There’s nothing like a perfectly timed walk on a beach to promote enlightenment. Had Dexter known this was the secret to attaining his sister’s approval, he certainly would have experimented with it weeks ago.
“Buck the System” accomplishes a few things that Dexter fans had been curious about: 1. Debra seems to understand Dexter for who he is, and 2. There may be a new love interest for Dexter.
What sticks out most with this episode is how the seemingly innocuous story of Wayne Randall still has an impact on the main storyline. We finally meet Hannah McKay, the woman who was just 15 when she went on a killing spree with her then-boyfriend Wayne Randall. At first glance, Hannah seems to have created a new life with no interest in her dreadful past. When Dexter needs to get a DNA sample from her, she plays hard to get. The scene ends with Dexter getting the last word, but I sense we are not finished with Hannah.
Is there something inside Hannah that draws her to men like Randall and Dexter? While the scene between Dex and Hannah was calm, we cannot ignore their odd connection. Perhaps Hannah picked up on a feeling that reminded her of the joy associated with her time spent with Wayne Randall? Maybe she felt guilty for being so cold to Dex? Either way, the point of her existence in the world of Dexter is not to become a “once and done” character. While I thought this was the most interesting aspect of “Buck the System,” we need to cover a few other items I feel are important.