Alright. I'm starting to concede that it's getting a bit silly now. Whilst not perhaps leaping over the shark in Miami harbour, they're definitely constructing the ramps.
Now that Deborah (Jennifer Carpenter) knows the truth about Dexter (Michael C Hall) the pair try to reconcile their relationship into one they can both live with. This situation is not helped by Dexter becoming the target for the Ukrainian Mafia, and in particular a mob boss named Sirko (Ray Stevenson). Nor by Dexter's blossoming relationship with another murder suspect, Hannah McKay (Yvonne Strahovski). But worst of all, Maria LaGuerta (Luna Lauren Velez) opens a new investigation into the Bay Harbour butcher, convinced that Doakes (Erik King) wasn't the guilty party after all.
My interest in "Dexter" overall is starting to wane a bit now. Maybe watching it all in such quick succession isn't helping, but some of the repeating plot points are very noticeable. For the third year in a row, Quinn ends up in a physical relationship that compromises an investigation (it's actually a good job that Dexter ends up murdering all the serial killers, as they would never get anywhere with due process). Dexter's abandonment of his son is laugh out loud funny, as is the never-ending capacity for Jamie to look after him. . . For days at a time. The show is actually starting to joke about Masuka's covering for Dexter during work hours.
The big change, obviously, is the idea that Deb knows the truth about her brother. Fortunately, this seems to have diverted us away from the misguided siblings-in-love storyline, but her struggling to come to terms with this and an increasing use of prescription drugs across the run is a key storyline. This comes to a head in the season finale, which again promises to change the dynamic of the show. The credibility is being stretched though - now all the precinct has either accused "Dexter" of being "off" or at the very least heard someone else do it.
That said, the performances are still pretty strong and I'm maintaining an interest in the show, very rarely being distracted by my phone, or something else. I just wish that the credibility was a little more evident.