The Gay Bar

The Gay Bar is a location in Season Seven of the Showtime series DEXTER.

It's where Dexter Morgan and Isaak Sirko have a conversation about the unreasonable nature of love and the tendency to imagine an ideal refuge.

Summary

 * “Argentina”

Dexter, on a late night stalk, is driving Hannah McKay's van. He follows Isaak Sirko, a Ukrainian mob boss, to a bar. The police are shadowing Isaak and they park 100 feet away. Although Isaak could be leading him into a trap, Dexter plans to inject him with a half dose of M99 and then walk him out to his car like a drunk buddy.

It’s dimly lit inside and jazz music is playing in the background. Dexter approaches Isaak, who is drinking alone at the bar. Isaak quickly reaches for his gun, but then greets him in a friendly manner. Dexter warns Isaak that he can't kill him there, and Isaak retorts that he can, but won't because "there has to be some vestige of civility left, even in this corner of the world." Dexter asks if shooting at him in a donut shop was civil. Isaak brushes it off as being short on time and opportunity.

When Isaak orders a drink for Dexter, he deliberately identifies him by name to the bartender, which foils Dexter's plan. Isaak advises Dexter to relax and says that everyone is welcome there, unlike most places. Dexter looks around the bar and notices the gay clientele. He scoffs and asks Isaak if he thought his enemies wouldn't follow him into a gay bar. Isaak replies, "No. I thought I'd feel comfortable in a gay bar." Dexter suddenly realizes that Isaak is gay. Isaak says that it's ironic because he always feared the Brotherhood would learn his secret and turn against him, but they've turned against him anyway, without knowing it.

Isaak thanks Dexter for slitting the throat of the hitman who was in Viktor's apartment, and asks why he has an aversion to guns. Dexter only says, "It's complicated."

Dexter tries to persuade Isaak to cut his losses and go back to Kiev, but Isaak says he has nothing waiting for him there, except a large well-staffed house, and an attractive secretary who occasionally pretends they're an item to prevent gay rumors.

Isaak's mood darkens and he angrily accuses Dexter of tossing what made his life worth living into the ocean. Surprised, Dexter asks if he and Viktor Baskov were lovers. Isaak becomes emotional and tells Dexter that he took the one thing that money and power can't bring back… and now the luxuries are gone too. Dexter says that it’s not because of him, but because of Isaak's vendetta.

Isaak asks Dexter about how he dealt with the man who murdered his wife, and Dexter says he’d do it a thousand times over. He reminds Isaak that Viktor was a killer, while his wife was innocent. Isaak laughs and says that he'd feel the same, even if she weren't. Isaak states that love is a powerful weapon, and Dexter admits that he doesn't understand much about love. Isaak says it's because he’s a scientist and love defies reason. Dexter quips that nothing defies reason. Isaak explains what he means. "Logically, Viktor and I shouldn't have been together. I mean, aside from the obvious social stigma, Viktor was impulsive, foolhardy even. Always out to prove something. I suppose the heart knows something that we just don't know." Dexter quips that maybe the heart is just wrong. Isaak disagrees, "Oh, I doubt that. Love can be inconvenient, perhaps inappropriate. It can be dangerous. Make us do things we wouldn't dream of doing. But wrong? That just depends on where we end up, doesn't it?"

Dexter advises Isaak to drop his vendetta, but Isaak still intends to kill Dexter. After that, Isaak says he will likely take his funds and move to an attractive corner of the world and live out his days in comfort and anonymity. Thinking of Hannah, Dexter remarks, "Argentina." Isaak laughs and mentions Micronesia as his alternative.

Isaak says that they're both outsiders who watch everybody else and pretend to be just like them, and all they can hope for is to find a place where they don't have to pretend. He adds, "It's a shame, really. Under different circumstances, I think we could have been great friends."

When Isaak reaches for his wallet to pay for the drinks, Dexter thinks he's going for his gun, which seems to disappoint Isaak. He warns Dexter, "Till next time." Dexter watches Isaak until he’s gone.

Quotes

 * Everyone wants an Argentina. A place where the slate is wiped clean. -Dexter to himself

Related Pages

 * Isaak Sirko
 * Koshka Brotherhood
 * Viktor Baskov

Trivia

 * A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters exclusively or primarily to a gay and/or lesbian clientele.