blinded by the light

A recent episode of Showtime's Dexter titled "Blinded By the Light" was probably one of the weakest episodes in recent memory, but one moment saved it from becoming a total yawn-fest: Masuka's bad ass truck.

For those who don't know the backstory, Dexter got in a very serious accident while driving home from a recent kill and fell asleep behind the wheel. He suffered a concussion and doctor's orders prevented him from driving. So one night, Masuka drives our boy home in the biggest, most bad ass 4-by-4 with lighting painted down the sides, suspension that reached the sky and a stereo system that could let him listen to loud, obnoxious country music from space.


Sounds like Dexter isn't the only one trying to wear a "mask" to hide a deep, dark secret.

For some reason, Showtime's original series have been attempting to reference every major song on the Billboard '70s and '80s rock chart in their episode titles. Last night's Dexter titled "Blinded by the Light" kept sticking in my head and then I remembered why.

Just as the Kids in the Hall were coming to a close in Canada, Lorne Michaels brought a lesser known comedy troupe called The Vacant Lot to the CBC and Comedy Central. It only lasted one season, but one of their very funny inaugural sketches "Blinded by the Light" got stuck in my brain. Thankfully YouTube is required to save every memory ever recorded, and that includes the Vacant Lot's sketches. Enjoy.

(S0403) - "This neighborhood's going to kill me." - Dexter

Dexter's move to the suburbs seemed like a perfect way to keep Dexter's mask, but it's starting to become the perfect way to ruin an otherwise decent episode.

Rita and the kids have always been part of his plan to keep his true feelings hidden from the universe, even if he has more than a few shimmers of love for his new family. Moving to the suburbs was just part of the plan and a good move for the script, especially if one of his future prey includes a homeowners' association president who chastises tenants for keeping their lawns higher than three-fourths of an inch.

But now that he's in the thick of deranged suburbia and trying to keep his sane face in front of a whole neighborhood who always have their eyes peering into every open window, it just feels like a distraction from the truly interesting relationship that Dexter may or may not have with the Trinity Killer.