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Dexter: Julie Benz Dishes on the Very Big Reveal

Rita herself spills secrets about ginormous surprise for her and Dex at the end of the season premiere

By Kristin Dos Santos Sep 29, 2008 1:23 AMTags
Dexter, Michael C. Hall, Julie BenzPeter Iovino/Showtime

Pudding! For the sake of anyone reading this who has not seen the season premiere of Dexter on Showtime, let's apply a code name to the reveal from the last five minutes: Operation Pudding. So many questions: Does Dexter even really like pudding? Can he really live in a house full of noisy, privacy-invading pudding and continue to have his little hobby? Or could pudding be his salvation?

Want to know what Julie Benz (Rita) and executive producers Clyde Phillips and Melissa Rosenberg think about Dexter and the pudding? I've interviewed them on your behalf, and I have their exclusive answers to our burning Q's about the shocking pudding situation...

In case you didn't catch my meaning, pudding means pregnancy! Yep, Rita is pregnant with Dexter's baby. So what does this mean for season three? Read on...

JULIE BENZ (Rita Bennett)

Did you know Rita was pregnant when you started back at work this season?
No, I had no idea! I mean, we always joked around about it. We'd always be like, God wouldn't that be funny if...We'd always joke around about it, but I had no idea they were actually going to make it happen!

And how is the little bump?
There's not even a bump!

Wait, how much time passes before the end of the season?
Like, a week.

Wow. Do you think Dexter would be a good dad?
I think Dexter would be a great dad. Except he kills people. Just don't introduce the children to the hobby.

Dexter's a bit unprepared for this turn of events, don't you think?
I always say Rita's the tugboat in that relationship. I think it's a lifetime of tugging. I think...Dexter hasn't been trained.

Does this storyline make a big impact on the season?
This season's all about Dexter really struggling with the balance between his personal hobby and his home life. It's almost like he's becoming more of a man in many ways. I think the storyline really lends itself to more exploration. I think it's great, and I've gotten to do a lot more comedy this season, so it's a lot of fun.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS CLYDE PHILLIPS & MELISSA ROSENBERG

The Shape of Things to Come: So...what does this pregnancy thing mean for Dexter anyway? Does it make him sloppy or overly sensitive? According to executive producer Clyde Phillips, it does change Dex, but not necessarily in a negative way: "An allusion that I always use is that whatever the species, a father needs to take care of the family. It might not be the socially correct thing to say, but it's true: The male bird brings the worms back to the nest, and the mother bird sits on the nest and takes care of the babies. The awful example…Do you live in California? Remember that couple with their children—he was a scientist in Silicon Valley—they got lost in the snow in their car, and they were there for days, burning tires to stay alive. The mother stayed behind and breastfed her two babies and kept them alive, while the father went out to get help. And the father died. It's very resonate..."

Jim Fiscus/Showtime

Just Call Her Auntie D: The pregnancy doesn't just affect Dex and Rita...Deb's entangled before too long as well. Says Phillips, "Dexter is pregnant, so to speak, and he's the entire physical embodiment of Deb's existent family, so she's got to deal with how she feels about this situation, too." Don't worry about Deb, though. She's got a sexy, surprising new love interest, and she's holding her own in the squad room this season, despite just about everything (including her own temper) working against her.

Baby Mama Drama: So, between the pregnancy and the killing of Miguel Prado's brother, we seem to be dealing with a new, more spontaneous Dexter. Does that endanger him more than necessary? Or is it just character/personal growth? According to exec producer Melissa Rosenberg, "Dexter was trained to maintain control over the darkness inside him. A taste of spontaneity can be dangerous for those around him and ultimately dangerous to his freedom. As the season progresses, Dexter will discover a new aspect of his limited humanity, which will ultimately bring about some deliciously dark consequences." Aaah!

So, did you like the season-premiere pregnancy twist, or was it disappointing? Post your thoughts in the comments!

—Additional reporting by Jennifer Godwin

Poll

Dexter Pregnancy Poll

What are Rita and Dexter having?
It's a boy
55.2%
It's a girl
22.2%
It's twins!
22.5%