Dexter (2006-2013)

Michael C.Hall as Dexter Morgan

Meet Dexter Morgan, nice guy, gentleman, loyal friend, caring boyfriend and good brother. Dexter works for the forensic department of Miami Metro Police. While he appears as just an awkward lab geek, Dex has a terrible secret that only his foster father knows about: a killing urge to satisfy, which he calls the ‘Dark Passenger’. The odd? he hunts serial killers only, those who escaped from the flaw of the system. Ergo, Dexter Morgan is seen more a good guy than a psycho killer.

First, let’s get back to his past. Through a series of flashbacks, we see a poor boy locked up in a container for a couple of days, next to his dead mum, or at least what’s left of her. That’s when it began. The then Agent Harry Morgan took the boy and raised him. Convinced that there is nothing he could to to change his foster son, Harry taught him to deal with the dark passenger and set a series of rules, the ‘Harry’s code’. Never get caught, cover tracks, make sure the target really deserves to die…those are some of Dexter’s rules.    

Actors: Michael C. Hall, Lauren Velez, Jennifer Carpenter , James Remar, C.S Lee, David Zayas, Desmond Harrington

  

SEASON 1

Season 1 is based on the novel ‘Darkly Dreaming Dexter’ by Jeff Lindsay

The Bad Guy : The Ice Truck Killer, someone from Dexter’s past steals his killing modus operandi. While he takes the blood out of each victim’s body, he leaves elements that only Dexter understands. The Ice Truck Killer is smart, patient and neat.

Guest star: Christian Camargo

Christian Camargo as the Ice Truck Killer

SEASON 2

Dexter tells his girfriend Rita that he is a drug addict and promises her he will join a program and find a sponsor. He befriends Lila, a mysterious woman. Sergent James Doakes (Erik King) becomes more suspicious about Dexter’s real personnality and his connection to the Ice Truck Killer. FBI superstar agent Frank Lundy investigates a series of vigilante murders: the Bay Harbour Butcher case.

Guest star: Jaime Murray, Keith Carradine, Erik King   

   

Jaime Murray

SEASON 3

While stalking a drug dealer named Freebo, Dexter mistakenly stabbed another man who appears to be the brother of Assistant DA Miguel Prado. Miguel and Dexter become friends and know each other’s secrets. Debra is investigating on the Skinner, another serial killer.  

Guest stars: Jimmy Smits, Jesse Borego

Jimmy Smits as Miguel Prado

SEASON 4

Dexter is now a family man. Retired FBI agent Frank Lundy comes back to Miami to track a man who uses a recurring pattern of three murders: the Trinity killer. Dexter helps Lundy find him. While he was about to discover the killer’s identity, Lundy got shot.

Guest stars : John Lithgow 

Left: John Lithgow as the Trinity killer

SEASON 5

While stalking a potential serial killer, Boyd Fowler, Dexter saves a young woman’s life. Lumen asks him to find her find the other ‘barrel girl guys’ who tortured and raped her, hence: new preys. Their researches lead them to a well-known author Jordan Chase.

This season deals mainly with the aftermath of Rita’s death: Dexter feels guilty about it. Between Astor/Cody/Harrison, his job and the dark passenger, he has to find a way to manage his busy schedules.  

Guest stars : Julia Stiles, Jonny Lee Miller, Peter Weller

Jonny Lee Miller as Jordan Chase

SEASON 6

A psycho character named The Doomsday Killer plans to bring chaos to the city of Miami by following the book of revelation. Dexter wants to find him before the police do.

Guest stars : Colin Hanks, Molly Parker, Billy Brown

Colin Hanks as the Doomsday Killer

SEASON 7

Miami metro investigates the murder of Det. Mike Anderson but Dexter is one step ahead as usual. He found out about the killer and got rid of him. Viktor was a member of an ukrainian criminal organization called Koshka. Its leader Isaac wants to avenge his death.

Guest stars : Ray Stevenson, Yvonne Strahovski

Yvonne Strahovski as Hannah McKay

Well, the five first seasons were great and Season 1 and Season 4 are the best of all. The Ice Truck Killer was Dexter’s brother, Trinity is the show’s best villain and season 4 ends with a shocking cliffhanger. 

From season 6, the forgivable inconstistencies piled up in the previous seasons becomes annoying. Whereas the actors do a good job, they are not where they belong and the writing was awful. Det Joey Quinn for instance was almost useless, Louis Greene, Masuka’s intern seemed to have a great potential to be Dexter’s next nemesis but well, he turned out to be a waste ot time. Luckily, the last scene of the last episode gives the perspective of a new start.  

The story is getting more interesting with Deb knowing Dexter’s secret. Now she tries to assemble the puzzle from the previous major cases (Trinity, the barrel girls killers, etc.) and sometimes gets her brother out of trouble. Dex finds himself entangled in a romantic relationship with Hannah McKay, a serial poisoner. Despite Ray Stevenson’s great performance as a gang leader or the sudden rise of a ghost fire killer, the ‘bad guy’ scenario is quickly evicted. Thus, the most important thing going on is Captain LaGuerta reopening the Bay Harbour Butcher case and gets closer to the truth.

Erik King (James Doakes) is back

(May contain Spoiler) The whole season shows that the end is near for our favourite serial killer. He falls in love (which is a good thing by the way), he becomes less careful (e.g: chasing Estrada, being aware that Laguerta had suspicion about him), he spares a killer’s life and kills an innocent, etc. One may say that there are too much upside downs but well, after being in activity for many years, even the smartest serial killer will end up leaving suspicion so I guess things have to go that way. As I said, the end is near and it’s gonna hurt…