Dexter: A Bloody Brillant Show

What is Dexter?

Dexter was a Showtime crime drama show, adapted from the novel by Jeff Lindsay of the same name. It follows the story of blood splatter analyst Dexter Morgan and how he tries to balance living a “normal” life and also the life of a serial killer.

Even though the original show came out in 2006, almost 20 years ago, it is still receiving sequels and prequels to this day, with Dexter: New Blood (2021), Dexter: Original Sin (2024), and Dexter: Resurrection (2025). The show has also received several awards and nominations, including Saturns, ALMAs, BMI Cables, and Primetime Emmys.

The Show Itself

At the beginning, we are introduced to Dexter Morgan, a forensic scientist for the Miami Metro’s Homicide Department (Homicide), and his insatiable need to kill. We also meet his adopted foul-mouthed sister, Debra Morgan, a cop who’s trying to rise the ranks to become a homicide detective just like her father, and James Doakes, a detective who’s suspicious of Dexter.

We are later introduced to the Ice Truck Killer, a serial killer that Homicide is trying to track down and bring to justice, and who Dexter wants to find and bring to his own form of “justice,” i.e., killing him.

Dexter’s sense of “justice” comes from his code, a code given to him by his adoptive father, Detective Harry Morgan. His code is that if Dexter needs to kill, then he only kills those who deserve it– like people who have killed and gotten away with it, and people who have slipped through the cracks in the system. This code becomes the moral compass for a man with none.

Thoughts

Initially, I didn’t know what to expect going into the show; I’ve never really been into those “serial killer” shows. It wasn’t until my best friend, David, who got into it because of clips on TikTok, came over to my dorm and made me watch the first few episodes with him. From the first episode, I was hooked.

Almost immediately, I was infatuated with the camera work, presenting this sense of eeriness in the murder cases and wonder with scenes of Dexter’s flashbacks. Michael C. Hall’s performance as Dexter also captured the awkwardness of his character, but also his desire to be “normal,” instead of wearing a metaphorical mask.

I especially loved how they paced Dexter’s journey of discovery about his past during his hunt for the Ice Truck Killer. Pacing is always my make-or-break when it comes to shows, and Dexter makes it. 

The show takes its time to build up our understanding of these characters and our understanding of who Dexter is before introducing us to all the big reveals about Dexter’s past that pay off in the season’s finale.

I highly recommend that anyone with a Paramount+ account, or access to a Paramount+ account, give Dexter a shot. It is definitely a show that will leave you hooked. Unless you don’t like blood, bodies, and/or foul language, then I wouldn't recommend it.