DEXTER

Season 1 Orphaned at the age of three and harboring a traumatic secret, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) was adopted by a Miami police officer named Harry Morgan who recognized his sociopathic tendencies and taught him to channel his gruesome passion for killing and dissecting in a “constructive” way: by killing only heinous criminals (such as mob assassins and serial killers of the innocent) who have slipped through the justice system. To satisfy his interest in blood and to facilitate his own crimes, Dexter works as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami police. Although his drive to kill is unflinching (otherwise overcome by a feeling of “emptiness”) Dexter is, through extensive instruction from Harry, able to fake normal emotions and keep up his appearance as a socially-responsible human being. He is well-liked by most of his colleagues (with the exception of Sgt. James Doakes), his girlfriend, and her children. The complete season one of Dexter was released in a 4 disc DVD package on August 21, 2007. Season 2 This season is not based on a Lindsay novel in the Dexter series. However, it does loosely borrow a few plot points from the second Dexter novel, Dearly Devoted Dexter. Dexter begins the season unable to satisfy his urges for over a month due to the constant surveillance of Sgt. Doakes. When the opportunity to kill arises, he has problems executing his victims, something he attributes to the final events of the previous season. To further complicate matters, treasure hunters discover Dexter’s underwater dumping ground for his victims. As the police extract body after body from the ocean, the media dubs the killer the “Bay Harbor Butcher”, and FBI Special Agent Lundy (played by Keith Carradine) is brought in to catch the "Butcher". A cult following begins to form behind the “Butcher” when it’s discovered who his victims are [3], with Dexter even finding a comic-book character "The Dark Defender" created in his honour. Rita’s relationship with Dexter becomes more tense as she and her children are dealing with the death of her ex-husband Paul, the result of a prison fight. Her late ex-husband’s suggestion that Dexter was to blame for his imprisonment eats at her conscience and eventually Rita accuses Dexter of setting up her ex-husband. Dexter admits to setting up Paul, but Rita refuses to believe that Dexter premeditated the crime. She assumes that Dexter is a heroin addict. He acquiesces to being an ‘addict’, though he characteristically allows the double entendre to go without clarification; in return, she vows to stay with him while he goes through Narcotics Anonymous. Doakes pursues Dexter until he spots him at a NA meeting, and his first assumption is that Dexter’s devious behavior is drug-related. Deb continues to struggle with the trauma of her experience with the Ice Truck Killer. For a sense of safety and comfort she stays with her brother, another new source of stress in Dexter’s life. New cast members include Jaime Murray as Lila, an ex-Meth junkie artist who becomes Dexter’s sponsor.[4] The role of Rita’s son Cody has now been re-cast with another child actor. Season 2 premiered on September 30, 2007. On July 17 the first two episodes of the season were leaked on the internet, on December 4 the last two episodes have also been leaked on the internet.[5] On November 4th, 2007, the Writer’s Guild of America started a strike, but writer Daniel Cerone stated in the LA Times that Season 2 has already been completed in anticipation of the WGA’s action.