Dexter

[xita]

I have to tell you that for this year in television, there are 2 new shows that grabbed me! One is Heroes. The other one is Dexter.

This is an outstanding show, it hooks you in, week in and week out. The subject is so dark, the characters so complex. You can't help but care about everyone in it.

The last episode was fantastic. Everything is unraveling and I can't wait to see how it all ends up. I haven't read the novels it is based on so if you have please spoiler tag your post!

[bytrsuite]

I love watching this show. Dexter is fun to root for and Deb is so freaking hot.

Good times.

[Tyrex316]

If you get a chance read the novels they're great. The show does a great job of expanding on the characters that isn't possible in the books. Loved how Dex got Rita's ex out of the picture=)

[Hemiola]

I got hooked on the show because Julie Benz plays Rita, Dexter's girlfrined.

[xita]

If you get a chance read the novels they're great. The show does a great job of expanding on the characters that isn't possible in the books. Loved how Dex got Deb's ex out of the picture=)

Ty, can you tell me how much of the novels they've covered. Once I started watching the show, I didn't want to get spoiled. I want to read it after they've shown it on the show.

[maudmac]

Great show, great show. How odd to be in the position of cheering for a serial killer. It presents a nice moral dilemma to roll around in your head.

I want to know exactly how Rudy and Dexter are connected. Are they related? How did Rudy know the details of the crime scene from when Dexter was a boy? Has the entire set of Ice Truck Killer murders been conducted to call Dexter out to play and to insert Rudy into his life? Why is Rudy interested in Dexter at all? Is Rudy trying to help Dexter or hurt Dexter?

Anyone else think that Harry isn't the hero he's portrayed as? I think there's something very fishy about Harry...he's so confident and secure about exactly how to train a serial killer that it makes me wonder if he's not using some sort of previous experience with that.

[seurat]

i haven't read the books, and resisted the idea of watching this at first even though it was highly recommended, simply because the premise seemed, uh, even darker than what I normally like to watch. As it happens I finally broke down Monday and in the course of two days watched the first nine ep's. So obviously I got hooked.

And yeah, I do feel kind of conflicted about that. I mean, he is a monster. Yes, he makes me laugh once or twice, and you do find yourself rooting for him, but yikes. I don't think I could keep watching if it wasn't for the other characters, all of them are great. Especially Deb. Nothing better happen to Deb. That's all I'm saying. After what happened on Heroes this week I can't take any more of my favorite female characters getting killed off.

[werewolf123]

I think the irony of the show is that without the training and conditioning that Dexter received from Harry , that Dexter would have never become a serial killer. Harry may be much more of a monster then Dexter, though i would not tell Dexter this.

[Tyrex316]

Xita-the series is pretty much following the pace of the first novel(it's in 1st person from dex's POV)-so the series is just expanding greatly on all of the other characters.A lot of the events in the series don't occur in the book but the writers are doing a good job with all of the "filler" eps.I figure the next season will be the 2nd book expanded again. And if i told you who Rudy was it would ruin the surprise -trust me you do not want to be spoiled=) I always looked at it like Harry just recognized the signs Dex's animal mutilations as a boy and his sociopathetic detachment as he grew older. Not every kid who mutilates animals become serial killers but Harry rightly or wrongly probably figured most do. Like to know what the stats are on that. So he gave Dex somewhere to channel his pyschopathy namely on to other serial killers.

[Hemiola]

A fine episode last night (12/10), with the action really picking up speed and all the actors doing first class work.

At the end, I found myself actually yelling at the screen "Hurry, Dex! Save Deb! SAVE DEB!!!!"

Damn lousy deal that Lt. LaGuerda (sp?) got--typical behavior of the "Old Boys' Club" grrrrrrrr...........

[seurat]

Just saw it tonight, and yeah, I was dyng inside that Dex was taking so long to figure it out. And now for the next week to stay calm I just have to repeat over and over, nothing bad better happen to Deb. Or you know, anything worse than what has happened already.

[Willowlicious]

Love, love, LOVE this show. I wasn't familiar with the books, but had been looking forward to it since I heard Michael C. Hall was attached to the project sometime last year. I didn't know how I would feel about a series centered around a serial killer. It was hard to imagine how you could develop an emotional attachment to a sociopathic character who cannot feel (or at least that what he believes at the beginning). But the show is fascinating! Dexter may not be cuddly, but he is never boring. Michael C. Hall is terrific. He brings so many shades to Dex. I was worried I wouldn't see him in much after Six Feet Under. I also think Jennifer Carpenter is very appealing as the smart, eager, naive, vulnerable, good-hearted Deb. I even like Julie Benz, who I normally find a bit too wispy in tone and spirit, in this. And the rest of the cast is wonderful, too. Everyone is quite complex.

Can't wait for the season finale. We were literally cringing with every step Deb took toward that yacht!

[xita]

Oh, I just watched the episode. I am burning with the need to go look at spoilers but I won't. I just have to be patient. What a great show! Gosh, I hope nothing happens to Deb, it's horrible, I feel so bad for her. I can't imagine what that would feel like to be betrayed like this by the man you think you love and loves you back. I just can't imagine how this will resolve itself.

I can't imagine what could be worse for dexter than being left in a room with his dead mom in 2 inches of blood for 2 weeks. What's worse than that? ...

[Incarnadine]

Did anyone else see the season finale? What an ending! I thought for sure they were going to pull a cheesy cop-out when his brother slipped away and he'd be around at least another season as a looming threat to Dexter and those close to him but. That sort of thing is the way most shows would do it but Dexter surprised me by actually trapping and killing him at the very last minute of the season finale. I'm so glad the show has been picked up for season 2. Heroes and Dexter have been the 2 great new shows, they helped ease the pain of how badly Gilmore Girls has been ruined this year.

[Hemiola]

Well, that was certainly quite a finale, full of surprise revelations and action right up to the very end!
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Those who haven't seen the finale should stop here.

It was certainly a surprise to discover that "Rudy" was in fact Dexter's brother!!! I certainly never would have guessed that (I haven't read the books). However, it is a credit to the actor's performance that we could perceive and appreciate the tremendous conflict that this created for Dexter: on the one hand, he found his long-lost "Biney", who understood him for what he was; on the other hand, he couldn't kill the only person (Deb) for whom he had genuine affection--it proved that he was not a total sociopath (unlike his brother who, as he stated, was just a killer). It looks like Harry's Code did have a positive effect after all!

But now we have a whole new series of problems: Rita found the missing shoe mentioned by her ex--does this mean that she will now start suspecting Dex? And, even if she does, does that necessarily mean that she will be scared and/or worried about him?

And why is Sgt Doakes (?Sp?) so suspicious of Dexter? He doesn't know about Dex's other killings, so why should he be tailing him??

And then there is the biggest problem of them all: the end of the show made it clear that Dex would like to see himself as a hero, but can WE really see a serial killer as a hero, even if he acts only against those he perceives as "evildoers"? I guess we will have to wait for the Second Series to find out!

[werewolf123]

[spoiler] I understand that in the books Dexter lets Ruby live. I don't know what happens to Deb or even if she is threatened in the books by Ruby.[/spoiler]

Is Dexter a serial murderer or is he an executioner? He has his own due process that he exchanges for the states. He has seen the states version "fail" many times , while we have not seen his fail at all.

[xita]

It was awesome. This show rocks. I must admit that I saw the brother thing coming a little bit because I knew he had to be personally involved with him in some way. He wouldn't have such an intense interest in Dexter out of nowhere. I was surprised that there was someone else with him in that room. It's interesting that they both turned out to be monsters of one kind but yet very different. Was that difference the fact that Dexter was able to shut out the memory while his brother couldn't? Or was it the fact that Dexter was raised by the Harry's code? Who knows...

I loved how his character has undergone a huge change. It started with him saying he had no feelings for anything or anyone. He has learned that he does have feelings he just was never in touch with them. It warmed my heart that he cared about Deb because deb cares a lot about him.

Sergeant Doakes has always been suspicious of him because he has sensed that Dexter fakes his way through life. I wonder how they didn't come up with the fact that Dexter was Brian's brother. I wonder if Harry buried all that info so that it would never be found. It makes sense because he also made it so that Dexter would even know he had a father.

Now on to Rita. She has suffered so much I don't want her to be disappointed again. She will now be suspicous of Dexter. It's sad because it's clear to me that he cares for her. I can't help but cheer for these two because they seem like such damaged people. I found her statement about how he'd be surprised at what she could handle, interesting. Could it be forshadowing? I don't know she seems like the type who couldn't hurt a fly and would be really sad if she found out he killed people.

I was also surprised at the ending. I thought they would carry the brother story into the next season. I was surprised that he killed him, but i was also surprised that he set it up a suicide. Dexter is clever. It also showed that now Dexter is also feeling something that he never really craved, acceptance. He wants to fit in somewhere.

Finally, is there therapy for Dexter, could he stop killing? Well no that's not my final statement, I loved the last scene as a statement on us. We the fans of Dexter. Do we cheer for him? What does that say about us and our dark side. Interesting stuff. Love this show.

[Tyrex316]

The endingi n the book is far different from the ending in the series.
S[spoiler]Dexter's brother actually kidnaps Deb and then Lt.Laguardia who finds out where deb is also. And he offers Dexter a choice he'll only kill one of them- but dexter has to choose which one. the book does a great job of showing dexter actually weighing the pros and cons of keeping either alive. you'd think deb would be a no brainer but not with Dex.he picks laguardia. the reader doesn't find out who he chose until Dex is at their funeral.kinda funny scene-dex is faking mourning-he's rocking back and forth and trying to look sad but he keeps asking deb if he's doing it right and she's telling him to shut up. [/spoiler]

[seurat]

Well, I think I prefer the tv ending to that, of course that's without having read the book.

I was a bit late seeing the finale, so everyone said pretty much what I was thinking. This really is a thought-provoking show isn't it? You ask yourself questions after, like is there really all that big a difference between Rudy/Brian and Dex? Sure, Dex sticks to his rules and his brother had none and was just a killer, but the end result is pretty much the same. Are we sure all of Dex's victims deserved to die? The analyst? The wife of the immigrant smuggler? Nasty characters both, but I'm not sure a jury would have convicted either of murder. Is Dex's judgement any better? All I can say for sure is that when this series does end I would want to see Dex facing some consequences for all these killings.

Meanwhile though, I'm glad to see Deb is alive and relatively ok. Loved the scene between them in the ambulance, when Dex hugs her it actually looks like a real hug for once. And on a rewatch it seemed to me when they talk about her maybe staying at his place that night and he hesitates, he is already planning the trap for his brother. Agreed that Doaks will be a problem, and that Rita has her doubts now too. Maybe he should come clean to her about that, the ex did threaten her and Dex in that kitchen conversation so he was a real danger to them.

And I too was surprised that Dex killed his brother and that they didn't keep that storyline going into next series. But when you see how savagely he knifed what he thought was a sleeping Deb, and that he would have undoubtedly gone after Rita and the kids down the road, it's clear he had to go.

[xita]

The endingi n the book is far different from the ending in the series.
S

Spoiler:

Dexter's brother actually kidnaps Deb and then Lt.Laguardia who finds out where deb is also. And he offers Dexter a choice he'll only kill one of them- but dexter has to choose which one. the book does a great job of showing dexter actually weighing the pros and cons of keeping either alive. you'd think deb would be a no brainer but not with Dex.he picks laguardia. the reader doesn't find out who he chose until Dex is at their funeral.kinda funny scene-dex is faking mourning-he's rocking back and forth and trying to look sad but he keeps asking deb if he's doing it right and she's telling him to shut up.

Well, that's surprising and I find I am not fond of that ending. I didn't want to read the novels without seeing the show and how it progressed but since they have diverged it might not really spoil the second season... hmm

[Willowlicious]

The finale was awesome. I was relieved that Rudy didn't survive to become a threat in future seasons. It pushes Dexter in an entirely new direction and will help keep the series fresh and intriguing.

I love how much the storyline this season kept viewers morally on edge. Is Dex a hero? Is he evil? Someone mentioned that he should eventually face consequences for his killings, but isn't part of the point of the series how much Dexter already pays for the way he is? He is isolated from most everything that defines human existence: love, passion, pain, regret, tenderness, sexual intimacy, guilt, belonging, companionship, hope, etc. And the last scene of the finale also points out, as Xita mentioned, how much society (and the viewer) in some ways condones his actions. What is worse, an emotionally detached (Dex is obviously growing, so he is not a sociopath) serial killer who takes out "society's trash"? Or the paid state executioner who in many cases, studies show, suffers greatly for the government-sanctioned killings he performs? If you believe in god, and you are being judged for such killings, does god recognize and excuse actions because of state law but not Harry's Code? Are our laws on killings really just as artbitrary as Harry's Code?

And who poses a greater danger to Rita? A serial killer who has never touched her, or an abusive ex-husband who has physically, sexually and emotionally brutalized her? Isn't it ironic that one man's pathology destroyed her and another man's pathology is rebuilding her. What will happen as she grows stronger and is no longer the terrified, damaged woman that Dexter used to hide behind? I find myself in a moral limbo every time I watch the show. It always leaves me with many more questions than answers on some very dark, important subjects. I truly look forward to next season.

BTW, yay for Michael C. Hall getting a Golden Globe nomination. It's about time he was recognized for something. He's a wonderful actor.

[seurat]

Dexter is back, as of last night. Pretty interesting ep too. Poor Dex, although that was unusually careless of him dumping all his victims in one location like that. Great to see Deb back and as awesome as always, if slightlly prone to smashing people in the face nowadays. I'm interested in seeing that they've killed the abusive ex-husband off, I wasn't expecting that.

[Hemiola]

And let's not forget the brief glance we got at the scrumptious Julie Benz!

[xita]

I am so glad this show is back. I am not sure how I feel about it yet. I've enjoyed the first two eps, more than anything, I guess I am worried about how it will turn out. I still haven't read the books, but my gf did and she told me about them. Some real interesting differences. Anyway, I hope Julie Benz, the character, forgets all about that dead ex-husband of hers. I have a hard time finding sympathy for him.

[seurat]

An excellent ep this week, loved how the addict meeting turned out for Dex and also thought Deb was especially good this time. The story line with the new boss and her boyfriend does nothing for me, but maybe they'll make something out of it later. My new favorite secondary character is definitely the other crime scene guy, he's become a real plus. On the other hand, I could do without seeing Dex's brother ever again. Still a must watch show.

[xita]

Oh it really was a great episode, I loved Rita's face at the end when she realized who Dexter's sponsor would be! Be careful what you wish for! Though, I will admit that I hope nothing happens there cause I really like the rita/dexter relationship. And Doakes finally getting off Dexter's case cause he thinks he's an addict was also fun! I don't know what I think about Maria being so nice. They've definitely done a whole turn around on her character but I guess since it's so different from the book now, they can take her wherever they want. I think the book has very little to do with season 2 anyway. I still love the show!

[CaptMurdock]

:wishes he got Showtime so he could see Season Two of Dexter -- saw S1 on TV101:

[seurat]

Ok, hands up anyone who had figured out that what was happening to the new boss was being set up by her apparently loyal subordinate? My hand isn't up btw, I didn't figure it out until I saw her in bed with someone, and thought omg don't tell me! Classic. Makes me appreciate the character a little more, knowing she is that nasty.

Liking Lilah a little more now, altho I hope Dexter doesn't fall for her. And nothing better happen between my girl Deb and that old FBI guy, that would be wrong. I have a hunch about the Butcher case, that maybe a certain someone will find out it was Dex but not turn him in. We'll see if i'm right.

[Hemiola]

Very much enjoying the current season of "Dexter", but I have to ask why, WHY, WHY did he have to tell Rita about his hook-up with Lilah? He went to Rita to make up with her, so why did he torpedo the relationship? It just comes off like rank stupidity.

Perhaps it's a dramatization of that famous old joke (originally attributed to Groucho Marx) about not wanting to belong to a club that would actually have you as a member.....

[seurat]

So glad you posted, it felt wrong to be the only one posting in here so I didn't comment on last week's ep even though I rated it as one of the best of the series. This one I didn't enjoy as much, but it still had some fine scenes. I suspect they are trying to show that Dex is becoming more like a regular person by having him admit to having sex with Lilah. Or maybe not, since he still kills and dismembers people. I don't know. At any rate, I still don't think he and Rita are done. The fire alarm trick was good, loved the Doakes/Dexter scene and any of the scenes with Deb (as usual.)