This may be more of a “Best TV Show That You’re Not Watching” article rather than “People in the News”, but I’m really doing an important civil service here.
A healthy combination of NYPD Blue meets Six Feet Under, Dexter proves that sometimes a little a black humor can really hit the spot when murder is concerned. Does that sound a little weird? Let me attempt to redeem myself.
Dexter is based on a series of crime thriller novels written by Jeff Lindsay. Our hero, Dexter Morgan, is a forensic blood splatter expert for the Miami police department. Other than his grisly day job, he seems like a normal guy, complete with cute girlfriend and sterile bachelor pad, but there is definitely something a little “off” about him. His fascination with blood reveals that Dexter is not your usual forensic anthropologist. Based on a moral code instilled upon him by his foster father, Dexter hunts down murderers who have escaped the law to make sure they don’t hurt anyone again.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, Dexter sounds a lot like Batman, right? Wrong. Dexter doesn’t get rid of the bad guys because it’s the Right Thing to Do. He does it because he has an inner drive to kill. Why? The first season is particularly intriguing because it examines the gruesome origins of Dexter’s emotional emptiness. Also entering the scene is the “Ice Truck Killer” – a brilliant and mysterious serial killer who has some serious beef with Dexter. Man oh man, are there some unexpected plot twists in here! And here I was thinking that I knew it all!
Michael Hall, the actor who plays Dexter, initially ran the risk of being TOO cute to play a serial killer, but his signature eyebrow cock, stupid smirk, and often goofy facial expressions help to give his inhuman character some personality (and our empathy). The rest of the characters are multi-dimensional, intelligent, and very likable. The end of each episode left me begging for more, and I was consequently forced to watch a Dexter marathon of five consecutive episodes in one sitting. I do have other things to do on a Saturday night, I swear. I just couldn’t tear my eyes away!
Unfortunately for me, I don’t have cable TV, so I am unable to watch our regularly scheduled program on Showtime. But never fear, Dexter-philes, you can always catch your missed Sunday episodes on the CBS website. Or, there’s always Netflix. Thank heaven for Netflix. Industrial promotions aside, this show kicks some serious crime booty.
