jimmy smits

(S03E11) All I have to say about that is ... whoo boy. It is rare to find a show that delivers quality episodes as consistently as Dexter does. I never come away disappointed, and I sure didn't tonight.

But how are they going to wrap this season up in one episode? My guess is that some loose ends will be left to continue next season, but the major ones will have some conclusion.

I can't even say anything until after the break, this episode was so darned spoilery, but I will say that Dexter did have a dream, as in the title of the episode, and now that dream is dead.

(S03E10) So much is going to happen in the last two episodes of Dexter, and this episode set it all up. It was a tense one, and I enjoyed watching Dexter's and Miguel's little game of cat and mouse.

However, I really missed some of the lighter moments we often see in Dexter, like the quotes with double meanings, the underlying serial killer humor, if you will. There was one at the very beginning, though, that was classic Dexter. On toying with the idea of killing Miguel, Dexter says in his voice over: "He's also my best man. I'd be expected to grieve."

Join me after the jump as I delve into some of the foundations that have been laid for the last two episodes.

(S03E09) Things are coming together and they will have a lot to cram into the last three episodes of Dexter, that's for sure. Some huge things happened in this episode, but mostly, it leaves me with a lot of questions. Really, really good questions.

I'll leave the spoilery ones until after the break and start with Barbara...

What's up with Batista's chick talking dirty to Masuka?
I don't know why Vince would lie about something like that, and it seems to me there's more to it than Barbara trying to fit in. Didn't quite find that perfect girl, did you Batista?

(S03E08) OK, so I am sitting here, trying to figure out how I can actually write a review of this episode of Dexter when the bloody preview left nothing from next week's episode a surprise. WTF, Showtime? So, let's move past that huge spoiler that is next week's coming attractions and talk about the damage done by Dexter, Miguel and Quinn in "The Damage a Man Can Do."

Dexter talks of the Butterfly Effect, in which one event sets off a chain reaction of other events. This is essentially what happens throughout this episode, and in every case, things go downhill fast.

I'm always fascinated by the ad campaigns that the networks come up with to sell or promote TV shows. I remember in 2004 when Fox debuted House, they created a magazine insert DVD of the pilot. It was a great way to get TV fans to try the show, and I -- for one -- bought Entertainment Weekly and watched the show.

Giveaways are one way to drive awareness -- and sample the product -- but another is with a print ad campaign. Recently, Gossip Girl came up with a savvy set of posters and advertisements to call attention to the naughtiness of the show.

Now comes a new, original campaign for Showtime's Dexter in which the Michael C. Hall's character is imagined on the cover of magazines. Dexter on Esquire, The New Yorker, GQ, Wired; high-profile magazines that have a distinctive look, reconfigured for serial killer hiding in plain sight, Dexter Morgan. The ads look amazing and will be seen in all variety of magazines and plastered up as posters all over the place.

Cane may be gone from the landscape of fictional South Florida, but the actor who starred in that CBS drama seems bound to remain in the Miami area. Emmy-winner Jimmy Smits will be joining the cast of Showtime's Dexter in the new season.

Dexter, which stars Michael C. Hall as a serial killer who murders those he feels deserve to die and remains under the radar thanks to his job as a blood-splatter expert in the Miami Police department, was a breakout hit for Showtime. CBS aired slightly-altered episodes of the twisted crime drama earlier this year, in part of fill the schedule holes created by the writers' strike -- and, ironically, the failure of shows like Cane.

(S01E12) This was a great episode of Cane. For once, they didn't try to wrap up all the loose ends of a story in one episode. I hate when everything is resolved too quickly. Some of the situations are dramatic and serious and should be drawn out. The shot of Alex in the rain at the end was great and left me wondering how would he get himself out of this debacle. (Unfortunately, I didn't catch any scenes for next week so I'm not sure about the fate of Cane as it has been suffering in the ratings.)

Speaking of Alex, all the best episodes of the season have been when the odds were against him. Last night proved no different. He is such a clever strong-willed character so I really like seeing him get into sticky situations and then having to dig himself out.

(S01E11) There was a double episode of Cane last night. I suppose that was because Cane was not on last week. But whatever the reason, I just wanted to point out before I start talking about "Hurricane" that I have reviewed both episodes. I linked to the review of "The Perfect Son" at the end of this post.

Firstly, why did the people in the convenience store start panicking and rushing out like that? I rewound that dialogue a few times to see what Alex said right before the people went nuts. He just told his son to be calm. So, was the uproar because that thug had a recognizable gang tattoo? Or did people start panicking because of something with hurricane?

(S01E10) Firstly, let me say that I was a little worried when Cane didn't show any previews for next week. I wonder if it's been affected by the writers' strike. Maybe because of poor ratings they are just taking it off the air. I wouldn't be surprised--they are fine with taking good characters off the show without warning (hello? Santo?). I would be upset if Cane got canceled though. The show really has so much potential and it would be such a waste of an excellent ensemble cast to cancel it.

Now let's get to the review. Tonight's episode was good. The parallel stories were clever. Alex / Jaime are both confronted with morally gray situations (i.e. a hooker in the hotel room and strippers at a bachelor party). Both, however, stay true to their wives.

(S01E09) So, is it just me or is Cane a little all over the place? I was convinced last week and in the few weeks before that that Ellis Samuels was genuinely interested in Frank Duque and really wanted to be parted from her despicable father. But this week (because now it's convenient for Alex's character) she is back on the other side with Daddy dearest.

I seem to remember Ellis confronting her father about the death of Lucia Duque. The look on her face said everything: she was in shock and deeply disappointed to discover her father ordered the death of a little girl. Then, her father threw her under the bus with the Cuban land deal. He even rudely ignored her while playing cards with his buddies. It was clear they were not in cahoots.

(S01E08) "There was a time I was especially fond of you." Ellis to Alex

What does that mean? Did Ellis and Alex have a deeper relationship that we will find out about? Now that would be a good twist in this conflict between the Duques and the Samuels. From their conversation last night, I couldn't quite gauge whether Ellis just meant that she used to like Alex as a friend and business peer or if she was referring to a past romantic relationship.

Another good episode of Cane--it is truly getting better. Sadly, CBS still hasn't changed the time slot and sadly, Santo was not in this episode. I sincerely hope they are not doing away with him. But, on the bright side, some much needed developments happened last night.

(S01E07) "You've got to stop this vendetta. It will destroy your family" --Pancho

Now, why would Alex stop trying to get revenge on Joe Samuels when things are just getting really good? This episode was great. And that's the first time I said that. As I watched the previews for next Tuesday, I was, for the first time, excited to see what happens next on Cane.

I need to make one comment before I start the real part of my review though. I think this show would be more popular if it was on at 8 or 9 p.m. I say, get rid of the musical acts (it's not The O.C.) and move to an earlier time slot.. CBS could have a show with the same success and longevity as Dallas.

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(S01E06) "It's not who you are, it's what you're becoming" --Pancho Duque to Alex Vega

Pancho says it all with this quote from next week's episode of Cane. What is going on with Alex Vega? He's a dedicated family man who adores his wife. He's a smart business man who has innovative ideas for Duque Rum. And he's a wrathful man who will exact revenge on anyone who threatens his family. All this in one person. I just don't know if this is believable sometimes.

CBS wants to see where a few of its under-performing shows are going before deciding their fate. The network ordered four more scripts for both Moonlight and Cane. Moonlight, a series about vampires in Los Angeles, is the net's lowest-rated show on Friday nights (it's in the 10 pm time slot). And Cane is ranked 8th on Tuesday nights.

While I can't say much about Cane, I can say that I was mighty disappointed in Moonlight. I'm a big fan of Jason Dohring from Veronica Mars, but I found him horribly miscast as "the oldest vampire in LA" (or maybe he'll always be Logan Echolls to me).

(S01E05) Last night on Cane things continued to heat up for Alex Vega. He had some close calls with the law. How much longer can he cover his tracks with his involvement in Quinones's murder? Plus, Senator Barnes had to resign because he was found with a male hooker. (Is that the right term? I think Joe Samuels helped would say so.) Guess there's no ethanol deal. Bad news for Alex. Good news for Cane fans. We get to watch him try to clean up this fine mess.

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