Dexter is back and he’s chillier than ever in Blu!
Dexter is a drama series based on the 2004 Jeff Lindsay novel, Dexter Darkly Dreaming. The novel was adapted for television by Emmy Award-winning screenwriter James Manos, Jr., who wrote the pilot episode. Set in Miami, the series centers the series centers on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a serial killer who works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood spatter analyst. Dexter is able to justify his killings because he only goes after murderers and the dregs of society.
Season one of Dexter spent a lot of time informing viewers of the circumstances that made Dexter the way he is. Orphaned at three and hiding a terrible secret, Dexter was adopted by a Miami police officer named Harry Morgan (James Remar), who recognized his sociopathic tendencies and taught him to channel his gruesome passion for killing and dissecting in a “constructive” way: by killing people who “deserve it.”
To satisfy his craving for blood and in his own way, justify his crimes, Dexter works as a blood splatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department. Though he feels a real sense of emptiness when he’s unable to kill, Harry trained Dexter to use real emotions to mask his impulses and maintain the appearance of a socially responsible individual. Dexter uses his carefully rehearsed easy going manner and charm to become well-liked by most of his co-workers. The one notable exception is Sgt. James Doakes (Erik King), who regularly accuses him of being up to something, but he isn’t sure what it is.
Dexter even has a girlfriend, Rita Bennett (Julie Benz). The ex-wife of an abusive, violent felon, Rita is too traumatized to be interested in sex most of the time. This arrangement suits Dexter, because she to, is part of his cover to appear normal.
While season one was about the hunt, as Dexter tracked down the Ice Truck Killer, who teased him with clues and hints about a shared connection. This season, things have been reversed as Dexter begins to feel like the hunted. As the season opens, Dexter finds himself unable to satisfy his urge to kill for over a month because of the constant surveillance of Sgt. Doakes. To make matters worse, a group of treasure hunters discover Dexter’s dumping ground for his victims. As the body count rises, the media dubs Dexter the “Bay Harbor Butcher.” The F.B.I., lead by Special Agent Frank Lundy (Keith Carradine), arrives with a mandate to catch the killer.
Knowing the police are looking for him seems to make Dexter very uneasy. He becomes increasingly sloppy at keeping up his façade of normalcy. A slip up with his girlfriend Rita forces him to pretend he’s a heroin addict. At a narcotics anonymous meeting, Dexter meets Lila (Jaime Murray), a woman with a dark soul, who leads Dexter down a very dangerous path. The use of the addiction metaphor for Dexter’s loss of control is well done, and adds an excellent arc to the series.
During the course of season two, Dexter’s sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) continues to struggle with her involvement in a relationship with the Ice Truck Killer. For a sense of safety and comfort, she stays with her brother, another new source of stress in Dexter’s life.
The already wonderful cast got a bump from a change this season, as the addition of Carradine to the line-up gave Dexter a perfect foil, as he brings the perfect blend of gravitas and humor to a key role. After watching him here, and remembering his guest spot on Criminal Minds, it’s clear this guy needs his own series. The same can’t be said for Jaime Murray, whose role as Lila sticks to the stereotype of the manipulative psycho bitch. The character grates on the nerves. If the producers decide to keep her around for the third season, let’s hope they tone down the “bitch” factor and give her more to do.
Generally, Dexter continued to be a strong show throughout the second season. While I thought the season finale was a bit of a let-down, Dexter still remains one of the most intriguing, well-written dramas on television today.
A solid 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer, Dexter: The Complete Second Season stays true to the show’s unconventional tone with a polished presentation that’s sure to please series fans and newcomers alike. Miami’s lush primaries and warm skintones are on full display, relishing in a vibrant palette drenched in thick, bottomless shadows. Reds are particularly vivid; giving Dexter’s dark deeds enough visceral impact to match their thematic power. Black levels remain rich and inky, depth is consistently convincing, and detail rarely suffers. Refined textures and sharp edges create an attractive, three-dimensional image in which individual flecks of stubble, scattered paperwork, and the smallest piece of trash are all given their due. Occasionally nighttime sequences fall prey to some elevated digital noise but this can likely be attributed to the series’ original source rather than Paramount’s technical transfer.
Paramount has given viewers an immersive Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track that delivers the soothing lull of Dexter’s twisted narration and the thunk of his most violent kills with equal resonance. Dialogue is crisp, keeping its head above water even when sharing a crowded soundscape with chaotic effects, pulsing music, and sudden gunfire. Taken as a whole, these attributes lend an appropriately creepy atmosphere to Dexter’s midnight hunts and effectively enhance the series’ on-screen tension. It’s also worth noting that dynamics seem bolder and more robust than they did on the first season’s TrueHD track, offering weightier LFE support, more aggressive rear channel activity, and a more stable and immersive soundfield.
As with the earlier standard definition release, Paramount hasn’t really provided anything in the way of real special features. Aside from the collection of episode trailers, the only thing here is a bland interactive trivia game of sorts called Tools of the Trade. BD-Live users can also download a Blood Fountains featurette, several Michael C. Hall podcasts previously featured on the standard DVD, season two’s Dark Defender online shorts, and bonus episodes from other Showtime series like The United States of Tara and Californication. I would have liked some audio commentaries or something.
