This week, we reached the halfway point in Dexter: New Blood, and things are beginning to really ramp up. The show’s fifth episode saw some major information click into place for Angela, thanks to a face we know all too well. While we already know this will cause problems for Dexter, join us as we take a look at where we may be heading in the back half of the season.
Warning: Spoilers beyond this point.
The Return of a Friendly Face
So, who was this mysterious, familiar face unwittingly stirring up trouble? Miami Metro’s very own Captain Angel Batista. (Yes, he’s the CAPTAIN now. It’s what he deserves.) When we last saw Batista, he was Miami Metro Homicide’s lieutenant, stepping in after Deb left.
This episode, Batista travelled up to New York to present during a law enforcement conference about missing persons. Angela and Molly attend his talk, where he discusses the Bay Harbor Butcher and how finding a common thread among the victims help them catch who they thought (and still think) was BHB. After, Angela finds Batista and tells him about the missing girls. It’s then that she gains some key information. And Batista is none the wiser about how he’s just created a massive shift in the life of “Jim Lindsay.” (Who would’ve thought Miami Metro would still be a thorn in Dexter’s life all these years later?)
Pieces of the Jim Lindsay Puzzle
First, Batista tells Angela to trust her instincts. He remembers the Trinity Killer case, and how another detective’s instinct help crack it. The detective, of course, was Debra Morgan. Angela thinks Deb could be useful, until Batista breaks the news that she died, along with her brother. For a moment, Angela remains unaware about how huge this information is. Then, Batista tells her Deb’s brother left behind a young son. It takes him a second, but he remembers the son’s name is Harrison. Angela doesn’t respond, but we see through her facial expression that she’s beginning to piece something together, even if she’s not quite sure what.
When Angela returns home, Audrey solidifies that seed of suspicion Batista planted. Audrey tells Angela something weird Harrison said at the party: Jim Lindsay’s real name isn’t Jim Lindsay. This prompts Angela to head to the station and do some digging. Soon enough, she finds Dexter Morgan’s obituary, which conveniently includes a photo.
Where This Leaves Us
Thanks to Batista, the show has reached a major turning point. What does this mean moving forward? Based on the episode 6 promo, we know that Angela will confront Dexter about his fabricated identity. Dexter being Dexter, he’ll surely find a way to omit as much information as possible regarding the specifics of why he left Miami. But he knows, and we know, Angela is an excellent cop. She’s not Chief of Police for nothing. So, Dexter will inevitably have to come clean about some things. He made sure Dexter Morgan died, but it will be difficult to explain away an obituary. We’ve already seen how understanding Angela can be. How far will that compassion extend? How much more digging into Dexter’s Miami life will she do, and what will she uncover?
There’s still the mystery of Matt Caldwell. Now that both Angela and Molly know he wasn’t really in New York, they must figure out 1) why Kurt would lie, and 2) what really happened to Matt. At some point, one or both will connect the dots back to Dexter (and Kurt likely will, too). Though Molly and Angela’s alliance began with the missing girls, Molly still came to Iron Lake for Matt. Her newfound acquaintance with Angela provides the perfect excuse to also help with Matt’s case. Both women are intelligent and passionate about their work. It’s only a matter of time until they learn the full truth. Molly also has a notable line this episode about being right next to a serial killer and not knowing. Will that begin to hit Angela as she puzzles over her investigations?
Speaking of Molly, while there’s still no firm evidence supporting it, I still believe she knows more about Dexter than she’s letting on. Molly hosts a successful true crime podcast. As such, she must have a wide range of knowledge to bring her listeners reliable information. We know three of her podcast episodes revolve around Trinity, the Bay Harbor Butcher, and Brian Moser (aka the Ice Truck Killer and Dexter’s brother). It can’t be a coincidence she discusses three cases that all directly involved Dexter. At the very least, Dexter’s name must have come up in her research for the Trinity episode. If (and most likely when) Angela tells her what Batista said, will Molly reveal more of her cards?
Dexter: New Blood airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Showtime. Keep up with our weekly recaps here, and the rest of our coverage here.
