"Dexter" - Showtimes Jewel

In this writers opinion, Dexter is the best show on TV. It is based on the book "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay. The first season aired on Showtime October 1, 2006. Michael C. Hall who plays Dexter was nominated for a golden globe award for Best Actor in a Television Drama Series. AFI Awards Official Selection named Dexter TV Show of the Year. IGN named Dexter best new show, Best Actor Michael C. Hall, Best Villain the Ice Truck Killer, Best Character Dexter Morgan.

The basic plot of the story, that we are let in on slowly through flashbacks and Dexter's own monologue ,is that at the age of 3 Dexter (Micheal C. Hall) watched his mother brutally murdered. Orphaned, he is adopted By Harry Morgan (James Remar) a Miami police officer. After discovering Dexter had been killing dogs, Harry learns of his foster son's secret. Dexter unable to control his urges, wants to kill humans instead of dogs. Harry helps Dexter by teaching him that he can only kill those that are heinous criminals that have evaded justice, and that Dexter can prove did the deeds they are accused of. He also teaches Dexter how to cover his tracks and not get caught. He instills in Dexter the need to appear normal. Dexter's foster sister Debra (Jennifer C. Carpenter) becomes jealous of their relationship, knowing they have secrets between them and won't share with her.

The first episode starts with dexter driving down the road in Miami. He is "hungry for something different". He then comes across the first victim we see him killing, Mike Donovan. Dexter comes up behind Donovan, makes him get into the car and tells him to drive. They come to a remote location where Donovan is faced with 3 boys that he killed. Dexter tells him how he dug up the bodies of the boys and cleaned them up. During the following conversation Donovan says to Dexter "I couldn't help myself you don't understand". Dexter replies "Trust me I do understand." Then Dexter goes on to tell Donovan that he could never kill children the way Donovan has. When Donovan asks why, as Dexter plunges a syringe into he neck he says because I have standards. Donovan wakes up to find himself plastic wrapped to a table. Dexter cuts his cheek and is taking a sample of Donovan's blood as he tells Donovan how he is going to cut him up and put him in garbage bags.

The scene changes to Dexter on his boat, thinking back to his foster father Harry, and his foster sister Debra. He says in monologue that she is the only one that truly loves him, and if he felt anything for anyone it would all be for Deb. At this point you get to see a little into Dexter's background and what his nightly activities are. I think that Dexter does in his own way have the ability to care somewhat, that he doesn't feel absolutely nothing. He is defiantly a sociopath, and most times doesn't seem to feel anything. There is a part of him I believe that has the ability.

Next you see that Dexter is going to a crime scene and we find out that he works with the police department as a blood spatter expert. The scene he is called to however contains no blood. The body is cut up and in the bottom of a drained pool. Dexter becomes fascinated by this fact, and stares at the body for a moment. One of his "friends" detective Angel Batista (David Zayas) brings Dexter out of is awe in seeing the body. Dexter's calm is broken and he flees the scene.

Back at the police station Dexter is passing out donuts, and making small talk. He is generally well liked by his coworkers. Dexter finds it amusing in a way that only one person in the police station Sgt. James Doakes (Erik King) gets the creeps from Dexter. Doakes lets Dexter know he finds his fascination with blood spatter creepy and unnatural. They get into an argument about who committed a murder. Dexter believes by the blood splatter that it was a crime of passion while Doakes is convinced it was a drug deal gone bad. Doakes tells Dexter as he is walking away to just file the report.

Dexter is seen looking at his next victim, Jamie Jerworski and following the code of Harry after making sure that he is indeed guilty of killing a young wife and mother Dexter decides to step in as Jamie was let off on a technicality.

Dexter is then seen at his girlfriend Rita Bennett's (Julie Benz) house. Rita and Dexter meet because his foster sister Debra saved her from her violent husband during a domestic violence call, and she introduces them. The relationship works well for Dexter as he considers her as damaged as he is. She has no interest in sex and neither does Dexter. He is uncomfortable with intimacy. She has 2 children that adore Dexter, and seeing him play and interact with the kids it is hard to believe he feels nothing for them.

At a second crime scene Dexter is again faced with a bloodless cut up body, only this time without a head. He then stumbles upon the reason, that the bodies had to have been frozen. He then theorizes that the bodies were probably moved in a refrigerated truck. He tells Debra about this and tells her to pitch the idea at the next meeting. Debra wants to get out of Vice and in Homicide and they both figure this would be a good way for her to do that. Debra pitches the idea, and is ignored.

Dexter is in the middle of his nighttime activities with Jamie, when he gets a call from Rita. He tells her he is finishing up a project and will be there as soon as he can. After dispatching of Jamie and presumably disposing of the body he is on the way to Rita's house. On his drive over there he sees the stolen ice truck they have been looking for. Detouring he follows the truck to a dead end bridge. The truck turns around and the driver throws the head missing from the last crime scene at Dexter's windshield.

Dexter finally makes it to Rita's house, and she tells him that she is ready to take their relationship to the next level. Dexter asks about the kids trying to avoid the situation. She tells him they are at a neighbors house for the night. Just as she proceeds to get intimate with Dexter the phone rings. Her son Cody is calling to let her know he is sick and she needs to come get him. The relief on Dexter's face is hard to miss.

When Dexter returns home he opens his freezer to find a Barbie doll cut up and the pieces wrapped with ribbon. He believes this is an invitation from the Ice Truck Killer to come play. And Dexter wants to play.

I think the first episode is the most important as it explains more who Dexter is, and the interpersonal relationships that he has and the relationships around him. It helps to show how hard Dexter works at keeping up appearances, while at the same time giving him the ability to do what he does. Dexter is a complex drama that has many twists and turns in the plot. The rest of the episodes show the interpersonal relationships between characters, while also focusing on the cat and mouse game Dexter and the Ice Truck killer are playing.

It is also interesting to note that during the first few episodes before we find out who the Ice Truck Killer really is, it is possible that it is Dexter himself. Or possibly his foster sister Debra. When it is found out who the real killer is, it is very surprising.

I personally can't wait until the second season starts on September 30, 2007. As it doesn't follow any of the other books it will be interesting to see where the plot goes. There are a lot of unanswered questions left at the end of the first season. All in all It is a very exciting show and I am glad it is being brought back. I can not speak for all the fans but I hope the show continues for a long time to come.