‘Dexter‘*) is among the TV series that I enjoy watching. I really think it’s a well written, well performed and well directed story, and so, when ‘Dexter – season 4’ was delivered to me by messenger earlier today, I watched the first 2 episodes.
The series seems to have kept it’s ‘old, peculiar and laid-back charming style, good person descriptions, building on already established characters and story-lines – re-introducing characters from earlier seasons and thereby building suspense – and Dexter as the main character (TV Series name-giver,) has kept his disarming ‘innocent’ and boyish style as the ‘cosy’ narrator, confidentially describing the scenery and activity for the viewer completely as he (secretly) experiences it.
He does well as narrator, actor Michael C. Hall has a good voice for narration, and his interpretation of his character provides a good basis for describing and commenting on the daily goings on as he adds an amusing twist to the side-stories by the ingenious ‘fresh’ view of the sometimes childlike, but always logically valid, punchlines of his character. He manages to mix in with commonplace concerns that most people experience on a regular basis (or that is my guess) with matter-of-fact-like statements and details about his killings, with such ease and in such a direct but also relaxed approach, that it’s hard for the viewer to not begin seeing his criminal activities as what they really are, before the moment when they actually take place … and I imagine this is partly responsible for the serie’s success … at which point you realize with a small shock that this was actually REAL blood and REAL killing and REAL hunting victims down that Dexter spoke about 5 m in. earlier, and 15 min. earlier, and 30 min. earlier.
Of course the viewer knows all this from the very beginning – at least if he’s watched any episodes prior to this – and it’s the reason I find the series worthy of praise: It still takes the viewer through the circle, and does it effectively, because Dexter really is likable. In short: He’s nice, without being cliche. His niceness and the freshness of his character keeps the show interesting … along with all the other characters whom the viewer already are or will become familiar with, and learn to love or hate with Dexter as the story unfolds, and it happens painlessly because – our individually personal likes and dislikes aside – they’re all lovable or hate”-able” in the same basic way that would make us love or hate them in real life.
That is my second claim: Dexter depicts not a deviant character, as much as it depicts all the feelings that are common for all of us – or at least for most of us – feelings we can identify with, at some level or other, and relate to.
*) … I did make a search on ‘Dexter’ in an attempt to find a link to it’s website, but none seems to exist.
