Dexter TV series - any fans on here?

Are there any fans of the CSI serial killer series Dexter on here at all?

I've been thinking about getting the Dexter Season 1-5 Boxset on Amazon recently - would it be a good buy, do you think?

I've sat through every season of Dexter and I'd say no, it's not a good buy. The first and fourth seasons are the only seasons worth a damn. Seasons two and three are just OK and five is an outright bore.

Once you get to them, season six is an abomination and seven is a bit of a mixed bag.

Thanks for your insightful comments!

Any other fans of Dexter on here?

I've watched the first 5 seasons all the way through and found each of interest and worth my time, but haven't really thought about buying them. There are bits that would certainly merit rewatching, but I wouldn't commit to rewatching any whole season.

Is it really extreme and bloody or is it more darkly comic?

Both. Grand Guignol, but w/ a funny voiceover, probably hoping for AlexTheDroog/Clockwork Orange, occasionally hitting that level.

trevanian wrote:

Both. Grand Guignol, but w/ a funny voiceover, probably hoping for AlexTheDroog/Clockwork Orange, occasionally hitting that level.

Thanks again, sounds very intriguing. I think I'm right in saying that it was originally shown on Channel 5 here in the UK, although as I say I've not ever seen it.

I'm on a bit of a serial killer genre kick at the moment, hence my interest in Dexter, plus I just love boxsets!

Just went and bought it all on Amazon.com

Don't know whether I was wise or not!

I've heard a woman describe this show as a serial killer who goes out to kill other serial killers. A serial killer of serial killers - wouldf this be a fair (or overly simplistioc view of this TV series). Almost sounds a bit like James Bond, doesn't it? (shades of Bond's speech in TMWTGG film - "Those whom I kill are themselves killers")

SILHOUETTE MAN wrote:

trevanian wrote:

Both. Grand Guignol, but w/ a funny voiceover, probably hoping for AlexTheDroog/Clockwork Orange, occasionally hitting that level.

Thanks again, sounds very intriguing. I think I'm right in saying that it was originally shown on Channel 5 here in the UK, althoufgh as I say I've not ever seen it.

I'm on a bit of a serial killer genre kick at the moment, hence my interest in Dexter, plus I just love boxsets!

ITV1 showed the first 2 seasons, then FX swooped in waving more money around and that was it gone from terrestrial UK television. I bought and enjoyed the Season 3 boxset, but that's as far as I've seen.

SILHOUETTE MAN wrote:

I've heard a woman describe this show as a serial killer who goes out to kill other serial killers. A serial killer of serial killers - wouldf this be a fai9r (or overly simplistioc view of this TV series). Almost sounds a bit like James Bond, doesn't it? (shades of Bond's speech in TMWTGG film - "Those whom I kill are themselves killers")

Except James Bond is legally entitled to kill. And doesn't carve his victims up.

Jack Wade wrote:

SILHOUETTE MAN wrote:

I've heard a woman describe this show as a serial killer who goes out to kill other serial killers. A serial killer of serial killers - wouldf this be a fai9r (or overly simplistioc view of this TV series). Almost sounds a bit like James Bond, doesn't it? (shades of Bond's speech in TMWTGG film - "Those whom I kill are themselves killers")

Except James Bond is legally entitled to kill. And doesn't carve his victims up.

Well you could say a soldier is legally entitled to kill, too, but that wouldn't excuse a lot of what soldiers do. And it doesn't deal with the ethics of killing, or the justice involved in some killings. Being legally entitled to kill shouldn't affect the ethics of the subject, except maybe to call into question the government giving a legal authorization to kill, as opposed to just hiring out a hit to an outsider so there is no traceability.

After I'm dead, I seriously doubt I will care if somebody carves me up (or hides my body in a dumpster.)

I think Dexter really lets his victims off pretty lightly in the torture department; a slice on the face and then to work? I much prefer the revenge in the KINGPIN series, where the main guy's brother spends what seems like days torturing the guy who caused him to be beat up & gangbanged ... blowtorch action, lots of sharp implements, all while the guy is hanging there, only able to scream and thrash. (the guy really deserved it too.)

trevanian wrote:

Jack Wade wrote:

SILHOUETTE MAN wrote:

I've heard a woman describe this show as a serial killer who goes out to kill other serial killers. A serial killer of serial killers - wouldf this be a fai9r (or overly simplistioc view of this TV series). Almost sounds a bit like James Bond, doesn't it? (shades of Bond's speech in TMWTGG film - "Those whom I kill are themselves killers")

Except James Bond is legally entitled to kill. And doesn't carve his victims up.

Well you could say a soldier is legally entitled to kill, too, but that wouldn't excuse a lot of what soldiers do. And it doesn't deal with the ethics of killing, or the justice involved in some killings. Being legally entitled to kill shouldn't affect the ethics of the subject, except maybe to call into question the government giving a legal authorization to kill, as opposed to just hiring out a hit to an outsider so there is no traceability.

After I'm dead, I seriously doubt I will care if somebody carves me up (or hides my body in a dumpster.)

I think Dexter really lets his victims off pretty lightly in the torture department; a slice on the face and then to work? I much prefer the revenge in the KINGPIN series, where the main guy's brother spends what seems like days torturing the guy who caused him to be beat up & gangbanged ... blowtorch action, lots of sharp implements, all while the guy is hanging there, only able to scream and thrash. (the guy really deserved it too.)

Yes, and the ill-treatment of Iraqi and Afghan civilians ias testament to this. It is not a carte blanche to go out and murder and torture who you like. See the recent case of the killing of Baha Mousa in 2003 by Allied soldiers.

See my 'James Bond as a serial killer' thread by my alter-ego Dragonpol here on the MI6 Community forums for more details on this (controversial) subject:

http://mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/5082/james-bond-as-a-serial-killer

Anyone here heard of Gandhi's "an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind" (or words to that effect)?

Largo's Shark wrote:

Anyone here heard of Gandhi's "an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind" (or words to that effect)?

Yes, I have and it's really not bad advice!

Not to necromancer this thread, but have been rewatching DEXTER and am really surprised at how good most of it is. We found the revival to be just pretty good, but remembered seasons 1 & 4 as winners. Turns out we LOVE 1 through 3 and like 4 & 5. 6 is weighed down by the stunningly inept work (if you want to call it that) of Colin Hanks, who by comparison makes jello seem charismatic, but the regulars do great work anyway. With misgivings, are going to keep watching last 2 seasons, even though I'm pretty sure it is mostly character assassination ... my wife and I both think this second time through that it is really more The Debra Morgan show than DEXTER ... am really surprised this Carpenter woman didn't get work from this (outside of horrorflicks I guess.) In fact, I don't recall seeing any of the supporting cast in anything else (and I haven't seen 6 FEET UNDER so I don't know the main guy from anything else either, although I keep thinking he should be playing Bourne's Brother for the occasional Matt Damon vibe from some angles. Am also thinking he might have been a decent Captain Kirk if they had recast him as a grownup instead of what JJ did with the reboot.)