‘Dexter’ Recap: Dexter Takes Zak Under His Wing; Hannah McKay Returns

Dexter opens with a car accident this week. As Dexter (Michael C. Hall), who’s been tailing poor little rich boy Zach Hamilton (Sam Underwood) in an attempt to link him to Nora’s murder, spots him lasciviously taking photographs of the dead body splayed across the highway. Dexter then follows him, which leads him to Dr. Vogel’s (Charlotte Rampling) house of all places. After Zach leaves, Dexter goes in to interrogate Vogel about her connection to him. Not only does Vogel defend seeing the new psychopath, but seems particularly jaunty about the prospect of taking him on.

When Dexter is called to a crime scene the following day, he once again catches Zach snapping photos of the bloody scene. Using some tact, Dexter appeals to the boy’s curiosities and lets him pass under the yellow tape to get some closer shots. Zach, clearly in awe, eats up everything Dexter tells him about the blood splatter. He agrees to call Dexter when the prints come out.

Out on a date with Cassie (Bethany Joy Lenz) at a food truck event, Dexter is painfully awkward, unable to answer the simplest question about what he does “for fun.” Later on, at Jamie’s (Aimee Garcia) birthday party, Dexter notices that Cassie has brought another date. When he tries to approach her, he finds himself still woefully off his game. Though she might not end up as a love interest for the serial killer, according to the previews, she’ll be around next week. Also at Jamie’s party, the birthday girl learns that her brother Angel (David Zayas) didn’t give her boyfriend Quinn (Desmond Harrington) the sergeant job.

After Dexter pays a visit to Zach at his photography studio, where in addition to the lurid photos of crime scenes he spots a picture of a woman that Zach is keen to hide, he sits down for a steak and beer dinner with Deb (Jennifer Carpenter). Deb fills her brother in on Elway’s (Sean Patrick Flannery) mission to reveal his sister’s boyfriend for a cheat, and says she’s been doing better emotionally. She then admits to Dexter that she’s still seeing Vogel, but voices some skepticism about the doctor’s past. Dexter is more concerned about Harrison lying about hiding the remote.

Quinn, trying to prove he’s a good detective, decides to start working off the clock to solve the Nora Rivera case. Since that means he’ll be tailing Zach, Dexter decides to buddy up with Quinn. They follow Zach to a park where he’s snapping pictures of the girl Dexter saw in the picture. Thankfully for Dexter, Quinn didn’t notice whom Zach was honing in on.

Afterwards, Dexter goes to snoop around at Zach’s, looking for proof he murdered Nora. He gets it in the form of a series of photographs taken immediately following the slaying. Taking the pictures to Vogel, Dexter thinks he’ll get the go-ahead from her to put Zach on his table. Instead, Vogel admits she knew Zach had killed Nora and that she sees potential in him. In fact, Vogel wants Dexter to train Zach to be like him; Dexter thinks Zach needs to die.

Back at home, Dexter tries to talk to Harrison about lying. Though Harrison is contrite, he points out that Dexter too lies and pulls out his white stuffed animal dog – the one with the bloodstain. Dexter had told his Harrison that it was lost, but his son had found it in the trash. Rushing to find Zach, Dexter has no choice but to apologize to Harrison and hope that no one finds the doggy that links him to a murder.

Pursuing Zach, Dexter realizes he’s not the only one watching the suspicious young man. In order to get Quinn away, he suggests Jamie invite him over. Catching Zach stealing towards the boardwalk, Dexter exits his car and follows him, then notices the man Zach is following is his father. Before Zach can pull the trigger, Dexter stabs him with the syringe. Though Quinn spots Dexter at the scene, he jokes about him wanting to “play detective.”

Once Dexter has Zach on his table, he begins his ritualistic interrogation. Instead of finding more resolve in the killing, Dexter slowly begins to empathize with him. He learns that Zach validated his murders with the motivation of saving his mother, who has taken to alcoholism to deal with his father’s multiple affairs. First went one mistress, next would be the father. However, Zach also admits that he found a release in killing Nora and wanted to feel it again. Dexter decides to cut him free and teach him the code.

At Deb’s bungalow, brother and sister are catching each other up on the most recent developments in their lives. Deb informs Dexter that she and Elway tricked the boyfriend into hitting on her, which caused Elway to punch the boyfriend in a jealous rage. She chides about how Elway likes her, but has no idea she’s killed a couple of people in cold blood and recently attempted a murder-suicide. Dexter returns the joke, saying that the Morgan’s aren’t fit for any relationships. They laugh, but then Deb complains of not feeling well and collapses back onto the couch, and before Dexter can reach her, he’s half-fallen to the floor. In the doorway stands none other than his ex, Hannah McKay (Yvonne Strahovski).

Next week on Dexter: Vogel tries to help Dexter deal with Hannah. Deb’s jealousy concerning her brother's poison-happy ex returns. Dexter struggles to control Zach’s impulses.

– Chelsea Regan

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