07.00 Dexter
08.00 Banacek
Dexter. Season 2, Episode 6. "Dex, Lies, and Videotape" This is the one with the copycat killer. And both Dexter himself and the FBI are anxious to put an end to his antics. Making Dexter himself the focus on the investigations has certainly made his life-of-crime more interesting this Season, but the focus of the show is always his personal life. Rita dumps him, after (hilariously) overhearing a phone message from Lila. Dexter reacts badly and - to my great surprise - winds up in bed with Lila! Even more surprising he tells Rita about it, just as they are on the verge of getting back together. All these twists continue to make Dexter a fascinating character.
This is also the episode where his (adorable) sister hugs FBI Agent Lundy in a moment of unguarded joy. It's a wonderful scene. Perfectly played and sweet and joyful.
Banacek. Episode 2. "Let's Hear it For a Living Legend" One of the best cases, and one of the ones I remember best. A football player vanishes... during a game... in front of thousands of fans... and nobody knows how he did it. Then a ransom note arrives. What the frak is going on?
Only Banacek can find out. And watching the smug Polish detective do his thing you get the feeling he has most of it figured out before he even starts asking questions. Stefanie Powers is a wonderful guest as the missing man's ex-wife and all her scenes with Banacek are terrific. Banacek isn't like other TV detectives and this comes across in one great scene where he attacks the man who brought him in on the case: Banacek works for nobody, he works for the reward and everybody is a suspect. He's arrogant and alone. And it's pretty cool.
He's not Harry O. There's no weight-of-the-world-on-his-shoulders. Banacek is a thinking machine, pure and simple.
Highlight? Dexter (surprises)
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Sat, Oct 18, 08 - Dexter, Banacek
