"Dexter" | TV Review

Story by Mitch McCann 

| Published Nov 23, 2010

Dexter Morgan’s tragedy is his life. A Miami blood splatter analyst by day, a diabolical serial killer that preys on the even more dastardly by night.

The show is carried by a haunting, yet at times almost comforting, running narrative by actor Michael C. Hall and reads more like an evil, modern day Shakespearean epic than a scripted TV show. Dexter contains an obsessive bloodlust, often perceived by Dexter as an alternate personality that he refers to as his “Dark Passenger.” His uncontrollable urge to kill was harnessed with the help of his foster father Harry to be used for good. With Harry’s lessons, known simply as “The Code”, Dexter becomes the anti-hero to end all anti-heroes, think “Nip/Tuck” meets “Batman.” In accordance with Harry’s code, Dexter refuses his blade to innocents, and together he and his dark passenger rid Miami of it’s scum and undesirables.

In the series, it is normal for Dexter to be pitted against an enemy for him to overcome each season, such as Trinity, a man that has been slaughtering people in sets of three for decades, his brother (who is also a serial killer), the mysterious circumstances surrounding his childhood, and even starting a family.

Dexter struggles to maintain anonymity while juggling the inner-workings of what most of us would consider a normal life. Things like dating, love, and fatherhood are mysteries to Dexter, while blood, murder and death are commonplace. The show’s intricate plot churns your stomach and keeps you engaged and guessing, all while successfully having you root for our world’s most infamous serial killer.

Dexter plays on Showtime Sundays at 9 p.m.