster & Cody from a fire in season two, beat up an abusive step-father in season five and even had that dramatic moment with Issak on his boat.

While I could ramble on longer then the famous aforementioned Allman Brothers song I've come to my conclusion. This review may seem ridiculously negative but it stems from my belief that it's the best show on television, so I'm bound to pick out the flaws with a fine tooth comb like I was gathering evidence. The season is far from over so a lot is still bound to happen. Which includes Hannah, the wild card whom could turn the series on it's head in a split second. The season is enjoyable thus far, it just strays to far from the proved formula we've grown accustomed to. With that being said the writers should listen to their own character, 'Tonight's the night. And it's going to happen again, and again. Has to happen.'

More alike than I thought

[dannylee-78082 · 5/10 · 16 January 2022]

1. Deb is trying to overcome trauma 2. Dexter is tracking down former patients 3. Dexter finds patient notes

Really not appreciating this decision by the writers. I'm usually more generous but man, why would Deb ever do that? To do what she should have done but couldn't do? Seeing Harry's video must have brought her clarity but definitely a misguided one. There are better ways to weave out a story and this just wasn't it. What I suspected about Dr. Vogel was correct and I don't know how much part she will have on the show. Yates is horribly miscasted since he looks like he can't hurt a kitten. This episode may be the start of the downfall of a great series.