Here's a poser for you, is it possible to be a superhero if you are also a serial murderer ? Because that is the premise upon which the show 'Dexter' is based. I'd long heard how good it was and that the protagonist was a psycopath. I suppose I avoided watching it for a while as I never thought that such an idea could work plausibly. But so many people told me it was good that I couldn't resist a look. And I'm glad I did.The idea, as preposterous as it seems, works amazingly well. The writers have conceived a brilliantly clever set of circumstances to allow this to all be possible (based on original novels of course). Then they've cast an excellent actor to play the role, who has charm, a twinkle and a very believable dark side. And the result is compelling. Before you know it you're hoping our hero kills someone else, and the more bloodily the better. This is because old Dexy only kills other killers, 'taking out the garbage' as he puts it. And thus, a chamber of horrors of nasty people who've avoided detection or got off on a technicality get their just desserts, and meet Dexter's set of powertools in the process.
This show is very witty, has a great cast, terrific scripts and a black sense of humour that glues it all together. It isn't a spoof, it's played straight, but our insights into Dexter's bizarre thought processes give us an unlikely hero to root for. About to enter it's 4th season I'd recommend anyone with a strong stomach and a fondness for a bit of gothic violence to have a look. But beware, after watching Dexter other shows may seem tame in comparison. I watched some 'Mad Men' earlier today and concluded that a bunch of unlikeable turds working in an office isn't half as fun.
2 comments:
But Mad Men has smart suits! And smoking! And cocktails ! And ... well, actually, I think it's a well-written and -performed show, but people very rarely seem to talk about the plot or acting, just the trappings of it.
J
I think that's the problem, there isn't really a plot.
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