Dexter Season 1 Starring Michael C Hall
Serial Killer Stalks Miami Killing Only Bad People
Sep 1, 2009
Based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, Dexter follows Dexter Morgan, Miami Metro Homicide blood spatter expert, loving brother, devoted boyfriend, and serial killer. However, Dexter is a serial killer with a difference. He only kills bad people, those that have escaped the law because they are clever or because they have been let off on technicalities.
Season 1's Plot and Characters of Dexter
Michael C Hall takes the role of Dexter Morgan. A charming, polite, well-dressed blood spatter expert who uses his expertise to help catch killers and also cover his own crimes. He works with his foul-mouthed sister Debora (Jennifer Carpenter), and is mostly well liked by his colleagues. Dexter's co-workers include Dexter and Debra's commanding officer Lt. Maria LaGuerta (Lauren Vélez), with Detective Angel Batista (David Zayas), Sgt James Doakes (Erik King), and lab tech Vince Masuka (C.S. Lee). He has a girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) and is a father-figure for her two children.
In Season 1, Dexter’s quiet life is interrupted by the arrival of the Ice Truck Killer, who seems to want to shed unnecessary light of Dexter’s life. Trying to keep his two lives separate creates a lot of the shows tension as the Ice Truck Killer’s identity is slowly revealed over the 12 episode story arc. Michael C Hall obviously enjoys playing Dexter and walks the line between Dexter's normal life and his darker side perfectly. It is obvious why Dexter has managed to remain hidden because virtually everyone around him is under the impression that he is just a normal guy.
James Doakes is the other gem of this series. He sees through Dexter’s pleasant exterior to the darkness that lurks behind his charming smile and bright eyes. During the series he realises that Dexter knows more about the Ice Truck Killer than he is letting on.
Dexter may only have 12 episodes but it builds to a nail-biting conclusion as Dexter and the Ice Truck Killer come face to face. Keeping the series run so short also keeps the tension at breaking point. Dexter grabs hold of its audience and does not let go. There are no ‘filler’ episodes where nothing much happens and it just serves to move the episode count a little further.
Cheering For The Villain
Dexter dares to take the audience to a very dark place. Supporting Dexter is the wrong thing to do because he is a killer. However, by only killing the bad people in society it can make the audience wonder why there aren’t real people out there who do what Dexter does and avenge those that justice has failed.
The other characters are essentially just the background to Dexter’s ‘normal’ life. He has a girlfriend because that is what is expected, everything about his life has been carefully constructed in order for him to avoid detection. Harry (James Remar), Dexter’s deceased father appears as his mentor during the shows numerous flashbacks teaching him how to conceal his crimes. Harry also gave Dexter a Code to keep his son from killing innocent people. Each flashback gives an insight into the mind of Dexter and shows why he has the desire to kill.
4/5
Dexter is a beautifully executed series. Dexter himself is the perfect serial killer (if there is such a thing) and as the inevitable confrontation between Dexter and the Ice Truck Killer draws ever nearer the audience will be glued to the screen.
 |
