Spoiler-Free Review of “Dexter: New Blood” on Showtime: The Dark Passenger Returns

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Tonight’s the night…”

Dexter: New Blood premiered on November 7th 2021. After the series finale in 2013, the show is back with ten new episodes that will air weekly. The show stars Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Jones and Jack Alcott. Each episode runs for approximately 52-55 minutes.

Ten years have passed since Dexter Morgan left his home in Miami, as he starts over as Jim Lindsay in upstate New York.

Here is the trailer:

Dexter: New Blood gives fans another chance to connect with their favorite serial killer as a different kind of monster emerges in a new setting. Does Dexter: New Blood do enough to make up for its disappointing series finale? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Showtime

Michael C. Hall is as brilliant as ever.

Even though it’s been quite a long time since we have last seen Dexter Morgan on the small screen, Michael C. Hall makes us feel right at home. His portrayal of Dexter Morgan is still spot on to the point that you think he has truly been starting over his new life for the last ten years.

The voice-over narration still works and we now get a new dead relative for Dexter to bounce ideas off with which was a welcomed presence.

The potential to make things right.

Dexter is one of my favorite series of all time but I was thoroughly disappointed with the series finale. The new series can really set things right for our favorite character, but it needs to make sure it is balancing familiar connections and premises with something new and unique to keep things fresh. So far there is a lot of potential in the new series with different characters and a new mystery to keep us invested, but it needs to be careful about recycling old plots…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Showtime

What’s really new with Dexter?

Sure, we have a brand new setting and new characters, but the plot seems all too familiar. I’m not really complaining because I love this plot, but the show needs to be very careful with how it proceeds.

There is a lot of talk about “change,” but so far the struggle seems all too familiar. We have nine more episodes to go so I’m hoping to truly see a change in our favorite character so that things can resolve in a satisfying way, but I’m also looking for something new and bold to shake things up. 

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Showtime

I’m in!

I have been anxiously waiting for this series to arrive and so far I am completely invested. It’s so great to see Michael C. Hall on the screen again and I’m confident that the series will present us with a worthy ending this time around!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Dexter: New Blood in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My new young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

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Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 5 Episode 2: “The Preppy Murders”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 5 episode 2, reveals were made and second chances were given…

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet. 

In last night’s episode, “Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Preppy Murders,” someone is targeting the group from Stonewall Prep, dangling clues for Betty and Jughead. Meanwhile, Cheryl attempts to redeem her family’s reputation, the Lodge women attempt to bring Hiram down, and Archie has a breakdown.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 5 episode 2 are:

5

“We’re shutting you down.”

After a close call with a group of Hiram’s enemies, Veronica is saved by…Hermosa. Yeah, apparently Hermosa carries a gun and knows how to use it. I’ll skip that and fast forward to the part where Veronica, Hermosa, and Hermione agree to team up to finally bring Hiram down.

Riverdale Hermione Lodge season 5 episode 2

Images courtesy of The CW

After several attempts, Hiram gives in and it looks like he is going to be taking a vacation for a while…only Hermione will not be joining him as she announces that she is divorcing him and becoming a Real Housewife of New York…talk about an exit!

4

“I’ve got some work to do here in Riverdale.”

Even though it seems like Toni is still trying to work on things with her family so that she and Cheryl can live happily ever after, this has ignited a fire within Cheryl and she is determined to make things right once and for all.

Cheryl tries to convince her family to let her re-brand the business so that she can finally do some good, but they don’t agree. This forces Cheryl to turn to Penelope Blossom, who apparently poisons her entire family…yep, don’t get on her bad side.

Cheryl is in charge and maybe she can finally do some good. Even though things are a little rocky for Choni, they did take that mini vacation together, but I was happy to finally see Cheryl in her element.

3

“You can’t just fight the pain away.”

Good point, Uncle Frank, but Archie is determined to. The video tape left for him has really brought all of his emotions and grief to the surface. Archie visits his father’s grave and struggles throughout the episode when his mother asks him if he would consider making a statement to help the kid who killed his dad.

Riverdale season 5 episode 2 Archie

Images courtesy of The CW

In the end, Uncle Frank comes to help out and lets Archie beat him up so that he can release all of the pain and it looks like Archie is finally coming out of this dark spot. He ends up writing a letter to help the kid as well, which was no easy task. He had me in tears a few times during the episode, but what comes next for Archie after graduation? Well, hopefully he can actually graduate…

2

“You got sloppy…”

I really love it when Betty takes someone down. After getting a cryptic phone call from Bret, he is found dead in his cell the next day and his eyes were gouged out…yuck. Betty gets a call from Donna and learns that someone is targeting them. Later on, we finally get the reveal that many of us guessed from the start.

The serial killer is…Charles. Apparently, Charles thinks that he is Dexter and only kills bad people…

Either way, Betty is not buying it and we also finally hear about his accomplice, Chic, who was the one who killed Bret in jail.

Mystery solved…except he is not behind the video tapes.

1

“Are you the one making those video tapes?”

So, we don’t have to wait too long to wrap up the other mystery as we discover that the person behind the creepy video tapes is…Jellybean Jones.

Yep, all of these weird appearances from Jellybean finally make sense and she is the one with access to pretty much everything.

Riverdale season 5 episode 3 Jelly Bean

Images courtesy of The CW

Jughead asks her why and apparently this was to keep him home. She thought that giving him a mystery would keep him close to her, but Jughead explains to his dad that he is not sure that she fully comprehends what she did and I’m a little worried about her well-being. Apparently, she was working with that weird kid Ricky we used to see her with.

Sure, she didn’t harm anyone, but those video tapes really hurt people. Look what they did to Cheryl and to Archie…there need to be some consequences…like, send her to a family member’s place for a while? I mean…something?

Either way, the mysteries are solved and we can finally move on to graduation. This episode was jam-packed with quite a lot once again and it still had that erratic feel. I’m feeling a little rushed with all of this and I am anxious to get to a new mystery so that we can get back to the Riverdale I love and enjoy.

Stay tuned Riverdale fans!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

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A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Safe” on Netflix: The Perfect Binge-Watch for fans of “The Stranger”

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

If you thoroughly enjoyed your binge-watch of The Stranger, you might have been endlessly skimming through Netflix recommendations for something to measure up. Well fear not, as Netflix gets it completely right with its latest recommendation…Safe.

Safe actually premiered on Netflix on May 10th 2018, but it has been gaining popularity ever since The Stranger premiered. It features 8 episodes (40-45 minutes in length) and it stars Dexter’s Michael C. Hall, Amy James-Kelly, Amanda Abbington, Marc Warren, and Hannah Arterton.

Like The Stranger, Safe is also brought to us from author and creator, Harlan Coben. It is a mystery thriller that follows Tom Delaney’s search for his missing daughter, Jenny. Once again, dark secrets are exposed as several threads begin to unravel together, leaving us on the edge of our seats with constant twists and turns.

The show has a very similar feel, almost making it seem like part of a thriller anthology series, but does Safe measure up to The Stranger? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Safe Netflix 4
Images courtesy of Netflix

Once again, an amazing cast!

Michael C. Hall was absolutely brilliant as Tom Delaney and as a huge fan of Dexter, I was pleased to see him thrive in another role. The rest of the cast was fantastic as well, making the character dynamics that much more more intriguing.

Safe Netflix 7
Images courtesy of Netflix

Another surprising mystery.

Even though I preferred the approach of an actual stranger exposing dark secrets, I thought that the mystery behind Safe was just as compelling. Once again, I found myself completely invested to see how things would unfold, coming up with my own theories and suspects along the way. The show is far from predictable and each episode leaves you wanting more and more.

The Cons:

Safe Netflix 5
Images courtesy of Netflix

Too many sub-plots.

Much like The Stranger, we ended up lost in several side plots and characters along the way. Some of them connected to the main mystery centered around Tom Delaney and his daughter, but others seemed out of place and strange. That being said, I thought that Safe did a better job with this than The Stranger, connecting as many dots as possible for us without completely overwhelming us.

So am I in or out?

Safe Netflix 6
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent again! After watching The Stranger, I was endlessly searching for something similar to watch and I love that we now get the chance to discover the hidden gem of Safe. I didn’t even know about this show when it premiered, but hopefully more fans of The Stranger will discover it and give it a chance because it can stand on its own as a worthy thriller series.

Even though I think that I enjoyed The Stranger a little bit more, Safe did not disappoint at all. Once again, Netflix delivered with the perfect binge-watch and we can never get enough of Michael C. Hall, so that was an added bonus!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Safe in the comments section below. You can check out my review of The Stranger here!  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “You” Season 2 on Netflix: Lifetime Dexter Does It Again

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

Obsession looks good on Joe Goldberg, played brilliantly by Penn Badgley.  After season one became a streaming sensation on Netflix, I was slightly worried that season two would not be able to deliver, but starting over in a new town gave us plenty of opportunities to witness Joe’s dark narrative come alive once again.

You (season two) began streaming new episodes on December 26th 2019 on Netflix.  Season two features ten episodes (about 50 minutes in length).  It stars Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, James Scully, Ambyr Childers, Carmela Zumbado, and Jenna Ortega.

In season two, Joe moves from New York to L.A. and is determined to get a fresh start as “Will,” but things get complicated when he falls in love with his new romantic interest, Love.  He quickly becomes entangled in her family drama, which mostly involves her twin brother, Forty.  Joe tries to be a better person, but the darkness within him continues to stir, as he starts to lose self-control once again.

If you loved season one, you are probably wondering if season two lives up to it?  Let’s find out!

The Pros:

You Netflix 6
Images courtesy of Netflix

Strong supporting characters that steal the show.

As much as I love listening to Joe’s moody narrative, it can get a bit stale if we don’t shake things up with some interesting characters.  My biggest issue with season one was that I actually really didn’t like Beck as a character.  In season two, I really thought that Love had a lot of potential, but I was also intrigued by her twin brother, Forty, who is absolutely hilarious.

Joe’s new neighbors, Delilah and Ellie, are also both fantastic.  You care about their stories and they really allowed us to see Joe/Will’s struggle to be a hero you can count on.  Being a serial killer can get in the way of this; however, but these characters spark a lot of goodness within him, which really helps him grow as a person despite all of his past inner demons.

Joe’s backstory is revealed and seamless connections to season one questions.

We get a lot of flashbacks sprinkled in during the episodes about Joe’s childhood, which help us understand him a bit more.  Even though we get a new setting and characters for season two, I thought the connections to season one worked perfectly.  They weren’t forced or excessive and they really answered a lot of questions that I had without hitting us over the head with unnecessary cameos.

Really great twists.

I did not see the ultimate twist coming and I was very impressed with it, bringing me in that much more.  This show is addicting and I tend to watch it all in one sitting because I don’t want anyone to spoil it for me.  Each reveal was well timed and I actually thought this season was even better than the first.

The Cons:

You Netflix 4
Images courtesy of Netflix

Less kills than season one.

I mean, I guess that shows growth in Joe’s character, but I kind of missed seeing all of the Dexter-like kills from season one, but the ones we do get are rewarding enough.  That being said, it’s hard to continue listening to Joe’s conflicted narrative when we don’t get some surprising kills thrown into the mix to balance that out.

Can’t escape that Lifetime feel.

The show actually did originally air on Lifetime and Netflix ended up picking it up, but there are a lot of scenes that just scream Lifetime with so many over dramatic moments.  But to be honest, that’s why we are watching this.  I can’t say that this surprised me and we witness so many real and honest performances to balance this out, but there were some scenes that were just a little bit too outrageous.

So am I in or out?

You Netflix 5
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!  I really enjoyed season one of the show, but I loved season two even more. “I wolf you season two!”

This show is beyond addicting.  It’s dark and obsessive, but it also has so many genuine moments of compassion and humor. 

Stand out character:  Forty, who basically stole the show for me. 

Season two was also not afraid to make fun of itself, even having one of the characters comparing Joe’s actions to Dexter, which I appreciated.

The twists were so great and the pacing worked so well, making this show the perfect one to binge-watch.  I hope that we get a season three because this show is fantastic!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on You in the comments section below.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 villains from “Dexter”

Happy Wednesday TV Fans!  For today, I have returned to one of my old favorites, Dexter, as I recently finished up my complete re-watch of the series.  Even though Dexter Morgan is a serial killer, he is an anti-hero that you root for, but I have to admit it was difficult thinking about who is actually considered a villain or a big bad on the show, as it pretty much comes down to whether or not they are actually Dexter’s nemesis.

While some of these villains are brutal and vicious, others are meticulous and calculating, but they each test Dexter in different ways, bringing out emotions within him that he thought perhaps never existed.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch the series yet.  My top 5 villains from Dexter are:

5

Miguel collage

Miguel Prado

Miguel Prado first appears in season 3 of Dexter and witnesses Dexter killing someone.  Dexter tries to stick by his code, but this becomes more and more difficult when Miguel takes an interest in what Dexter is doing, as he also feels that so many criminals escape the law and deserve to be punished.  Initially, there is a real friendship and bond between Dexter and Miguel, but this becomes more complicated when Miguel decides to deviate from the code, taking justice into his own hands.  As a result, Miguel becomes a major nemesis for Dexter and he is forced to end their friendship…for good.

4

Doakes collage

James Doakes

So, this one was tricky for me because I don’t really consider James Doakes to be a villain.  He just always sensed that something was “off” about Dexter and it turns out…he was right.  In season 1, Doakes seems to be getting close to discovering Dexter’s secret, but he actually finds out what Dexter has been truly hiding in season 2.  Dexter holds Doakes captive for a while, desperately trying to figure out what to do with him, recognizing that he is essentially innocent.  There are actually some real bonding moments between these two, but it comes down to survival here.  Of course, someone else ends up taking Doakes out for good, but Doakes is a noteworthy nemesis for Dexter and he absolutely deserves a spot on the list.

3

Lila collage

Lila

Lila is absolutely crazy, but that’s why she is just so brilliant as a villain for me.  Appearing in season 2, Lila actually becomes a love interest for Dexter…or maybe more of a lust interest.  However, Dexter starts to realize that Lila is actually very dangerous and tries to cut all ties with her.  Lila is furious to see that Dexter is rejecting her and doesn’t take no for an answer.  She channels some Fatal Attraction for sure, essentially stalking Dexter and targeting his friends.  It is also important to note that Lila is the first one who brings up the “Dark Passenger” that exists within Dexter, which I think is part of what drew him to her.  However, everyone’s passenger is different and Lila has a lot of screws loose throughout season 2, proving to be a dangerous and unstable villain.

2

Ice truck collage

The Ice Truck Killer

Who could forget the Ice Truck Killer from season 1, aka Dexter’s brother, Brian Moser?  I still think twice whenever I see someone with different colors painted on each nail and that’s because the Ice Truck Killer was a sick and twisted villain.  Even though the Ice Truck Killer is very creative with each kill, he also takes the time to leave little clues behind for Dexter, which sparks his interest.  This game of cat and mouse continues and when it is finally revealed that he is actually Dexter’s biological brother, I was completely shocked.  Brian never had someone like Harry to teach him how to channel his own rage, but he still tries to force some kind of connection with Dexter.  However, when it comes down to Brian or Deb, Dexter chooses his sister, holding on to the values he learned so many years ago.

Some honorable mentions before revealing my number one pick are:

  • Hannah McKay (although I don’t personally classify her as a villain, but she is a fantastic femme fatale)
  • Jordan Chase
  • Ray Speltzer (bull-head guy still gives me nightmares)
  • Travis Marshall
  • Maria LaGuerta (I don’t classify her as a villain either, but she almost took down Dexter so this is to be noted)
  • Christine Hill
  • The Skinner
  • The Brain Surgeon

1

Trinity collage

Trinity

Season 4 is such an amazing season and part of that is because the villain, Trinity, aka Arthur Mitchell, is incredible.  He is definitely Dexter’s greatest foe for me and he is responsible for the death of Rita, which still breaks my heart.  Dexter continues to chase after Trinity, intrigued by his own kill cycle, but he gets too close to him, posing as Kyle Butler.  Trinity’s kills are bone-chilling and creepy, giving me my own set of nightmares, but he also tries to play the family man, surprising even Dexter.  However, we quickly discover that he is essentially a monster to his own family as well, causing Dexter to practically throw caution out the window while trying to find a way to stop Trinity.  Dexter even has several opportunities to kill Trinity, but he doesn’t initially take them.

Later on, Trinity actually walks right into the police station and says, “Hello, Dexter Morgan,” now threatening to make things truly personal.  Even though Dexter is able to stop Trinity once and for all after he discovers his identity, there is a huge consequence, as he loses Rita in the process.  Dexter blames himself for her death and begins to question everything about himself and the code as a result, making Trinity’s actions that much more destructive in the end.  He is played brilliantly by John Lithgow and will always be one of the greatest villains on any television series for me!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to share some of your own thoughts and comments on your favorite villains from Dexter. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Dreaming of Wonderland Series Blog

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Do you love horror series?  Of course you do!  Please also check out 12 Nights of Horror Series Coming Soon.  It’s your home for everything you need to know about new and returning horror television series including new trailers, premiere dates, reviews, recaps, and renewals!