Dexter

Here we are talking about Showtime's Dexter, not cartoon Dexter.

Two season's so far, depicting Dexter Morgan's search for happiness, or at least peace and quiet.

Season one follows the novel that inspired the series almost to a T, with all of the major plot components falling into place as we get to know Dexter Morgan, through his eyes from his rescue from the inside of a container where his Mom and 2 other people are butchered in front of him and his older brother Brian. Dexter doesn't remember his Mom or his brother, and is taken by Harry Morgan as a foster child. Harry is a Miami Metro Police Officer, and is known as a great cop. Harry has a daughter, Deborah, who is seriously keen on following in her father's footsteps. Dexter just wants not to disappoint his foster parents, but has these urges to kill things.

What I like about this series is not the depiction so to speak of a serial killer, but the relationships that are developed over the course of 12 one hour episodes. Dexter has no feelings, but analalyses every interaction he has in an effort to be "normal." He has a girlfriend, Rita (Julia Benz) who is just as broken as he is but for different reasons. He brings donuts to work every morning, but really isn't interested in interacting with his co-workers.

His work in life is to control his urge to kill indiscriminately by taking only the lives of others who kill and get away with it. He's very good at this, and we get to see his methods and interactions with his victims as he stalks them, lures them, and finally disposes of them into the ocean.

Season One is being shown on CBS finally, and dramatically edited for the sensibilities of the average, but the Showtime version is worth seeing if you don't have those sensitive natures, or if you are, as Dexter says, "good at compartmentalization."

CritiqueGod's rating E for Exceeds Expectations.