Easy as Pie (Dexter)
Dexter faces a moral dilemma over euthanizing a dying friend.
"Easy as Pie" is the seventh episode of the third season of the crime drama series Dexter, written by Lauren Gussis and directed by Steve Shill. It originally aired on Showtime on November 9, 2008, and features Dexter facing pressure from Miguel to target Ellen Wolf while dealing with Camilla's declining health. The episode was seen by an estimated 0.83 million household viewers and received extremely positive reviews.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Dexter
- Released
- 9 November 2008
- Length
- 58 minutes
- Director
- Steve Shill
- Writer
- Lauren Gussis
- Photographer
- Romeo Tirone
- Editor
- Louis Cioffi
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Rita asks Dexter to create a wedding guest list, but he finds it difficult because he has very few friends. He visits Camilla in hospice care as her health declines; she tasks him with planning her funeral and insists he track down an exceptional key lime pie before she dies. Ramón is let go without charges but must retire early. Angel wants to use Anton as bait for The Skinner, which makes Debra anxious. Wendell's mother confronts Debra, who feels responsible for her son's death. Miguel complains to Dexter about how the legal system undermines prosecutions and proposes going after Ellen Wolf, but Dexter declines since she doesn't meet his Code. Doctors give Camilla another month, but she doesn't want to suffer; unable to end her own life, she asks Dexter to kill her, leaving him torn about harming an innocent person. Miami Metro looks into a fresh murder, and Masuka quickly identifies the culprit as Albert Chung, a known criminal. Miguel and Ellen clash over how to handle the case. Later, Miguel again pressures Dexter to eliminate Ellen; when Dexter refuses, Miguel angrily throws him out. Yuki informs Debra that the Internal Affairs probe into Quinn is closed because Debra tipped him off, adding that an officer died as a result. Debra breaks protocol to warn Anton, but he chooses to stay. After following a lead about tree trimmers, Debra visits Anton and they share a kiss. Sylvia tells Rita she suspects Miguel is cheating, but Dexter assures them it's not true. LaGuerta works with Ellen to arrange Chung's extradition. Dexter and Miguel reconcile, with Miguel apologizing; Dexter then asks Miguel to be his best man, and he agrees. Dexter returns to Camilla, who has already decided he couldn't go through with euthanasia and reveals she had earlier figured out that his brother Brian was the Ice Truck Killer. Dexter brings her a new key lime pie laced with sodium thiopental to end her life. As she dies, Dexter admits to killing Brian, and Camilla concludes he was justified.
Reception
In its original American broadcast, "Easy as Pie" was seen by an estimated 0.83 million household viewers with a 0.4 in the 18–49 demographics, a 21% decrease from the previous episode's 1.04 million viewers and 0.5 rating. The episode received extremely positive reviews from critics. Matt Fowler of IGN gave it a "great" 8.8 out of 10, noting that Dexter could throw aside the rules to help a friend but would not. Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club gave a "B+" grade, describing Miguel as an unstable character whose association with Dexter may play on his conscience. Jeffrey Bloomer of Paste suggested that Miguel's wife's suspicion of an affair and the friction between them would play a role in the season's final episodes. Alan Sepinwall praised Michael C. Hall and Margo Martindale's performances in the Dexter/Camilla story, calling it very touching and noting that Dexter confessed to Brian's murder so Camilla's final thoughts of him would not be completely pure. Paula Paige of TV Guide wrote that Dexter feeds Camilla her last bites of key-lime pie, and she says, "You finally brought me the perfect pie."
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