Dexter Season 4 Recap: Episode 4.1: "Living the Dream"

Are you new to Showtime's Dexter? Or did you simply want to catch up on episodes prior to Season 5 starting? Here is a complete recap of Episode 4.1: "Living the Dream." Caution - Spoilers follow.

Episode 4.1: "Living the Dream"

Episode 1 opens with a similar monologue to the very first season, except this time Dexter is searching for a good night's sleep. Baby Harrison doesn't sleep well. Three kids in a house are quite noisy and messy. A classic clip comes in the form of the theme song starting to play again, only twanging like a warped record. Dexter attempts the same routine as in the opening credits, except he has problems doing routine tasks, thanks to the new family situation, such as spit-up on the t-shirt.

Dexter is trying to be a good daddy and takes the night shift, to the detriment of his job. When he messes up a major court case and cold-blooded murderer walks, Dexter potentially finds his next victim.

Meanwhile, a new killer is in town. Played by John Lithgow, this new killer is brutal. He breaks into a woman's house and draws a hot bath. When she gets home, he puts her in a sleeper hold, and gets into the bath with her. (Caution, you will have a full back nude view of Mr. Lithgow.) He causes her to pass out yet again as she is fighting him, then wakes her up by slicing her femoral artery. Then he holds up a mirror so that she can watch herself die.

Miami Metro is called in to the crime scene, which is meticulously clean. Dexter is impressed. Even better is the discovery of an old blood stain near the same bathtub, during a later investigation. Further research shows an identical murder of a young woman occurred at the same address back in 1979. And suddenly, retired FBI investigator Frank Lundy, serial killer hunter extraordinaire, shows back up, worried about what he calls "The Trinity Killer". This can spell trouble for Debra who is happily involved with Anton, yet distracted by searching for her father's mistresses.

Quinn is taken in by the beautiful reporter, Christine Hill, who has rushed to the scene and is trying to con information out of him. They subtly exchange numbers, information, flirtation, and obviously soon they will be exchanging more.

Meanwhile, a new romance is brewing in the Miami Metro office. From out of nowhere, Lieutenant LaGuerta and Sergeant Batista have started a secret affair. No one has any idea of what is transpiring and they are determined to keep it a secret.

As for Rita, she is still annoyingly cheerful and dominating the household, dictating the rules and regulations for everyone. Dexter is always obedient, obliging her every whim. When she calls in the middle of one of his killing sessions, Dexter becomes hurried and less careful than usual. In his half-asleep rush to get home, he dozes at the wheel and flips his SUV. Is Dexter finally going to get caught?