‘Dexter: Resurrection’ Episode 7 Recap & Review: Dexter Drops the Mask

This article contains spoilers for Dexter: Resurrection Episode 7

Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) has always walked a fine line in terms of juggling his two personas. Keeping the social mask on for work and even family became an art form, allowing his Dark Passenger to do what it had to do. However, it isn’t easy and often exhausting, as he could never really share who or what he really was. In Dexter: Resurrection Episode 7, “Course Correction,” he gets to drop the mask, and in doing so, opens up some intriguing possibilities and, of course, the resulting complications that follow. 

The episode starts at the private retreat of Leon Prater (Peter Dinklage), where our now smaller group of killers, Dexter/Red, Al (Eric Stonestreet), and Gareth (David Dastmalchian) were shuttled to via helicopter, along with the ever-watching Charley (Uma Thurman), of course. Prater took advantage of the quiet time to make a toast to the now deceased Mia (Krysten Ritter) and as both Al and Dexter/Red for a show and tell of their work and unique insights into how they hunted and killed, something Dexter wasn’t really expecting.

It was interesting to watch Dexter squirm as he watched Al run through a video of how he hunted and took down his prey, women with ponytails. Dexter was uncomfortable and revolted, trying to act intrigued while secretly hating having to watch and wanting more than ever to kill these people and be done with it. He is a serial killer, but his code of killing only other killers seems to make him a better person of sorts, in his mind, anyway. This fuels his desire to kill and cements the fact that he is indeed happy to have stumbled across this little gathering. 

Dexter himself gets to do his show and tell next and surprises everyone with not a play-by-play of his kill thoughts but instead, a look inside his two personas and the mask he is forced to wear. He brings up the intriguing point on control: just who is in control here? He leans much more to the dark side, who is forced to wear the mask that society wants, so he can live to kill again. It was well done and connected with those viewing it in different ways, especially Prater, who looked like he was taken away into some deep, personal thoughts. As far as presentations go, Dexter really killed this one (pun intended).

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Meanwhile, Harrison (Jack Alcott) is serious about going back to school and asks his dad to help him with the open house. Of course, Dexter is a bit busy talking death, so he can’t get there on time, allowing Harrison to meet a girl, and they hit it off. This makes things easier on Harrison in terms of getting some info, but it is sure to get complicated if something actually comes of this. Still, it was nice to see this happen, mainly to keep Harrison distracted from feeling the need to intervene on Elsa’s (Emilia Suarez) behalf in terms of her abusive landlord. That is something he should avoid at all costs, but whether he can or not remains to be seen. 

Back at the retreat, Prater asks for a private sit-down with Dexter/Red, and after gushing about how much he loved his presentation, reveals a little bit more of himself and why he does what he does. Prater began a sort of relationship with the man behind the wheel of the car that killed his parents. First, Prater reached out to him via letters, then visited the prison. He had no remorse, even admitted to killing others, yet for some reason, Prater was fascinated. After the man died in prison, Prater carried that fascination about why killers do what they do to where he is now, and vowed never to let anyone have that kind of power over him again.

It was a powerful speech by Dinklage, raising the curtain more than a bit in terms of what drives the man, making him possibly more dangerous than those at these get-togethers. He cultivates and nourishes serial killers, collects their trophies, and dresses it all up in some childhood trauma-fueled desire. The trauma may be real, but he gave the speech/story to Dexter, a man who understands these things far better than he does. 

Dexter then gets Gareth alone and, after stroking his ego a bit, lets him know he has discovered he has a twin. He covers Gareth’s shock with more ego stroking and then, without warning, leans in and lets him know he killed his twin. Gareth goes mad, attacks Dexter with a broken glass, only to have Dexter turn it on him and kill him. The whole scene is a little too neat and convenient; however, it is saved when Charley stitches up a wound Dexter received from Gareth. She gave off the vibe that she wasn’t buying what just happened either. The whole scene felt a bit clumsy, but was saved in the end by some clever writing. 

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Getting back from the retreat, Dexter joins Harrison at his event and even joins him to hear a lecture from a police officer (it seems policing is an interest of his). It was quite ironic then to see Det. Wallace (Kadia Saraf) gave the lecture, and then it was a bit weird to have Harrison and Dexter talk with her after the lecture was over, with Harrison indicating his interest. It was a weird scene, with bits of irony and believability mixed in with a strange awkwardness, both good and bad for the scene. It was odd, but it worked in a weird Dexter show kind of way.  However, it’s one of those things best left as a one-off and not repeated often. 

There is a great scene to end Dexter: Resurrection Episode 7, and it involves good ole Angel (David Zayas), the man who won’t give up. He tracked Dexter to his new home and met Blessing Kamara (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine), who spoke fondly of Dexter and invited Angel inside. Once home, Dexter might never have known he was there, but the sound of music from upstairs that was reminiscent of his Miami days had him investigate, and sure enough, Angel was there.

He offers Angel a ride home, and there, Dexter drops his mask for Angel to let him know he is treading into very dangerous territory. It is creepy and chilling, but Angel won’t budge, and even when Dexter kicks him out of his car, he has his wits about him enough to drop a tracker in the vehicle before Dexter speeds off.

There was a lot to chew on in “Course Correction,” but for the most part, it was a successful episode. Besides some weird and too convenient scenes, there were legitimate tense moments, and Angel and maybe even Charley showed they are forces to deal with moving forward. It will be curious to see how Dexter manages that, his son, and what’s left of the group, but after all, he is the master juggler of all things chaotic, so this seems right up his alley.

Dexter: Resurrection Episode 7 is now available for streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan. The remaining episodes will premiere weekly, every Friday.