Dexter is a TV series based on a series of books by Jeff Lindsay. It follows the life of Dexter, a serial-killer in Miami who 'only kills bad people' and manages to live a normal life alongside, acting and seeming to all like an average Joe. A mystery starts to unfold which disrupts his carefully planned double-life and ends up striking home where he least expects - his own past.

It's a concept with a lot of potential to be done badly - but the stellar performance by the lead, the plentiful plot twists, humor, the realism and the fact that it does not rely on the 'blood and guts' aspects... it creates a creepy, modern, original, fast-paced, fun and chilling show which is a great watch for anyone who isn't too squeamish.

Anyone who likes drama, thrillers and plot-based shows. It's fast paced, character & plot driven and intriguing. Not for people just looking just for the senseless blood and guts you might expect... but there's enough of that around anyway, right? This is for serious, adult viewers. It makes you think.

How plot-driven it was - going into it I was hesitant, but it really does not rely on the violence at all. The first few episodes have a fair bit of gore and might scare some people off. Don't let it. It's just got to set the scene, say 'yes, our main character is a serial killer. It is gruesome. Deal with it.' before they move on with the plot.

The actor who plays Dexter is perfectly suited. He doesn't seem too average, or too out there. You won't get any viewers saying the people around him are stupid for not realizing he is a bit off, because he isn't. However, it overcomes the hurdle of his shock/emotions not showing too much outwardly by a monologue of his inner thoughts over the top. As you might imagine, the contrast between thoughts and actions creates a fair few humorous situations for the watcher! It's pretty hard to get the audience to sympathize with a remorseless killer, but this series manages just that - that says something about the quality.

The elements in it, such as the systems of the Miami Metro where the main character works, are well-researched and believable. The plot never sacrifices this believability to make it easier on the writers - there are no plot holes, or places where you are sure someone would have done something else which would have blown the whole plot up. There are no super skills, allies, coincidences or technology to get him out of trouble. It rings true, as a series, despite the fairly extreme concept it is based on.

The actor who plays his sister, Deb. She is a bit of a stereotype and not a particularly likeable character - she also has an annoying habit of stuttering a bit over words. She plays a fairly minor role, though.

Also, as I mentioned the first few episodes are a bit misleading about the quality of the show. Once the plot kicks in, though... it's got to be one of my favorite shows.

Watch the next season! Which (for once) is a possibility, as the fourth just finished showing and both 1, 2, and 3 are available on DVD. I plan to watch all through after discovering this gem and can only hope the quality keeps to what it has demonstrated so far.

The whole range: it scared me, disgusted me, saddened me, made me happy again, had me on the edge of my seat... but what it did most was interest me. If you buy it, try and get someone to watch it with you. It's one of those shows you can talk about and toss theories about for hours.

It had a good, even cast. I've already mentioned the extremes: Dexter and Deb. The rest are pretty well-picked out too. You have stereotypes, of course: the geeky Asian with all the sex jokes, the taskmaster female boss, the suspicious one... but they all have background and depth that makes them more than these basic definitions. The actors also, on general, play them really well. This is probably partly to be attributed to the amazing, witty writing and the directing but... hey, it's fun to watch. That's all we really care about, right?

It's not something you'll see anywhere else, not to this degree of quality at the least. There might be a copycat or two, but it's a very careful balancing act this show is playing and they've done it terrifically.

There really are some frightening and thought-provoking concepts addressed. It's all disguised in fast-paced plot, of course, but it's there. So if plain out action bores you... this won't!

See the 'likes' section above.

There's just enough names, events and motives to keep it interesting but not hard to follow. This means it is possible, at times, to predict what might happen, but it'll take some thought and creativity. Just like you want in a show.

If you're busy and are going to have to wait a while between episodes, don't buy it yet. It's not a series where episodes stand alone.

In case you haven't picked up on this, not family fun! By all means, watch it with friends, but I'd guess some won't like it. Even if it doesn't rely on it, there is a substantial amount of violence.

The plot takes a while to kick in. It is fast-paced in general, but it doesn't rocket through. There are places where you'll have to wait a bit to see what's going on.

There are a few fairly disturbing scenes. Personally, I like how clinical and neat they make the kills. It lends a certain poignancy to it, an unsettling feeling you wouldn't get with anger and excess violence. If a cold, casual view toward it would offend you, however, don't watch this.

The emotion in this series is over-flowing. Dexter is generally calm and cool, but we see him at points of total loss of self-control. We get a lot of background on characters, huge character development. It's hard to watch and not get sucked in. A really touching show.

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Created Jun 06, 2010 at 4:09am • Submit your own review...