Second viewing, previously unrated.
Wow, I did not expect that this would be this much of a trainwreck. A show notorious for its terrible ending doubles down with an even worse second ending. Let's start with the dead person Dexter's talking to this time around, Debra. We see a much different Debra, a Debra who apparently hates Dexter even going as far as calling him a monster and saying it's his fault she died. Directly contradicting the character in the main show. Then, we have Angela. A small town cop who couldn't solve missing person cases for over ten years solves the Bay Harbour Butcher case. She does so with a simple Google search. The search was "ketamine miami homicide" which somehow turned up BHB. Dexter had never used ketamine before so it's both a contrivance and a retconning, great job. The main show spent multiple seasons showing us that Dexter is not just some psychopath but is a human capable of love and more than just a cover life. Well, here he is a much different person. He's incredibly sloppy. A man who got away with hundreds of murders is worse at covering up than some small-town serial killer (Kurt Coldwell.) And, for some reason kills Logan (a cop) to escape his cell. Angela had only one piece of circumstantial evidence against him. Any decent lawyer would've gotten him out of that. Not to mention he could've just knocked him out. It ends with my beloved Dexter being gunned down like some animal by his own son. Absolutely terrible.
One of the most revered shows about the world, Twin Peaks is my personal favourite TV show thus far. It's a cultic, surreal mystery with myriads of construals and an emphatically subjective conception. David Lynch refuses to explicate the meaning behind any of his work being a firm proponent of art subjectivism. He often gives people small hints, such as the fact that Eraserhead is his most psychedelic film, but he believes every piece of art is up to interpretation and artistic intent is merely one of those possible interpretations. He fills his films and this show with symbolism, seemingly haphazard surrealism, and overall wackiness. Hence, most of his critics berate his work as nonsensical, random, and pretentious.
In all honesty, the subjective meaning behind his work was never the main attraction, for me. Throughout my viewing of the show, I seldom bothered attempting to analyze all the metaphysical happenings and instead opted to just experience them on a visceral level and see what comes out of that. And the surrealism is enjoyable regardless of the method with which you choose to experience it. Even pure audiovisuals suffice to enrapture the viewer and make this show an indelible experience. For instance, The Black Lodge is one of if not the best cinematic portrayal of prepubescent nightmares. So much so, that it reminded me of one such nightmare I experienced as a kid.
One of the show's main strengths is its romanticization of 90s American country culture. Twin Peaks is the epitome of the relaxed, isolated life in small American towns. Every character is interesting, friendly and has their own quirks, issues, and charm. Particularly, one of the most iconic characters in TV history, Special Agent Dale Cooper. He is by far the most charming character in TV history, whether it be his love for coffee, his sweet and caring nature or simply the way he records everything in voice recorder he has named Diane (who's later revealed to be an actual person). Or the smaller, simpler characters like Audrey, the classic femme fatale, who enjoys randomly dancing to a particular song, which also happens to be my favourite OST track ever. Not a single character is left absent a quirk or otherwise distinctive individuality.
The second season is by far the most controversial since David Lynch stops directing the show amidst it. Many hate that part of the show and think it's the worst filler ever, but I beg to differ. It isn't as good as the rest of the show since it's not directed by David Lynch, but to me, it was a nice break from the main arch where several characters received considerable development. The characters are brilliantly created, so I didn't mind simply watching them interact at all. Plus, the season finale is one of the best episodes. The next season, which revived the show in 2017 is singularly astounding. David Lynch has all the money he could ever need at that point and uses to create some of the prettiest imagery you've ever seen. Namely, the bomb sequence is a strong contender for the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
One of the biggest saves in TV history. As I was initially re-watching this, I had numerous misgivings. I remembered it jumped the shark at some point and I was wholly proven right. Lous is, to me, the most controversial character in TV history. The sheer amount of shit he can pull and still be given second chances time and again; it's preposterous. He ascends the corporate ladder by stabbing Harvey in the back while concurrently playing the victim. He moves on to try many a time to fuck him over, even attempting to get him fired. And yet, Harvey still calls him the best lawyer he's ever seen and an even better friend in the end. I struggled to put up with such an infuriating dynamic. Every single time he pulled some shit I was livid. Nonetheless, he managed to somewhat redeem himself at the end. He got some characterization and he eventually became a man of character. Plus, I'd be lying if I said all that shit he pulled didn't keep me enthralled. Donna's path as a character shares plenty of commonalities with his, but thankfully she pulls less shit. Though, I'm not sure I understand how madly in love Harvey is with her, or how she has such a pharaonic amount of intangible value that she deserved to get a Name Partner level vote as a secretary.
The series has positives aplenty, however. It's unremittingly engaging from day one, even becoming enrapturing at times. It manages to be poignant where it's apt and has very well-written dialogue. The law is something I was scarcely interested in before, yet Suits somehow managed to get me so deeply interested I'd ask around about the actual procedures. Further, let's not forget about Mike. He's the only honorable character through and through and he's the one who deserved to carry himself with the holier-than-though attitude that Faye Richardson does. He actually understands morality. Faye merely employed the law as a means to impose herself upon others. She doesn't understand Harvey's moral code which saved her from disbarment and familial anguish. She's so hypocritical, she goes for Harvey's license for something illegal he did for ethical reasons right after he let her go for the exact same reason. And she this she's the apotheosis of morality. In conclusion, I feel this show has value in many ways and is definitely something that's accessible and recommendable to anyone.
Third viewing, no change.
Still one of the best shows to ever hit the air. A great concept with amazing acting by Michael C. Hall and a riveting story. It's great throughout, only jumping the shark with its much-hated ending. There are a few things of note. Firstly, in Season 5, La Guerta is proven to be a sociopathic careerist. She overrides Debra's decision to avoid danger and causes innocents to die. Not only does she not admit that this was a mistake, she gets people to lie and make it Debra's fault. All this makes Harry's response to Dexter's plan to kill her all the odder. In Lumen's case, we have a completely innocent victim and Harry insists that per rule 1 of the code (Don't get caught) Dexter must kill her. Then, when Maria becomes a much greater threat to him, he says that she doesn't even begin to meet the code, even though she's indirectly responsible for the deaths of innocents. The ending is hated for a reason. I see no reason why Dexter wouldn't just go with Hannah and instead go be a lumberjack (which directly conflicts with the sequel.) Lastly, the addition of Hannah was a great one. Not only does it showcase Dexter's humanity and true ability to feel emotion, but she's the hottest girl in the show as well.
