Serial killers have captured the fears of film and television audiences for decades. From Alfred Hitchcock's legendary 1960 thriller "Psycho" to director Jonathan Demme's 1991 rendering of the infamous cannibal Hannibal Lector in "Silence of the Lambs," serial killers have been prime source material for writers and directors looking to explore humans' potential for evil.
Showtime's drama "Dexter," which will enter its fifth season this Sunday, Sept. 26, follows the grotesque exploits and everyday life of Miami Police Department blood spatter analyst and husband (now father) Dexter Morgan who happens to moonlight as a serial killer in his free time.
Deep down, Dexter, played by Golden Globe award-winning actor Michael C. Hall, is like most serial killers: his frequent murders are driven by a dark urge to kill. His victims are, for the most part, stalked, ritually slain, and slowly and deliberately dismembered. He takes a trophy a drop of his victim's blood placed meticulously on a microscope slide from each kill.
What sets Dexter apart from the likes of Lector or Norman Bates is a (somewhat perverse) moral code: he kills only those who have killed others and who intend to kill again. Dexter kills, ironically, only others who share his dark urge.
One way or another, many of us can relate to Dexter's basic moral code: those who do wrong should be punished. But should those who kill the innocent be killed in retribution? The moral justification for Dexter's actions follows the national debate over the death penalty. Have we gone beyond eye for an eye?
It is because of the show's complex presentation of good and bad that it has garnered such a large audience (by subscription television standards). "Dexter" is, at its heart, a straightforward, albeit well-executed (pardon the pun) crime drama. Without its fascinating and complex titular character, "Dexter" would be another run-of-the-mill drama reminiscent of the terribly cliched crime dramas on the network stations.
"Dexter" presents its protagonist as both relatable and lovable. He is a father and husband a kind, slightly nerdy member of the community. Dexter's decency seems to be reflected in his desire to kill the not-so-innocent.
Critics of "Dexter" decry the show's quest to turn a serial killer in to an upright individual. Nancy deWolf Smith, who reviewed the show for The Wall Street Journal, wrote that the premise made her "nauseous." The show, she said, desensitized its audience to killing.
"The grotesqueries of Dexter' are not something that can easily be dismissed with the old you don't have to watch' line," Smith wrote. "We don't have to watch. We do have to live among the viewers who will be desensitized, or aroused, by this show."
Brian Lowry of Variety wrote that the show bridged the gap between "edgy" and "distasteful" on several occasions. These criticisms make a valid point about "Dexter" we are made to sympathize and cheer for the killer as he does his grisly deeds. The greatest part of "Dexter" is not the romantic sub-plots I often find myself "accidentally" skipping through any scene involving Dexter's sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) and her many lovers but rather the thrill of seeing Dexter catch his victims while slyly avoiding the police.
At the same time, as Smith mentioned, the audience is removed from the bloodier aspects of Dexter's murderous ritual. We never actually see him dismembering his victims, cutting them down into easily disposable parts. Showtime appears to create a lovable character by skirting things that might make us doubt our first instincts. Would we still like the nerdy Dexter if we saw him gleefully chopping up his victims?
That being said, "Dexter" is a fantastic show. Each season is better than the last, with the masterfully written fourth season earning nearly universal critical acclaim. Hall plays his role with a deftness and skill that, yes, makes his serial killer character instantly lovable.
Viewers' love of "Dexter," however, is based on a partial deception. Whether this is for good or ill is up for debate.
