Dexter is a brilliant television series that airs on the Showtime Network. Typically, one would think a show like this would fail. How can the audience be expected to like and root for a main character that kills people every episode. Well, you can if the main character happens to be a serial killer that tracks and kills serial killers.
Dexter is played by Michael C. Hall, who is perfect for the role. The show takes place in Miami. Dexter is a forensic "blood spatter" analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department. A convenient place for a serial killer to hide. It also comes in handy for helping him to pick out his deserving victims. Dexter's sister Debra Morgan is played by Jennifer Carpenter, who's character is a detective in the Miami Metro Police Department. However, they are not really brother and sister. Dexter was adopted by Debra's father who was a detective in the same police department they now work in. Harry Morgan rescued Dexter from a crime scene in which young dexter was found kneeling in a pool of blood next to his dead mother. She was a victim of a serial killer. Harry is the one who instills Dexter with "the code", a set of rules the Dexter lives by in order not to get caught. Harry Morgan, felt that the justice system was flawed and that too many criminals got a way with murder. So, he molded Dexter to be the instrument of Justice for those killers that got away. Harry is dead along with his wife on the show, but you still see Harry from time to time on the show. Sometimes in flashbacks, but mostly he takes the form of Dexter's conscience when he is thinking or having an internal struggle. So, even though he is talking to his father in a scene he is really having the discussion in his own mind. In a later episode we get to see what happens when Harry walks in on Dexter with one of his victims during a flash back. It seems that the idea Harry had, and seeing the realization of the idea were two different things.
Dexter does tend to enjoy his work, but who could complain when all he is really doing is dealing a healthy dose of pain back to the people that pray on innocent people. This is what allows us to like and root for Dexter. You find yourself actually not wanting him to get caught. Like all serial killers, Dexter takes a trophy from his victims. Unlike the typical body part, clothing, or jewelry, Dexter takes blood. He takes on drop from a cut he inflicts on his victims right cheek. He places the drop between two glass slides, so that he can view it anytime he wants under a microscope. A perfect trophy for a blood spatter analyst.
The beginning of the show is a bit disturbing. How they take average, everyday normal events, and then make it look all morbid and disgusting. This is meant to convey the horror than can be hidden amongst us in our society and captures the essence of a serial killer perfectly. The guy next door, the nice guy, the one you would never suspect. Usually a serial killer is so successful, because they look just like everyone else. Dexter is the perfect example of this. Just one episode and you will see that there is no way you would suspect this guy of being a serial killer, he is just too darn likable.
The conversations that Dexter has with himself and his sister is what drives the show. Along with how Dexter manages to keep the focus of off himself as the "Bay Harbor Butcher", which is what they call the un-sub. (unidentified subject) that is Dexter. You can also count on most episodes ending with Dexter adding another trophy to his collection. The show is now in its fourth season and so seasons 1,2,and 3 can be found on DVD. I highly recommend this show to anyone who is not squeamish. It helps to have an open mind and dark sense of humor as well.
Dennis James Huff
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dennis_Huff/156454
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