Today's column previews the new season of "Dexter":
This time of year, I get a lot of "So what's good on TV?" chitchat when I'm at parties. I rattle off the usual suspects, both new ("Reaper," "Pushing Daisies," "Mad Men") and older ("The Office," "Friday Night Lights"), then inevitably make the mistake of bringing up "Dexter."
"Oh, what's that?" they'll ask.
"It's this drama on Showtime," I'll explain, "about a guy who works as a police scientist by day, and at night as a serial killer who only hunts other serial killers."
At this point, they'll start taking two steps back and looking frantically for someone -- anyone -- else to talk to, while I smile blandly and insist, "It's really good!"
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Today's column previews the new season of "Dexter":
I might have to print out this piece to carry around and show to people when I talk about Dexter.
ReplyDeleteYou've provided a public service, Alan!
Great job on Dexter, Alan! The first season was one of the best single-seasons of tv I've ever seen. So perfectly plotted, written and timed out - I was on the edge of my seat right through to the perfect ending. And yes, when I tell people about it, I find myself doing a lot of: "But it's not really like that. I mean, there's a lot of blood, but it serves a purpose... It's not scary. Well, it IS scary, but in a psychological way..."
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that Season 2 is looking so good. I hear what you're saying about wishing on some level that Dexter gets caught. But mostly, I don't want him to get caught because of what that would do to the already fragile Rita and Deb.
Not just serial killers -- Dexter doesn't just go after serial killers, he goes after really awful people. Those who kill or molest children, but who are not caught (or kept in jail) by the police.
ReplyDeleteSmall distinction, I know, but an important one. Only going after serial killers would be relatively limiting, I would guess. How many can there be in Miami in any given year? Dexter needs to kill far more often than that.
As a reader of Darkly Dreaming Dexter, I just had to get Showtime when I heard they were making it into a series. I really didn't believe that they would be able to capture Dexter in all his glory on the show, but somehow they managed it.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for Sunday to see where the 2nd series is going to go!
Not just serial killers -- Dexter doesn't just go after serial killers, he goes after really awful people. Those who kill or molest children, but who are not caught (or kept in jail) by the police.
ReplyDeleteA good point, but there still has to be some kind of repeat offender element to it, like when he took out the guy who kept getting away with drunk-driving manslaughters.
Despite how much I enjoy the show and how good I think it is, the thing that keeps me from saying it's as good as I want it to be is that so many of the people around Dexter are just thinly sketched types who seem to exist only to be foils to Dexter. Since Dexter's such a great character, the show gets away with this, but I think that keeps it from being truly great television.
ReplyDeleteTodd, your chief complaint with the show is the same as mine. My attention inevitably wanders whenever we start dealing with Laguerta and office politics, or Angel's marriage, etc. Doakes and Deb are somewhat interesting, but largely in terms of their relationships with Dexter.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read the new book...
ReplyDeleteAlan,
ReplyDeleteI have yet to watch the first season of this show, but I am very interested in watching season two.
Do you think I should go back and rent season one first? Or can I just jump right in?
I'm watching the first season on Netflix, and I've read the first 2 novels. I'd either watch season 1 first, or read the Television Without Pity recaps (no slur on Alan here--they just cover everything that's gone down so thoroughly). The novels are great, but the plots are very different.
ReplyDeleteDexter is also available free OnDemand till October 4, I believe (this isn't a plug for OnDemand, just Dexter).
ReplyDelete