Mis En Scene

Dexter Season 5 Episode 2

Setting:
This episode of Dexter began with Dexter swimming in a pool as he is speaking in a voice over on him grieving about his dead wife. Dexter is the only person in this scene which suggests to me that these are his thoughts he is sharing.He expresses how he expressed the first stage of grief by killing someone and his thoughts on the first stage of grief as he is floating in the pool all alone and the water had a pinkish tone to it and the sunlight kept flashing in and out in Dexter's point of view as he looked up. After Dexter finishes speaking he gets out of the water and laid down on the ground right next to the water as he is out of breath. This setting suggests that Dexter was swimming also to get his mind off of his wife dying. It also suggests that he does not enjoy sharing his feelings with people because of him swimming alone.



Staging:
The next scene starts as Dexter and the kids walk into their "new home". As Astor and Cody walk into the house their sluggish body language suggests that they are very upset and annoyed with the situation that they are in with their mother dying. Astor takes a few steps around to show that she is trying to "take a look" at their new home but still shows her anger by the look on her face when Dexter's sister says that that is their new home and she snaps back with an attitude and says that it is not. In this scene they all do not move much and this shows that the conversation they are in is intense. The intensity continues to build up until Astor breaks the conversation by turning her back and walking away angrily after Dexter tells her that it may not be a good idea to visit their actual house since their mom was killed there.



Costumes:
The following scene is taken place in the investigation room as Dexter has an investigation with the FBI due to the killing of his wife. He is dressed professionally for this occasion with a button down light blue shirt and a nice watch on. The camera then goes to a double shot of the investigators and they are both dressed formally and professionally showing that they have a very  professional job and that they are dressed for the occasion. The woman investigator is wearing a blazer with a nice white blouse and glasses and the male investigator was dressed in a suit and tie and this suggests that their jobs require a professional formal attire.



Lighting:
Throughout these 3 scenes the lighting changes in each scene. In the beginning scene of Dexter swimming in the pool, it would keep showing Dexter's point of view as he was floating on his back underwater looking up at the sun. The sunlight flashing in his eyes is like he is finally coming back to reality and seeing the light. Then during the next scene, there was not any dramatic lighting. The lighting in the house was on as they just got home and were starting to try and adjust to their new home. Then in the investigation room, the lighting was a bit more dramatic. The light would shine on Dexter as he gave his statement to the investigators. As the camera would be on the investigators, the color tone of the lighting was sort of grey-ish brown and this shows the cold tone coldness of the investigators.