Hey, Dexter Buffs! Click the EasyEdit button to take a stab at the wikiguide to Dexter! (Don't see the EasyEdit button above? Sign in or sign up.) | | EPISODE 5: "Love American Style"
Episode summary:While the hunt for the Ice Truck Killer continues, Dexter decides to help one of Rita's co-workers only to discover something in which Dexter's talent comes into play. After one of the Ice Truck Killer victims is found alive, that of security guard Tony Tucci, the rest of the squad begins to make headway. Debra locks horns with Sgt. Doakes who disapproves of her gentle and somewhat naive methods for questioning the traumatized Tucci, whereas Debra objects to Doakes cynical and hard-nosed investigation. After learning from Rita about a human trafficker smuggling Cuban immigrants into the country, Dexter decides to stalk the most obvious suspect, auto yard owner Jorge Castillo (aka: The Coyote). But Dexter learns he may be in over his head when he discovers that Castillo's wife is also involved in the illegal activities. Also, Dexter finally learns about Angel's marital problems, while Dexter also recalls more tutoring from his stepfather, Harry, about courting a girl during Dexter's junior high school prom.
Original air date: 10/29/2006
Written by: Melissa Rosenberg
Directed by: Robert Lieberman
|  Description of crime:Body floating on the Beach
Victim(s):Ernesto
Assigned officer(s):
Crime scene:The Beach
Suspect(s):"Accidental Suicide", (The "Coyote")
Clue(s):
Blood spatter evidence suggests: No blood to analyze. Autopsy indicates drowning.
Killer calling card(s):
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Ongoing investigation:
Police are still investigating the Ice Truck Killer and trying to get any answers they can from his latest would-be victim, Tony Tucci. He proves a somewhat lousy witness at first, but when Debra gets the idea to blindfold him (as to replicate the conditions in which he was held captive), he is able to recall his captor sucking on menthal cough drops, a clue which eventually leads to the discovery of a partial print from the killer found at the crime scene.
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 Victim Name: Jorge Castillo
Age/Occupation: Auto junkyard owner; human smuggler (a "Coyote")
Where/how Dexter stalks victim: Dexter finds his name in the police database for applied, but denied, search warrants relating to a human trafficking case. He sneaks into junk yard to scope the place out, spies on Jorge in his home, and sneaks on to his boat to determine his guilt.
Why victim deserves it: Smuggled illegal immigrants to U.S. for exorbitant fee, then demanded additional funds upon arrival; if unmet, the immigrants were murdered by drowning and dumped in the ocean.
Victim's last words: "We share the same dreams. That's it."
Location of killing: Inside an RV on Jorge's junkyard.
Close calls/slip-ups: Didn't realize there was a witness hiding in the trunk of one of the cars in the junkyard.
| |  Victim Name: Valerie Castillo
Age/Occupation: Wife of Jorge Castillo
Where/how Dexter stalks victim: Valerie arrived shortly after Jorge was subdued; Dexter witnessed her complicity with her husband's smuggling/blackmail operation and captured her as well.
Why victim deserves it: Accomplice in smuggling operation.
Victim's last words: "We share the same dreams. That's it."
Location of killing: Inside an RV on Jorge's junkyard.
Close calls/slip-ups: Didn't chop her up due to time constraints. This allowed the Ice Truck Killer to recover her body to "see" what Dexter would do under stress.
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FLASHBACKS
- We see Dexter mowing his front yard as a teenager while Harry does some maintenance work on the truck out front. A neighborhood girls approaches Dexter and asks about his plans for the upcoming school dance. Dexter, socially awkward as ever, does not pick up on the hint that the girl wishes to go with him. He tells her he has no interest in going. Harry teaches Dexter the importance of understand a female's subtleties.
- Another flashback shows Harry helping Dexter prepare for his date to the dance. Dexter admits to Harry that he's kissed a girl before. He warns Dexter that although he is getting very good at faking a lot things, that faking emotions during sex can prove tricky for him.
- When Dexter returns home from the prom, he says that he had a good time, or at least pretended to. He asks Harry if he thinks that he'll ever start to really feel emotions. Harry tells him that he hopes so.
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DEXTER'S RELATIONSHIPS
Developments with Rita:
- Rita begins to yearn for a deeper, emotional connection to Dexter. Dexter is stressed because he knows he won't be able to provide that for her.
- Dexter attempts to "reciprocate" oral sex on Rita at the most inappropriate time.
- Dexter connects with Rita over dinner by admitting that all he really wants from life is to "be content", a dream in which Rita shares.
| Interactions with others:
- Dexter and Angel go out to a club to celebrate Angel's pay raise. Dexter is clueless as to why Angel thinks the two of them are such good friends.
- When Angel is too drunk to drive home, Dexter takes Angel to what he believes is his house. Dexter discovers from Angel's wife that the two of them are separated and that Angel doesn't live there anymore. Dexter takes Angel back to his own apartment, and never shares with Angel what he found out.
- Dexter receives sound relationship advice from his two victims before he dispatches of them.
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| SIGNIFICANCE OF EPISODE TITLE |
| The title of this episode is actually the title of an hour-long anthology series that ran in the seventies of the same name. In fact, it was the original Love, American Style series that spawned the hit sitcom Happy Days. In this episode, Dexter's victim Jorge says early on in the episode that he is an American, just like Dexter. At the end, Dexter grills this American and his wife on how they keep their relationship working. |
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Best Moments:
- Dexter caring enough about Rita and her coworker to seek out ways to locate the coworker's Cuban fiance trying to come to America who has gone missing in the process.
- The revelation Dexter has in the confrontation with Angel's wife.
- Dexter trying to force himself to cry during Terms of Endearment.
- The final dinner scene where Dexter and Rita connect over a shared goal.
- Woman in club: Come on! How can you not dance to this?
- Dexter: It's a gift!
- Dexter: "Maybe if I don't blink my eyes will tear up. I hate this. I'm questioning every move, it's exhausting. I should just break it off. Unless I can pacify her. Reciprocate. La passion".
| Best Lines:
- "She's not my maid. She's just a maid" (Dexter to police officer).
- "I like to pretend I'm alone. Completely alone. Maybe post-apocalypse or plague... Whatever. No one left to act normal for. No need to hide who I really am. It would be... freeing". (Dexter to himself).
- "She wants something from me. Ever since the bl0wjob she assumes we've taken it to the next level. She doesn't know yet I don't have a next level" (Dexter to himself).
- Rita: Have you ever... longed for anything like that?
- Dexter: Well, when I was a kid, I would've killed for an Atari. Cody would laugh at the graphics now, but back then man...
- "I don't understand America's obsession with cars. I can just imagine squeezing Rita and the kids into this thing. Hitting the open road. Cramped quarters, public bathrooms, hours of nothing but conversation; someone's American Dream- my nightmare" (Dexter to himself).
- "That must be what love looks like. The inability to feel has it's advantages... sometimes". (Dexter to himself).
- "Alone. No pretending. No hiding. No time to relax. I'm too close. Jorge Castillo is bad. That I know. But bad enough to have killed Lilana's fiance? That I have to prove". (Dexter to himself).
- "The problem with acting normal is normal people get into stupid situations like this" (Dexter to himself, regarding Angel's passed out drunkedness).
- "Somehow it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one pretending to be normal" (Dexter to himself).
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EPISODE TRIVIA:
- Goof. Whilst contemplating the crossing from Cuba, Dexter sits on the seafront and watches the sunset. Except the sun sets in the west - that'd be on the land side of Miami and certainly not in the direction of Cuba.
- As we can see thanks to Dexter's boat's radar the place "where a lot of his memories are buried" has as of now at least nine bodies in it.
- The hotel where Rita works is called the “Z” hotel.
- The license plate on Dexter’s Ford Taurus reads LFH 604
- The episode marks the first appearance of the prosthetics specialist, Rudy Cooper.
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ORIGINAL VERSUS NETWORK BROADCAST
This one is for the superfans, tell the newbie fans what they're missin' out on!
 IN THE SHOWTIME SERIES | |  IN THE CBS BROADCAST | | - Tony Tucci is seen in his hospital bed with a topless woman, one of Debra's hooker friends.
| | | - Tony Tucci is not seen in his hospital bed with any sort of topless woman.
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