Tuesday, July 8, 2008

DVD: Dexter, Season 1

I had hoped to purchase Life on Mars, a British sci-fi drama series about a modern day cop who has a near-fatal accident and wakes up in 1973. He is either in a coma, insane or he has time traveled. Unfortunely, I couldn't get it, and it seems unlikely this show will be available in the states since the ‘powers-that-be’ have decided they want to turn out a revamped American fare rather than release another British masterpiece, like The Office.

So instead, Little d had mentioned the Showtime series Dexter. Somehow I hadn’t heard of it or the book which it’s based on, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay, but after reading a couple of good reviews I thought we should give it a try.

Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under) plays Dexter Morgan, a serial killer who works as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami police department. Through flashbacks, we learn how Dexter developed his bloodlust for murderers, child molestors, serial drunk drivers, etc. It all started when he offed a neighborhood dog and his step-father confronted him about it. The step-dad, a cop, begins to channel Dexter’s urges, first with animals only, but after a partner is killed in the line of duty, the step-father plots a course for justice and takes Dexter down the path with him.

The show initially met with controversy from people who didn’t want viewers to empathize with a serial killer. My own worries were that Dexter was only going to kill those who deserve death and there wouldn’t be much tension. While he does only kill the bad guys, I found that I actually felt a bit of sympathy for one of his victims in the episode titled “Crocodile”.

I’m only a few episodes in and am finding it interesting. There are a few minor problems that I hope will be worked out since storylines will continue throughout the series. For example, Dexter begins a catch-me-if-you-can game with a ‘fellow’ serial killer, who is brutally butchering prostitutes, and he doesn’t seem the slightest bit concerned when this monster comes into his apartment when he's not home to leave doll parts in his freezer as clues.

We’ll see how the series unfolds. So far, I’m hooked.

4 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

LIFE ON MARS was a favorite. It managed to combine action, sentiment and atmosphere. Americans shouldn't touch it. They will dribble seventies cliches all over it like in SWINGTOWN.
DEXTER is good too if you don't mind a morally ambiguous character and I don't. Happy watching.

David Cranmer said...

Patti, where were you able to catch MARS? I'm sure after the US version debuts they will release the UK version but as of now the only thing I could find is the European formatted DVDs.

pattinase (abbott) said...

BBC America. Last year, I think.

Anonymous said...

Dave, RReynolds here. Don't have a Blogger account but just wanted to say I'm enjoying Pulp Writer.