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I rank s1 and 2 of dexter pretty highly amongst all time great TV. S4 is right up but the first 2 seasons are really pure and focused in a way tv rarely ever gets. S3 struggles because its reeling from losing its antagonist and bookended against s4 it looks really weak in the rear view mirror. S4 has the same quality of writting as the 1st 2 seasons and arguably a more dramatic climax. I think how exceptional the first half of Dexter is makes its fall from grace cut that much deeper. Like Game of Thrones in a lot of ways.
S9 (fuck your rebranding) i dont think can match those 3 seasons. On reflection i definitely think its better than season 3 for sure though.
The Kurgan is great in s9. The moment he appears in 902 i was elated. The way they work him into the narrative and the way he interacts with Dexter in both The World of the Lie and in The World of the Truth is really well done.
All that said the show gets very caught up in the minutiae of his moutainman life and i think it leaves a bit to be desired. Contrasting it against the shows peak, and this season if very deserving to be considered against the best of its run, it just isnt as compelling as that upper echelon.
But we're talking about 3 of the best seasons of tv ever made. Its not really a besmirchment to not be as good as its peak.
And beyond that endings are hard. There's a ton of house keeping that goes into wrapping long form narratives that werent constructed to end. If you hold this ending up against its first ending...this is a masterpiece. So I'll def take it woth pleasure.
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