Dexter

Starring: Michael C. Hall (96 episodes), Jennifer Carpenter (96 episodes), David Zayas (96 episodes), James Remar (96 episodes), C.S. Lee (95 episodes), Lauren Velez (85 episodes), Desmond Harrington (72 episodes), Julie Benz (49 episodes), Christina Robinson (48 episodes), Geoff Pierson (43 episodes), Preston Bailey (36 episodes), Aimee Garcia (34 episodes), Luke Andrew Kruntchev (27 episodes), Erik King (25 episodes), Evan George Kruntchev (21 episodes), Dana L. Wilson (18 episodes), Yvonne Strahovski (17 episodes), David Ramsey (17 episodes), Keith Carradine (16 episodes), Colin Hanks (13 episodes), Jimmy Smits (12 episodes), John Lithgow (12 episodes), Sean Patrick Flanery (12 episodes), Francisco Viana (12 episodes), Julia Stiles (10 episodes), Charlotte Rampling (10 episodes), Edward James Olmos (10 episodes), Ray Stevenson (9 episodes), Peter Weller (8 episodes), Jonny Lee Miller (8 episodes), Jonathan Banks (2 episodes)
Directed by: John Dahl (16 episodes), Steve Shill (13 episodes), Keith Gordon (10 episodes), Tony Goldwyn (4 episodes), Michael C. Hall (1 episode)
Rating: TV-MA
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
2006-2013

Seasons Seen:
Tim: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8

Summary: Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) works for the Miami Police Department as a forensics expert and he also happens to be a relentless serial killer.

Review:
Tim: "Dexter" is one of my favorite television shows. Very few series have ever reached the level of suspense, drama, and excitement that this series generated. There's something very special about these eight seasons. First off, the show convinces you to root for a serial killer. That doesn't seem possible, but Dexter just happens to be a really good dude. Plus, he only kills other murderers. It's all very interesting and a great deal of the fun I had with this series was rooting for this serial killer not to get caught. That flies in the face of most crime entertainment.

I have to give immense credit for Michael C. Hall for bringing Dexter to life. It's the role of his life and he consistently hits home runs in the role. He plays him perfectly- he's a good person, but as a psychopath/sociopath, he doesn't feel emotions the way that most people do. And, he has a dark passenger- this unquenchable thirst to take human life. He's a monster, but a monster that we love. Hall had an extremely difficult challenge and he did outstanding. He won a Golden Globe for his performance and deserves all the accolades in the world. He delivers one of my favorite television performances ever.

The supporting cast is good, too. Jennifer Carpenter was enjoyable as Dexter's sister. James Remar was fun as the ghostly reminder of his father. The supporting cast were all quite strong. I also thought "Dexter" did one of the best jobs I've ever seen of using guest stars. Guests wouldn't show up for an episode or two, but commit to season-long arcs. I loved that format, as it allowed us to really get to know their characters. Colin Hanks, Edward James Olmos, Jimmy Smits, Julia Stiles, John Lithgow (who's fantastic) are all examples of this series really leveraging its guest talent to the fullest potential. This show is one of the best in this regard.

I loved how each of the seasons felt very unique and able to stand on their own. The overall theme of "Will Dexter get caught?" kept you interested, but he faced such grave challenges in each season. I've never felt more nervous for a character than Dexter. There were so many times when he got into horrendous situations and I had no idea how he was going to get out of them. The fun came when the episode ended and I said, "My God, what's going to happen next?" I loved that overwhelming state of suspense this series created. That is its most exciting, compelling aspect.

With a show that runs this long, you're bound to have more exciting seasons and less exciting ones. "Dexter" had a few weaker seasons, but for the most part, the series maintained high quality throughout each year. There's not a lot of bad episodes to be found here. I will say that the last season was a bit of a disappointment. It's yet another reminder that even with incredible shows, it's so, so difficult to end well.

While I wish the conclusion to the series was stronger, that doesn't take away how fun and entertaining "Dexter" was. It's one of the most suspenseful, compelling series I've ever seen. I really, really loved this show.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



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