Dexter is a Showtime original television series starring Michael C. Hall as serial killer Dexter Morgan, who works as a forensics analyst (specializing in bloodstain pattern analysis) for the Miami-Dade Police Department.
| Dexter | |
|---|---|
| File:Dexter cast.jpg The Cast of Dexter | |
| Created by | Michael Cuesta Lauren Gussis James Manos Jr. |
| Starring | Michael C. Hall (2006) Julie Benz (2006) Jennifer Carpenter (2006) Erik King(2006) Lauren Vélez (2006) David Zayas (2006) James Remar (2006) C.S. Lee (2006) Devon Graye (2006) Dominic Janes (2006) |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Production | |
| Running time | approx. 50 mins per episode |
| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime |
| Release | October 1st, 2006 – present |
The series is based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay.
On November 2, 2006, Showtime renewed the series for a second season. [1] It is speculated that the story arc for this series will be based on the second book in the Dexter series, Dearly Devoted Dexter.
Premise
Orphaned at the age of four and harboring a traumatic secret, Dexter is adopted by a Miami police officer who recognizes Dexter's homicidal tendencies and teaches his son to channel his gruesome passion for human vivisection in a "constructive" way—by killing only heinous criminals who have slipped through the cracks of justice. A respected member of the police force, a perfect gentleman with a soft spot for children, Dexter is hard not to like. Although his drive to kill is unflinching, he struggles to emulate normal emotions and to keep up appearances as a caring, socially-responsible human being.
Critical Reception
The initial response to Dexter has been generally positive. The website Metacritic has calculated a score of 78 from a possible 100 based on 18 reviews. This score includes two 100% scores from the New York Daily News and San Francisco Chronicle, as well as a 30% from the Wall Street Journal.
Series Cast
- Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan: Dexter, a foster son of Harry Morgan, a respected Miami police officer, has a secret. He may appear a likable, if slightly strange, young man with a genius for Blood Spatter Analysis and problems with women, but his knowledge of the world of serial killers goes deeper than just a C.S.I.: Dexter spends his nights tracking down those who have escaped justice (rapists, child molesters, other serial killers) and brings them to justice.
- Julie Benz as Rita Bennett: Rita is a mother of two, who is slowly recovering from being abused by her brutal ex-husband. She is tentatively starting a relationship with Dexter, but is unaware of how he spends his free time.
- Jennifer Carpenter as Deborah Morgan: Deborah, Dexter's foster sister, is a vice cop desperate to be transferred to Homicide, a goal she accomplishes in the 2nd episode. Deb is smart, but unsure of herself, and so relies on Dexter's "expertise" to solve difficult cases.
- Erik King as Sergeant James Doakes: Doakes is the only man on the force who doesn't like Dexter. The cheery, innocent-seeming young man gets on his nerves, and his passion for blood spatter creeps him out. What irritates him even more is that Dexter is usually right about cases.
- Lauren Vélez as Lt. Maria LaGuerta: Lt. LaGuerta is a no-nonsense woman who is not above making her subordinates feel about two feet tall. She has a sincere dislike for Deborah. She does, however, make no secret of her attraction to Dexter, who she flirts with constantly, to his discomfort.
- David Zayas as Angel Batista: Batista, a homicide detective, works closely with Dexter during the day. While he does not share Dexter's fascination with blood, he can appreciate the art of murder. He is undergoing a painful seperation from his wife that has lasted three months when the show begins.
- James Remar as Harry Morgan: A respected member of the Miami-Dade Police Department, Harry was Dexter's foster father and the first to discover the young boy's bloodlust. He taught Dexter how to channel his violent urges into vigilante justice, and how to cover his tracks. Dexter operates under what he calls "the code of Harry", named after his father. Harry appears only in flashbacks, having passed away before the series begins. In fact, Dexter's first victim was a nurse who was slowly killing her patients with morphine overdoses, almost killing the mortally ill Harry among them. Thanks to Dexter, Harry lived another year before dying of hardened arteries.
- Devon Graye as Teenage Dexter.
Episodes
International Broadcasters
| Country | TV Network(s) | Series Premiere | Weekly Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States |
Showtime | October 1 2006 | Sunday 10:00PM ET |
 Canada |
The Movie Network | October 2 2006 | Monday 9:00PM ET |
| Movie Central | October 1 2006 | Sunday 8:00PM PT | |
 United Kingdom |
FX Network | 2007 |
External links
- Official site (US-only)
- Dexter at IMDb
- Metacritic score for Dexter [2]
