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The
simple fact is, if you quickly think about the most inventive,
influential, innovative and downright entertaining media created
products in the last 10 years - chances are they've all come from that
small box that resides in your lounge room. The Sopranos, Entourage, Arrested Development, Lost, 24 - just a few of the shows which have completely reinvented the medium - and now it's time to add one more to the list: Dexter.
The
shows title character is like pretty much every other charming forensic
expert you see these days on the box. He is, for all intents and
purposes, a character which could be slipped onto the set of CSI or Law & Order and no one would even notice. Hang on, did I also mention Dexter is a deadly obsessed serial killer?
Oops! Probably should have mentioned that earlier...
Yep,
it seems young Dexter likes the rough stuff on his time off at work as
a blood splatter expert at the Miami PD. Raised by a police officer who
recognized Dexter’s murderous personality (even as a youngster, Dexter
has a taste for the blood of whatever dogs, cats or... larger beast
which cross his path). Knowing there was no helping Dexter he instead
helped his son focus his energy on the minuses of society. Essentially,
as long as you're killing a bad guy - torturous murder of another human
being is A-OK!
Great fatherly advice, who needs mental institutions anyway?
So
there's our premise. The cop who kills, but can cover his tracks. That
is, of course, until a spanner is thrown into the works when an equally
messed up individual (a faceless individual who likes to slice up
prostitutes and drain them of their blood) begins to play mind games
with Dexter.
For the most part Dexter
is a 'good' show. It's utterly enthralling, but for mine, it seemed to
wander along - missing a certain "spark" for a good batch of the
opening few episodes which could separate it from the slew of other
series freely availible on the tube. That is until episode nine. For
some reason, by the time that ninth episode reaches your eyeballs - it
truly hits you just how superb the series is. It's inexplicable - but
utterly intoxicating.
While there are certain elements that seem far to similar to the under-rated (but highly enjoyable) Kevin Costner flick Mr. Brooks, Dexter
is unlike most things you've seen on TV before (or is exactly like what
you've seen before?). Michael C Hall's performance as Dexter is superb,
just so charming and likeable, you immediately forgive him of the fact
that he regularly straps folks to tables with glad-wrap before using
blunt instruments to cut them open.
Great viewing for those who
like to live out their inner-demons via the telebox, and for those who
are willing to reward creativity outside of Two And A Half Men.
Bring on Season 2!!
EXTRAS
A
few good extras here (besides the obligatory commentaries) in the
featurette "Witnessed In Blood: A True Murder Investigation" and the
super intriguing "Blood Spatter 101".
But, as always, I will
always be won over by inventive packaging. Everyone has their
eccentricities - mine just happens to be DVD boxes. Go figure?
Even
more exciting was the promotional copy we received inside of an
"Evidence Bag" complete with yellow "Crime Scene" tape, evidence tags
and rubber gloves.
Who said that creative marketing was a dead art! Conclusion:
Movie 85% Extras: 80%
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