Three years ago, it might have been strange to see a picture of a serial killer’s smiling face on a public bus in New York City. These days, however, it is perfectly reasonable. Of course, I’m not talking about just any serial killer; this is Dexter Morgan- star of the Showtime TV series “Dexter”.
Dexter first made his appearance three TV seasons ago. He is that guy who has a beautiful girlfriend, a steady job, and who is well liked by his coworkers. In short, Dexter sneaks out at night to kill people- he methodically dismembers them and disposes their bodies in a nearby river. All of this is surprising for he does not fit the popular stereotype of a serial killer. The unique twist that makes Dexter endearing is the most unexpected of all- he lives by a code that his foster father taught him that requires him to only kill others who have committed acts of violence against innocent people.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the show is the narration. Dexter spends a good portion of the show telling the viewers what he is thinking and how he feels – or how he doesn’t feel – giving us an alleged first-hand look into the mind of a serial killer. In the beginning, Dexter has no emotions and feels nothing for anyone. Thus, viewers are told things as they happened through remorseless eyes.
Since the first season, Dexter’s mentality has changed slightly. The first season of this show had me hooked; the second ensured that I would continue watching, and the third offers what I have been waiting for all along. In this season, every character faces something new. For Dexter, there is marriage, a child, and possibly his first friend. Deborah, his loveable yet profane sister, faces obstacles to the promotion she desperately wants. Also, all the cops on the force face a new and deadly killer- a skinner of human flesh.
Dexter still responds to situations differently than one would expect him to, but every so often, a bit of human emotion creeps in. It isn’t so simple for Dexter anymore, because everything happening directly affects him- whether or not he should be a parent, for example. We see through his eyes, the hope of a new friendship, rage at an unexpected betrayal, and for once, genuine surprise that he was wrong about something.
The third season slowly builds up to a crescendo. We see the characters we have grown to love working through their seemingly unrelated problems slowly, until just last week. In a totally unexpected turn of events, every piece of what has been going on comes together with a sickening finality.
Altogether, Dexter has shaped up to be quite the unsung superhero. He’s a vigilante who saves the world (or at least Miami) from villains who slip through the fingers of the falliable justice system. The fact that his ultimate motive isn’t to save society but to feed his own urges, is one that I can easily forgive because, over the years, I have learned to love him. And that’s why I feel – and don’t feel – what he does; why I have developed a strange relationship with a strange character over the past three years.
