What is everyone's beef with Rita? (Dexter) - Page 2

Australis · October 25 2009, 10:00 AM

^ Agreed. She is very good as a grounding force.

Serial thread killer · October 25 2009, 01:42 PM

If the writers cut down the amount of whining she does she would be ok.

The Evil Dead · October 25 2009, 02:33 PM

I've been waiting for her to be killed off as an incentive to catch up on the show.

Nerdius Maximus · October 26 2009, 12:56 AM

Joe Washington wrote:

I notice on a lot of forums that there are people out there who find Rita annoying, unnecessary to the show, and a character that should be killed sooner rather than later. And all I am thinking when see stuff like this is: what the hell? Rita may not be as great and multidimensional as Dexter but you have to admit she has grown a lot from the woman she was in the beginning of the series. From fearful and low on self-esteem to strong and capable of taking herself and her family. For example when she hit her ex-husband with a baseball bat when he tried to rape her or when she didn’t come running back to Dexter during their break-up and told him not to come bursting into the house whenever he wants to since they weren’t together at the time. She also grown to appreciate sex again. I know at times she seems whiny towards Dexter but her concerns and demands are understandable since she is Dexter’s wife and the mother of his kids. She would be a fool if she didn’t ask Dexter questions from time to time or have concerns about him working late or not telling her that the car accident he got into this season was worst than he admitted. Remember, she doesn’t know about Dexter’s secret so she wouldn’t know if she’s getting in the way of his extracurricular activities or not. Only what Dexter tells her is all she knows and there have been and will be times in which that won’t be enough. So, to all those Rita haters out there, give Rita a break!

Her presence does add more tension to the show, since Dexter has to find creative ways to balance his home life with his "hobby."
I think she's meant to be annoying, though. Characters like that are necessary, because real life is full of annoying people, too.

Nerdius Maximus · October 26 2009, 09:56 AM

Rita was annoying in last night's episode, too, where she found out Dexter had his apartment. After she searched through everything, didn't she find all of his Trinity crime scene pics? Can't Dexter just explain that he didn't want to bring all that stuff in the house?
When he was chasing trinity back to his house I half expected Rita to step in front of his car and be like "Dexter, where are you going? We need to talk!"

Come to think of it, though, everyone on the show is kind of annoying, except for the main character. Again, I think that's done on purpose. You're sympathizing with a serial killer, that's the brilliant thing about the show. You're looking at everyone else thinking "Get the hell out of the way, dammit, and let Dexter do his 'job'!"

T J · November 3 2009, 12:07 AM

Well last night was half and half. The 1st part of the episode she was a real bitch and at one point looked like she had already left Dexter in her mind... Nice to know the bitch is sooo ready to take his kid away from Dexter whenever her whim sees fit!!! What the Fuck?!!? Wouldn't even let him put his lamp in the house!? Oh hell no! It's his house too bitch!

Then at the end she "allowed" Dex to have his space, in a shed in the back yard... What a BITCH!

True it did work out better that way in the end and was perhaps the best possible outcome...

She's crazier that he is... I wonder if she's a serial killer too... hummmm...

Jax · November 3 2009, 12:10 AM

The last episode was the first when I wanted her to die...seriously WTF why do men have to open up 100% we don't do emotions like women its fucking uncomfortable.

Starbreaker · November 3 2009, 12:10 AM

I don't think any of you realize how abnormal keeping your apartment, having an affair, busting out flood lights, using drugs is, etc. for a relationship.

Temis the Vorta · November 3 2009, 05:33 AM

Jax wrote:

The last episode was the first when I wanted her to die...seriously WTF why do men have to open up 100% we don't do emotions like women its fucking uncomfortable.

So...you're a serial killer?

I was reciting Dexter's lines in that scene before he said them. I guess that should scare me.

Ayelbourne · November 3 2009, 02:01 PM

Jax wrote:

The last episode was the first when I wanted her to die...seriously WTF why do men have to open up 100% we don't do emotions like women its fucking uncomfortable.

Try explaining that to women. I gave up a long time ago...

@Topic:
I like how the therapist called Rita on actually being mad at Dexter for being the same man that he was before she married him.

Aaron McGuire · November 3 2009, 11:02 PM

Ayelbourne wrote:

@Topic:
I like how the therapist called Rita on actually being mad at Dexter for being the same man that he was before she married him.

And for being seemingly as screwed up as her second husband. My first gut reaction to Rita in this episode was call for her head (I had, up until that point, not been on the "Kill Rita" bandwagon.) but on further review I think she only acts the way she does to deflect blame away from herself for making lousy choices in men.

Aaron McGuire

P.S. Kill LaGuerta.

Trippy · November 4 2009, 05:05 AM

Just to make a comparison of novel to show...Rita is pretty annoying in the books too. It serves a purpose (Dexter has to deal with his humanity...it's as complicated, dirty and time consuming as his need to feed the dark passenger)

It also makes pretty funny, in the show at least, the Mars vs. Venus argument

Back to the novels again...Cody is a much different kid in the books (he has a dark passenger of his own, thus Dexter becomes Harry) than he is on the show.

Temis the Vorta · November 4 2009, 05:31 AM

I like how the therapist called Rita on actually being mad at Dexter for being the same man that he was before she married him.

She married Dexter because face it, he's way hot. Now she's got him and she's starting to take him for granted and figures she can "improve" him. She figures he ain't goin' anywhere, might as well angle for what she can.

I don't actually think she's got the slightest clue what she's dealing with...yet. But Rita pushing Dexter to "open up" is part of the writers' master plan to maneuver him into a situation where he actually does let Deb and/or Rita in on the truth.

He told, well not the truth, but a truth, about himself and the sky didn't fall. Maybe this will encourage him and he'll tell another truth...and another...until even Rita can't be blind to what he's saying.

If the writers play their cards right, they might maneuver Rita into a place where realizing her husband at the very least is a vigilante killer really doesn't faze her. Hey it's better than him having another affair!

billcosby · November 4 2009, 06:29 AM

She sucks. She's a party pooper. I know people like that - there are pluses and minuses and Rita's a minus. She only detracts from situations.

However... I do understand and agree that without Rita, Dexter wouldn't "work". So she's more or less pivotal to the show in that regard. She grounds him, etc. Like when Dexter was pounding that slapper in season two... it was weird when he was without Rita... he might go over the edge.

Davros · November 4 2009, 10:32 PM

Ayelbourne wrote:

I like Rita. She (and even more: the kids) keeps Dexter grounded.

I agree.

O'Dib · November 8 2009, 08:36 PM

For Dexter, I liked Lyla a lot better. "Pardon my tits"

Granted, I saw season one in its censored for TV version, so Rita may actually have shown some redeeming sides of herself that I've missed.

Temis the Vorta · November 8 2009, 09:22 PM

Lila was more of a plot contrivance than a character. She existed to provide 1) dramatic tension for the Dexter-Rita relationship that wasn't "Rita starts to get suspicious" (they can't play that card that early) and 2) a way to get rid of Doakes that didn't require Dex to violate the Code. It was obvious midway thru the season that that was where the story was headed - the predictability of the ending was the one thing I really found fault with during that season.

O'Dib · November 8 2009, 09:32 PM

See, I got spoiled on that aspect of the ending (Lila killing Doakes), and the finale still surprised me with Dexter killing her. It's the only one of his kills I actually wasn't rooting for.

Joe Washington · November 13 2009, 10:19 PM

One of the reasons why I started this thread is because I've been having this feeling of late that Rita may be the next character to get the axe this season probably at the hands of the Trinity killer. When that happens, I wouldn't be surprised if a number of you Rita haters would change their feelings about the character once you see how Rita's death affects Dexter and how he is left a broken man because of that loss by the end of the season (well, a little more broken than usual.)

LitmusDragon · November 14 2009, 12:57 AM

Interesting theory!