I don’t really watch that much TV. But I really like Dexter. I’m not really unusual in that. It’s getting really, really popular.

Which is why, despite the tried-and-true Dexter narrative theme of everything bad converging in one or two episodes and how’s he gonna get out of this pickle (as evidenced by tonight’s episode), I just can’t see them pulling the plug on the show. (spoilers ahead)Nor can I see them doing anything to severely limit Dexter from doing what he does — he’s the only interesting thing about the show. The remaining characters really just serve to interact with Dexter and keep things moving.

My official prediction for the next episode: Deb finds out Dexter is killer. Quinn deduces it, but keeps it to himself. Julia Styles’ character leaves the show, but doesn’t die, leaving it a possibility that she may come back. And everything will continue as always, letting Showtime write another season and make another boatload of money.

Which is too bad. Because as I referenced before, Dexter was such a compelling show because Michael C. Hall is a gifted actor bringing life to an extraordinary character. But Dexter is at its heart a police procedural, which is at its heart formulaic. And also at its heart prone to being drawn out indefinitely, even when the show is past its prime. I’d hate to see that happen. It hasn’t quite yet, but someday the writers are going to have to show some courage and let him go out with a bang, rather than quietly wind things down til there’s nothing left.