Practically Perfect (Dexter)
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Episode 3
| "Practically Perfect" | |
|---|---|
| Dexter episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 3 |
| Directed by | Ernest Dickerson |
| Written by | Manny Coto |
| Cinematography by | Romeo Tirone |
| Editing by | David Latham |
| Original release date | October 10, 2010 |
| Running time | 49 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Practically Perfect" is the third episode of the fifth season of the American crime drama television series Dexter. It is the 51st overall episode of the series and was written by executive producer Manny Coto, and was directed by Ernest Dickerson. It originally aired on Showtime on October 10, 2010.
Set in Miami, the series centers on Dexter Morgan, a forensic technician specializing in bloodstain pattern analysis for the fictional Miami Metro Police Department, who leads a secret parallel life as a vigilante serial killer, hunting down murderers who have not been adequately punished by the justice system due to corruption or legal technicalities. In the episode, Dexter targets Boyd Fowler, while Debra continues investigating the Santa Muerte murders.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.86 million household viewers and gained a 0.9/2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics, who praised the ending.
Dexter (Michael C. Hall) hires a woman named Sonya (Maria Doyle Kennedy) to babysit Harrison. With this, he can now stalk Boyd Fowler (Shawn Hatosy), convincing him in giving him a job in sanitation. He also attends counseling with Harrison, where he is assured Harrison will not remember Rita's murder.
Miami Metro continues the investigation into the Santa Muerte cult murder. The suspicion is that the husband killed his wife before committing suicide, but Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) is unsure. She works with Cira (April Lee Hernández) on the case, but the neighborhood is not cooperative. They question the owner of a store that sells the Santa Muerte items found at the scene, and he provides a few leads. When they later return, they find that he has been beheaded, possibly for talking with the police. Masuka (C. S. Lee) notes that the owner was killed in a similar way to the beheaded woman.
Dexter befriends Boyd and accompanies him during his tasks. He then sets up a dead alligator call, using the opportunity to sedate him. However, Boyd also uses the opportunity to shoot him with a tranquilizer, causing both of them to lose consciousness. An ambulance picks them up, with Boyd lying to protect himself. At the hospital, he prepares to kill Dexter, but discovers that he already left. Quinn (Desmond Harrington) continues investigating the identity of Kyle Butler, suspecting that it might match Dexter's description. He considers contacting Arthur's family to identify him, but fears he could lose his career if something goes awry.
Angel (David Zayas) confides in LaGuerta (Lauren Vélez) that he punched an officer the previous night after he disrespected her. Later, Jim McCourt (Raphael Sbarge), an IA investigator, tells LaGuerta that Angel will be charged as the officer had to be hospitalized. When Boyd returns home, Dexter successfully sedates him. As he did not have the kill room ready, he is forced to do it in Boyd's house. After killing him, he notices that someone was watching him from Boyd's locked attic. He opens the door, discovering a woman (Julia Stiles) kept hostage. As he holds her, the woman collapses.
Production
Development
The episode was written by executive producer Manny Coto, and was directed by Ernest Dickerson. This was Coto's first writing credit, and Dickerson's third directing credit.[1]
