Julie Benz Movie:

		List Price: $39.98		Label: Showtime Ent. / Paramount Salesrank: 65 Released: August 21, 2007
		Our Price: $26.98
		Used Price: $29.96
		MPAA Rating: Unrated Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
Dexter is based on the compelling novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay. Orphaned at the age of four and harboring a traumatic secret, Dexter Morgan (Dexter Morgan (Emmy- and Golden Globe- nominated actor Michael C. Hall from "Six Feet Under") is adopted by a police officer who recognizes Dexter's homicidal tendencies and guides his son to channel his gruesome passion for human vivisection in a constructive way - by killing those heinous perpetrators that are above the law or who have slipped through the cracks of justice. A respected member of the police force, a perfect gentleman and a man with a soft spot for children, it's hard not to like Dexter. Although his drive to kill is unflinching, he struggles to emulate normal emotions he doesn't feel, and to keep up his appearance as a caring, socially responsible human being.

Description of Dexter: The First Season:
An interesting and original idea that's very skillfully executed, Showtime's Dexter is never less than watchable, often quite compelling, and sometimes thoroughly riveting. As the 12 episodes from the show's first season (packaged here in a four disc set) reveal, it's also the epitome of "high concept," a kind of Silence of the Lambs for the C.S.I. generation. Creator-executive producer James Manos Jr.'s title character, one Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall of Six Feet Under renown), works for the Miami Police Department as an blood spatter analyst, visiting crime scenes and helping figure out what happened. He has an avocation, too: during his off hours, he tracks down some very, very bad people who for various reasons have eluded the proper authorities. Seems his adoptive father, a cop himself, taught the kid how to channel his dark side in a "positive" direction; and so, having captured these evildoers (including a child molester-murderer and a recidivist drunk driver with a trail of bodies in his wake), Dex dispatches them with clinical precision, thus making him a serial killer who snuffs serial killers. But there's more--much more, as it turns out. By his own description, Dexter is "a monster," an empty shell who fakes all human interactions and admits to no real feelings for anything or anyone, including his foster sister (Jennifer Carter) and his nominal girlfriend (Julie Benz), a former crack addict and battered spouse who's as uninterested in sex as he is. There's an explanation for Dexter's weirdness, of course, one so deep and traumatic that even he isn't aware of it. It's gradually revealed over the course of the season as he and the cops (who include Erik King, Lauren Velez, and David Zayas, all first-rate) track down the so-called "Ice Truck Killer," a fellow monster whose grisly m.o. both fascinates and taunts our hero, leading to a genuinely shocking and squirm-inducing finale. Dexter can be a bit arch, with an ironic, too-hip-for-the-room tone that get a little old. Still, it's a safe bet that anyone who views this first season will be salivating for the second. Extras include audio commentary on two episodes, a featurette about real-life blood spatter analysis, and a variety of DVD-ROM items. --Sam Graham

Beyond Dexter

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The Book that Started It All

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Dexter: The First Season Reviews:
Dexter pleasing
2009-12-25 - For being a serial killer, Dexter, has to be the most likeable guy. You can not be disappointed with Season 1 of Dexter, that is for sure.

the rarest of programs, Dexter actually lives up to the hype . . . and may drain the blood from your extremities . . .
2009-12-18 - A Showtime production, Dexter is an anomaly. It is a brilliantly written, intriguing, and totally engrossing series, that is seldom predictable. Besides a compelling storyline, and characters that seem real, what makes the series even more unique, is that the protagonist, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a blood spatter expert for the Miami police, is a cold blooded murderer.

Hall's unusual role is the key to the series, and his performance is a riveting, and captivating character study, that makes Dexter a very hard show to turn away from. Morgan is guided by the `Code of Harry'. Harry (James Remar) was Dexter's adoptive father, an ex-cop who recognized that his traumatized son, had homicidal tendencies. To help him survive, Harry trained Dexter to channel his desire to kill in a 'positive' direction, by instilling the directive to kill only those who truly deserve to die. This twisted morality is quite bizarre, and makes for fascinating viewing, as Dexter kills ceremoniously.

Presumably to contain any spilled blood, plastic sheeting is typically spread all around the area, and Dexter himself is also covered with plastic sheeting. Victims are taped down naked to a table top face up, helpless and unable to move. After drawing a blood sample for his collection, Dexter gets to work. The dead body is chopped into pieces, and the remains placed in trash bags. Few of the grisly details are actually shown, but the presentation is still pretty chilling. The series has a wicked sense of humor, as Dexter discusses his thoughts through narration, as he nonchalantly goes about his business, which includes murder. Harry is dead, but appears frequently, in flashbacks. Harry's biological daughter Debra (Jennifer Carpenter), also works for the Miami PD in homicide. She is eager, enthusiastic, loves to swear, and has a problem with authority.

The twelve episodes play like a chapters in a book. Unlike most weekly series, the format does not always involve solving a particular case within the episode. Instead, the story unfolds broadly and more naturally, with information about Dexter and his past, coming in small bits. Dexter is dealing with coming to terms with his emotions, or lack thereof, and watching how this affects the evolution of his relationship with his girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz), is fascinating. Benz's performance is pretty amazing, playing an abused woman trying to start a new relationship.

The central underlying story concerns a serial killer known as `Ice Truck Killer', who specializes in neatly slicing up his victim's bodies into bloodless pieces. The whole concept is diabolically macabre, and well executed. The killer has taken a special interest in Dexter, and tension and suspense grows more intense, after the killer's identity is revealed with a few episodes left to go. The killer has an elaborate plan, though he is forced to improvise when the pursuit begins to close in. As Dexter begins to recall the horrific circumstances surrounding his mother's death, the killer makes his play. The writing is outstanding, and keeps you off balance. Approaching the conclusion, things get a little shaky in the turn, but control is reacquired, and Dexter finishes wildly and dramatically, with a stylistic flourish that does not cheat the viewer.

Dexter is refreshingly different from most forensic procedurals. Although dealing with violence and death, there isn't a lot of fighting, shootouts, or chases. The focus is on character and story development. While there are things that go over the top, or are illogical, unlike programs like the CSI franchise, the level of drama isn't routinely pumped up by threats, flashy violence, condescending dialog, or music. The police in Dexter work `normally', with no overly dramatic background music, while routine tasks like, processing the crime scene, performing tests, or analyzing evidence take place. The level of acting by almost everyone involved is excellent, from the minor characters to the leads. The writing is not perfect, but the characters and their dialog, are mostly credible, showing the audience some respect. There are no long winded pretentious speeches sprouting psychobabble, phony overdramatic situations, and characters trying to top each other, or engaging in supercop behavior. Criminal Minds or CSI Miami, this is not.

The series is far from perfect, and doesn't escape being ridiculous. While a darkened room, draped with plastic sheeting, with a naked victim tapped down helpless, is a terrifying scene, it makes little sense, unless Dexter has giant rolls of plastic sheeting, and maybe a case of packing tape in his car. The time it would take to actually prepare the scene, and put up all that sheeting would be ridiculous. Tape and plastic sheeting are excellent for retaining evidence like fingerprints, would have to be destroyed. Dexter disposes a couple of bags of body parts per kill, but what happens to all that tape and plastic sheeting? Over the course of the season, Dexter takes chances, makes mistakes, and has several close calls, and is clearly under suspicion, at the conclusion, setting the stage for the next season.

One of the few negatives is the lack of subtitles, and the inappropriateness of the extras. Two episodes have commentary tracks, but some of the other bonus materials, are not directly related to the series. The mini-documentary Witnessed in Blood, covers the forensics for an unrelated criminal case. And two episodes of Showtime's series Brotherhood are included, presumably as an attempt to promote that series. More material specifically relevant to Dexter, would certainly have been preferred. Otherwise, needless to say, the series is highly recommended to fans of the forensic crime genre.

One of my all-time favorite series
2009-12-14 - I would say Dexter is my favorite series. If I could only pick one series, it would be 24 or Dexter. The first season was darker, more gory and generally a bit more depressive than the other 3 seasons, but it was necessary to develop the character. The first season also has a bit of the off-beat humor that typifies this show. If you've never seen Dexter I highly recommend it. Other shows currently playing that I watch: 24, The Office, Fringe, Eureka.

Great show!
2009-12-08 - I picked this up while Amazon had it on sale for only $13. I'd already become addicted to the latest seasons but hadn't gotten around to watching the first - all I can say is I'm glad I did! Amazing show - well worth the $20 it sits at regularly!

Great Show, Very Poor Quality DVD
2009-12-08 - I LOVED the show and watched it through Netflix's streaming and then bought the discs shortly thereafter.

Apart from other shows' episodes, the Special Features are very limited--a couple short specials and two commentaries. That's it.

The video transfer is grainy and well beneath acceptable. Playback through my HD-DVD player plays at about 12 frames per second so every movement looks like a strobe effect. Not good.

UPDATE: While playing on my Blu-ray player, the frame rate is better and only occasionally gets out of sync. The picture is still grainy and there are still NO special features.