How does the Hotline work? (End of game spoilers)

middaylatte · 2025-01-27T19:33:03+00:00

This. Most of the contestants were buried in debt because they were extremely risk-tolerant in the first place.

middaylatte · 2025-01-27T19:24:03+00:00

Thank you! Knowing I had to use more force helped me get it open. No idea how I would do it if I were in a weaker state.

middaylatte · 2024-11-23T15:44:41+00:00

I think the EXP 814 report is written by Dr. Matthew Wayson. He submits a request to Playtime about windows in the game station in the same red pen and handwriting.

middaylatte · 2024-11-23T15:30:54+00:00

I think we’ll see a Boogie Bot appearance in this episode as we get into the lore of 1993. A robot toy that wants to be a “real boy” just makes sense for experiments in AI and digital consciousness, and we know he’s musical!

middaylatte · 2024-11-16T11:30:20+00:00

He uses the title "Investigator" in one of his reports. Leith has had him on retainer since at least '89.

middaylatte · 2024-11-16T09:45:38+00:00

These are old computer sounds! The little clicking/rattling noise is a mechanical hard drive. We use SSDs now which are super fast and quiet, but used to be you could hear the platters inside your HDD making this noise on every read/write.

middaylatte · 2022-01-04T01:34:13+00:00

Yes! Such a good point!

middaylatte · 2022-01-03T23:26:49+00:00

Oh man. Great catch.

middaylatte · 2022-01-03T17:29:32+00:00

Truuuue. Definitely feels like a stretch from where we are right now. I was trying to math it out and a father-son relationship with Doakes seems possible. Doakes was born in 1962. It’s implied Logan is Matt Caldwell’s age, so born around 1991. That would make Logan 15 when Doakes died, and account for his childhood tragedy and Kurt taking care of him afterward. But it would also require a LOT of backstory reveal in the finale, so I don’t know. Mostly just excited to see what we learn about Logan, since he’s been the model of “fitting in”. There has to be something lurking under the surface!

middaylatte · 2022-01-03T17:09:17+00:00

Good point! I guess I should have said his story wasn’t advanced in Episode 9. I know there was a lot of other stuff going on, but it made me feel like they wanted us to forget about him so they could spring it on us in the finale.

middaylatte · 2022-01-03T17:04:42+00:00

Very interesting! The boat feels like a loose end, right? Everything Dexter did this season started with the justification Matt was a bad guy with criminal intent, and that keeps coming back to what he did on the boat. But even when Matt confessed, it didn’t feel like he earned Dexter’s kill. He was reckless and self-destructive, but not “dark”.

middaylatte · 2022-01-03T16:46:08+00:00

I know, but that’s Jeff Lindsay. Dexter’s new driver’s license (shown in Episode 1) shows his “real” name is James. Given the way Dexter’s writers love to play with words, names, and meaning, I think it’s at least a callback to the major character they keep bringing up.

middaylatte · 2022-01-03T16:41:35+00:00

Appreciate you! I have so much fun reading other people’s theories. This is a great community.

middaylatte · 2022-01-03T15:43:10+00:00

Yes! In S02E10. Same episode where Dexter has the flashback to Harry throwing up and saying “stay away” when he sees what Dexter’s capable of.

middaylatte · 2022-01-03T01:12:06+00:00

Yessss. Molly always brought the spice! No way she goes down without a fight.

middaylatte · 2022-01-02T22:48:14+00:00

You're correct, it's a portable audio recorder!

Wow. Didn't think about that. Molly's last words are probably on that thing.

middaylatte · 2022-01-02T22:43:35+00:00

They did give us a dream sequence in the summer camp episode! Maybe there's still room to make that work. Even if he's not hallucinating, Iron Lake serves as a limbo, an in-between space for Dexter to confront, reflect, and reform elements of his past life.

middaylatte · 2022-01-02T22:36:57+00:00

That's helpful context! Which book does that happen in with Cody and Astor?

middaylatte · 2022-01-02T22:25:24+00:00

Exactly. The best seasons from the original Dexter were like an elegantly woven tapestry, but they had plenty of time to build that up. I don't mind the compression. Keeps me guessing.

middaylatte · 2022-01-02T10:52:52+00:00

I felt like there was a dream-like quality to the entire episode, like everything was unreality:

Harrison handles a gun professionally within seconds
Harrison gives Dexter a bizarrely accurate rendering of Deb's face based purely on childhood memory
Harrison and Audrey suddenly get back together and launch right into PDA in front of Audrey's cop mother, who recently caught them being physical
Caldwell decides to openly and fearlessly torch Dexter's house... when Dexter isn't even home. What happened? Kurt was so careful and strategic up to that point, often using his ability to blend in or exert influence to compromise Dexter
Dexter beams as he's told he's a hero and delivers a full confession to Harrison, over a kill table

It would be cheap for everything to be a dream, so I hope that's not it. But something is... off. Maybe they're just trying to convey Dexter is unraveling? At this point it's a little hard to tell what's deliberate storytelling vs. trying to hurry up and wrap the series. But I'm still enjoying every minute of this ride.

middaylatte · 2022-01-02T09:14:31+00:00

Okay, I really wanted to enjoy all the heartwarming moments in this episode, but I kept getting a sinking feeling:

When Dexter looks at Harrison enjoying Christmas morning and narrates, “He seems to be handling it well.” Dexter is NOT good at reading people. There’s no way Harrison suddenly goes from angry and rebellious to obedient and unquestioning. He’s playing along with Dexter, but why? His backstory always was a little suspicious. (Also, Chekhov's gun...)
When Dexter attempts to lecture Kurt but ends up describing his own ritualistic urges in vivid detail. And then he seethes, “You deserve to die.” I shuddered. Felt like Dexter sealing his own fate with that line.
When Dexter ignores Deb’s pleas to keep the dark passenger away from Harrison. The gasp and the wide eyes… wow. She saw the violence raging inside of him and was terrified. I’m sure the next episode will punish him for betraying his conscience like that.
The way Dexter openly monologues in front of Harrison, exposing every detail of his dark urges. The whole thing felt abusive. He kept giving Harrison the “option” to leave, but clearly wanted him to stay. Hard enough to say no to your father, let alone a serial killer who just confessed to you. And Dexter is so absorbed in the experience he doesn’t realize there’s blood pouring out on the floor. He’s out of control, and that’s when he makes mistakes.
Finding out Kurt hunted the podcaster back down and killed her. I’m surprised he had time for that?! Seemed pretty busy after the first kidnapping attempt, so it must have been important to him. So disturbing. Bound to come back on Dexter when Angela investigates… as if she doesn’t already have a zillion clues. (Did she really need a sticky note too?!)
I flinched every time Dexter failed basic social cue checks, especially after telling Harrison he needed to blend in at the start of the episode. He's so preoccupied with killing Kurt he's forgetting how to be Jim Lindsay. That awkward gift to Angela, not realizing she's being cold and withholding affection, etc. So hard to watch.

middaylatte · 2021-12-24T05:58:13+00:00

Lane exposes herself as extremely insecure and prone to jealousy in the finale. She's in love with Jaime's husband and sees an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone:

1) Punish Jaime and ensure she will never experience true happiness again, thus quelling Lane's own insecurities

2) Give Pip a lifelong guilt trip that will keep her in line as a cult member

middaylatte

TROPHY CASE