"RITA IS NOT ANNOYING! The series has been built and progressed on three solid fronts. ONE: Dexter and his hunts. TWO: Dexter and his day job. THREE: Dexter and his private time away from the other two. Rita and her kids along with Dexter's relationship with them is truly one-third of the show. Not in screen time to be sure but it is a big part of Dexter's life and all three play off of each other.

He is striving to appear normal and it takes an effort for him to do this, it does not come naturally. Dexter is Dexter for all the reasons we already know and his life is as complicated as anyone else's and its that complication factor that makes him very interesting to watch. If one of these three parts of the show were to go away then the series would suffer! Rita is not meant to be anything other that his girlfriend and now the mother of his child, leading to their wedding. It's called family!

Too many people keep saying Rita is this or that when her character is just as important to Dexter as the other parts of his life."

"Mike for as long as I've been seeing you posting on the wiki, you've always been posting on the virtues of Rita and all her wonders. I wish you find (or have found) a woman as pretty as Julie Benz and twice as sweet as Rita.

Now if anyone kept tabs on me through the second season the boards, they'd know I was ALL ABOUT Rita in season two, at least when compared to Lila. God how I hated that woman. Dexter needs Rita and I hope she never leaves the show.

However I will say that she is sort of boring me this season. I guess there's no fault of hers that I feel that way, its just that she's been relegated to passenger seat to Miguel this season in terms of Dexter's attention. All I want to see is what Dexter's doing with Miguel and how he's coping with becoming a papa, and then when they cut to Rita, I get a little frustrated. "I don't care what you and Syl are doing Rita. I want to watch Dexter kill this guy".

Speaking of Syl, that relationship feels a little forced to me. I haven't seen them bond over anything or give me any indication that they'd be friends. What do they have in common besides blood-thirsty husbands? I just don't FEEL any friendly-chemistry between them? Does that make sense?

Don't misconstrue, I do like Rita and I hope her and Dexter do get married. I don't want you to think my growing boredom with her means I don't like her. Rita will come back into the spotlight someday, and in a big way."

"All very good posts here. Rita being pregnant is the biggest single change to Dexter's life since his mother's murder. Dexter being a father is unique for him, this is the first time. The show should use that to explore Dexter's inner thoughts and feelings, as much as Dexter can feel at this point. If the writers don't play this to its fullest then they are missing a great opportunity.

The scenes with Dexter and Rita and or Deb concerning the baby don't have to be long but they need to be there! With Angel too, especially since they are planning the wedding. Angel loves his little daughter so much that he should be all over Dexter about the baby. Where’s Vince with his classic uncalled for remarks?

I’m not saying this has to overpower the show but it should be a key part in Dexter’s self analysis.

And yes, ZizzyB23, I am a big Julie Benz fan and a Rita Bennett Defender! Just me! Think anyone else has noticed? LOL!
"