Dexter: Is Rita Really Going To Be His Baby Mama?

Last Sunday, the third season of Dexter -- one of television's finest dramas -- premiered, and the opener's final scene revealed the secret I've been keeping mum on for months: Rita and Dex have a baby on the way! Executive Producer Clyde Phillips told me the good news back in July when I saw him at Press Tour, trusting that I wouldn't ruin the surprise for y'all. But now that you know, I've got more scoop.

I ran into Julie Benz -- the actress who plays Dex's beloved Rita -- at the Emmys a couple weeks back, and we spoke about her character's pregnancy reveal. She said, once the thought of a baby comes into play, both Rita and Dexter have a lot of stuff to figure out and we'll see them struggle with that for a while. But when I asked her if we'd be seeing her bump gradually grow throughout the season and if she was having to wear a lot of fake padding, she paused. There was a short silence and then she cryptically said, if I answer that question, then there are so many other questions to answer, so let's just say you have to tune in and watch." Huh?!

So now, of course, a million theories are swimming around my head. We never did see a positive pregnancy test -- Rita just decided she was expecting based on chocolate cravings -- So maybe it was a false alarm? Or perhaps she miscarries? Maybe she really is pregnant, but gets kidnapped by the ghost of Doakes and disappears for awhile, delivering the baby off screen... What? Is that ridiculous?

Whatever the case, the concept of a biological kid has now entered Dexter's mind and will color the season significantly. James Remar -- who portrays Dex's departed dad and former mentor Harry -- will start popping up in Dexter's imagination fairly often. Says Phillips, "His father represents the subtext and alter ego of conscious. Dexter is now contemplating fatherhood. And who better to contemplate it with than your own father as the other voice in your head."

One of our favorite murderer's biggest worries? Whether or not the need to kill can be passed on genetically. "He has concerns about nature and nurture," Phillips further explained. "There will be a scene later where he goes and has an MRI and discusses this in his imagination with James Remar. I won't tell you where that goes, of course, but he's definitely [wondering], can he be a father, what is in him, why did he end up how he ends up? If Harry had been different, if he had been different, what would've happened? It's all explored this year."

So, any thoughts? Think there really is a little Dex on the way? If so, will he or she make it to their birth day? Weigh in by commenting below...