Episode 304: All in the Family

All in the Family is the fourth of twelve episodes in Season Three of the Showtime series DEXTER, and the twenty-eighth overall episode of the series.

After an unsuccessful marriage proposal, Dexter must convince Rita that he is looking for more than a convenient merger of finances and parenthood.

Summary
Rita decides she and Dexter should tell her kids that she is expecting. Dexter pretty much flubs it, even tossing in an awkward marriage proposal. Cody says he’d rather have a puppy.

All four attend a party at Miguel Prado's place, where Rita tells Dexter that she married her last husband because of a pregnancy rather than love and won't make that mistake again.

Dexter watches Miguel and his brother Ramon exchange heated words before Ramon storms out of the gathering. Dexter asks what is going on. Miguel says Ramon is not dealing well with the fact that Freebo has not been found and has been drinking more than usual. Miguel suggests that Ramon is trustworthy to bring him into the Freebo-Is-Dead loop, but Dexter balks.

Before leaving the party, Astor lashes out at Dexter when he tries to get her to share with another child, tossing out the obligatory "you're not my father" line. As the four drive home, Dexter thinks Astor is upset about his not being married to Rita.

Dexter is at a new crime scene where the victim, Jack Rice, had been bashed in the head with a crowbar. After photographing the scene, Dexter stares at the distraught fiancée, wondering if the kind of emotion on her face is what Rita needs to see from him. An officer tells Dexter and Debra that the fiancée, Fiona Kemp, had arrived at the house to attend a movie with Rice but was knocked over by the departing assailant. The particulars of the crime fit the M.O. of a number of recent break-ins.

While examining the body, Debra gets a text from Yuki Amado asking, "Any news?" Debra writes back for her not to text her again just as Quinn pulls up in a fancy-looking car. Debra jokingly asks about it and Quinn brushes it off as just a great lease.

Debra questions Fiona, who is in shock and having trouble letting go of the victim and his belongings. Quinn steps in and helps calm her down, something which shocks Debra and Dexter.

Rita is in the restroom at work, telling Astor over the phone that their mother-daughter relationship needs to improve. When she returns to the front desk, Rita lashes out at the obnoxious wife of a newlywed couple staying at the hotel, which results in her being fired.

Dexter picks up some take-out and deliberately runs into Ramon, who is putting them away at the bar. Dexter tries to offer pleasantries but he’s rebuffed by Ramon, who is furious that Dexter's department hasn't found his brother’s killer.

Maria shows up at Miguel's office to ask about the Chicky Hines case which Miguel never fully researched. Maria says she is convinced that their witness exonerates Hines, while Miguel wonders if maybe what happened to Doakes is affecting her judgment.

At a department meeting, it’s noted that Fiona hasn’t helped much with finding her fiance's killer, and Dexter doesn't have anything conclusive on the blood spatter. Debra gets yet another text from Amado.

Masuka tries to give out tickets to his keynote address at a forensics conference, but everyone makes an excuse why they can’t attend. Dexter notices Masuka’s disappointment and takes a ticket.

While working with a sketch artist, Debra struggles to get anything useful from Fiona. To Debra’s annoyance, Quinn once again comes in and saves the day. He comforts Fiona, gives her coffee, and takes her to look at mugshots.

Dexter arrives home to find Rita suffering through morning sickness in the bathroom. He hands her a cracker to settle her stomach. As Rita talks about trying to get her job back, Dexter mentions the financial benefits of their getting married.

Debra meets with Anton in a cafe, trying to get some info on the perplexing Quinn. Anton says only that Quinn helped him out of a jam. Debra teases him about his seeming appeal to the women watching him.

Angel is in a hotel room with a hooker. As Angel goes for his cash, she spots his badge. It turns out the hooker is actually an undercover vice detective. To save Angel from being arrested by her listening partners, she loudly pretends that he has no money and kicks him out of the room.

While Miguel is at Dexter’s apartment, Dexter asks for proposal advice. Miguel then says he still hasn't told Ramon about Freebo, but if Dexter becomes comfortable, he feels Ramon can handle the information.

Vince Masuka tries bribing his co-workers with donuts to come to his keynote address but with no luck.

Maria asks Angel if he trusts the witness in the Chicky Hines case. Angel says the story holds up and that Maria has done all she can in the situation.

Masuka wonders why none of his colleagues support him, and Quinn tells him that he’s the foulest person he’s ever met. Quinn adds, that even though he can be funny, people only see the revolting side of him.

Barbara Gianna, the undercover vice detective, confronts Angel. She says that she should bust him because it might save the department from a huge scandal down the road. Angel describes how sad his life has been, and she agrees not to pursue an arrest if he stays clean.

Ramon storms into the department and confronts Maria about the lack of progress being made in his brother's case. Ramon says that he's been getting anonymous phone calls with information about Freebo and Teegan. ( Dexter says in a voice over they're from him.) An angry Ramon doesn't think homicide has been doing its job. Eventually, Maria demands that he leave.

Debra helps Dexter with his blood spatter analysis of the Jack Rice case, and they conclude that Fiona herself might be the killer. Debra confronts Fiona with the fact that many of the victim's friends had never heard of her and a picture of the couple had been photoshopped. As the interrogation gets heated, Quinn cuts Debra off and asks her to leave, which infuriates Debra.

Debra receives another text from Amado.

Maria meets with Ellen Wolf, the defense attorney in the Chicky Hines case, and hands over the information which can exonerate her client. Ellen is surprised that Maria’s helping due to her friendship with ADA Miguel Prado.

Distorting his voice, fake-tipster Dexter calls Ramon yet again, lying and saying that he will meet him at a bar.

Quinn informs Debra that Fiona has confessed to the murder, adding that he had a hunch she did it from the beginning and was playing off her bad cop to get the confession. Quinn doesn't think Debra's poker face is good enough yet to fake it, and a steaming Debra thinks Quinn's poker face is "too good."

Dexter enters Miguel’s office and says he thinks that Miguel was right and they should trust Ramon with the truth. Miguel calls Ramon (who is hammered) at the bar where Dexter's "tip" sent him. When Dexter and Miguel show up there, a belligerent Ramon yells at both of them and eventually shoves Dexter. As Dexter walks out, he tells the bouncer that Ramon has put his hands on a woman and he thinks he saw a gun. This leads to Ramon taking a swing at the bouncer and being restrained while Miguel looks on.

Debra walks out of the station to find Amado sitting in the parking lot. Amado seems to have all the particulars of the Rice case, and it looks as if Debra might finally be cracking.

While Dexter and Miguel sit on a beach together, Miguel admits that Ramon simply can't be trusted with how Freebo died. He says Dexter is now the only person he can trust.

Fiona Kemp is arrested for the murder of Jack Rice.

Dexter shows up unannounced at Rita's place, using some of Fiona's crazy lines and includes the children as he proposes. A tearful Rita finally says, "Yes, we will marry you."

Quotes

 * Role playing. It’s such an important part of growing up. When we were kids, whatever role Deb assigned me -- evil monster, treacherous Nazi, horrible alien -- I played them to perfection. -Dexter [voice over]
 * How do you show someone real love when you don't even know what it feels like? -Dexter [voice over]
 * “Rita, we're connected. Wherever I am, I feel you... and the kids... with me. You're what makes me real. I want us to... always go out for banana splits. And replant the lemon tree that keeps dying. And I never, ever want to miss a pizza night. And that's how I know I want to marry you. Because something as simple as pizza night is the highlight of my week. But not without the kids.” [leans down by Cody and Astor] “Cody, Astor, you guys are my family. I'm gonna hang on to you for dear life. Please, say yes.” -Dexter (proposal to Rita, Cody, Astor)
 * Most actors toil in obscurity, never stepping into the spotlight. But if you hone your craft, work diligently, you might just find yourself cast in the role of a lifetime. (Dexter [voice over] after Rita accepts his proposal)

Related Pages

 * Boulevard Hotel
 * Chicky Hines
 * Code of Harry
 * Dexter's Apartment
 * Ellen Wolf's House
 * Fiona Kemp
 * Jack Rice
 * Jack Rice Murder Case
 * Miguel Prado's House
 * Rita Bennett's House
 * Zack Adelman
 * Z Hotel