Chip Johannessen was a producer and writer on "Millennium", so he's got dark storytelling credentials.

Vaughn, thanks for that. I loved the first season of "Millennium" and stuck with it through the bitter end.

I don’t know about the nukes, but I can see Dexter killing a victim by irradiating him. Then, since the victim would be thoroughly cooked, Dexter could move on to a life of cannibalism. There’d always be fresh meat on the table…

Actually, I really think Julie Benz needs to come back as the good side of Dexter’s conscience. Harry already plays the devil pretty well, Rita would be a good angel to balance things out and warn him about the dangers of letting Aster discover his dark passenger, after all, she is becoming quite cold and calculating. Perhaps her own dark passenger is preparing to emerge?

I have to agree here. Dexter won't be the same after this. I always hate when show runners leave and the network tells me that the show will remain the same. It's never true. And will be especially true after this season of Dexter. There were certain storytelling elements that i did not like this season but in retrospect looking back they made sense. With the exception of christine being Arthur's daughter. And now I feel season 5 will take this new unexpected dexter storyline and change it into something else. Although I feel that the storyline of rita's kids finding their dark passengers will become a big plot because of the anguish they will feel over their mother's death I'm not sure what will happen with the rest of the season. And by the way, does anyone else think that the Angel LaGuerrta storyline was throwaway this season. I mean, nothing really came of it. The season finale comes and thy just go "so now what do we do". What?

I would be VERY disappointed if S5 follows Astor and Cody's Dark Passengers or ANYTHING like that. I'd also hate if Rita came back Harry-style, simply because (unless Trinity told her before killing her) she had no idea what he was, and I'm not sure the revelation would be a particularly appealing one to the unassuming wife.

I'd love to see a return to the tone of the first series, however awful it sounds though, now that the kids are permanently involved in Dexter's life I don't think it will ever be the same. Of course there has to be growth, but I'm not sure whether it was predominately the style or the substance, both obviously were amazing, but the first season was the epitome.

I think it also has to do with the antagonist, the Ice Truck Killer was the best for me given the familial ties and the darker tone of the first season, I don't think anything could ever live up to it. I still don't but watch it avidly.

I think Dexter has become a more goofy character too, the VO quips are almost predictable and seem inferior to his character in the first season, he seemed more unhuman, more dangerous, but also more compelling.

That said, I was on the edge of my seat for almost the entire finale because I've grown such an emotional connection the character and series. Good stuff.