By Nicole Fiorica
At a glance:
Genre: Thriller, Crime Drama
Network: Showtime
Seasons/Episodes: 8/96
Avg. Episode Length: 55 min
Available on: Netflix, Showtime,
Amazon Instant Video
What it’s about: “Tonight’s the night.” So begins Showtime’s popular psychological thriller about a serial killer who kills serial killers, based on the book Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. Michael C. Hall stars as titular character Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who uses his job to find killers who have slipped through the cracks of the law.
Trained by his father at an early age to cover his tracks, Dexter maneuvers around his coworkers and loved ones to satiate his need to kill. At the same time, he finds himself struggling with his own nature, or “Dark Passenger,” as he contemplates what he really wants out of his life.
Why it’s so good: Despite being a criminal, Dexter’s mission makes him a perfect antihero. The psychological journey Dexter goes on as he attempts to understand his own psyche, while simultaneously trying to blend into normal society, results in an incredibly compelling character. At the same time, viewers are sucked into the lives of the other members of the Miami Metro Police Department and their separate attempts to find serial killers at large in Miami. If you like crime drama, this is for you.
Why you should binge it: Each season of “Dexter” has its own plot line, usually involving a new killer that has come to plague Miami. Dexter races against his coworkers to find the serial killer first, often resulting in a heart-stopping thrill ride that lasts the entirety of the 12-episode arc. Even though the main plot of most seasons ties up nicely, the individual episodes blend into each other so effortlessly that arguably the best way to watch “Dexter” is a season per day.
Standouts: Hall’s impressive, Golden Globe-winning performance completely captures Dexter’s charm and intensity. Likewise, Jennifer Carpenter is outstanding as Dexter’s ambitious and (in later seasons) often emotionally scarred sister Debra Morgan, who must deal with her own demons as she tries to work her way through the ranks of Miami Metro.
As far as popularity goes, fans agree that seasons one, two, four and seven are the best of the series. Season one expertly sets up the intense, dramatic storytelling that fans of Dexter come to appreciate throughout the rest of the series. The other three seasons are known for their brilliant acting, shocking twists and revelations and thrilling plot lines that are as psychological as they are filled with action.
Potential Pitfalls: As the show winds its way toward a close, fans find themselves most frustrated by seasons six and eight. Season six is all over the place, with nonsensical subplots distracting from an already desperate overarching theme. That being said, season six has perhaps one of the best season finales of the show, raising the tension higher than ever before.
That same redeeming quality cannot be said for the show’s final season, which seemed to drive so much potential into the ground, resulting in a finale that was incredibly disappointing for most viewers. I am not telling you not to watch season eight. I am just saying to brace yourself for an ending that does not compare to the show’s outstanding earlier seasons.
