Greater Satellites

So a review of the first season of Dexter may be a tad late and quite a bit overdue, but seeing as how I just recently finished and it’s recently become perhaps my favorite show of all time, I think any additional Dexter buzz on the interwebs is good buzz indeed.

I’ve always had a fascination with serial killer/hit man type movies (although definitely not the movie Hitman). When well thought out, they can be thought provoking and give insight into the oft-serene minds of people we condemn as brutal murderers. Dexter is definitely a show that does this and does it well.

Without giving away many of the plot points that make it a pleasure to watch, the story basically goes something like this: Dexter is the adopted son of cop who found him as a child as crime scene. He works as a very likable forensics lab tech (blood spatter) for Miami Metro Police by day and moonlights as a vigilante serial killer by night “Only killing those who deserve it.” On the surface he seems as normal and average as they come, but as each episode unfolds, we see that each facet of his personality is a carefully crafted guise.

The premise is a good one, no doubt, and I’m sure that someone has written a better synopsis on the interwebs, but that’s mine and I’m sticking to it.

The thing I like most about Dexter, above the laundry list of other things I like, is how his perception of human nature and his questions about it force us to think about why we do the things we do, say the things we say, and act the way we act. We carefully reserve judgment on him as he does the same for us. His character experiences brief moments of human emotion as we experience something a little darker in ourselves taking pleasure in seeing a murderer or rapist getting their just desserts.

The character developments occur at an incredibly satisfying pace for both our anti-hero and the supporting cast. Supporting cast is a bit of an understatement, though, because each character has their role to fill and does so with such energy and great dynamic that I would go so far as to call it an ensemble cast.

Miami is a great way to establish contrast through setting, in my eyes. Such a dark story for such a bright city — someone should have gotten a raise based on that idea alone. The DP working on the show has a pretty unique vision, as does the director. Everything you see during the day is super saturated, giving you a feeling of really being there, while the night shots are moody and full of hard shadows. Often times when we see Dexter feeling particularly upset or on his way to a kill, the scene will be lit in such a way that his eyes appear as two dark holes in his head. Let the reaper references abound!

Based on what I’ve watched (entire first season and a few episodes of Season 2), this show has easily bumped a few of my former favorites from the #1 spot with ease and surgical precision. The depth of characters, dialog, narrative, and often intense storylines leave me wanting to know more and more. Dexter is a serial killer, no doubt, but when watching he almost feels like a friend, and if not a friend, then someone you definitely wouldn’t want to cross.

Dexter gets 10 dismembered body parts out of a possible 10 dismembered body parts in my book.

1. Jacqui Says:
   May 12th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

   Oh. Dex.

   Fabulous review, you fanboy. Alas, I am sharing the same fan boat with you… “Slice of Life,” if you will.

   Let’s go watch ‘im take out the trash, shall we? mmkay.

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