DeniTV: Dexter is Da-Man!!!!
April 18th 2010 10:24
Category: TV-Thriller
"Ooooh! I should only hope that Dexter chop you into itty bitty pieces, you piece of filth!"
Not too long after I uttered those words, I froze. I had to rethink my own logic and sense of morals here. What was I thinking? Dexter is a serial killer and here I was cheering him on! What the hell!
I've only recently discovered "Dexter" - four years after it premiered on Showtime. I'm currently living on the other side of the world, in a land far far away from Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood and television ads. This is a huge advantage to me because when I do discover a diamond, I'm not tainted by the advertisers whose job it is to draw me in or personal opinion. It's my own discovery.
I knew absolutely zero about "Dexter". Occasionally when I'd search the internet I saw a few posters but I never really paid much attention to them. Some guy with a baby on his shoulders and spilled juice or a handsome face splattered with red dots - nope, didn't kick in at all and I never read any articles. It never provoked any curiosity. One day I was bored and in desperate need of a "dark comedy" and I happened to rent it. I remember being absolutely appalled that the protagonist was a serial killer. The opening scene of Miami at night, and our hero cruising the streets on a mission to satisfy his "dark need" while at the same time honoring his special "code". The music is haunting and twisted and Dexter's first words only add to the anticipation that something weird might happen. "Tonight's the night...it's going to happen again and again and again". I thought he was going to get laid...I had no idea that he was going to kidnap some poor soul and drill a hole in his brain and then chop him up. But I soon learned that this poor soul was not an innocent victim but a murderer. Hmmmm...ohhh-kay!
By the end of the first show, needless to say, I wanted more. I watched the first season in two days and before I knew it, hacking people to bits took on a whole new meaning - by golly a chopped off arm or foot wasn't so bad after all - I was just as confused as Dexter when he tries to find meaning in his life. Of course, I wasn't going to go out and find my own "dark passenger", thankfully I don't have the stomach for blood but I can only justify my hero worship of Dexter by my innate sense of justice - we all have it. We all think bad people should come to a gruesome end and when we see Dexter handle his business it's okay - even though, it's not quite right. But Dexter appeals to our sense of morals because he has high standards and a high sense of morals himself - as strange as that may sound.
The show presents an interesting dynamic. When we read about John Wayne Gacy or Jeffrey Dahmer, it's so easy to say they should rot in hell - we have no connection with them but when Dexter speaks to us about his struggles. They are the same as our own and we connect with him - so much so that despite the fact that he's a murderer, he's not such a bad guy after all - quite possibly someone I can chill with over a beer - after all, I'm safe - I haven't killed anyone. Dexter struggles to find a place in the world, he wants to "fit in", he wants to make some sense of his existence, he dreams of a normal life, he wants a connection. Does that sound familiar? These are things that normal people want as well. So we connect with him and we understand where he's coming from. I wonder would we think Jeffrey Dahmer was so bad if we knew him like we know Dexter. I don't know...it's one thing to chop of a hand and quite another to nibble on it. Hmmmm.
Dexter is the adopted son of Detective Harry Morgan, and during his childhood Harry discovered that little Dexter had violent tendencies that if not properly channeled would some day get out of hand. Thus, the "code of Harry" was conceived, where Dexter is taught to satisfy his urges in a positive way by focusing on "bad" people. Under Harry's tutelage Dexter was taught to never get caught and to never lose control a lesson well learned.
As much has he claims feelings of emptiness, Dexter is actually affected a great deal by the people in his life and over time he does feel moments of conscience which confuses him. Rounding out his life is his girlfriend Rita, who according to Dexter, was" just as damaged as he is". Her ex-husband beat her and raped her repeatedly. His initial purpose for Rita was to help him appear normal but somewhere along the way she gets under his skin, she and her two children by her ex. During a brief break in their relationship, he suffered moments of depression which confused him. Only then did he realize that being with them did make him feel like less of a monster.
And then there's his adopted sister Deb, who loves him dearly and is fiercely protective of him, she's crass and has a potty mouth and under her tough exterior she's quite vulnerable. While Dexter never brings himself to declare his love for her, when given the opportunity to end her life, he can't bring himself to do it because he is "fond" of her.
My favorite moments of this show are when he does try to figure people out and what makes them tick - something he can't grasp because on a certain level he has no feelings and quite often he finds himself not quite getting people and their idiosyncrasies. This makes for a well rounded character study brilliantly played by Michael C. Hall. He's a master a revealing the different faces of Dexter from Monster to caring boyfriend - from confusion to vulnerability. This is quality television at its best and it's a much needed welcome amongst the cesspool of reality television. So for those of you who haven't seen this show, I and many others highly recommend it.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I love Dexter and I probably would accept a date with him. After all, I haven't killed anyone so I'm quite safe. Er...then again, maybe not.
Not too long after I uttered those words, I froze. I had to rethink my own logic and sense of morals here. What was I thinking? Dexter is a serial killer and here I was cheering him on! What the hell!
I've only recently discovered "Dexter" - four years after it premiered on Showtime. I'm currently living on the other side of the world, in a land far far away from Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood and television ads. This is a huge advantage to me because when I do discover a diamond, I'm not tainted by the advertisers whose job it is to draw me in or personal opinion. It's my own discovery.
I knew absolutely zero about "Dexter". Occasionally when I'd search the internet I saw a few posters but I never really paid much attention to them. Some guy with a baby on his shoulders and spilled juice or a handsome face splattered with red dots - nope, didn't kick in at all and I never read any articles. It never provoked any curiosity. One day I was bored and in desperate need of a "dark comedy" and I happened to rent it. I remember being absolutely appalled that the protagonist was a serial killer. The opening scene of Miami at night, and our hero cruising the streets on a mission to satisfy his "dark need" while at the same time honoring his special "code". The music is haunting and twisted and Dexter's first words only add to the anticipation that something weird might happen. "Tonight's the night...it's going to happen again and again and again". I thought he was going to get laid...I had no idea that he was going to kidnap some poor soul and drill a hole in his brain and then chop him up. But I soon learned that this poor soul was not an innocent victim but a murderer. Hmmmm...ohhh-kay!
By the end of the first show, needless to say, I wanted more. I watched the first season in two days and before I knew it, hacking people to bits took on a whole new meaning - by golly a chopped off arm or foot wasn't so bad after all - I was just as confused as Dexter when he tries to find meaning in his life. Of course, I wasn't going to go out and find my own "dark passenger", thankfully I don't have the stomach for blood but I can only justify my hero worship of Dexter by my innate sense of justice - we all have it. We all think bad people should come to a gruesome end and when we see Dexter handle his business it's okay - even though, it's not quite right. But Dexter appeals to our sense of morals because he has high standards and a high sense of morals himself - as strange as that may sound.
The show presents an interesting dynamic. When we read about John Wayne Gacy or Jeffrey Dahmer, it's so easy to say they should rot in hell - we have no connection with them but when Dexter speaks to us about his struggles. They are the same as our own and we connect with him - so much so that despite the fact that he's a murderer, he's not such a bad guy after all - quite possibly someone I can chill with over a beer - after all, I'm safe - I haven't killed anyone. Dexter struggles to find a place in the world, he wants to "fit in", he wants to make some sense of his existence, he dreams of a normal life, he wants a connection. Does that sound familiar? These are things that normal people want as well. So we connect with him and we understand where he's coming from. I wonder would we think Jeffrey Dahmer was so bad if we knew him like we know Dexter. I don't know...it's one thing to chop of a hand and quite another to nibble on it. Hmmmm.
Dexter is the adopted son of Detective Harry Morgan, and during his childhood Harry discovered that little Dexter had violent tendencies that if not properly channeled would some day get out of hand. Thus, the "code of Harry" was conceived, where Dexter is taught to satisfy his urges in a positive way by focusing on "bad" people. Under Harry's tutelage Dexter was taught to never get caught and to never lose control a lesson well learned.
As much has he claims feelings of emptiness, Dexter is actually affected a great deal by the people in his life and over time he does feel moments of conscience which confuses him. Rounding out his life is his girlfriend Rita, who according to Dexter, was" just as damaged as he is". Her ex-husband beat her and raped her repeatedly. His initial purpose for Rita was to help him appear normal but somewhere along the way she gets under his skin, she and her two children by her ex. During a brief break in their relationship, he suffered moments of depression which confused him. Only then did he realize that being with them did make him feel like less of a monster.
And then there's his adopted sister Deb, who loves him dearly and is fiercely protective of him, she's crass and has a potty mouth and under her tough exterior she's quite vulnerable. While Dexter never brings himself to declare his love for her, when given the opportunity to end her life, he can't bring himself to do it because he is "fond" of her.
My favorite moments of this show are when he does try to figure people out and what makes them tick - something he can't grasp because on a certain level he has no feelings and quite often he finds himself not quite getting people and their idiosyncrasies. This makes for a well rounded character study brilliantly played by Michael C. Hall. He's a master a revealing the different faces of Dexter from Monster to caring boyfriend - from confusion to vulnerability. This is quality television at its best and it's a much needed welcome amongst the cesspool of reality television. So for those of you who haven't seen this show, I and many others highly recommend it.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I love Dexter and I probably would accept a date with him. After all, I haven't killed anyone so I'm quite safe. Er...then again, maybe not.
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