Airing its first episode in October of 2006, Showtime introduced one of its new hit shows: Dexter. The series is based on Jeff Lindsay’s novel “Darkly Dreaming Dexter,” and brings a new, original story-line to a world of unoriginality. Set in the sunny state of Florida, the show is centered around the main character Dexter Morgan. Dexter is a serial killer whose day job is working for the Miami Metro Police Department. Being a blood pattern analyst, he is educated on how to get away with these murderous crimes. With the show, comes a great deal of horrifying images. Dexter was an orphan, adopted by Miami police officer Harry Morgan. Growing up, Dexter was hiding a dark secret. He had a passion for killing things and when they turned to thoughts of killing human beings, his father decided against seeking him professional help. Instead, he showed him how he can use his passion for killing in a more constructive way. Dexter is not your normal serial killer. He only kills those who “deserve it.” Among his victims are mob assassins and serial killers who were let free. In the first episode of season one, we are greeted with a kidnapping. Dexter jumps a Catholic choir master as he enters his car, giving him a shot which makes him pass out. When he awakes, he is found in a room with plastic wrap all over the walls. Dexter talks to the victim revealing that the choir master has murdered several children. He then dismembers his body putting the body into garbage bags, which he later drops into the ocean. Having a great understanding for murderous crimes, Dexter knows just how to get away with the crime. The show is basically a new form of CSI, but with an original twist. Recently, an edited version of the show began airing on CBS. Due to the writers strike, CBS went out on a whim and adopted the show to its primetime line-up. Unlike CSI, this show includes more language, nudity, and disturbing images than any other show on primetime television. Even with shows like Desperate Housewives and other such shows that include a great deal of sexual content, I question if the normal audience is ready for such a show.
So what? There are movies and television programs that include disturbing images and foul language all over the place. Certain people may say that Dexter should not be shown on stations like CBS because of the mass amount of edited content needed. With a show like Dexter, it may be the explicit content that makes the show what it is. On CBS, much of the language, and images will more than likely be edited, throwing the programs whole picture off. In my personal opinion, I think that if you want to watch Dexter, buy the season on DVD. I have not personally watched an episode on CBS but I can imagine how much editing is actually needed. When you think of this show, think of an edited version of Saw being played on national television. No matter what, the movie would be nothing without its disturbing images of torturous death. Dexter being played on national television makes me wonder if future seasons will be toned down because of the audience the show is directed towards.
4 comments:
My situation is opposite of yours; I have seen it on CBS and not showtime. While watching it did feel like a couple things were skipped, especially when it came to the murders, but overall it flowed fairly well. There weren't large gaps or confusing parts that came out of nowhere. It wasn't until the end of the episode that I found out it was from Showtime. My take is that they were trying to fill airtime from the writer's strike gap. I don't know if that's true, but it feels right. Instead of playing more reruns that drop in ratings each air time, they got a show from a station that not everyone has access to, which draws in more viewers.
I think this is a very well written blog, and well thought out. I have not seen the show and most likely will not in the future but thanks for informing us about Dexter.
This show seems to show a theme that is in the superhero genre, where an individual metes out his own form of justice. But it does seem to take it even further than Batman or Spiderman. The question we could ask about this vigilante mentality is, "How far should this be taken?" a great deal of terrorist groups, foreign like Alkaida, and domestic like the KKK, were groups of people who decided to surreptitiously mete out their idea of justice to the perceived evildoers. Now this is just a show, but I'm thinking more about the paradigm behind it.
Nice blog.
I agree with you in that the show being on CBS takes away much of what Dexter is all about. It was made to be seen on showtime and not primetime. I have seen it on showtime and CBS and can't understand why they decided to do this. The feel of the show has been dumbed down becasue of all the editing that has to take place.
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