Andrew Kirsanov as Jurg. (SUPPLIED)

Didn't that feel like a season finale?

The ninth episode of Dexter’s seventh season sure wrapped up a lot of story lines. Or at least, it wrapped up significant portions that now will have to continue in altered forms.

And on top of that, is Dexter Morgan - played by Michael C. Hall - actually in love for the first time in his sorry life?

If so, I can't help but feel that Dexter is going to wind up being betrayed by the complex and dangerous person to whom he finally has opened up his heart.

SPOILER ALERT: This is a discussion of the Dexter episode titled Helter Skelter, which aired Sunday, Nov. 25 on Showtime in the United States and on The Movie Network/Movie Central in Canada. If you'd prefer not to know any details, bail now or forever hold your peace.

So, Isaak (Ray Stevenson) is dead, killed not by Dexter, but by his mutinous underling George (Jason Gedrick).

And this came after Dexter and Isaak had worked together to dispose of two hired assassins from the Ukrainian "Koshka Brotherhood" who had been contracted to take Issak out, and I don't mean on a date.

Of course, Dexter's co-operation did not come voluntarily. Isaak and his loyal bodyguard Jurg (Andrew Kirsanov) had kidnapped Dexter's love interest Hannah (Yvonne Stahovski) for the purpose of convincing Dexter to apply his unique skill set to Isaak's problems.

In some ways Isaak was driving the bulk of the plot on Dexter this season. But now Dexter surely will fulfill whatever Isaak's dying wishes were, and I would assume the killing of Georgie (remember that old Rod Stewart song?) is on the list.

Before Dexter and Isaak cemented their odd friendship toward the end of the episode, earlier there was a great scene between them - one of the best of the season, in my opinion - when Isaak became overly emotional, thinking of his dearly departed lover Viktor (Enver Gjokaj). Dexter, as you'll recall, killed Viktor, which is what started all this.

Isaak pointed a gun directly at Dexter's head and spat out, "He (Viktor) was my life!"

But Dexter, summoning his trademark calm, replied, "And yet ... you sent him to Miami ... you put him in over his head ... you put all this in motion ... and now you're terrified, Isaak ... you're terrified that I'm not really responsible for his death ... that you are."

Anyway, consider the strange path this season has taken with regard to Dexter and Isaak.

Dexter killed someone who was close to Isaak. Then Isaak wanted revenge, so Isaak and Dexter were in a race to kill each other. And now the likelihood is that Dexter is going to kill someone on behalf of Isaak.

We've heard of The Circle of Life. But Dexter is not The Lion King. Call it The Circle of Death.

Other story lines and observations:

• All characters on Dexter should know this by now: Never, ever, ever eat or drink anything Hannah gives you, okay? Sheesh!
• Before he died, Jurg tossed the TV remote control to his captive Hannah and told her to find something for them to watch, but "none of that American reality s---." Hear, hear. Kind of makes me sad he's dead.
• When Deb briefly pondered not calling an ambulance and letting the injured Hannah die, I couldn't help but think of that scene in Breaking Bad when Walt, played by Bryan Cranston, chose to watch and do nothing as Jane, played by Krysten Ritter, choked on her own vomit and died in her sleep. That was one of the most chilling scenes ever.
• I don't know where it's going with those two burn victims that we saw in this episode, but I don't trust that fire-investigator dude.
• Dexter said his son Harrison reminds him of his deceased ex-wife Rita (Julie Benz) "every day." Every day? Ha, more like, once a month, when Dexter actually sees Harrison!
• Dexter reasoned out last week's declaration of romantic love from his foster sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) by telling her, "It's logical ... like the way I love M&M's, even though I know I shouldn't." Hey Dexter, plain or peanut?

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca

@billharris_tv