Dexter's Peter Weller, Jonny Lee Miller and Julia Stiles bring it for the season, some thoughts

By April MacIntyre Nov 28, 2010, 20:08 GMT

Weller is one of those rare, low key monster talents who has an Oscar nomination for best direction of live action short film under his belt, and was a pivotal guest starring antagonist in the series "24." He is one of our best in the acting arts.

No Spoilers

The addition of esteemed guest stars Julia Stiles, Jonny Lee Miller and Peter Weller for season five of "Dexter' was a masterful move on Showtime's part. 

John Lithgow as Arthur the Trinity Killer was a hard act to follow, and Weller tops the leader board as the most influential arc as the jaded ex cop Liddy in a season that sees a metamorphosis of Dexter (Michael C. Hall), and a few other key players this season.

You know Weller from the classic film. "Robocop," and if you are a devoted fan, you know he has taken his thespian ways and applied to academic pursuits.  Weller is a Renaissance actor (Weller holds a master’s degree in Italian Renaissance art history and is studying for his PhD) who keeps up in theatre and film, appears in Engineering Empires on the History Channel, and even directs television. He also writes prolifically and is a jazz musician to boot. 

Weller is one of those rare, low key monster talents who has an Oscar nomination for best direction of live action short film under his belt, and was a pivotal guest starring antagonist in the series "24."  He is one of our best in the acting arts.

Stiles adds her brown eyed blond beauty, sultry voice and demeanor to a character that could have been played all wrong in the hands of a lesser actress. Her survivor, Lumen, is layered and complex, smoldering and sullen. Stiles infuses Lumen with a resolve and force of nature presence, taking our Dexter on a magic carpet ride of possibility; can someone he is attracted to physically actually condone and see the need for his obsession?

Serving as accomplice and cheerleader, Lumen completes Dexter like no one ever has.  He is free to let down his guard with a living human being, and that makes this season a game changer.

The other lovers of the series, now married, are Angel (David Zayas) and Laguerta (Lauren Velez) possibly headed for the rocks as Angel feels a strong paternal/fraternal worry for Deb's internal department situation that escalates, and he is faced with defying his wife's authority.  There is still the unknown of how Laguerta's bank account is so flush.

The lanky Barbara Stanwyck of the series, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is a natural detective because she can immediately cut through everyone's bullshit and carve out the truth while assessing the evidence.  Carpenter consistently delivers knock it out of the park performances as Deb, and is deserving of an Emmy for her brilliant work.

This quality is catnip to her match Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington) who has made the biggest change this season, going from his suspicion of Dexter to allowing Deb to enter his shallow heart. Harrington's character has really shined this season. 

Another character I love is Masuka (C.S. Lee) whose sexually inappropriate and gallows humor alleviates truly horrific crime scenes and situations.  He plays it smart, with heart and occasional glimpses of astute insight.  He is also a compelling and watchable player, and this series would suffer without his presence.  The writers should deliver more for him than just key side scenes.

This season's alpha bad guy is Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller) who is a changeling of sorts. He is the Tony Robbins of mayhem and murder, and a good match for tenacity with the Nick and Nora of serial killers.

So far we have viewed up to episode 511.  "Dexter" fans will love how the season twists, turns and keeps you guessing.

Dexter airs on Showtime at 9pm Sunday night.