Rita’s unexpected death at the end of season 4 remains a shocking moment in television history, not just for its brutality but for its impact on the narrative and characters. It marked a pivotal turn in Dexter’s storyline, changing the course of the show and the protagonist’s emotional journey. Her death not only affects Dexter’s personal life but also shifts the show’s tone, pushing it into darker territories. This event redefined the stakes and underscored the perils that Dexter’s double life imposed on his loved ones, but Rita’s death in Dexter is also somewhat problematic.
The Trinity Killer Murdered Rita In Dexter Season 4
Michael C. Hall & Dexter Creator James Manos Jr. Praised The Bold Decision
Rita Bennett’s demise in “The Getaway”, the finale of season 4, the best Dexter season, was a dramatic and haunting conclusion to one of the show’s most intense seasons. Rita’s death was orchestrated by the Trinity Killer, a methodical and sadistic murderer portrayed by John Lithgow, whom Dexter had been tracking throughout the season. The scene was shocking, revealing Rita dead in a bathtub filled with her own blood, mirroring the Trinity Killer’s pattern of killing women. This marked a horrifying full circle for Dexter, who, in his pursuit to stop Trinity, inadvertently exposed Rita to danger.
The buildup to this tragic event was a masterclass in tension and misdirection. Dexter believed he had finally outsmarted Trinity, arguably the best Dexter villain, and could return to his life, only to discover the devastating result of his double existence. The murder was not depicted on-screen; instead, Dexter discovering Rita’s body created a poignant and heart-wrenching moment that left viewers in shock.
Michael C. Hall praised the bold decision, noting how it propelled the story forward and opened new avenues for character development and plot exploration (via EW). Hall noted:
“I knew what was going to happen probably three or four weeks before it happened. As far as the how, that was much closer to the day of. I thought it was brilliant. I was really proud of the writers, and the network, for not backing away from so bold a step. It really propels us forward in a way that we wouldn’t have enjoyed otherwise. And what it could mean for the character is really wide open.”
However, Julie Benz was understandably devastated. Speaking to the Inside of You podcast (via LAD Bible), said it was the worst moment of her career. She only found out three days before when she was called in to do ADR (automated dialogue replacement) on her day off and was then asked to go to the producers’ room. Benz discussed having a panic attack and calling her manager and boyfriend for moral support. She said,
“When you get called to the producers’ room, you’re being killed off a show, it’s just, you just know that… So I was only in a sports bra and a pair of leggings, and I went to do ADR that way… So all I could think about was that movie where the guy gets broken up with while he’s naked,
Forgetting Sarah Marshall,
that’s all I could think about, like, ‘I don’t have a shirt on and I’m losing my job’. Like, I felt so vulnerable… I was [bawling], I was really upset… I loved it [the show]. Also it was such a great family, and then here you are being told, like, ‘OK, well we’re still going to get together as a family but you’re on your own’.”
Rita’s Dexter Death Is Part Of The Problematic “Fridging” Trope
Rita Was Reduced To A Mere Catalyst For The Male Protagonist’s Story
The term “fridging,” short for “women in refrigerators,” originates from a 1990s comic book trope where female characters are killed, maimed, or depowered as a plot device to motivate male characters. This term has since been adopted more broadly to describe similar patterns in other media, including television and film. Rita’s death in Dexter is a textbook example of this trope: her violent demise is primarily used to alter Dexter’s trajectory and emotional state rather than serving her own narrative arc.
Rita’s development over four seasons as a recovering victim of domestic abuse who finds strength in her new life made her death feel particularly jarring and disheartening.
The problem with fridging lies in how it reduces complex female characters to mere catalysts for the male protagonist’s story, often ignoring the potential depth and agency of the female characters themselves. In Dexter, Rita’s development over four seasons as a recovering survivor of domestic abuse who finds strength in her new life made her death feel particularly jarring and disheartening. It stripped away the possibility of further exploring her character independently of Dexter’s storyline.
Using Rita’s death in Dexter as a dramatic pivot point for the protagonist emphasizes a narrative dependence on violence against women as a form of emotional manipulation. This not only perpetuates problematic storytelling norms but also desensitizes audiences to the gravity of such acts, framing them as necessary for the greater narrative good. Rita’s death aired in 2009, 10 whole years after the “fridging” term was coined, proving that Hollywood had (and still has) a long way to go in doing right by female characters.
Rita’s Death Marked A Turning Point For The Series
The Show Never Topped This Moment
Rita’s death in Dexter was one of the most iconic moments in the series, so it makes sense that it had a huge impact on the series. However, while there were a lot of changes in the character of Dexter Morgan as a result of Rita’s death, it also signaled a drop in quality for the overall series.
In terms of how Dexter changed following Rita’s death, his already loose grip on humanity began to slip even more. Dexter had love interests in the rest of the series, including Lumen in season 5 and Hannah in season 7. However, Dexter formed connections with these women because of his murderous ways rather than despite them. It became clear that Dexter’s attempts to build a seemingly normal life with Rita were providing him with a moral compass that he desperately needed. When she was gone, he began to feel more lost.
However, losing Rita also felt like the show lost its way at the same time. While it was a shocking moment that earned a lot of acclaim from fans, it also felt as if the show didn’t know where to go from there. With Dexter untethered in a way, the storylines grew unwieldy and the writing was less focused. It also felt as though the series was trying at times to top the shock factor and gruesomeness of Rita’s death, such as with the Doomsday Killer twist and the season 8 murder of Cassie. However, none of these moments felt organic or impactful.
While the remaining seasons of Dexter were not well-received, the franchise continues to prove itself popular with the sequel series Dexter: New Blood and the two upcoming series, Dexter: Original Sin and Dexter: Resurrection. However, it remains to be seen if the new shows can finally address Rita’s death in a meaningful way.
Sources: EW, LAD Bible
