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The adrenaline-filled first scene to the new season of Showtime’s “Dexter” on Sunday night showed Dexter Morgan calling for an ambulance. “I—I’ve been stabbed,” he stammered. “I need help.”
The ambulance arrived to America’s favorite serial killer protagonist lying down on the pavement, dying. When the paramedics knelt down next to him, Dexter jolted upright with syringes in each gloved hand to sedate both of the emergency responders.
Having successfully duped the paramedics (who were getting away with letting patients die and selling their organs to a black-market doctor), he calmly explained their crimes to them before doing his own twisted justice and satisfying his inner Dark Passenger by killing them.
The writers of “Dexter” did it again! Not even a full minute into the show, my heart was thumping up in my throat.
I don’t care that it is bothersome to people that millions flock to their televisions each week to watch a show featuring a serial killer. It is a brilliantly written show with talented actors, and if you don’t like it you can go back to watching “Glee”.
And if you prefer TLC’s “Toddlers and Tiaras” to “Dexter”, I have no doubts in my mind about which is the more disturbing show. Here’s a hint: it rhymes with “Shmoddlers and Shmiaras”.
For those not familiar with the series and not fans of televised child abuse, Dexter Morgan is a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Homicide unit who spends his spare time killing people. Don’t worry, though, he only kills people he knows are guilty of murder but have evaded justice.
In this season our dark hero slices his way into spiritual matters. Dexter’s friend wants him to send his son, Harrison, to a prestigious Catholic preschool. Not surprisingly, Dexter is not the religious type.
When a nun at the school asks if he is Catholic, he answers honestly, “No,” before elaborating through inner monologue on his appreciation for the imagery of Catholicism while eyeing a particularly gory crucifix statue on the wall behind the nun.
The premiere also featured the introduction of this season’s elusive main antagonists, a pair of Bible-thumping murderers. Things could get interesting as Dexter’s personal inquiry of faith collides with these two religious crazies. Needless to say, I will be on the edge of my seat this season.
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