Dexter Season 2 Starring Michael C Hall

Miami's Favorite Serial Killer Returns To What He Does Best

Sep 1, 2009

Dexter Morgan, mild mannered blood spatter expert and serial killer returns, and this time he is being hunted the FBI's best serial-killer-catcher Agent Frank Lundy.

After the near perfection that was Dexter Season 1, it was going to be difficult for Season 2 to outperform its predecessor. However, it manages to do just that, and continues the adventures of Dexter Morgan, serial killer.

Dexter (Michael C Hall) is struggling with the aftermath of the Ice Truck Killer’s actions from Season 1, and has not killed anyone for a month. His sister Debora (Jennifer Carpenter) is now living with him and his girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz) is convinced that he is a drug addict. To make matters worse Dexter’s underwater dumping ground for his victims has also been discovered. The FBI send verteran Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine), the man who catches the impossible-to-catch killers to find the man called the ‘Bay Harbour Butcher’ by the newspapers.

As this season develops it becomes clear to the general public that the ‘Butcher’ only kills the bad people in society and develops a cult following. There is even an episode in which Dexter realises that a new comic strip starring the ‘Dark Defender’ has been created in his honour. It is interesting to see the reaction from the public to a killer that deals with the bad people in society, it does make you wonder at times why Miami Metro aren't trying to find the 'Butcher' so they can give him a medal.

The familiar faces from the previous season return. Lt. Maria LaGuerta (Lauren Vélez), Detective Angel Batista (David Zayas), Sgt James Doakes (Erik King), and lab tech Vince Masuka (C.S. Lee), along with Dexter's desceased father Harry (James Remar). In this season it is Doakes that threatens to steal the show as he clashes with Dexter on numerous occasions. Some of the finest moments in the show (and indeed on television) happen when Dexter and Doakes are just talking to one another.

In addition to Lundy, two other new characters appear, Lila (Jaime Murray) as Dexter’s sponsor and Gail (JoBeth Williams) as Rita’s mother. Initially Dexter attends the Narcotics Anonymous meetings as a means of appeasing Rita and a way of explaining away his habit of disappearing at night without telling her where he has gone. However, after meeting Lila his life starts to spiral out of control as she encourages him to recognise his ‘addiction’ and even though she knows that he isn’t a drug addict, she doesn't know exactly what he is addicted to

Dexter Season 1 was a fantastic piece of original television, taking the audience to the dark realm of rooting for the serial killer. Season 2 dares to go even further. Every week the noose seems to tighten around Dexter’s neck and every time he seems to find some way of keeping it from hanging him, but his escapes get closer each time. Lundy is polite and even funny, but he is also very good at what he does, and as Dexter (under encouragement from Lila) becomes bolder as the ‘Butcher’ all he does is give Lundy another means of finding him.

The audience will watch believing that time might be up for Miami’s favourite serial killer and all the time they will be hoping that somehow he manages to escape.

Doakes and Dexter are the highlights, and the progression of their relationship will send the audience down the same harrowing dilemma that Dexter faces. His life would be easier of Doakes was out of the picture, but unfortunately Doakes is a cop, not a ‘bad’ person and therefore it goes against Dexter’s Code to kill him.

Can Dexter violate the principals that separate him from every other serial killer even if it means that he will escape spending the rest of his life in prison?

The question hangs over this season and leaves the audience guessing right up to the last possible moment. The pace does not let up, and just like before, once you're hooked on Dexter the show does not give the audience (or Dexter) a chance to catch their breath.

Without a doubt Dexter is the best show on television. There are no ‘nothing really happens’ episodes and Season 2 raises the stakes as Dexter struggles to keep his head above water and avoid getting caught.

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