Dexter-The serial killer with a conscience, kinda
Into quality tv, Likes dark subjects
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SEP
12
2008
Dexter Morgan is not your run-of-the-mill serial killer, though. No, no. He "takes out the trash" that his police dept fails to successfully prosecute. Hiding in plain sight as a the man who examines and evaluates the blood splatter evidence at murder scenes, Dexter controls his urges to kill by killing only killers. Say that three times really fast.
Morgan was orphaned at age 3 and found by Miami Police officer Harry Morgan at the scene of a horrific crime. Harry was one of the department's most highly decorated officers and he recognized Dexter's sociopathic personality early on. Flashbacks throughout the series follow Dexter's progression into manhood, among other things, and how Harry decides to channel Dexter's tendencies for constructive purposes, realizing that, if he does nothing, his son will become a hunted criminal unable save himself from his murderous urges. Harry also teaches his new son his code, which includes killing only those who "have it coming" because they are murders themselves. We also get more than one shocking revelation through this plot device.
Dexter displays all the characteristics of the stereotypical serial killer. He selects the perfect location, sets up a "kill room" that is completely sanitized and uses a specific set of tools to kill his victims and chop them up, but not before collecting a sample of their blood, his "trophies", which he puts on slides and stores in a case in his apartment.
The show is less about the killings, though, and more about Dexter's ability to function as a "normal" human being in the real world. He has a girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz), in order to appear normal and this is complicated by her two small children, both of whom adore him. The trouble with Rita, which in Dexter's mind is a plus, is she is as screwed up as he is, but in a different, less homicidal way. He thinks she's perfect for him because she's psychologically unable to have sex due to her past relationship. He's down with that, since, for all of Harry's training, he's unable to fake emotional intimacy, or really, feel anything much at all. Except that he finds himself unexpectedly developing some affection for her and the children.
Dexter is, like some long time substance abuser, able to conjure up a charm that makes him well-liked by his colleagues, who, in turn never suspect he has a very, very dark side. The lone exception is Sgt James Doakes, a former Army special forces guy. He senses there is something wrong with Morgan, but can't quite put his finger on it. In fact, when a serial killer dubbed "The Ice Truck Killer" starts offing people in Miami, Doakes feels there is a connection between Dexter and the murderer but is unable to figure out what it is. Neither are we until the finale of season one.
Further complicating Dexter's life is his adopted sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter). She is a Miami Homicide Detective and is both a loose cannon and brilliant police officer with a wild side. Since their father died, supposedly of natural causes, she leans on her brother, because, in-spite of her brashness, she is a scared, insecure little girl, possibly because Harry spent so much time with Dexter, she felt somewhat neglected. So, when something really good happens to her Dexter is the first person she shares it with and when something bad happens (and something REALLY bad does happen to her in season one), his are the arms she rushes to for actual comfort. This in spite of his cool, not really but kinda engaging demeanor.
Dexter Morgan is so coolly charming and, by all appearances upstanding, it's easy to see why we, the viewers are the only ones who know his true nature. Yet Hall plays his killer persona so deftly and sympathetically we find ourselves on his side while feeling a little guilty about it. After all, here is a man who is a vigilante, not like Batman who seeks justice and doesn't deliberately kill people, but to simply satisfy his urges to kill human beings. But, as the story unfolds, its hard not to feel sorry for Dexter, because we get to see how he got that way and we find it a little bit noble that he and his father found a way to channel a gruesome character trait for a "greater good", depending on our views of vigilantism. Its a classic case of the end justifying the means. We also are privy to Dexter's inner monologue throughout the series, seeing into this mind, how he thinks, how he rationalizes his actions. Ultimately we tend to think of him as one of the good guys and hoping he never gets caught.
This is the moral dilemma that brought protests when CBS decided to air the first season, sans violence and nudity this past summer. Some feel the show glamorizes a bad element and makes the unthinkable acceptable.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Whatever you may think of the concept it is an original one. Dexter is a program that deals with real issues yet has a dark sense of humor that makes us laugh and cringe at the same time. Dexter Morgan is a disturbed and disturbing man yet a likable one. He's the bad guy a great many of us wouldn't mind having in our city, if we are really honest about it. After all, if you are not a murderer you are safe from him, because as he states more than once, the standard of proof he requires before executing someone is far higher than the state's. Just like the standard of television programing required by the makers of Dexter is apparently higher than the rest of the industry as a whole. The plots are believable and just when you think you know where the story is headed, it goes off in some unexpected direction. Dexter is about to begin its third season on the Showtime network and is one of the best shows on television. Its killer, man. GRADE: A
Last edited on Sep 12, 2008
Dexter is recommended by MikeMaroon
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