We’ve survived The Ice Truck Killer, The Skinner, Trinity, The Doomsday Killer and other non-nicknamed bad guys, and in this final season of Dexter (9 p.m. Sundays, Showtime) our leading man must make some serious decisions about his “dark passenger” now that he has truly damaged the one person who cared about him the most.
Six months have passed since Debra was forced to decide between killing her brother, the serial killer, or her boss, the insufferable tyrant inches away from nabbing him. Deb has since left the police department to work as a private investigator where she’s deep undercover, using drugs to prove her new identity and cope with serious PTSD. She hasn’t spoken to Dexter in months.
Meanwhile at Miami Metro, Batista has replaced Deb as lieutenant and the crew begins investigating a murder in which a victim is missing chunks of his brain. Later, we’ll meet psychologist Dr. Vogel, who will provide a backstory to Dexter’s long-lived “dark passenger.”
As Deb’s emotional state continues to unravel, the siblings will inevitably be pitted against each other again. We know Dex can’t stop killing and, clearly, Deb doesn’t have the psychological makings to become his Lumen-esque partner-in-crime, so there are a few options: Deb turns Dexter in and he goes to prison, he kills Deb, he runs, or he offs himself. And what about baby Harrison? Will he end up carrying the “dark passenger” gene, too? Whatever Dexter’s fate, it’s fitting that we’re coming to an end now — no recent season has come close to matching the suspense of Season Four (with John Lithgow’s unforgettable Trinity), so it’s best we take Dexter to the kill room before things get too crazy. (Dexter-Debra romantic subplot, I’m lookin’ at you.)
THURSDAY JUNE 27
The Out List (9:30 p.m., HBO) – Entertainers, public officials, writers, athletes and other leaders in the LGBT community share personal stories of struggles and success “being out.” Interviews include Ellen DeGeneres, Suze Orman, drag queen Lady Bunny and Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.
Wilfred (10 p.m., FX) – Kristen has a new love interest Ryan does not trust. At 10:30 p.m., Ryan signs Wilfred up for obedience lessons to impress a girl.
Small Town Security (Season Finale, 11 p.m., AMC) – Christa enlists a goat to help tidy the office lawn. Elsewhere, Joan must continue to face the reality of Dennis’ transition as he gets “top” surgery — breast removal.
FRIDAY JUNE 28
Maron (Season Finale, 10 p.m., IFC) – In back-to-back final episodes, Marc takes a disappointing role in his sell-out filmmaker friend’s (Eric Stoltz) movie just to get health benefits. Marc also imagines life as a gay man, allows “sex fest” Jen to temporarily move in with him and gets advice from Adam Scott.
SATURDAY JUNE 29
Anna Nicole (8 p.m., Lifetime) -– Because watching one train wreck isn’t enough for some of us, only a dramatized version of that train wreck will do. Craigslist Killer’s Agnes Bruckner stars as America’s gold-digging goddess, Vickie Lynn Hogan — better known as Anna Nicole Smith. The Playmate who made headlines for her marriage to the geriatric J. Howard Marshall (played here by Martin Landau) at age 26 was often seen as a walking punch line, but shit got real dark for ANS at the end — we’re blaming TrimSpa.
SUNDAY JUNE 30
True Blood (9 p.m., HBO) – Eric takes Gov. Burrell’s daughter hostage; Bill tries to get TruBlood back in the works; the Vampire Unity Society comes to Sam’s aid; Steve Newlin’s back!
Ray Donovan (Series Premiere, 10 p.m., Showtime) – Liev Schreiber stars as the titular “fixer” to Hollywood heavyweights — if L.A.’s finest want protection or have a private problem that needs solving, Ray’s the man to call. In the premiere, Ray’s father (Jon Voight) is unexpectedly released from prison early after serving time for a crime for which Ray framed him.
MONDAY JULY 1
Gideon’s Army (9 p.m., HBO) – The 1963 landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Gideon v. Wainwright found that any criminal defendant who cannot afford a lawyer will be provided with one at no cost. Decades later, public defenders in the deep South (with support from the Southern Public Defender Training Center) uphold this service despite daily challenges, low pay, long hours and heavy case loads.
TUESDAY JULY 2
Inside Amy Schumer (Season Finale, 10:30 p.m., Comedy Central) – Amy awakes in the middle of a manwich, competes on reality TV and embarks on the quest for the perfect sex advice.
CONTACT JAC KERN : [email protected] or @jackern