Dexter: A Cut Above Most Shows

I work in the motion picture industry, yet I had never heard of "Dexter" until after the first season aired on Showtime. Hmmm, maybe because I didn't subscribe to Showtime - just a guess.

My wife and I were in our local video shop one rainy weekend. You have to understand that my wife LOVES autopsy-type shows because she always wanted to be a forensics goddess. So she spotted "Dexter" on DVD and asked if I had heard about the show. We decided to rent the first disc (episodes 1 - 4). I have to say, not since the series "24" were we so hooked that we wanted to watch all the episodes. I purchased season one from Amazon the very next day. A few days later, my wife and I settled in for (what turned out to be) a Dexter marathon. We were so hooked that we watched the remaining episodes in a weekend.

Mention the topic of serial killers and some people cringe yet others salivate. We had a morbid curiosity but that quickly turned into delight. Dexter is well-written, the dialogue is snappy and our seemingly unknown lead actor has some of the best facial gestures ever.

Dexter Morgan had some horrific beginnings in life. His awful misfortune quickly turned into stability when a uniformed cop quickly took a very young Dexter into his life and made Dexter his own. Dexter and his sister were raised with strict morals, but Dexter had to live up to an even higher "code" under the watchful eye of his father. Years later, he and his sister become involved in law enforcement - she's a cop and Dexter works for the police department as a "blood spatter specialist." The reason he's so good at what he does? Simple. You see, he kills the killers who escape the clutches of the law.

Dexter is a forensics guy by day and a surgical hunter by night. This seemingly nice, soft-spoken guy morphs into a "super-hero" at night. You actually find yourself empathizing with a serial killer. He's a likable guy who's detached from any human emotion...or is he?

The series does a wonderful job introducing us to Dexter's world. The forensics world with all its twisted humanity and his personal life which is spent mostly hunting the hunters but mix in a very complicated relationship and you've great TV. His relationship is with a pretty blond who seems to be just as detached from feelings and emotion due to her bad breakup with her husband and the repeated rapes and beatings he delivered. The fact that Dexter doesn't have to have sex with her is quite interesting to see unfold. The dynamic is interesting because on one side, you have a woman who won't let any man get close enough to engage in intercourse, and on the other a man who knows nothing about love or sex or human emotion. Both characters learn from each other and evolve.

Speaking of evolving, the two characters I didn't like are Dexter's Sgt and his Lt. I must say that as the series went on, I seemed to dislike them more. The always angry macho Sgt. who suffers from Napoleonic Syndrome...tends to ease up and become likable. The female LT. was an annoying cardboard cut-out who morphs into someone worth paying attention to. (I predict she'll become Captain in the next season - only a prediction of mine)

The dynamic of Dexter being likable and evil at the same time and the fact that he has to cover his tracks so as to not get caught by his own police department is a 'cat and mouse' game quite fun to watch. The twist toward the end of season one (in an attempt to capture The Ice Truck Killer) is something well set up and even my wife didn't see coming. She always figures it out long before anyone else.

As for the squeamish; there are killings, body parts, torture and gallons of blood but nothing too graphic. I would NOT recommend this series as a video for family night though. There is a lot of swearing and nudity, so parents be aware of that. If you happen to catch the episodes airing on CBS, know that they are WAY more tame (edited) versions of the Showtime version. Imagine the difference between HBO's Sopranos on HBO and then aired on Lifetime. Huge difference there too.

Dexter is one of the best shows on TV, while it has its flaws, I hope Dexter will bring us many more seasons of intrigue and puzzles to solve.


DVD extras:

On disc four is the final episode from season one and "extras." "Witnessed in Blood" is a true life story about how blood helped solve a murder.

There's also the first two chapters of the newest Dexter book, "Dexter in the Dark."

There's also audio commentaries by cast and crew.


Footnote: From what I've read, Dexter: Season 2 will be available for purchase in September 2008.