Warning! This article contains spoilers from Dexter: Original Sin Episode 4.

Summary

• Young Dexter's inexperience leads to more mistakes than ever, making his journey compelling and unexpected.
• Flashbacks from the 1970s continue to enrich the story, revealing key character dynamics and tragic events.
• Guest appearance by Joe Pantoliano as a mob hitman adds intrigue and foreshadows significant developments in the plot.

Dexter: Original Sin is nearly halfway through its debut season, and the action is hotting up, with young Dexter making some huge mistakes as he tries to follow Harry's code. The 1970s flashbacks continue to successfully fill in the blanks of Harry's compelling backstory, while the 90s investigation into the little boy's murder is without doubt the most gruesome crime scene the Dexter-verse has ever featured.

This episode of Original Sin was directed by Monica Raymund and written by Nick Zayas. It aired on Paramount+ with Showtime on December 27 and the title of the episode is 'Fender Bender'. The episode features a memorable guest appearance by Sopranos legend, Joe Pantoliano, who plays a mob enforcer who Dexter decides is worthy of his kill table.

Dexter Morgan's Inexperience Makes This Episode Of Original Sin All The More Compelling

The one thing that makes Patrick Gibson's iteration of Dexter Morgan that little bit more compelling is his raw inexperience, both as an intern at Miami Metro, and as a serial killer. Dexter made mistakes in the original series, but not on the level of the ones witnessed in Original Sin. The fact that Dexter hasn't mastered the art of his dark passenger yet is all the more reason to keep tuning in to see what he does next. As for the flashbacks to the 1970s timeline, they act as a mini episode each week, and continue to work very well, with Harry's story just as important in Original Sin as Dexter's is.

Even though the audience knows how it ends for Dexter's mother, Laura Moser, seeing the build-up fills in important blanks, and adds to the tragedy of her death. The scene involving Brian (the future Ice Truck Killer) pulling the heads off his creature victims in the back garden is chilling, in light of what audiences know about the character. The fact that Dexter is very much a caring child really plays into Harry's guilt for essentially being responsible for him becoming a killer, due to his failure to protect his mother. There is a lot of good stuff in these flashbacks, and they probably could have done a whole series based on this timeline. Now the Trinity Killer spin-off appears to be still going ahead, nothing can be ruled out.

The Mystery Big Bad Is A Different Step For Original Sin And The Exciting Cliffhanger Makes This The Best Episode So Far

At first glance, Dexter's kill of the week feels a bit shoehorned in, without any context or relevance. He just wants to kill someone, and he does some digging to find a worthy candidate. This is when he encounters Mad Dog (Joe Pantoliano), a retired hitman for the mob who Dexter thinks is on the brink of committing another murder to add to his many victims. For fans of The Sopranos, it was like seeing what Ralph Cifaretto might have been like if he didn't succumb to Tony Soprano's hand around his neck all those years ago. It's a brief but memorable appearance by the legendary actor, and by the end of the episode, the significance of this kill is made clear, and the random set-up justifies it.

No, don't. Not the Clapton

Once again, Patrick Gibson oozes charm and proves why he was first choice to play the titular serial killer. Stepping into Michael C. Hall's shoes appears to have been effortless for the up-and-coming Irish actor, and he leads Original Sin extremely well. The supporting characters, minus Harry and Debra, don't have much to do this week, but there is one classic Masuka moment involving cantaloupes that is absolutely hilarious, and totally justifies the iconic laugh that follows it. The cliffhanger ending is classic Dexter, and is all the more agonizing as the next episode won't air until January 10. The main overarching storyline featuring the murder of a prominent judge's son is really coming into focus at a nice pace, and the mystery villain is a good twist on the usual format. The killer could literally be anyone, and that adds to the tension in Original Sin. The stand-out episode so far.

Dexter: Original Sin Episodes 1-4 Are Available to Stream on Paramount+ with Showtime Now