Dexter is a series that my friends have been recommending I watch ever since it was first released back in 2007. Now in it’s fifth season on TV, Dexter has a strong fan-base and after watching the first half of season 4, I can see why.
I really don’t like jumping into TV series like these a few seasons in as I feel you completely miss the character development and back story but going straight into season four didn’t seem to cause too many problems (although die hard fans may find fault with what I’ve learnt so far!!). For those of you who don’t know anything about Dexter, I’ll give you a quick run down (or at least what I’ve learnt from season 4!).
Dexter works in the crime lab for Miami Metro Police Department where he day job consists of doing blood analysis for murders or violent crimes to help the police catch bad guys. The twist with the series is that Dexter (played by Michael C. Hall) is a serial killer himself! Through finding violent criminals and ‘those that got away’, he takes justice into his own hands and plots ways in which to catch them and teach them a lesson by killing them in his own ritualistic way while also feeding his obsession to murder.
Through talking with his deceased father (played by James Remar) (who I think taught him the ways of being a serial killer for the ‘greater good’) in an imaginary friend kind of way, we’re able to find out what Dexter is feeling and thinking throughout each show with Hall also providing the voice over making it that little more humorous as he adds his own little quips in there to keep the audience entertained.
It sounds pretty sick and if you analyse it, it really is! Yet Dexter is a brilliantly written series which I’m really enjoying! The opening sequence starts with Dexter meticulously killing a mosquito in his arm followed by his expereince getting ready for work with everything around him in completely perfect order. Through this order, he’s then able to live life without being detected as the killer that he is.
Season 4 focuses on Dexter’s new family life with the arrival of his first baby integrating into his life with his new wife (Julie Benz) and two step kids. The first few episodes focus around his lack of sleep alongside his desire and passion to murder those who have slipped through the legal system’s net. All this is linked together with another story of ‘The Trinity Killer’ (Trinity played by the fabulous John Lithgow) who has recently come back into town to murder three victims before moving onto his next site. To Dexter’s surprise, Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine) (an FBI Agent who specialises in serial killers) returns back on the scene to track down Trinity, much to Dexter’s surprise.
The comedic way in which Dexter interacts with all the characters in the series, especially Lundy is just so well written and even the light quirky music score which sits on top of the quite serious subject matter is just so brilliantly done. Dexter took me by surprise with the swearing and nudity that’s on show in pretty much every episode. I’ve been watching CSI, 24, Prison Break, X Files, Battlestar Galactica and numerous other TV series for years and it’s sort of refreshing to have found a series with a 15 rating which just does what they want and doesn’t worry too much about what they show. It’s much more like a film in that respect than a standard American TV drama.
Dexter is a fantastic series and I find myself wanting to watch the next episode as soon as the one I’m watching finishes. It’s really well written with a great supporting cast, great storylines and I’m looking forward to watching the other three season prior to this once I’ve finished season 4. If you’re looking for a new series to watch that’s well written and quite gritty and rather twisted, then this could well be it!
Dexter Season 4 is released on DVD and Blu-ray 29th November.
