Dexter – The TV series

Let me start off by saying that I am huge fan of Dexter the TV series. I watched 5 series, all 60 hours, back to back in 6 days. I simply could not get enough of the snarky comments from Dexter or wait to hear the next perverted comment from Masuka. However, as big as a fan I am of Debra and her filthy mouth or Doake’s fierce manner, nothing disappointed me more than hearing that the series had been renewed for two more seasons.

So why has the news of a brilliant series having even more brilliance amounted to being a problem? Well that’s because the brilliance, the witty humour and tense storylines have diminished to a level that represents CSI. Too many flaws appeared that could not be excused; Batista waiting for Dexter to enter a crime scene, giving him time to erase that painting of his face on the wall, or how about Dexter carrying an empty syringe… just in case.

I have always been worried that Dexter may get that dreaded ‘cancelled’ status aside it’s reign in top dramas, but at least fans now know there will be an ending. There will be an ending where either Dexter’s destiny is to sit in that electrified chair, or whether he and Harrison will have the life Harry and Dexter never had.

Series 6 was a disaster. Obviously, nothing could be as riveting as season 4, with the amazingly creepy performance from John Lithgow and the famous ‘Hello, Dexter Morgan’ line, but I went into season 6 knowing this and still came out disappointed, even more so than when Lumen and Dexter had awkward unexpected relations.

All dramas have a bad a season, a filler season, if you will, but season 6 became everything that Dexter shouldn’t have been compared to season 1. In season 1, Dexter was witty, smooth and careful in his rituals but in season 6 we saw the Dexter that recklessly ran away to Nebraska to shoot at stop signs and to have a quick romp with a stranger. The dialogue almost became a drinking game; take a shot everytime ‘dark passenger’ is mentioned and you’ll be out of it quite quickly.

I was excited when I heard that religion would come in to play as a theme. It raised a lot of interesting questions for the way the character of Dexter could develop. Would he accept religion or reject it? Unfortunately, I feel like the writers went into this season knowing they couldn’t recover from season 5, and so came up with an obvious twist that could be revealed from the first few episodes and the moment everyone has been waiting for; Debra catching Dexter in his true self. This has been the heat of many discussions; how would she react? Would she report Dexter? Or maybe would she join Dexter?  How will the incestrous feelings come into play? However the writers decide, the next step will either be brilliant or terrible. No matter what the outcome, some fans will be ecstatic and some may boycott the show all together.

No matter what the next step is, I will see this show through right until the end. I stuck with Heroes through that weird lesbian storyline they included, and I’ll stick through Dexter however the remaining series plays out.