The Series
Dexter must have struck a few nerves, and definitely a few jugulars, because Showtime's friendly neighborhood serial killer is gearing up to slice and dice his way into a fourth season. But before he could reach his fourth season, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) had to make it through this season. In Dexter: The Third Season, Dexter goes through some significant life changes. Settling into domestic bliss with his gorgeous girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), her two kids and one on the way, the serial killer with a conscience struggles to find himself as he finally breaks free from the moral code of his late stepfather Harry.
With no guidance, Dexter finds a kindred spirit, or so it seems, in Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits). The two become fast friends when a drug dealer named "Freebo" kills Prado's brother and Dexter helps to track him down. Dexter sees Miguel as his chance to take someone under his wing and tutor someone in "the Code of Harry" that guides him and he lets Miguel Prado in on his secret, but things turn sour when Miguel kills an innocent defense attorney and threatens to expose Dexter.
Dexter: The Third Season is not quite as interesting as the first two seasons, perhaps due to its lessened sense of plausibility from the entire Dexter/Prado friendship. It'll be interesting to see if Dexter loses even more of his edge once baby arrives in Season Four.
The Picture
Dexter: The Third Season on Blu-ray has a solid 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 encoding that most definitely looks superior to the 1080i high definition broadcasts I'd seen on DIRECTV. Gone are the pervasive softness and macroblocking, in is much more high frequency information, sharp detail and strong grain structure. The pastel colors of Miami particularly stand out and there is a strong amount of shadow detail during Dexter's clandestine nighttime antics. Although the picture can look a bit gritty and contrast is hot, those are all essential to the look of the show.
The Sound
Dexter's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix, while not very aggressive, is sufficiently engulfing and engaging. The surround channels are effectively utilized for atmospheric effects, be they the breezy sounds of the Miami streets or booming of a distant car stereo. There are ample moments that allow the subwoofer to "woof" with Latin music filling the soundstage. Dialogue is clean, though sometimes it can sound a bit thin and nasally, with all upper and lower frequencies rolled off.
There is also a Spanish Dolby 2.0 option available.
The Extras
The extras are all limited to the BD-Live access on this title, which was not yet active at the time of this review. I expect the BD-Live feature will be turned on for the title's release date. Among other things, viewers can expect to find the first two episodes of The United States of Tara: Season 1, the final two episodes of The Tudors: Season 3, and interviews with Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Vélez, and David Zayas.
Final Thoughts
Every series must have a down moment, and after two pulse-pounding seasons, Dexter's third season may be it for this controversial series. Fortunately, there are enough sub-plots and an interesting enough cliffhanger to keep viewers waiting for next season. This Blu-ray release is also strong enough to add right alongside seasons One and Two without hesitation.
Where to Buy
Product Details
Actors: Michael C. Hall
Video Codec AVC/MPEG-4
Audio/Languages: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Dolby 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 3
Rating: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
Blu-ray Disc Release Date: August 18, 2009
Run Time: 629 minutes
List Price: $57.99
Extras:
BD-Live with access to interviews and episodes of The United States of Tara and The Tudors
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