One of my first posts ever on this blog was a preliminary review of a TV-show titled “Dexter“. When I wrote that review, I had only watched four episodes of the show, but that didn’t stop me from naming it one of my favorite shows around. Season 1 of Dexter ended Thursday evening, and the praise chorus is still going strong. This is a great show; one I dare you to watch.

“Dexter” is a show unlike any other show I’ve ever seen. It isn’t afraid to deal with issues no one else dares to consider putting in a show. The main character is an emotionally crippled serial killer who works as a blood specialist in the forensic department of the Miami Police Department. Dexter was adopted by his a cop when he was three years old. His “father” soon discovered that something in Dexter’s past had changed this kid forever. Dexter couldn’t feel anything, and the only passion he had was killing. To prevent Dexter from going to jail, his father taught him how to go about his killing; a codex telling him how to kill and who deserved to die.

The show deals with Dexter’s passion as well as why he became what he is today. His job at the Miami P.D. lets him work from inside the unit that should be punishing those who broke the law, but sometimes the killers get away. It becomes Dexter’s job to deal with these bastards, all the while he has to act and behave as a normal person. No one can know what he is; not even his sister or girlfriend.

The major plot lines of the show are Dexter’s killings, his childhood mysteries, his equally emotionally crippled girlfriend and a sinister master mind “The Ice Truck Killer”, who seems to enjoy killing even more than Dexter. One of the most satisfying things about this show is that each and every one of these plot lines are brought to a conclusion, but you are left with the feeling to know more about Dexter. Every episode is important to the plot; no “monster’s of the week” in this show.

“Dexter” is a drama, and nothing more. You won’t laugh, except when the situations that Dexter brings you in become so surreal and utterly dark that you have to fend them off in one way or another. The show is photographed in a very artistic and compelling way, and the directors have been brave enough to not cut back on the violence. One of the most beautiful scenes I’ve ever seen is when Dexter is depressed, and the rain that’s falling from the sky turns to blood. The imagery was well beyond what you could expect from a regular TV-show (maybe because this isn’t a regular TV-show by any means)…

All though “Dexter” is great show, it also has its weaknesses. The biggest one of them are the actors cast in some certain pivotal roles that aren’t of the greatest quality. Dexter is portrayed brilliantly, as well as the eventual role of “the Ice Truck Killer”, but Dexter’s sister is maybe one of the worst actors I’ve seen. I got use to her after some time, but she ruined some scenes with great potential with her sloppy delivery and failure to gain believability with the audience.

“Showtime” has ordered a second season of “Dexter”, which I’m most certainly going to watch. Each episode is almost an hour long and the season count clocked in at around a twelve.

“Dexter” comes highly recommended. It’s not only a great show, like Buffy or Heroes, but a show that will haunt your thoughts and make you reconsider your own morals on difficult issues. The final verdict for “Dexter”, season 1: 9/10.