On the first episode of season 4 Dexter is no longer the sharply attuned, focused and controlled character of previous seasons. The new baby Harrison has completely put a chink in his armor – the demands of family life are taking their toll on the usually unflappable Dexter. The morning scene about fifteen minutes into the episode, mimics the show opener, but is a fumbled and ungraceful version with a tired eyed and yawning Dexter. Does this mean he has lost his edge? Will he let the vigilantly maintained façade fall? These are the questions that worry us as we watch our favorite altruistic serial killer keep up the image at work and home while still trying satisfy his “dark passenger” – his compulsion to kill.

Even in working life Dexter is far from his precise self. In court he fouls up some testimony as he reads a report for the wrong defendant. He botches the case and has the confrontational Joey Quinn on his back about the fumble. Quinn unleashes a tirade on Dexter and shows him pictures of the defendant’s victims.

Dexter makes good by kidnapping and dispatching the bad guy in his usually contextual fashion – he executes the former boxer in an old abandoned boxing ring.

There are a few other surprises that involve other characters in the show – it seems love is in the air. Angel Batista is no longer involved with Barbara, the babe from vice. Surprise, surprise he is dipping the pen in the company ink – we see him and boss Lt. Laguerta canoodling at her apartment. I have to admit I didn’t see that coming. Quinn flirts with a very hot investigative journalist Christine Hall who is looking for the scoop. Looks like that may lead to more.

Then we have Deborah still waking up to sensitive and studly Anton. But as Dexter is investigating the crime scene of the girl who fell victim to the Trinity Killer, Special Agent Lundy makes his way onto the scene again. This shakes Deborah a bit as her feelings for Lundy are still quite raw. On the other hand Dexter is on alert knowing that the attention from Lundy will only make his life harder.

We learn that the Trinity Killer played by John Lithgow is a veteran serial offender who has managed to elude capture for 30 years. We have a foe in this twisted murderer to rival our anti-hero. While scanning the crime scene left by Trinity, Dexter admires the cleanliness and thinks to himself that this guy doesn’t have a family to distract. Will attachments be Dexter’s undoing? Only time will tell.

The episode ends with Dexter falling asleep at the wheel and crashing his car and he has the body parts of his latest victim in his car. He couldn’t have found himself in a more precarious position. Stay tuned. I am about to jump on the couch and see how this plays out.