Crocodile (Dexter)
Dexter stalks a drunk driver as a police murder case unfolds.
In Dexter's first season, the second episode, "Crocodile," follows the investigation into a slain police officer, Ricky Simmons. Meanwhile, Dexter stalks his next target, Matt Chambers, a drunk driver who kills people by running them over.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Dexter
- Director
- Michael Cuesta
- Writer
- Clyde Phillips
- Air date
- 8 October 2006
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Debra stops by Dexter’s place to talk about the Ice Truck Killer case. After she leaves, Dexter looks at a Barbie doll the killer left behind and notices the doll’s hands have fingernails painted in different colors. Later, after testifying at a trial, he walks into another courtroom where Matt Chambers is on trial for manslaughter after hitting a teenager with his car while drunk. Dexter goes to a crime scene under the Westbound Causeway and spots a piece of human flesh inside the dead victim’s mouth. Back at the station, Debra tells Dexter about her new boyfriend Sean, and they set up a double lunch date with Dexter’s girlfriend Rita. The causeway victim turns out to be police officer Ricky Simmons. LaGuerta and Doakes go to his home and find his wife Kara injured but alive; Dexter finds a blood drop there that doesn’t belong to her. Debra calls Dexter to say she discovered a refrigerated truck full of human fingertips, with nail polish matching the doll’s. The bitten-off skin from Simmons’ mouth is traced to Norberto Cervantes, who gets arrested by Doakes after meeting drug lord Carlos Guerrero. Under questioning, Cervantes claims Kara was having an affair, and Doakes punches him. LaGuerta takes a blood sample from Cervantes. In court, Chambers says his car was stolen hours before the accident and that he’s been sober for months. Dexter and Detective Angel Batista find more of Cervantes’ blood at Kara’s house. Dexter gets Chambers’ fingerprint and learns he has killed people while driving drunk in other states. He sets up a kill room before the double date. During the date, Rita feels insecure about how easy Debra and Sean’s relationship seems, and Dexter has trouble comforting her. Cervantes is killed in jail by someone posing as a police officer. Rita and Dexter agree to stop having sex until she’s ready. Debra finds out she’s being promoted to Homicide. LaGuerta forces Doakes to admit he was sleeping with Kara, and they agree to keep it quiet so Doakes can stay on the case. Dexter sees Guerrero and thinks about killing him but decides not to. He kidnaps Chambers, forces a confession, kills him, and gets rid of the body. Back home, he finds signs that the Ice Truck Killer broke into his apartment a second time.
Reception
Crocodile received mixed to positive reviews. IGN's Eric Goldman rated it 7.8/10, noting it was not as tightly constructed as the pilot but praising Michael C. Hall's performance and the opening credits sequence. TVSquad's Jonathon Toomey praised the episode for establishing the universe of Dexter and depicting serial killers. Den of Geek's Sarah Dobbs gave a worse review, stating the episode went through many ideas at once. Writer Clyde Phillips was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Episode in a TV Series but lost to Matthew Graham for the Life on Mars pilot.
More in Dexter Episodes
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced