I watched the final episode of this season's Dexter, with mixed emotions. For those who watch it, you might know what I mean. For those who don't here's a very quick synopsis of Dexter: The Dexter character is a serial killer, who also moonlights as a CSI type guy -- a blood spatter expert working for Miami Metro Police. His character has been interesting because of the duel roles -- the dichotomy, the yin and the yang...And the story follows as you'd expect, he kills his victims all the while maintaining a family life, and a job, and loose friendships. As I'm writing this, it very well might have some metaphorical relationship to addiction; I'll have to think more on that.
Anyway the character has always been the hero of the show, the protagonist, the good guy because he only killed those, who we all (the audience), deemed deserved to die. He killed other murderers, rapists, and the like. He was our favorite vigilante, doling out the justice that a stint in prison didn't seem to cover well enough.
My real problem happened as Dexter killed an innocent man, earlier in the season. He ritualistically murdered a man whom he thought was a killer, as well. But, much like John McCain, Dexter hadn't properly vetted his candidate. How are we to see Dexter as the hero of the show anymore? How can this show continue with the same vibe as good guy Dexter cleaning up the scum that our justice system doesn't seem to handle properly? He's now just another low life in my eyes, and I don't think I could get past it this season.
And that's the bottom line to my rambling, I guess is that it's all about the character. Dexter was such a strong character in my mind, until they tainted him. Did it take away from his character? Yes. Did this change in the story of Dexter change him in such a way that he could never overcome? Yes. I mean, if Dorothy had knifed the Wizard in the back and jacked his balloon for a ride back to Kansas, you couldn't look at her the same way.
Another great character of this year was Hans Landa of Inglorious Basterds. He was evil, sneaky, conniving, all the while incredibly smart and intuitive. I'd say my favorite story character of the year, at least. Now, I'm so impressed with that character, I ask: what could Tarantino do to ruin that character for me? The only answer I have is for him to step out of character -- and that's what I feel has happened to the Dexter characters. Hans Landa described himself to a "T" in the opening scene of the film as a rat, doing whatever he needs to, to survive -- and he was a slimy rat throughout. With Dexter though, I don't know how to define him anymore. He's lost his goodguyness, he's become his own anti-Christ through his failures, and through his new emotional connections -- that his character used to be incapable of. Dexter was emotionless. Dexter was cold and unfeeling. Dexter was fun. Dexter has run his course.
2 comments:
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA ... Dexter "jumped the shark" when they tried to make Dexter into some kind of vigilante serial killer like Batman. The character of Dexter in the first season (and only good season) was a lot more complex than later seasons: Dexter was a whacked out serial killer ... the personification of evil that was held in check by his father's code.
I was hoping that as the series continued, Dexter would breakdown become a full blown wacko reveling in a massive killing spree with a final scene that would blow away the final scene in "Scarface."
Go watch "Twilight" if you want nice and sweet killers with totally hot bodies that you could jack-off to ... Dexter should be a story of a man's slow descent to hell.
Whether it's Dexter or Tony Soprano, these are not redeeming people. The audience gets lulled into an understanding or even sympathy for the character, blinded to the reality of the situations. Was Dexter corrupted? Yes, when he committed his first murder.
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