Originally published at OlmosPerfect.com

A couple things come to mind when watching Edward James Olmos in DEXTER.

First, and this should not come as a surprise, is that Mr. Olmos is an actor with special talents. I’ve seen only one other performer (Sir Anthony Hopkins) with the same uncanny ability to be so preternaturally still and very few capable of convincingly oozing such an intense possibility/promise of sudden violence despite an outer appearance of disconnect, calm, and even nurturing (twisted though it may be in the case of Gellar).

Mr. Olmos has brought these particular abilities from his considerable arsenal to the table in varying degrees, forms, and shades over the years. His too-cool and taunting El Pachuco in Zoot Suit is a definite standout, as is his subtly sinister turn as Gaff in Blade Runner and, though the characters are cut from a decidedly different cloth, his portrayals of Lt. Castillo in Miami Vice and Admiral Adama in Battlestar Galactica – even good guys can bring it when necessary. Interestingly enough, those characters have few if any things in common other than the man bringing them to life. That’s talent.

The second thing that comes to mind is that we haven’t seen anything yet when it comes to what Professor Gellar is capable of. This man is just getting started at scaring us, even if he’s probably been scaring his apprentice, Travis, for quite a while. Let’s face it, any guy who all-but calmly burns himself with a red-hot poker to make a point and command his disciple’s obedience has something else up his sleeve — ushering along the end of the world, perhaps?

Whatever he’s up to, whatever he’s compelled the simpering Travis to participate in, this ride is definitely just getting under way, as has Dexter’s journey into the realm of faith and religion, and new episodes air at 8 p.m. central on Showtime.

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