Our Father (Dexter)
Encyclopedia
"Our Father" is the third season
premiere
and twenty-fifth overall episode of the American television drama series Dexter
, which first aired on September 28, 2008 on Showtime in the United States. The episode was written by Clyde Phillips
and directed by Keith Gordon
. In the episode, which takes place several months after the second season finale, Dexter Morgan
(Michael C. Hall
) mistakenly kills an innocent man but forms a friendship with the man's brother, well-known assistant district attorney Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits
). Dexter's sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter
), meanwhile, has turned over a new leaf in her life and is determined to become a detective.
To carry the remainder of the third season, Dexters writers introduced Miguel as a new character so that his relationship with Dexter could serve as a "central arc". In order to allow them to explore Dexter's psychological and emotional reactions, the writers revealed Dexter's girlfriend Rita Bennett (Julie Benz
) to be pregnant. They also had Dexter kill an innocent person to develop the ongoing theme of rebellion despite initially rejecting the idea of Dexter killing "somebody who doesn't deserve it". Filming of the episode began in early June in Los Angeles
, California
at Sunset Gower Studios
, though a small crew flew to Miami, Florida
, where the show is set, to film short pieces of Dexter, which were integrated into "Our Father" and other episodes. The episode brought in 1.22 million viewers, an improvement from second season's premiere
and finale, and attracted mixed reviews from critics.
sponsor Lila Tournay, Dexter's life has returned to normal. He looks up a drug dealer, Fred "Freebo" Bowman (Mike Erwin
), whom he believes to have killed two female college students. Pretending to want to buy heroin
, Dexter visits Freebo's house, where he sees Freebo's girlfriend Teegan Campbell (Jelly Howie). He returns to the house at night and finds Freebo fighting with another man (Nick Hermz). When the man attacks Dexter, Dexter stabs and kills him in self-defense. Dexter flees, shocked about breaking his father Harry's "code" and killing an innocent person. He is called to the scene the following day and discovers that the man was Oscar Prado, the brother of well-known assistant district attorney Miguel Prado. Miguel seeks an explanation and consolation from Dexter, and invites him to Oscar's wake. Dexter attends, leaving Debra alone on their dead father's birthday. He begins to question Harry's code and whether his loyalty is necessary.
In the police department, Det. Angel Batista (David Zayas
) is promoted to a sergeant. Debra has changed her hairstyle and given up men, alcohol and cigarettes. Det. Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington
), recently transferred to the department, is being investigated by Internal Affairs. Sgt. Yuki Amado (Liza Lapira
) asks Debra repeatedly to keep an eye on Quinn, but Debra declines even when she discovers that "snitching" may earn her a detective's shield. She discovers from one of Quinn's informants, Anton Briggs (David Ramsey), that Oscar was a drug addict, but after she loudly divulges the information in Miguel's presence, Lt. María LaGuerta
(Lauren Vélez
) asks that Batista remove her from the case. Batista does so and instead puts her on the case of a "Jane Doe
", who Dexter recognizes as Teegan.
Dexter's personal life is going well; his relationship with Rita has become more amorous and he is bonding with her children, Astor (Christina Robinson
) and Cody (Preston Bailey
). Rita craves chocolate pudding and, recalling the last instance of this, realizes that she is pregnant.
Dexters writing staff began meeting in March 2008 to brainstorm ideas for the third season's storylines. Writer Clyde Phillips
said that, when the writers decided to open season 3 with the revelation of Rita's pregnancy, "we were thinking about how it would affect Dexter psychologically and emotionally to create a life when he has spent most of his adult life taking lives." They chose to introduce Miguel as a new character with the intention for his and Dexter's relationship to be "the central arc of the season", according to Hall. Smits was the only actor who was considered for the role of Miguel. Smits was not initially interested in joining the cast, but after Phillips explained Miguel's dark side to him, Smits accepted the job offer because it was an opportunity to play a character dissimilar to any he had played before. He said, "They promised upfront that this was really going to challenge me, that it would be stuff that I haven't done before, and they've really given me a shot. They've delivered the goods." In regard to Dexter's abandonment of Harry's Code, Hall said that "That need to rebel is a real engine for what unfolds this season." Smits was hired to appear in ten of the season's twelve episodes. When asked at the beginning of the second season whether there was any possibility of Dexter killing an innocent person, show runner
Daniel Cerone
said that by not doing so, they were "protecting the character". He thought that it was "very important for the show that he does kill people who deserve it". Phillips said that "We don't want him knowingly killing somebody who doesn't deserve it out of impulse or something, but we have explored the notion of his having killed someone without properly vetting that person and perhaps making a mistake."
Production was scheduled to commence in late May, but was delayed until early June. A small crew flew to Miami with Hall and, according to producer Sara Colleton, filmed "a lot of pieces—not just Dexter walking in and out of his door or car, but also scenes that we know we'll need and can use", before returning to the show's permanent set
s at Sunset Gower Studios
in Los Angeles
.
since 2004 when Nielsen Media Research
began compiling their ratings
for premium networks. In the United Kingdom, the episode was the ninth most-watched program in its timeslot with 194,000 viewers and an audience share of 1.2 percent, a significant decline from "It's Alive!
", the second season premiere.
"Our Father" received mixed reviews from critics; some thought that it was dull, though others commended Smits' performance. Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
said that he was "frustrated" by the episode despite not finding any faults with it, writing, "I can't help thinking that I've seen as much of Dexter Morgan
's world as I need to." Matt Fowler, writing for IGN
, thought that the revelation of Rita's pregnancy was "an interesting development, but not necessarily something that instantly catapults me to the edge of my seat" but that Smits as Miguel could improve "even [a] great [show] like Dexter". The Australian
s Stephen Romei felt that, with the beginning of the third season, "Dexter has gone from an eight to a six" on a scale of one to ten, saying that the show "has lost its edge" with the hypocrisy of Dexter being a supposed sociopath despite holding several relationships. Los Angeles Times
critic Claire Zulkey was "not sure yet whether [the third season's changes are] good". Ray Ellis of Blogcritics
felt that "the series has settled into a state of complacency" and could not "escape the feeling I've seen this before". On the other hand, the San Francisco Chronicle
s Tim Goodman wrote that "the whiff of normalcy for Dexter" gives viewers "a magnificent tease" and likened the fast-moving plot to "the urgency of brilliance". TV Squad critic Debra McDuffee was "pleasantly surprised by Smits" and said that, thus far, "season three is a good one". TV Guide
s Paula Paige, who was "thrilled" to see Smits join the cast, said, "What the Dexter season three opener lacked in explosive excitement, it certainly made up for in Jimmy Smits." Daniel Fienberg, writing for Zap2it
, said that the combination of Hall and Smits was "as good as TV acting gets" and that, in comparison to the second season's opening, "the show's creative team appears to have done it again".
Dexter (season 3)
The third season of Dexter premiered on September 28, 2008, and ended on December 14, 2008. "Our Father", the season premiere, attracted 1.22 million viewers in the United States, making it Showtime's highest-rated drama season premiere since Nielsen Media Research began compiling ratings in...
premiere
Season premiere
In North America, a season premiere is the first episode of a new season of a given television show. It often airs in September or October, after several months of reruns.-Evaluating the changes:...
and twenty-fifth overall episode of the American television drama series Dexter
Dexter (TV series)
Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...
, which first aired on September 28, 2008 on Showtime in the United States. The episode was written by Clyde Phillips
Clyde Phillips
Clyde B. Phillips is a writer and producer for television and film. He has written for the shows Dexter, Shout About Movies, Suddenly Susan, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Midas Valley, and Trapper John, M.D....
and directed by Keith Gordon
Keith Gordon
Keith Gordon is an American actor and film director.-Life and career:Gordon was born in New York City, the son of Barbara, an actress, and Mark Gordon, an actor and stage director. He grew up in an atheist Jewish family and was inspired to become an actor at the age of twelve, after seeing James...
. In the episode, which takes place several months after the second season finale, Dexter Morgan
Dexter Morgan
Dexter Morgan is a fictional character in a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay, including Darkly Dreaming Dexter , Dearly Devoted Dexter , Dexter in the Dark , Dexter by Design , Dexter is Delicious and Double Dexter...
(Michael C. Hall
Michael C. Hall
Michael Carlyle Hall is an American actor whose television roles include David Fisher on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under and Dexter Morgan on the Showtime series Dexter. In 2009, Hall won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Dexter.-Early life:Hall was born in...
) mistakenly kills an innocent man but forms a friendship with the man's brother, well-known assistant district attorney Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing...
). Dexter's sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter
Jennifer Carpenter
Jennifer Leann Carpenter is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Emily Rose in The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Debra Morgan on Dexter, and the lead role in the 2008 horror movie Quarantine.-Early life:...
), meanwhile, has turned over a new leaf in her life and is determined to become a detective.
To carry the remainder of the third season, Dexters writers introduced Miguel as a new character so that his relationship with Dexter could serve as a "central arc". In order to allow them to explore Dexter's psychological and emotional reactions, the writers revealed Dexter's girlfriend Rita Bennett (Julie Benz
Julie Benz
Julie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
) to be pregnant. They also had Dexter kill an innocent person to develop the ongoing theme of rebellion despite initially rejecting the idea of Dexter killing "somebody who doesn't deserve it". Filming of the episode began in early June in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at Sunset Gower Studios
Sunset Gower Studios
Sunset Gower Studios is a television and movie studio at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street in Hollywood, California. It continues today as Hollywood's largest independent studio and an active facility for television and film production on its twelve soundstages.The studios were...
, though a small crew flew to Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where the show is set, to film short pieces of Dexter, which were integrated into "Our Father" and other episodes. The episode brought in 1.22 million viewers, an improvement from second season's premiere
It's Alive! (Dexter)
"It's Alive!" is the second season premiere and thirteenth overall episode of the American television drama series Dexter, which first aired on September 30, 2007 on Showtime in the United States. The episode was written by Daniel Cerone and was directed by Tony Goldwyn. In the episode, which takes...
and finale, and attracted mixed reviews from critics.
Plot
Several months after the deaths of his colleague Sgt. James Doakes and his Narcotics AnonymousNarcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous is a twelve-step program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous describing itself as a "fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem," and it is the second-largest 12-step organization...
sponsor Lila Tournay, Dexter's life has returned to normal. He looks up a drug dealer, Fred "Freebo" Bowman (Mike Erwin
Mike Erwin
Mike Erwin is an American actor who is best known as Colin Hart in the now cancelled WB television series Everwood. He has been more widely heard as the voice of Jak in the Jak and Daxter series from Jak II onward except in the case of Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier in which he did not reprise...
), whom he believes to have killed two female college students. Pretending to want to buy heroin
Black tar heroin
Black tar heroin is a type of illicit opiate narcotic drug formed from the incomplete acetylation of morphine. It is also called brown.Black tar can contain a variable percentage of heroin, but despite the name, what makes Black Tar specific as a type is not actually its heroin content, but rather...
, Dexter visits Freebo's house, where he sees Freebo's girlfriend Teegan Campbell (Jelly Howie). He returns to the house at night and finds Freebo fighting with another man (Nick Hermz). When the man attacks Dexter, Dexter stabs and kills him in self-defense. Dexter flees, shocked about breaking his father Harry's "code" and killing an innocent person. He is called to the scene the following day and discovers that the man was Oscar Prado, the brother of well-known assistant district attorney Miguel Prado. Miguel seeks an explanation and consolation from Dexter, and invites him to Oscar's wake. Dexter attends, leaving Debra alone on their dead father's birthday. He begins to question Harry's code and whether his loyalty is necessary.
In the police department, Det. Angel Batista (David Zayas
David Zayas
David Zayas is a Puerto Rican theatrical, film, and television actor. He is most known for his roles as Angel Batista on Showtime's series Dexter and as Enrique Morales on the HBO prison drama Oz.- Life and career :...
) is promoted to a sergeant. Debra has changed her hairstyle and given up men, alcohol and cigarettes. Det. Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington
Desmond Harrington
Desmond Harrington is an American actor. He is known for movies such as The Hole, Wrong Turn and Ghost Ship. He joined the cast of the Showtime series Dexter in its third season as Det. Joseph Quinn.-Life and career:...
), recently transferred to the department, is being investigated by Internal Affairs. Sgt. Yuki Amado (Liza Lapira
Liza Lapira
Liza Lapira is an American actress best known for playing Kianna in the 2008 film 21 and Special Agent Michelle Lee in NCIS. She is also known for her role as Maggie Del Rosario on Huff.-Life and career:...
) asks Debra repeatedly to keep an eye on Quinn, but Debra declines even when she discovers that "snitching" may earn her a detective's shield. She discovers from one of Quinn's informants, Anton Briggs (David Ramsey), that Oscar was a drug addict, but after she loudly divulges the information in Miguel's presence, Lt. María LaGuerta
Maria LaGuerta
Captain María Esperanza del Alma LaGuerta , known in the books as Migdia LaGuerta, is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. She is portrayed by Lauren Vélez in the television series...
(Lauren Vélez
Lauren Vélez
Lauren Vélez is an American actress of Puerto Rican descent and the twin sister of actress Loraine Vélez. Her most notable roles are as María LaGuerta on Dexter, Detective Nina Moreno on Fox's New York Undercover, and Dr...
) asks that Batista remove her from the case. Batista does so and instead puts her on the case of a "Jane Doe
John Doe
The name "John Doe" is used as a placeholder name in a legal action, case or discussion for a male party, whose true identity is unknown or must be withheld for legal reasons. The name is also used to refer to a male corpse or hospital patient whose identity is unknown...
", who Dexter recognizes as Teegan.
Dexter's personal life is going well; his relationship with Rita has become more amorous and he is bonding with her children, Astor (Christina Robinson
Christina Robinson (actress)
Christina Robinson is an American child actress, best known for playing Astor Bennett in Showtime TV series, Dexter. Twin sister of Courtney Robinson.-Career:...
) and Cody (Preston Bailey
Preston Bailey
Preston Bailey is an American child actor who started acting at the age of two. He is probably most known for appearing in the Showtime TV series Dexter and for starring in such as films Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, Children of the Corn, and The Crazies.-Biography:Bailey was born in...
). Rita craves chocolate pudding and, recalling the last instance of this, realizes that she is pregnant.
Production
Clyde Phillips
Clyde B. Phillips is a writer and producer for television and film. He has written for the shows Dexter, Shout About Movies, Suddenly Susan, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Midas Valley, and Trapper John, M.D....
said that, when the writers decided to open season 3 with the revelation of Rita's pregnancy, "we were thinking about how it would affect Dexter psychologically and emotionally to create a life when he has spent most of his adult life taking lives." They chose to introduce Miguel as a new character with the intention for his and Dexter's relationship to be "the central arc of the season", according to Hall. Smits was the only actor who was considered for the role of Miguel. Smits was not initially interested in joining the cast, but after Phillips explained Miguel's dark side to him, Smits accepted the job offer because it was an opportunity to play a character dissimilar to any he had played before. He said, "They promised upfront that this was really going to challenge me, that it would be stuff that I haven't done before, and they've really given me a shot. They've delivered the goods." In regard to Dexter's abandonment of Harry's Code, Hall said that "That need to rebel is a real engine for what unfolds this season." Smits was hired to appear in ten of the season's twelve episodes. When asked at the beginning of the second season whether there was any possibility of Dexter killing an innocent person, show runner
Show runner
Showrunner is a term of art originating in the United States and Canadian television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television seriesalthough such persons generally are credited as an executive producer...
Daniel Cerone
Daniel Cerone
Daniel Howard Cerone is a television writer and producer. He wrote and produced episodes for the series Dexter, Charmed and The Mentalist. He created and produced the short-lived Dean Cain drama Clubhouse.-Biography:...
said that by not doing so, they were "protecting the character". He thought that it was "very important for the show that he does kill people who deserve it". Phillips said that "We don't want him knowingly killing somebody who doesn't deserve it out of impulse or something, but we have explored the notion of his having killed someone without properly vetting that person and perhaps making a mistake."
Production was scheduled to commence in late May, but was delayed until early June. A small crew flew to Miami with Hall and, according to producer Sara Colleton, filmed "a lot of pieces—not just Dexter walking in and out of his door or car, but also scenes that we know we'll need and can use", before returning to the show's permanent set
Television set
A television set is a device that combines a tuner, display, and speakers for the purpose of viewing television. Television sets became a popular consumer product after the Second World War, using vacuum tubes and cathode ray tube displays...
s at Sunset Gower Studios
Sunset Gower Studios
Sunset Gower Studios is a television and movie studio at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street in Hollywood, California. It continues today as Hollywood's largest independent studio and an active facility for television and film production on its twelve soundstages.The studios were...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Reception
"Our Father" brought in 1.22 million viewers, a 20 percent improvement on both the second season's premiere and finale, and Showtime's highest-rated drama season premiereSeason premiere
In North America, a season premiere is the first episode of a new season of a given television show. It often airs in September or October, after several months of reruns.-Evaluating the changes:...
since 2004 when Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
began compiling their ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
for premium networks. In the United Kingdom, the episode was the ninth most-watched program in its timeslot with 194,000 viewers and an audience share of 1.2 percent, a significant decline from "It's Alive!
It's Alive! (Dexter)
"It's Alive!" is the second season premiere and thirteenth overall episode of the American television drama series Dexter, which first aired on September 30, 2007 on Showtime in the United States. The episode was written by Daniel Cerone and was directed by Tony Goldwyn. In the episode, which takes...
", the second season premiere.
"Our Father" received mixed reviews from critics; some thought that it was dull, though others commended Smits' performance. Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
said that he was "frustrated" by the episode despite not finding any faults with it, writing, "I can't help thinking that I've seen as much of Dexter Morgan
Dexter Morgan
Dexter Morgan is a fictional character in a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay, including Darkly Dreaming Dexter , Dearly Devoted Dexter , Dexter in the Dark , Dexter by Design , Dexter is Delicious and Double Dexter...
's world as I need to." Matt Fowler, writing for IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, thought that the revelation of Rita's pregnancy was "an interesting development, but not necessarily something that instantly catapults me to the edge of my seat" but that Smits as Miguel could improve "even [a] great [show] like Dexter". The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
s Stephen Romei felt that, with the beginning of the third season, "Dexter has gone from an eight to a six" on a scale of one to ten, saying that the show "has lost its edge" with the hypocrisy of Dexter being a supposed sociopath despite holding several relationships. Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
critic Claire Zulkey was "not sure yet whether [the third season's changes are] good". Ray Ellis of Blogcritics
Blogcritics
Blogcritics is a blog network and online magazine of news and opinion. The site—a self-proclaimed "sinister cabal of superior writers"—was founded in 2002 by Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn...
felt that "the series has settled into a state of complacency" and could not "escape the feeling I've seen this before". On the other hand, the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
s Tim Goodman wrote that "the whiff of normalcy for Dexter" gives viewers "a magnificent tease" and likened the fast-moving plot to "the urgency of brilliance". TV Squad critic Debra McDuffee was "pleasantly surprised by Smits" and said that, thus far, "season three is a good one". TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
s Paula Paige, who was "thrilled" to see Smits join the cast, said, "What the Dexter season three opener lacked in explosive excitement, it certainly made up for in Jimmy Smits." Daniel Fienberg, writing for Zap2it
Tribune Media Services
Tribune Media Services is a syndication company owned by the Tribune Company.The company has two divisions, "News and Features" and "Entertainment Products"...
, said that the combination of Hall and Smits was "as good as TV acting gets" and that, in comparison to the second season's opening, "the show's creative team appears to have done it again".