Dexter: Seasons 1-3
* NR/Showtime: 2006-2010 * http://www.sho.com/site/dexter/ * Starring/Cast/Staff: Michael C. Hall … Dexter Morgan (48 episodes, 2006-2009); Julie Benz … Rita Bennett / … (48 episodes, 2006-2009); Jennifer Carpenter … Debra Morgan (48 episodes, 2006-2009); Lauren Vélez … Lt. Maria Laguerta (48 episodes, 2006-2009); David Zayas … Angel Batista / … (48 episodes, 2006-2009); James Remar … Harry Morgan / … (48 episodes, 2006-2009); C.S. Lee … Vince Masuka (47 episodes, 2006-2009); Christina Robinson … Astor Bennett / … (43 episodes, 2006-2009); Preston Bailey … Cody Bennett / … (32 episodes, 2007-2009); Erik King … Sergeant James Doakes (24 episodes, 2006-2007); Desmond Harrington … Joey Quinn / … (24 episodes, 2008-2009); Geoff Pierson … Captain Tom Matthews (20 episodes, 2006-2009); and many more.
A great series on Showtime about a serial killer named “Dexter Morgan” played by Michael C. hall who works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood splatter analyst, utilizing his job to hid his uncontrollable addiction to gruesomely kill his victims he believes need to die. The series is based on Jeff Lindsay’s novel series “Darkly Dreaming Dexter”. The Fourth and Fifth season are in the works. The show follows the life of Dexter, day to day, as he goes from work, struggles with his internal demons, carries on relationships, and seeks to lash out his addiction to find the heartbeat of life in killing his victims. Dexter was a young boy who was adopted by a Miami cop named Harry Morgan from a blood bath murder scene of his mom. Harry, knowing Dexter would be changed from the incident for life, nurtured the murderous thirst in his son harnessing it to kill only those who deserve it – other killers who have escaped the legal system or were never suspects in the first place. He was taught by his father how to hide the evidence and to get away with the crimes while holding up a facade of normalcy. Slowly Dexter unravels the mystery of his family, his mother’s murder, and his psychotic father. Dexter learns to fake normal emotions which leads him into a torrid love affair with Rita. Fine to Dexter, his relationship with Rita goes slow, as she is slowly healing from past rape and abuse damages from her former husband, who is later released, and becomes ravelled up in Dexter’s madness. Through Dexter’s crazy life, working as a police scientist, he helps unravel the case of notorious murderers, the first of which is the “Ice Truck Killer” who turns out to be of his blood relations that his adoptive sister Debra gets involved with. Dexter continues to play normal, but police Sargeant James Doakes suspects something is wrong with Dexter which spirals him down to become a victim of Dexter’s insanity. As Dexter unravels his past he has to come to terms with his future. He kills his brother and pursues a deeper relationship with Rita. The Madness continues in Season 2 when Rita gives Dexter the ultimatum of joining Narcotics Anomynous thinking Dexter’s addictions is drugs rather than killing. Through the sessions, Dexter finds confidence in another addict, a con artist named Lila who becomes Dexter’s sponsor and mistress. Dexter’s murderous remains become found and he strives to frame someone else for his murders as Dexter becomes known as the “Bay Harbour Butcher” a name Dexter abhorrs. Now that Dexter has Rita’s ex-husband permanently out of his way, his love affair with Lila is discovered, and Rita dumps Dexter. As Dexter and Rita patch things up, Lila is outcasted, which drives her madly insane – out to get Rita and her children until she starts to discover Dexter’s real addiction is not recovery from drugs. Lila saves the day from getting Dexter discovered as the murderer, and joins Dexter’s list of people to “off”. In Season 3, Rita discovers she is pregnant with Dexter’s child. They decide to get married and have the baby. Dexter becomes allied with a district attorney who also has a thirst for blood, murder, and vengeance. Teaching Miguel Prado how to kill, Dexter quickly resents having told his darkly secret and struggles to erase his mistake. While struggling to hide his urges from Rita, trying desperately to be normal, Dexter is whirlwinded into a world a cloak and dagger as him and Miguel go on a killing spree until Miguel doesn’t listen to Dexter and runs astray risking everything. Dexter cleans up his “mistake”. This leads Dexter to become a victim of the infamous “Skinner” killer who he barely escapes from before walking down the aisle with Rita. Interesting enough, this series has become quite controversial through the conservative world because it has become blamed for making murder attractive, killing people o.k. and for influencing the youth. There has been a few missing person cases that have been linked to the series as having influenced murders in real life. In December of 2008, filmmaker Mark Twitchell in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada was charged with murder of 38 year old John Altinger whose body is still missing. He filmed footage of the “House of Cards” a horror-romance that is similar to Dexter’s clandestine murders, where he allegedly snuffed Altinger. The Detective on the case was quoted to have said “We have alot of information to suggest he definitely idolizes Dexter”. Twitchell also had apparently created a series of facebook statuses where he suggest that he had alot in common with Dexter Morgan. He has been released even though still suspect for the murder. In November of 2009, Seventeen year old Andrew Conley was arrested in Rising Sun, Indiana after killing his 10 year old brother Conner. Andrew told investigators that he identified with the character “Dexter”. The series is addicting and compelling, hard to walk away from, and quite captivating. Very enjoyable and thought provoking. Rating : 4.5 stars out of 5.