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Dexter is an American TV show airing on the Showtime channel. It first aired in Britain last year through the FX channel which hold the rights to it. It is now on it's third season which is currently airing on Showtime. It was adapted for TV by award winning screenwriter James Manos.
The character and tv series is based on the book by Jeff Lindsay 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter'.
Dexter Morgan gives the series its name. He is a blood spatter specialist working for the Miami Metro Police Department. He's very good at his job and helps solve a lot of crimes. He is smart and is respected and liked by his colleagues. But Dexter has one hell of a secret. He's a serial killer, a serial killer with a penchant for killing only those who have wronged - murderers and the like. A sort of vigilante killer if you like. His job helps him find the killers who were unpunished through the justice system and it helps him cover his tracks. Dexter had a mentor, his now dead stepfather Harry. Harry became aware his son was murderous from an early age and instead of trying to move him from this path, chanelled it into another direction. He devised the 'Harry Code' so that only bad people were murdered by his son.
The TV series follows the life of Dexter. His relationship with his kid sister Debra who works in the same Miami Police Department as himself. His relationship with his girlfriend Rita and her kids Astor and Cody. This relationship is his cover, a facade to give out the impression hes normal to other eyes. His relationship with his work colleagues Angel Batista a detective, Masuka a forensics expert and his boss La Guerta who seems to have her eyes on him for the wrong reason. The only person who suspects anything is amiss is Sergeant Doakes, an ex military man who has a
nose for such things.
CAST
Dexter Morgan (Michael C Hall) Deborah Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) Rita Bennett (Julie Benz) Angel Batista (David Zayas) Maria LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) Harry Morgan (James Remar) Vince Masuka (C S Lee)
Season 1 centres on the ice truck murders. Bodies keep turning up with body parts missing and appear to have been dismembered without the presence of blood and to have been transported using an ice truck. The Miami Police department struggle to find the killer whilst the killer it would seem is communicating to Dexter via the crime scenes. There is a connection between the killer and Dexter. Doakes suspects something but doesn't know what and Debra becomes involved emotionally with the case without even knowing. Dexter uses all his intuition and all his training his father taught him to help him. Dexter does some killing of his own and keeps a momento of each kill by taking a spot of blood and putting it on a slide which he keeps in a box kept behind his air conditioning unit. Meanwhile Dexter sets up Ritas violent husband who comes back on the scene who proves troublesome.
In Season 2 Dexters killing ground is discovered. He discards the bodies by dumping them into Miami bay using his cruise yacht. The Miami Police Department label the killer the 'Bay Harbour Butcher' and enlist the help of F.B.I genius Special Agent Lundy to track down the killer. On top of this Doakes, by now highly suspicious of Dexter, is using is own time to do his own surveillance on Dexter preventing him from the further kills he is lusting after. Rita is also suspicious of Dexter after she finds out he set her ex-husband up and who was later killed in prison. Trouble on all sides for Dexter who also is beginning to doubt his fathers part in his life, his motives, the reason he died and the code. When Doakes breaks into Dexters apartment and discovers his slides, matters come to a head and a riveting finale.
Season 3 is underway in the U.S and it centres on Dexters new found friend Miguel Prado. A friend who is aware of the truth about Dexter and who accepts it. But Dexter has never shared his secret with anyone, he has always worked alone to avoid detection. And maybe for good reason ?
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this programme. The subject matter and the implication one should feel a connection, an alliance, or god forbid be routing for a vigilante killer is difficult for many to comprehend. Especially the moralistic subjects of the U.S, some of who have started campaigns and petitions to get the programme off the air. Even some commentators over here have frowned at the conecpt and some have described it as sick. Thankfully their efforts have proved fruitless. Personally the concept, the storylines and the plots intrigued me from the very first. This, to put it succintly is the best TV drama series out there at the moment and by a wide margin.
Analysing the show, the thing that hits you first is the likeability factor of Dexter. Despite his deadly secret, he has so many qualities that you cant help but admire. Hes charming, good looking, very clever, logical, imaginative, funny, quirky and loyal. He lacks emotion and sees himself as different from everybody else - he doesn't feel love and hardly ever smiles. This dead pan, earnest style makes the show very dark at times.
The show is constantly interspersed with narration from Dexter himself. This helps you get into the mind of Dexter. We hear the reasoning for what he does and why he does it. Its almost watching the action and reading the mind of Dexter himself. The narration I think is vital, without it perhaps this show wouldnt work like it does. We also get large snippets of flashback to Dexters childhood, some of which he is seeing freshly as much as we are because he is blacking some of it out. Dexter's father Harry has had a huge influence on Dexters life and we can see just how deep his tentacles have got into Dexters sub conscious. The pyschological study of Dexter is very detailed and it's done solely by himself.
The murders themselves and the vigilante aspect to them are truly chilling, Dexter Morgan in killing mode is a mechanical, clinical killing machine. The murders are planned and carried out with a ruthless aplomb and we are spared none of the gruesome details. This will not appeal to many, especially those of a nervous disposition. At times it borders on outright macabre but for me the more the better. The storylines and the sub plots are daring, bold, brazen, never pausing to shock us to the core. They keep you guessing, building the tension, playing on your nerves, keeping you on the edge of your seat, fascinating and delighting with every new twist.
Dexter Morgan is a unique and delightfully gruesome and original creation. This central character is played perfectly by Michael C Hall (Six Feet Under). Hes a pleasure to watch which considering what hes upto is kind of perverse. All of the acting infact, as you'd expect from a large budget American drama series, is exceptional. Debra played by Jennifer Carpenter plays the loud, determined, foul mouthed but loving sister brilliantly. Funnily enough these two are an item in real life. As brash as she is, she is brilliant with people and gets the best out of them. Julie Benz plays Rita the weak, damaged single mother struggling to get her life and her self respect back on track. I really like this character and feel theres a lot of scope to be worked with for further series because shes still relatively unexplored. Erik King (Doakes) is also a fantastic creation, hes funny without even trying and he has hidden warmth that we have merely happened across so far. David Zayas plays the very likeable Angel who gets on famously with everybody with his swashbuckling personality but he has weaknesses and he struggles in life without the love he misses from his wife and daughter.
It all adds up to a winning formula. Despite the bad press and the provocative nature of the gruesome killings this show seduces you like no other will. It will challenge you to resist watching, its intelligent, its edgy, its fascinating and it will quickly establish itself upon you.
Don't just take my word for it. The show has received considerable critical acclaim and has won two emmys and numerous other awards as well as being nominated for countless more. Whilst 'Lost' and 'Heroes' have become lost up their own backsides because of their own self-importance, this show goes on relentlessly, from strength to strength.
The DVD for the first season has been out for a while now and should be going for a reasonable amount on ebay. Season two has been released on region 1 so if you have a multi region player thats an option too if you want to catch up. Dont deny yourself.
Dexter forum link : http://www.tv.com/dexter/show/62683/forums.html
Advantages: Great dark humour, script, music and lead actor! Disadvantages: Not for the faint of heart, subject matter and strong language may be offensive to others..
ciao_alan.finnerty 24.07.2009 (24.07.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Dexter (TV Series)
Advantages: Great dark humour, script, music and lead actor! Disadvantages: Not for the faint of heart, subject matter and strong language may be offensive to others..
ciao_alan.finnerty 24.07.2009 (24.07.2009)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Dexter (TV Series)
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