Sadly tonight is not the night for fans mulling through the lull of a Dexter-less summer. Filming of Showtimeʼs hit series sixth season just started production in May which would imply that the series may once again premiere the first episode of its new season around September.

Season five concluded with Julia Stilesʼ character Lumen Pierce leaving Miami for locations unknown but not before unleashing her primal self all over motivational mastermind Jordan Chase. While most fans of the show enjoyed season five, a vast majority of those viewers felt that the show was taking a step in the wrong direction without measuring up to a killer season four. Apparently Showtime executives agreed and decided to change showrunners for the upcoming season six. Unfortunately they didnʼt think that they could afford me so I didnʼt get a call for the job. Luckily for them, these five suggestions will help to ensure that “Dexter” continues to take out the trash in true foster father pleasing fashion.

5) End the finale with a bigger bang
Color me spoiled by the wife killing conclusion of Dexterʼs fourth season but, I found the ending of season five to be rather…well…anti-climatic. Donʼt get me wrong, the writers made a valiant effort in building up tension while attempting to convince us, the viewers, that Jordan Chase was definitely worthy of Dexterʼs table. Itʼs just that when Lumen executed Chase at almost the halfway mark of the final episode, it was deflating to realize that the main reason you were watching the episode had already occurred. For the 20+ remaining minutes we were treated to a “Young and the Restless” montage of relationships gone right with Deb and Quinn and wrong with Dexter and Lumen which coincidentally brings me my next point…

4) No new love interest for Dexter
Please for the love of everything holy Showtime, I beg of thee…NO. NEW. LOVE INTEREST. FOR. DEXTER! The writers made the ballsy decision to allow the Trinity Killer to eliminate Dexterʼs series companion Rita in the Season Four finale. After watching that finale my mind automatically started generating scenarios for all of the possibilities of what the removal of a character as prominent as Rita could do for the series. Dexter could have left Miami for a part of the season or could have totally lost control of his dark passenger with no Trinity alive for vengeance. The only scenario that my mind did not conjure was the writers creating another female love interest for Dexter to become entangled with. With the overabundance of relationships on the show piling up as it is, do fans really want to watch Dexter taking another sociopathic stab at love?

3) Create a villain capable of making me forget about Trinity
Not so unlike the onslaught of super hero movies crashing into theaters on a seemingly weekly basis, the strength of a “Dexter” season relies heavily upon whoever he is facing off against. Season fiveʼs Jordan Chase was played brilliantly by Jonny Lee Miller and he executed the material given to him by the writers flawlessly. The problem is that by design, Jordan Chase just wasnʼt a compelling villain to begin with, especially when compared to the likes of John Lithgowʼs Trinity Killer. I understand the writerʼs decision to not attempt to top Trinityʼs madness in the following season. Just make sure you give us a villain thatʼs ready to get his or her hands dirty before the last two episodes of the season this time.

2) Keep your family and your business completely separated
When news broke last year that Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter were putting an end to their real life marriage, my inner Dexter fan shuddered at the thought of their break up corrupting the on screen relationship of Deb and Dex. Iʼm hoping that the duo can handle the situation with professionalism and integrity since they decided to start a relationship with such a screen time sharing co star.

1) Know when to kill the cash cow
Lets face it folks, “Dexter” is the sole reason that millions of non-torrent using viewers are willing to pony up a required donation to Showtime every month. We know this, the network knows this, even the cast of “Jersey Shore” probably knows this…..doubtful. With that being said, all good things must come an end. As “Dexter” is entering itʼs sixth season I, as well as many fans have begun motioning for the curtain call. I know this could be seen as treason but hear me out before you start breaking out the kill tools. There are only so many scenarios that the writers can intelligently create where Dex almost gets caught or Deb almost finds out who her brother really is. There is also no guarantee that the main characters of the series will want to continue acting in these roles once the quality of the seasons inevitably decline over time…cough cough CUDDY. Thereʼs a reason why shows like “24” and “The X-Files” bow out with series finales ratings equal to a fraction of the shows viewership at its prime. I mean seriously, how many 10 season shows have you been a fan of for the entire ride?

The only way “Dexter” will continue to live on and be remembered as the great show that it is will be if the ending of the series is brought to an intentional, well thought out conclusion. The writers need to stop dangling the carrot and start moving towards wrapping up the major plot points before we get force fed an overstuffed final season or worse. Oh you donʼt believe me? Fine, just ask a “LOST” fan how hard it is to re-watch the series or recommend it to a friend knowing that the majority of the last season should have been left on the killing cutting room floor.

The new teaser released by Showtime promises that we will see a “renewed, recharged, refocused” Dexter in season six. I for one, cannot wait for the new season and hope that the writers can measure up to that claim. Was I too harsh on season five or was I precise with my incisions? Give me your thoughts.

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