So what can we learn from the scene by scene breakdown of our favorite serial killer?

5 interesting points:

1. The episode is 52 minutes long.
2. There are 50 scenes in total.
3. Only 5 scenes are over 2 minutes long.
4. These longer scenes pinpoint the major turning points (scene 2: set-up, scene 23: midpoint, scenes 30,31, 32: Act 2 Turning Point + scene 45: Climax.
5. The longest scene is 3 minutes and is the Climax.

Here is a list of scenes and their length (Season 7 Episode 7). Notice a structure?

1. 1.51
2. 2.06
3. 1.24
4. 0.44
5. 1.37
6. 1.15
7. 1.39
8. 0.33
9. 0.58
10. 0.9
11. 0.12
12. 0.42
13. 0.48
14. 0.34
15. 0.52
16. 0.53
17. 0.24
18. 1.14
19. 1.20
20. 0.12
21. 0.59
22. 0.58
23. 2.51 (MIDPOINT)
24. 0.15
25. 0.33
26. 0.33
27. 1.21
28. 0.34
29. 1.30
30. 2.00
31. 2.38
32. 2.11
33. 0.19
34. 0.36
35. 1.16
36. 0.16
37. 0.12
38. 0.10
39. 0.11
40. 1.15
41. 0.02
42. 0.36
43. 0.08
44. 0.04
45. 3.00 LONGEST SCENE + CLIMAX
46. 0.51
47. 0.25
48. 0.27
49. 0.28
50. 1.34

Notice the 3 Act structure ?

Look at the scene lengths from Act 1 through to the Midpoint (scene 23) – quite short right?

Then we’ve got the Midpoint scene – a big important dialogue between Dexter and his lover Hannah on the nature of murder – which lasts almost 3 mins.

Then, from the Midpoint, scenes 24 through 29 are a series of short scenes until –

– the Act 2 Turning Point (comprising of 3 scenes: 30,31 + 32) which are all 2 mins +

Then, look at the length of scenes building up from the opening of Act 3 until the Climax – scenes 33 through 44 –

– eleven short sharp scenes just a few seconds long until BANG – the explosive Climax – 3 minutes – the longest scene in the episode – Dexter V Hannah OR Hero V Antagonist – 3 whole minutes of sheer high-voltage intense emotional drama!

Then, to wind us down, 5 mid-length scenes of the Resolution (between 0.25 and 1.34 in length) to resolve the episode and set up the next.

Brilliant writing, and tightly structured – especially note the short sharp scenes leading us to the explosive Climax.

Read the general scene breakdown here: DEXTER – Season 7 Episode 7